Edwards Stadium

When asked about another potential change to athletics policy in response to the budget deficit — selling alcohol at Cal games — Christ said the question was “stupid.”

It’s no secret that Cal Athletics faces a daunting future: the most debt-ridden athletics program in the nation is tasked with cutting the entirety of its fiscal year 2016 budget deficit — nearly $22 million — by 2020.

BAMPFA has adopted an ambitious plan for achieving a targeted budget deficit reduction of $582,000 set by the recently unveiled campus fiscal year 2018 budget, including plans to generate $850,000 in new revenue, increase its endowment by $5 million and reduce the number of scheduled exhibitions as part of cost-saving measures.

The campus has unveiled its response to an imposing financial crisis with its 2017-18 budget, highlighted by more than $20 million in cuts to academic, research and administrative expenses.

Concrete chunks fall from the ceiling and pillars of the west tunnel of Edwards Stadium — home to the campus soccer and track and field teams — adding to the already unsafe conditions established with the building’s poor seismic rating.