UNI-Dome Renovation

[ronfitch]

One aspect CL omitted, (whether intentional or not), is the number of high level personnel that have resigned and the position not filled with competent person (save for Michelle VD). I'd love to hear those exit interviews!
????

On the radio broadcast Saturday, the new guy (JW) name-checked Michelle after Woo got his second pick-six. He was calling the game while also going through his materials to find out where Woo's achievement stood in UNI football history and just a few minutes later he said that Michelle - who had not made the trip to Western - gave him to information to pass on to the listeners.

She will be missed.

[A Fan In Lean Years]

The grants and gifts came from being part of the university's larger capital project. I've heard the numbers raised in the first 4+ years of the "Panther Rising" initiative from the AD. It wouldn't be near enough to even get a contractor to return your call. All of a sudden the university pulls the project away and a year later we have the gifts and funding to make it happen? Not a coincidence.

Again, these projects started at David's baby. It was his 5-year strategic plan. It's one of the very, very, very few public press conferences/appearances he's done in his 6.5 years as AD. If his athletic department, who BADLY, needs the positive PR managed to fund 75 million dollars in gifts (in complete secret, mind you) why would he not be the one to announce it? Why would it not be thrown out as a payoff of almost his entire 5-year strategic plan? Why is it that it gets found out, by a student reporter, at the Northern Iowan who was doing an article on the BoR review of the university? Why is it being announced as part of the university campaign, which had never made any mention of it before?

You know, at this point a number of people left on this board are actually quite connected within the Cedar Valley/University. People know things. When you hear things from people you know are connected, not on this forum but in day to day life, it is clear what the reality is. The athletic projects haven't been included in meetings/updates/communications from the AD to various committees in over a year. There's a reason for that. It kept having excuses of "It isn't ready to be presented" or "This person isn't here tonight so we can't present" but it was obvious to anyone there what was happening.


I'll ask you this. If David pulled of 75 million dollars in gifts, in secret, with zero updates to anyone on the PSC board, or any other committee that is in charge of helping fund raise, generate fans, etc. is that acceptable for how to run things?

Question 2

If David did manage to raise 75 million dollars, it would only be logical that he is on top of his ****. He is organized and the AD is well run/managed. What makes you think that is the case? I'll even let you ignore the complete failure of the marketing/PR/social media side. I'll even let you ignore the absolutely dumpster our facilities are in terms of cleanliness.

Answer that only while taking into account the BoR review of the athletic department - where it has been flagged for being poorly managed.

Ignore all of the day-to-day, public-facing, items we can all see issues with. Re-read the BoR findings when doing an internal audit, and flagging the department as being to the point of losing standing with the university. Then tell me how that matches up with the idea that the athletic director, privately, raised 75 million dollars

Baloney. Bottom line is that Harris played a big role in securing this project.

How do I know? Because when it was being alleged that he wasn't getting things done and/or fundraising, then it was ALL on him. So, when fund are secured by private donors, it's suddenly NOT his doing. Heck, he even gets blamed when one of our teams loses!

[BCPanther]

The politics and racism accusations end here. Period.

[vbfan19]

The politics and racism accusations end here. Period.

was someone dumping that trash in here?
(if so, thanks for cleaning it up)

[Trapped in California]

With certain exceptions, people don't organizations. They quit bosses.

I've worked in some crappy situations due to the person I was reporting to at the time.

[Newsbreaker]

Is the 42-50M for the Dome (plus 15M for the practice facility) actually funded, or are these statements of intention-to-raise.

What UNI Athletics is doing clearly isn't working, and is out of step with the modern world of mid-level D1 athletics. The University taking over fundraising and planning for major capital projects, might make sense. IMO, one of our problems has been that UNI isn't cohesively marketed; the athletics department isn't big enough to carry the name of the University, but the University hasn't had a consistent approach on its own. The east side of Hudson Road taking things over and showing leadership isn't a bad thing, IMO.

Frankly, whomever did it, if someone came up with 70M in grants and donations to revitalize the physical plant of UNI Athletics, that's the most positive news we've had in pushing two decades.

[BCPanther]

Is the 42-50M for the Dome (plus 15M for the practice facility) actually funded, or are these statements of intention-to-raise.

