Would you donate more to allow COA stipends for MBB & WBB

[Webergrad02]

The Des news quotes our athletic director as saying we are looking at cost of attendance stipends for men's and women's basketball. It is a shame that USU got 1.5 million from the legislature for this purpose. But I think I like our thinking on this. Giving MBB & WBB stipends would not be as costly as doing it across the board and would help us remain competitive on the recruiting trail. The only Big Sky school currently giving COA stipends is North Dakota for hockey. To keep their title 9 status they have to give the same number of stipends to womens sports. It would further solidify us as the premier program in the conference. I actually don't mind giving a little $ to this cause. However, I don't want to see ticket prices increase or Wildcat Club dues increase to fund this.

What are you thoughts?

Bovee is quoted on pages 3 & 4
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865632464/The-evolution-of-college-athletics-Utah-schools-scramble-to-adjust-a-changing-financial-landscape.html?pg=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

 

[n.ogdencat]

The Des news quotes our athletic director as saying we are looking at cost of attendance stipends for men's and women's basketball. It is a shame that USU got 1.5 million from the legislature for this purpose. But I think I like our thinking on this. Giving MBB & WBB stipends would not be as costly as doing it across the board and would help us remain competitive on the recruiting trail. The only Big Sky school currently giving COA stipends is North Dakota for hockey. To keep their title 9 status they have to give the same number of stipends to womens sports. It would further solidify us as the premier program in the conference. I actually don't mind giving a little $ to this cause. However, I don't want to see ticket prices increase or Wildcat Club dues increase to fund this.

What are you thoughts?

Bovee is quoted on pages 3 & 4
http://www.deseretnews.com/article/865632464/The-evolution-of-college-athletics-Utah-schools-scramble-to-adjust-a-changing-financial-landscape.html?pg=4" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

I wouldn't doubt if COA's have already been applied by athletics for Men's and Women's basketball, and with regard to the present landscape of college athletics and the recruiting wars occurring, it is a good thing. Personally I worry about the future. University's are only going to try to push the envelope more and more so that they can gain advantages over their competition. This has the potential to really snowball.

As for Weber, my thoughts are, why waste $$$ on women's basketball and instead give it to softball, cross-county, or soccer? Yet, in the future, that might happen too. Weber will want to help out specific football players and will need to spend the same COA amount for women's sports as they do for men's teams. So, I'm sure in the future the more successful women's teams/athletes will start seeing COA support.

I'm not a huge fan of COA's especially when most students are graduating with 25K of debt and thats working the entire time the student was in college. Another issue is that very few academic scholarships receive full COA type grants. Academic institutions should be focusing on students and education, not athletics. Athletics is not what pushes the overall definition of university. Of course, athletes are working full-time for the university in an arena that hopefully can produce revenue for the university. So, in that instance, yes, athletes should receive an additional bonus.

My biggest guff is with state universities receiving direct tax assistance to pay for COAs in the name of economic vitalization. Ogden and Weber County are far bigger than Cache and Logan, and would utilize those additional monies far better than the Cache ever could. Weber county and Ogden drastically need more state support, not to mention education in general (the legislature cut the education budget by 2% this year) and suddenly USU ends up with 1.5M for COAs? Ridiculous!! USU should NOT have gotten money from the state legislature if Weber, SUU, UVU, SLCC, Snow, and even Utah (we just have to pay to help maintain, and keep open specialized athletic facilities earmarked for only basketball and football players, state citizens cannot use these facilites ever, but we pay to keep the doors open.) didn't receive assistance for COAs.

Well...as for Wildcat Club and Season Tickets, athletics needs to figure out how to increase those two areas. Raising the price tag to participate will only hurt them further.

 

[oldrunner]

It really doesn't matter whether USU should or should not have received the $1.5 million for COAs. What matters is that they got it and a precedence has been established. All of the State's Universities should get the same. The legislature has spoken and the message is loud and clear. They support athletics at our State institutions and will make up any shortfalls with general tax dollars.

I agree that the money should not come from students and that it should mostly come from donations and other generated income sources. However, up to $1.5 million of it should come from general tax revenues. The precedence has been set.

