Northern’s United States Olympic Education Center (USOEC) received a continuation in its funding from the United States Olympic Committee (USOC) last week.

The USOC had been reviewing the program at NMU, and decided to continue providing $300,000 for a 14-month term.

USOEC Director Jeff Kleinschmidt said this review was very typical of USOC after any Olympic cycle.

“We were pleased that they realized the value of the program, and that they wanted to continue funding at that level,” he said.

Kleinschmidt added that the USOC is also making these reviews to every training facility they fund across the country because the USOC had to cut 15 percent of its staff earlier this year.

“It’s a very simple situation, and I think it got blown up to be a bigger deal than what it actually is,” he said.

Kleinschmidt also said that the contributing factor to the decision made by the USOC were letters sent by congressman Bart Stupak and U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Carl Levin.

“All of them have been very helpful, and they see the potential in this program,” he said.

The USOC will continue to review the USOEC at NMU and its work with the national governing body of each sport over the next year to determine future funding.

Kleinschmidt said the reviews will continue in order to see if funding will remain after the 14-month period.