NEW ORLEANS -- Tulane University's will keep its football program in Division I-A, the school announced Tuesday.

Tulane's governing board had considered eliminating the football program or dropping to a lower division, but voted 27-0 with one abstention against changes, board president John Koerner said at a news conference.

The announcement was met with cheers from demonstrators who had gathered in support of the football program, carrying "Roll Wave" signs. Prominent supporters of the football program included Mayor Ray Nagin, who joined Koerner at the news conference.

The Tulane athletic program loses $7 million a year.

"What we did was not endorse the status quo," said Tulane President Scott Cowen. He said a resolution passed by the board also demands that the school increase its fan and financial bases.

The resolution said the annual deficit must be down to $2 million by 2007. The school will also ask the NCAA to support higher academic standards and lower costs for membership in Division I.

The board also called for changes in the NCAA's college bowl championship series "to minimize, if not eliminate, its adverse impact on team I-A intercollegiate athletics" _ a reference to the financial disadvantage of teams not in the top tier.

"I would do away with the BCS, absolutely," Cowen said.

"The fan base seems to be larger with those schools that are in a BCS conference, and of course they get the television exposure all the time, so it is a self-fulfilling prophecy."

Cowen said he has talked to 80 university presidents and heard dissatisfaction, even from those in BCS leagues. He said the cost of being in Division I has gone up tremendously and there are new rules on financial aid and actual attendance that are difficult for Tulane to meet.

He said Tulane could have an influence on the NCAA if it allies itself with other schools.

"I think there's a moment of opportunity right now, because the BCS contract is up in a couple of years," Cowen said.

A last-ditch drive over the weekend by athletic director Rick Dickson doubled the number of season tickets for football to more than 12,000, the school said. Last year, there were 5,300 season tickets sold.

Average attendance at games in the Superdome last season was 27,000, boosted by big crowds who came for the Texas and Southern games.

The marathon drive picked up another $1 million for the athletic foundation, increasing it to $2.1 million, and boosted the athletic endowment to $14.5 million from the previous $10 million, the school said.

Tulane's football program has been up and down since 1966 when it left the Southeastern Conference, but operations have streamlined since Dickson took over three years ago.

Tulane Stadium was torn down 30 years ago when the team moved to the Superdome. Tulane now plays in Conference USA but attracts few fans, despite recent success in a number of sports.

The football team finished 8-5 last season and beat Hawaii in the Hawaii Bowl. The men's tennis and women's golf teams were in NCAA regionals. The women's basketball team made it to the NCAA tournament for the ninth straight year. The baseball team went to the NCAA regionals.