Yes, I would donate a bit more for that, as long as we get our fair share out of the legislature. :wtf:

 

[Webergrad02]

It really doesn't matter whether USU should or should not have received the $1.5 million for COAs. What matters is that they got it and a precedence has been established. All of the State's Universities should get the same. The legislature has spoken and the message is loud and clear. They support athletics at our State institutions and will make up any shortfalls with general tax dollars.

I agree that the money should not come from students and that it should mostly come from donations and other generated income sources. However, up to $1.5 million of it should come from general tax revenues. The precedence has been set.

Yes, I would donate a bit more for that, as long as we get our fair share out of the legislature. :wtf:

However, many in the legislature claim that the bill with that amended to it was snuck in at the last minute and some claimed to not even know the money was going toward COA's. I have heard representatives say they will fight to shut down any additional funding for COA's.

The real question is where is BYU getting the funds to have one of the highest COA's in the nation? They wouldn't use my tithing for that, would they?

 

[oldrunner]

OK, shut it down. Right after you level the playing field with all the other institutions.

I want mine!!!!! :wall:

And YES, BYU will use your heaven tax for that. :thumb: :thumb:

 

[n.ogdencat]

It really doesn't matter whether USU should or should not have received the $1.5 million for COAs. What matters is that they got it and a precedence has been established. All of the State's Universities should get the same. The legislature has spoken and the message is loud and clear. They support athletics at our State institutions and will make up any shortfalls with general tax dollars.

I agree that the money should not come from students and that it should mostly come from donations and other generated income sources. However, up to $1.5 million of it should come from general tax revenues. The precedence has been set.

Yes, I would donate a bit more for that, as long as we get our fair share out of the legislature. :wtf:

However, many in the legislature claim that the bill with that amended to it was snuck in at the last minute and some claimed to not even know the money was going toward COA's. I have heard representatives say they will fight to shut down any additional funding for COA's.

The real question is where is BYU getting the funds to have one of the highest COA's in the nation? They wouldn't use my tithing for that, would they?

BYU has "claimed" that tithing monies do not support athletic programs. Part of the reason why BYU-I got rid of their athletic programs, and why BYU-H is in the process of getting rid of their athletic programs. BYU according to what I have heard, and we all know how suspect my sources can be, can only run its athletic programs based off of the revenue it generates,which is substantial. But then again, who really knows, we really don't get a chance to audit how tithing is spent, I'm not complaining just in case someone wants to tell my ecclesiastical leaders (sir velo) that I'm speaking out against the church. :rofl: I still write on my forms, please don't spend for BYU. :clap: :thumb:

As for COA's...there are thousands of Utah university students who need support. Yes, they receive financial support from the FAFSA and the Federal Govt, but why not create a state trust that can help support those most deserving students who are state citizens? 1.5M that is being used by USU to buy football players could be a nice foundation to start such a fund. This fund could really help provide support for serious, academic relevant, students from our state. To me, this is a serious waste of money. There are sooo many other things that this could be spent on in the name of "economic vitalization." Heavens, Ogden City could use that money to help most of Adams Ave. revitalize. If anything, if the State is cutting education funding and then turning around to give 1 specific athletic department out of 9 state higher ed institutions with athletic programs, with funds so that they can live their pipe dream of keeping up with the Jones (U and Y) then we are in desperate need of getting representatives and senators who are responsible and far better. We need to vote out the fat cats providing USU with these funds. To me this is an absolute embarrassment for the state to be engaged in. Shows a total lack of regard for the public funds that we are all paying into. Stewardship of public funds is a serious responsibility that is being misused and adulterated by individuals who lack ethics, integrity, and character...YES, Lyle Hilard I'm pointing my finger at you. :dunce:

 

[oldrunner]

Regardless, before they do anything, they need to make the rest of their children whole. $1.5 mil. for the other D1 programs, $1 mil. for the other 4 year schools, $.5 mil. for the JCs. Get it done legislature. After that you can decide if you wish to continue it or not. Just make things fair first. :yikes: