The following letter was posted on Facebook today by Mike Ecklund '94, once of the new Owl Club board members. I'm posting it here (with permission from Mike) since it includes some insights into funding which may be new to many of you (as it was to me). Also, if the Owl Club meets it's aggressive goals for the year, one generous donor has agreed to match with an incremental gift of $80,000...

Quote:Fellow Owls,

I hope this note finds each of you off to a great start to the New Year! As some of you may know, Tom Hetherington and I have volunteered to join the Owl Club Board to provide input and support to our current athletic administrators and, most importantly, our current and future student-athletes. Through our involvement with the Owl Club, we have had the opportunity to get a behind the scenes look at the New Vision for Rice Athletics and the direct steps that are being taken to make the new vision a reality.

Although small in head count, we have found the new administrative team to be extremely professional and passionate about their approach to building the Rice Athletic program. They have set aggressive goals for the department to achieve and are approaching the challenges in front of them in a way that more closely resembles private industry as opposed to academia. In addition to increased fiscal accountability, there has been a shift in emphasis to grow the top line through improved marketing and data driven pricing models as opposed to continued cost cutting measures.

In addition to the Athletic Departments efforts, the University has recently stepped up in a big way to support the effort to elevate Rice Athletics. The University contributed approximately $2,000,000 to the new Patterson Sports Performance Center in the north end zone of Rice Stadium and in excess of $1,000,000 for new field turf, end zone tarps, and increased coaching salaries to retain our key assistants. These projects were funded above and beyond the approximately $10,000,000 annual cash subsidy and over $9,000,000 in tuition waivers provided by the University to support Athletics.

In order to keep the momentum, we need support from our alumni base. With increased support we can improve the quality of facilities, coaching and experience for our student athletes, cheerleaders, dance team, trainers, and managers. Of course we would love for you to contribute at a high level, but your participation is more important than your total gift amount. The University monitors our participation rate and as that rate increases, so will its commitment to Athletics.
In closing,

I wanted to share with you some of the amazing accomplishments of our student athletes since 2013.

- 95% Graduation rate
- 17 Academic All-Americans
- 6 Conference Championships (Football, Swimming and Diving with 0 Diving scholarships, Women’s Tennis, Men’s Golf, Baseball, and Women’s Soccer)
- 4 Coaches earned Coach of the Year honors
- 3 Straight Bowl Appearances (2-1 Record)

There are a number of other amazing accomplishments that I have excluded, but this demonstrates the success we are having at Rice Athletics. We appreciate your time and consideration of a gift to the Owl Club. If you would like to support the academic, athletic and future pursuits of Rice student-athletes, you can donate online at http://www.rice.edu/owlclub or by contacting Tyler Maines, Assistant Director of Annual Giving at TDM3@rice.edu or 713.348.5086. We would also love to see you at some of the sporting events. You can follow your favorite team and purchase tickets at http://www.riceowls.com/ or through the athletic ticket office at (713) 348-OWLS.

GO OWLS!
Mike Ecklund – 1994 Tom Hetherington - 1995

Walt:

Thanks for posting.

I hope everyone pays particular attention to the discussion re: participation rate.

I can't do much for the participation rate, as I am already a member, but I will be bumping my contribution up to the next level.

(03-30-2015 06:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I can't do much for the participation rate, as I am already a member, but I will be bumping my contribution up to the next level.

Me too!

(03-30-2015 06:14 PM)bobreinhold1 Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 06:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I can't do much for the participation rate, as I am already a member, but I will be bumping my contribution up to the next level.

Me too!

Same here.

Here's some additional information Mike just sent me...

Quote:Biggest focus for us this year is to get participation rate up. Owl Club is at approximately 5% (Athletes, Trainers, Managers, Cheer, Dance) while Annual Fund is at 30% (University wide). The Annual Fund has done a great job getting a large percentage of the alumni base involved and we are working to match their success. Their number is not only higher, it is on a larger population.

The 5% participation rate is nothing short of embarrassing. I was astonished when Josh Thiel told me last month that well under 1,000 donors contribute annually to the Owl Club. That's just insane and shameful. Again, any amount given counts against the participation rate; you don't have to give at the minimal level that will provide you with benefits. Surely, every one on this Board, even the young Alums, can afford $25 in support of Rice athletics.

Quote:Biggest focus for us this year is to get participation rate up. Owl Club is at approximately 5% (Athletes, Trainers, Managers, Cheer, Dance)...

To be clear, the intended donor base for the Owl Club is NOT just former athletes -- the Owl Club is for all who care about Rice athletics. So the real story is even worse than that 5% statistic would suggest.