What UNI Athletics is doing clearly isn't working, and is out of step with the modern world of mid-level D1 athletics. The University taking over fundraising and planning for major capital projects, might make sense. IMO, one of our problems has been that UNI isn't cohesively marketed; the athletics department isn't big enough to carry the name of the University, but the University hasn't had a consistent approach on its own. The east side of Hudson Road taking things over and showing leadership isn't a bad thing, IMO.

Frankly, whomever did it, if someone came up with 70M in grants and donations to revitalize the physical plant of UNI Athletics, that's the most positive news we've had in pushing two decades.

Everything is on the BOR's master facilities calendar so the money must be there. They're announcing the Dome on Friday night.

You've nailed the marketing aspect. Athletics tried their hardest under Hartzell and Dannen to just be 'UNI' while the university insisted on Northern Iowa. Then the university did a rebrand a year ago (which looks great) and goes all in on 'UNI' and it seems to me that so much of athletics has kind of reverted to 'Northern Iowa'. It's maddening.

[Blue42]

Everything is on the BOR's master facilities calendar so the money must be there. They're announcing the Dome on Friday night.

You've nailed the marketing aspect. Athletics tried their hardest under Hartzell and Dannen to just be 'UNI' while the university insisted on Northern Iowa. Then the university did a rebrand a year ago (which looks great) and goes all in on 'UNI' and it seems to me that so much of athletics has kind of reverted to 'Northern Iowa'. It's maddening.

I don't think they're showing up on Friday to tell everyone they've got $50 million in the can already.

Maybe a portion of that.

This is closer to the beginning than the finish line.

Not sure how folks jumped right to "the money's there...".

[UNIAlum95]

I'm with Blue on this, it sounds a lot closer to we have to find $50M for it to happen.

[Blue42]

I'm with Blue on this, it sounds a lot closer to we have to find $50M for it to happen.

Do folks really think they could have gotten to $50 million in near complete silence? Before any public ask?

C'mon fellas.

[FOTY]

I don't think they're showing up on Friday to tell everyone they've got $50 million in the can already.

Maybe a portion of that.

This is closer to the beginning than the finish line.

Not sure how folks jumped right to "the money's there...".

According to friends I have in the NFP/fundraising world, they will likely have 70-80% of the campaign pledged prior to announcing. As we know, the non-public campaign has been ongoing for quite some time. I’m thinking we are pretty far along or the BOR would not have approved the plan during their recent meeting.

[BCPanther]

According to friends I have in the NFP/fundraising world, they will likely have 70-80% of the campaign pledged prior to announcing. As we know, the non-public campaign has been ongoing for quite some time. I’m thinking we are pretty far along or the BOR would not have approved the plan during their recent meeting.

Exactly. It's on the BOR master facilities calendar for fiscal 2023 and everything else in fiscal 2025. The foundation took over the fundraising about 18 months ago apparently.

It's more or less done.

I'll bet the number they announce as already raised on Friday is well into 9 figures.

[Born-a-Panther]

According to friends I have in the NFP/fundraising world, they will likely have 70-80% of the campaign pledged prior to announcing. As we know, the non-public campaign has been ongoing for quite some time. I’m thinking we are pretty far along or the BOR would not have approved the plan during their recent meeting.

This is correct.

[Blue42]

Exactly. It's on the BOR master facilities calendar for fiscal 2023 and everything else in fiscal 2025. The foundation took over the fundraising about 18 months ago apparently.

It's more or less done.

I'll bet the number they announce as already raised on Friday is well into 9 figures.

There is certainly a percentage already pledged. I think your 70-80% is high.

I hope I'm wrong...I really do...but I'm guessing it's closer to 40% than 70%.

[hoopfan]

There is certainly a percentage already pledged. I think your 70-80% is high.

I hope I'm wrong...I really do...but I'm guessing it's closer to 40% than 70%.

Nook stated $185,000,000 has been raised during his remarks at Good Morning Cedar Valley last week. This was for a wide array of capital projects, student initiatives, programs, campanile, etc. He also indicated hitting their goal would raise more than the last 3 campaigns combined. I don't know what those campaigns raised, but someone else may have that in their memory and be able to provide some context.