UNI AD: "Phillips Family Pledges Major Gift to UNI-Dome Campaign"

[ronfitch]

"A $300,000 gift from Zac and Sara Phillips of Denver, Colorado, will help build the next generation UNI-Dome for the Cedar Valley.

The couple said their donation honors the important role Panther Athletics has played in their lives, going back to Sara's youth spent attending football as well as basketball games in the Dome prior to the construction of the McLeod Center."

Entire UNI AD release:

https://unipanthers.com/news/2023/12/13/general-phillips-family-pledges-major-gift-to-uni-dome-campaign

[UNIpanther99]

"Athletics, in a college sense, is the front porch to a university," said Zac. "It's what brings people together. Knowing that the Dome needed our help, this seemed like the place we could make the most impact."

Well said. What a great gift.

[CincyPanther88]

Is the announcement of this gift timed to counter the faculty seeking an end to athletics getting money from the general fund? If so, well played, Bob.

[clenz]

Is the announcement of this gift timed to counter the faculty seeking an end to athletics getting money from the general fund? If so, well played, Bob.

Who knows, but it's so hard to ignore the statements in the video and how it's timed in relation to the bull**** from the faculty union.

Also, who knows if David was involved in this before he left, but there's something "awesome" about the fact Bowlsby has been in place for 2 weeks and has nearly as many gifts (there were what, 3 maybe 4 known, under David) brought in as David did in 7 years.

[FOTY]

The Phillips are great Panthers (and people) who spread the love of their Panthers throughout CO and often make it back for events and Arch Madness. This is awesome news!

[Panther AC]

Who knows, but it's so hard to ignore the statements in the video and how it's timed in relation to the bull**** from the faculty union.

Also, who knows if David was involved in this before he left, but there's something "awesome" about the fact Bowlsby has been in place for 2 weeks and has nearly as many gifts (there were what, 3 maybe 4 known, under David) brought in as David did in 7 years.UNI role

I am absolutely thrilled Bob Bowlsby is the interim athletic director at UNI, but to believe he had anything to do with this pledge is preposterous. Gifts of this magnitude take many weeks, if not months, to come to fruition and are the result of many discussions between fund raisers within the UNI Foundation and athletics department with the potential donors. Additionally, these announcements of large gifts and pledges are intentionally spaced out to show continued support in an effort to entice other donors to make similar gifts and pledges. The timing is also independent of the faculty releasing its statement about general fund money going to athletics, since this pledge has been in the works for quite some time. I have every reason to believe Bob will be successful in his UNI role, but despite being named interim AD a couple of weeks ago, he has only been on campus a few days.

[CincyPanther88]

I am absolutely thrilled Bob Bowlsby is the interim athletic director at UNI, but to believe he had anything to do with this pledge is preposterous. Gifts of this magnitude take many weeks, if not months, to come to fruition and are the result of many discussions between fund raisers within the UNI Foundation and athletics department with the potential donors. Additionally, these announcements of large gifts and pledges are intentionally spaced out to show continued support in an effort to entice other donors to make similar gifts and pledges. The timing is also independent of the faculty releasing its statement about general fund money going to athletics, since this pledge has been in the works for quite some time. I have every reason to believe Bob will be successful in his UNI role, but despite being named interim AD a couple of weeks ago, he has only been on campus a few days.

Yeah, I doubt Bob had a lot to do with the gift. Perhaps he got it over the goal line, so to speak. What I'm saying is that the announcement of the gift was right after what the faculty said what they did. Coincidence? Maybe. But Bob's been around the block a time or two. He probably knows the best time to put out a press release. Maybe he moved up the announcement because of it. Look at the Phillips's quotes. They are very close to what people were saying to counter the faculty. I'm not saying Bob, et. al. put words in their mouths but it's more effective saying it now than around Xmas or New Years or before Arch Madness.