What would convince you to increase donations to athletics?

[EduBull]

 Academics takes even longer than athletics to see a return on investment.

 

 

 

I disagree with this - in most cases.  Sure, an athletics program that rockets to national relevance has an almost immediate positive impact on the entire university, but that's a very rare event.  Hasn't happened to us, and does not appear that it will.  A few short years ago it looked as though it might, but it didn't.

 

Recruiting and hiring international caliber researchers is something USF can and has done, and building a track record of peer-reviewed publications with University of South Florida as an affiliation is a GUARANTEED way to raise the academic profile of the University.  It's something that cannot be undone by the whims of conference re-alignment, bad coaches, etc.  

 

Now, I fully realize that athletics is an important part of branding and potentially brings a lot of other benefits to the University, and we most certainly need it.  But at the present time I think the University would be better served by donor attention to academics.  Hopefully in a few years, once we've kicked the perception of USF academics up a notch, we'll be in a much better position to leverage athletics.  

[CousinRicky]

There is plenty of money and expansion going into non sports at USF.  We just don't talk about it here.  Read the alumni newsletters to catch up.

[BaltoBull]

You are right on target, EduBull. "Big Time" athletics at this point are a non-starter. It's just that some people refuse to see this.

 

I agree, we need to start concentrating on Academics and from an athletic perspective, sports like soccer, baseball and softball - sports that we have been somewhat competitive in.

 

I hate the idea of throwing good money after bad. I am beginning to think there is no point in spending millions upon millions of dollars building up a football program that will never get the respect of the 'big boys'. Please don't barrage me with, "How do you know that? USF is going to be a force." NO. IT. WONT.

 

You wanna remain relevant in Florida? You wanna get high-ranking and motivated students to come to USF? Being an also-ran in football is not going to do it. Investing in academics, bringing in more grants and producing high-caliber STEM graduates (regardless of what JD Alexander has done) is the way to do it.

 

We have a golden chance to reframe our priorities and if we don't do it now or soon, years from now we may be asking ourselves, "Why isn't USF a better school?".

[Hem]

Baltobull is trolling hard with his agenda

[BaltoBull]

No, simply stating my opinion. I will admit to being consistent. 

 

I am not a troll. Committed USF and USF Athletics supporter. If you require proof, Hem, say the word.

[Hem]

No, simply stating my opinion. I will admit to being consistent. 

 

I am not a troll. Committed USF and USF Athletics supporter. If you require proof, Hem, say the word.

Nah bro, you're good. Why not send Judy an email if you feel so strongly?

 

jgensha@admin.usf.edu

 

Plenty of people already donate to academics, heck they just built the Patel College of Global Sustainability on a $18.5 million dollar donation with $16 million matched by the state totaling a $34.5 million. And don't forget the $20 million donation by the Morsani's to the medical department. Oh and Agilent Technology Inc.'s $25.9 million software donation or the Daugherty's minor $1.3 million donation to the medical program as well.

I haven't seen any such news about a donation of that size to USF Athletics, unless I'm missing something? USF's academics are currently rising at a faster pace than our athletics.

Edited February 15, 2013 by Hem

[Skingraft]

CAMLS, on the low end, was $38 million... There is a ton of cash going into academics

Edited February 15, 2013 by Skingraft

[charsibb]

CAMLS, on the low end, was $38 million... There is a ton of cash going into academics

 

That's a lot of coin. I remember when they were 38 CENTS!

 

[EduBull]

You've got to consider those donations relative to what other universities (those USF sees as peers, or aspires to see as peers) spend on academics.

 

Also, you have to consider what your goals are and what you want USF to be.  Personally, I want to increase the value of all USF degrees, and see USF respected as a national research institution and public university.  Athletics can potentially help with this, but at the current time I think USF Athletics has reached a plateau it won't transcend in the near future, regardless of funding.  So  better to put resources into other areas.

[Cow Pie]

Chicken and egg.

 

Without the increase in donations, there won't be any increases in results.

 

Without an increase in results, there won't be any increases in donations.

 

How to break the vicious cycle?

 

Easy... people need to donate mo money and break the cycle.

 

The gayturd fans did this back in the 1970's and kept up the push through 1980's... by the time the late 1990's rolled around the Gayturd fans reaped the fruits of their donations.

 

Even though I'm short on dough right now, I'm going to increase my donations going forward.