State going to set deadline to get off funding.

[UNIpanther99]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

Today's USA Today story on athletic budgets and coaching salaries features UNI:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/college/mensbasketball/2010-04-01-coaches-salaries-cover_N.htm

[SteinPizza]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

7) Probably cut Wrestling....hate to say it

Why hate it? That said, how much money does that actually save?

I realize Wrestling probably costs us more than other non-revenue sports, but just curious as to how much more. I could see Wrestling being out of proportion financially since it's popular within the state, therefore you need to pay a coach more than you would in Illinois as an example, spend more on Wrestling infrastructure, etc. Those in the know, am I correct in this?

To clarify, that's not a comment either pro or anti Wrestling. Just a theory that it's spending might be out of proportion due to the nature of the sport in Iowa vs. most of the rest of the country.

[ubuntuCAT]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

If wrestling was cut, couldn't they also cut a women's sport?

[UNIpanther99]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

If wrestling was cut, couldn't they also cut a women's sport?

No, Hartzell tried that and was immediated sued by Women's groups. As long as we are upside down in having more men's scholarships than women's, we cannot cut a female sport without facing legal action.

[FOTY]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

Interesting reading (as much as one can read a powerpoint)....

http://www.uni.edu/president/sites/default/files/uni-council_2-4-09.pdf

In FY 08 the student body was 57% female and student athletes were 38% female (pg35). This does not take dropping Baseball into consideration. Sad to say, dropping one more male sport would likely bring us into compliance (or close to it). Sucks, but Title IX can kill opportunities for male athletes outside of football and basketball.

[Chitown Panther]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

I guess thats my point....the only 2 Men's Scholarship sports IMO opinion should be FB and BBall.

The tough thing is: In the Football Gameday Program, there are some endowned Wrestling scholarships.....

[Pant8her]

Re: State going to set deadline to get off funding.

Have any of you taken a look at the core mission statement of UNI. Nowhere in it states athletics...all about academics. While the state continues to cut the funding to the academic side of the Regent Universities, do you actually expect them not to cut it on the athletic side? There truely is no reason that taxpayers should be subsudizing collegiate athletics. Whether you want to believe it or not, the majority of Iowan's would not want to give an extra $1.50 on their taxes to help pay for UNI athletics.

As far as charging the students more, that is the last thing any college should be doing in this economic environment, especially when the majority of students are not going to the games and when their budgets are strapped.

Don't get me wrong, I love UNI athletics and was involved in them for 3 years in college, but one needs to think critically in this situation. I also served on the Student Service Fees Committee that comes up with the amount students are charged. First of all, the money is not there. Second, not enough students go to the games. And third, if the school started charging students for tickets they would quickly find themselves losing the money given to them through the Student Service Fees Committee and the Athletic Department knows this.

The best option is raising money, though it probably wont be enough, through the PSC.

One of the best things stated in this quote above is #2. Not enough students go to the games or care. IMHO if you spend your money to your student activity fee, maybe they should take advantage of it. This could possibly mean more concessions more enthusiam toward the Univerisity as an institution throughout the State which might lead to more people desiring to watch UNI athletic events... better coverage means students desire to attend the university and so on.
Many have quoted: Where your money is so is your heart.

I know this is an unpopular idea...
If people first care they will pony up, if students have a higher activity fee maybe they will care where their money is going. That is how I got hooked on the programs.
IIRC, UNI holds a wrestling camp during the summer (or at least they use to) and it is widely known as one of the best in the country, which in reality probably generated funds for the university. Therefore cutting that program may not be in the best interest of the department.
I don't claim to have the solution to the problems, but I think alot of UNI's problems are in the perception through out the state of Iowa. UNI will probably always be the red-headed step child (RHSC) of the universities and until more people get a positive exposure to UNI, we will always be the RHSC.
Speaking about exposure!!!
HoRah for the UNI-mens BB team, people were cheering for them around the world or at least in Afghanistan. I did not vocally proclaim UNI, but when people found out they came up and stated they really wanted UNI go all the way.

Peace,