(There is an organization strictly for former athletes, the R Association, but that's different from the Owl Club. Then there's the R Room, which is not an organization but a place. I remember having an amusing talk with some Rice staff years ago about what a difficult time people have keeping all this straight. Fortunately, there is nothing at Rice called the R Club or Owl Room -- as far as I know.)

(03-30-2015 08:07 PM)georgewebb Wrote:  

Quote:Biggest focus for us this year is to get participation rate up. Owl Club is at approximately 5% (Athletes, Trainers, Managers, Cheer, Dance)...

To be clear, the intended donor base for the Owl Club is NOT just former athletes -- the Owl Club is for all who care about Rice athletics. So the real story is even worse than that 5% statistic would suggest.

(There is an organization strictly for former athletes, the R Association, but that's different from the Owl Club. Then there's the R Room, which is not an organization but a place. I remember having an amusing talk with some Rice staff years ago about what a difficult time people have keeping all this straight. Fortunately, there is nothing at Rice called the R Club or Owl Room -- as far as I know.)

..and I thought I joined the Owl Association...

Yea ridiculous. How many foreign students give to the Owl Club?

(03-30-2015 07:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Here's some additional information Mike just sent me...

Quote:Biggest focus for us this year is to get participation rate up. Owl Club is at approximately 5% (Athletes, Trainers, Managers, Cheer, Dance) while Annual Fund is at 30% (University wide). The Annual Fund has done a great job getting a large percentage of the alumni base involved and we are working to match their success. Their number is not only higher, it is on a larger population.

The 5% participation rate is nothing short of embarrassing. I was astonished when Josh Thiel told me last month that well under 1,000 donors contribute annually to the Owl Club. That's just insane and shameful. Again, any amount given counts against the participation rate; you don't have to give at the minimal level that will provide you with benefits. Surely, every one on this Board, even the young Alums, can afford $25 in support of Rice athletics.

(03-30-2015 09:06 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Yea ridiculous. How many foreign students give to the Owl Club?

(03-30-2015 07:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Here's some additional information Mike just sent me...

Quote:Biggest focus for us this year is to get participation rate up. Owl Club is at approximately 5% (Athletes, Trainers, Managers, Cheer, Dance) while Annual Fund is at 30% (University wide). The Annual Fund has done a great job getting a large percentage of the alumni base involved and we are working to match their success. Their number is not only higher, it is on a larger population.

The 5% participation rate is nothing short of embarrassing. I was astonished when Josh Thiel told me last month that well under 1,000 donors contribute annually to the Owl Club. That's just insane and shameful. Again, any amount given counts against the participation rate; you don't have to give at the minimal level that will provide you with benefits. Surely, every one on this Board, even the young Alums, can afford $25 in support of Rice athletics.

Geez, will you stop already with the foreign student rant. If only about 850 are giving annually to the Owl Club, there are an awful lot of season ticketholders (from all our various sports) and so-called Rice sports fans who are not giving. Stop blaming everthing about Rice athletics on our foreign students.

(03-30-2015 06:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I can't do much for the participation rate, as I am already a member, but I will be bumping my contribution up to the next level.

You probably know an alum or a friend of Rice who is not an Owl Club member.

Bring a friend, or 2, or more...
That's my goal.

(03-30-2015 07:01 PM)greyowl72 Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 06:14 PM)bobreinhold1 Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 06:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I can't do much for the participation rate, as I am already a member, but I will be bumping my contribution up to the next level.

Me too!

Same here.

I am not that far from the next level. I will also up my contribution. Thank you to Walt for posting this encouraging message.

(03-30-2015 09:06 PM)OldOwl Wrote:  Yea ridiculous. How many foreign students give to the Owl Club?

(03-30-2015 07:30 PM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  Here's some additional information Mike just sent me...

Quote:Biggest focus for us this year is to get participation rate up. Owl Club is at approximately 5% (Athletes, Trainers, Managers, Cheer, Dance) while Annual Fund is at 30% (University wide). The Annual Fund has done a great job getting a large percentage of the alumni base involved and we are working to match their success. Their number is not only higher, it is on a larger population.

The 5% participation rate is nothing short of embarrassing. I was astonished when Josh Thiel told me last month that well under 1,000 donors contribute annually to the Owl Club. That's just insane and shameful. Again, any amount given counts against the participation rate; you don't have to give at the minimal level that will provide you with benefits. Surely, every one on this Board, even the young Alums, can afford $25 in support of Rice athletics.

At less than 1,000 donors, there are plenty of Texans not giving, let alone American students, or even international students.

I wonder how much work the athletic department is doing to spreading the word about the Owl Club to current undergraduates. I know I didn't hear a peep about it while an undergrad. The Annual Fund has become much more successful since being more vocal and championing the idea that giving something, even a dollar, is better than giving nothing.

