Should Towson suspend football?

Towson State appears to be on the verge of suspending its football program after 22 seasons. The athletic department could face a deficit of more than $250,000 at the end of this school year, and the quickest way to get back in the black would be to suspend football, which had a scholarship budget of $330,000 this year.

If it is suspended, the football program could return in a year or two at a lower level of competition, where players would get fewer scholarships, or perhaps no scholarships at all.

About 500 people attended an open forum yesterday on campus, and most urged that the program be saved. We'd like to know what you think.

Should Towson State suspend its football program?

To register your opinion, call SUNDIAL at 783-1800 (or 268-7736 in Anne Arundel County) today through midnight Sunday. It's a free call. After you hear the greeting, you'll be asked to punch in a four-digit code on your touch-tone phone. Punch 4600 and you'll be connected with "It's Your Call," The Evening Sun's phone survey on topical issues.

"It's Your Call" represents a sampling of opinions from certain segments of the community, but it is not balanced demographically, as would be done in a scientific public opinion poll.

Look for the results in Monday's Evening Sun.