(03-31-2015 05:06 AM)owl at the moon Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 06:13 PM)OptimisticOwl Wrote:  I can't do much for the participation rate, as I am already a member, but I will be bumping my contribution up to the next level.

You probably know an alum or a friend of Rice who is not an Owl Club member.

Bring a friend, or 2, or more...
That's my goal.

Friends? what do those look like? If I had friends, do you think I would be on this board so much?

I wish. I live out here in splendid isolation from other Owls. Most of the owls I know are on this board.

http://csnbbs.com/thread-701287.html

(03-31-2015 06:49 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  At less than 1,000 donors, there are plenty of Texans not giving, let alone American students, or even international students.

Exactly. And as an American who grew up as an expat and had never thrown a football till I was 17, I am a significantly bigger fan than people who grew up watching games every Saturday and Sunday.

(03-31-2015 06:49 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I wonder how much work the athletic department is doing to spreading the word about the Owl Club to current undergraduates. I know I didn't hear a peep about it while an undergrad. The Annual Fund has become much more successful since being more vocal and championing the idea that giving something, even a dollar, is better than giving nothing.

I didn't hear a peep as an undergrad. And after graduating, had to endure the KGB-like secrecy of the Greenspan era.

This email is refreshing. Gives an idea of what is going on.

(03-31-2015 08:38 AM)Antarius Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 06:49 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  At less than 1,000 donors, there are plenty of Texans not giving, let alone American students, or even international students.

Exactly. And as an American who grew up as an expat and had never thrown a football till I was 17, I am a significantly bigger fan than people who grew up watching games every Saturday and Sunday.

(03-31-2015 06:49 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I wonder how much work the athletic department is doing to spreading the word about the Owl Club to current undergraduates. I know I didn't hear a peep about it while an undergrad. The Annual Fund has become much more successful since being more vocal and championing the idea that giving something, even a dollar, is better than giving nothing.

I didn't hear a peep as an undergrad. And after graduating, had to endure the KGB-like secrecy of the Greenspan era.

This email is refreshing. Gives an idea of what is going on.

Unfortunately, it wasn't an e-mail, but rather a facebook post. When talking to several in the AD last month, and hearing about the plight of the Owl Club, I strong suggested that Dr. K send out an e-mail blast to all alums and season ticketholders specifically dealing with the Owl Club and the importance of increasing annual participation and giving. (Why should the University give more if Rice so-called sports supporters are not giving?) After all, you're not going to get more people to give unless you ask.

I'm a little disappointed we have yet to see that e-mail.

(03-31-2015 08:21 AM)lou Wrote:  

http://csnbbs.com/thread-701287.html

Great but what have you done for us LATELY!! :)
Keep it up guys, we've got some ground to make up...

And yes, I specifically had that thread of yours from last fall in mind when I read this one. Let's keep chipping and churning on this...

First time donor to the Owl Club as of now (though I have previously donated to RBI, and charity bowl tix)

(03-31-2015 08:45 AM)waltgreenberg Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 08:38 AM)Antarius Wrote:  

(03-31-2015 06:49 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  At less than 1,000 donors, there are plenty of Texans not giving, let alone American students, or even international students.

Exactly. And as an American who grew up as an expat and had never thrown a football till I was 17, I am a significantly bigger fan than people who grew up watching games every Saturday and Sunday.

(03-31-2015 06:49 AM)RiceLad15 Wrote:  I wonder how much work the athletic department is doing to spreading the word about the Owl Club to current undergraduates. I know I didn't hear a peep about it while an undergrad. The Annual Fund has become much more successful since being more vocal and championing the idea that giving something, even a dollar, is better than giving nothing.

I didn't hear a peep as an undergrad. And after graduating, had to endure the KGB-like secrecy of the Greenspan era.

This email is refreshing. Gives an idea of what is going on.

Unfortunately, it wasn't an e-mail, but rather a facebook post. When talking to several in the AD last month, and hearing about the plight of the Owl Club, I strong suggested that Dr. K send out an e-mail blast to all alums and season ticketholders specifically dealing with the Owl Club and the importance of increasing annual participation and giving. (Why should the University give more if Rice so-called sports supporters are not giving?) After all, you're not going to get more people to give unless you ask.

I'm a little disappointed we have yet to see that e-mail.

Just spoke to Josh...letter going out to all season ticketholders (in all sports) who have yet to give this year to Owl Club. I've encouraged him again to send out a letter to all 22,000 alums and supporters the athletic department currently have on file.


...and, to walk the walk, I've upped my annual contribution to the Owl Club by giving an incremental gift.