First, kudos to NIU on a great victory.
Got home earlier today from vacation. I have a voice mail from a good friend and major donor (putting up $750 th of family funds toward our football program) who indicated that announcement on a new athletic/football facility at NIU is "imminent." I returned my friend's phone call but he was not home. As soon as I know more (to include the definition of "imminent") I will post something. My friend was not able to travel to San Jose so I am particularly curious to find out what has happened to advance things.
Also, many of you will be pleased to know that giving to the Alumni and Visitor Center project is near the $6 million mark, thanks in part to a "rush" of year-end giving by alumni and others.
Two great developments for our university to be sure.
niu85alum Wrote:Got home earlier today from vacation.
How was the weather in Boise?
I hope you are finally right about something
Spent the past week on the gulf coast of Florida, not Boise.
Will the football facility now include an indoor practice facility?
You know, I read the title to this topic while skimming the home page, and immediately thought of how funny it would be if the old blower himself authored it. Its the way the world works - he's got all the scoops.
However, Alum, I'm hoping that you're right on this one.
I got news for you. No question that the football facility news is "imminent". However, will the actual announcement be "imminent" soon or "imminent" next year? The news has been "imminent" for a couple years now! :rolleyes:
Just got off the phone (or blower if you prefer). NIU has now secured roughly $4.5 million toward construction of the proposed $8 million facility ($750 K of that comes from my friend who shared this information). I was told that John Peters, Jim Phillips and several within the upper hierarchy of NIU are currently formulating a presentation to go before the NIU Board of Trustees (or is it Regents?) and the NIU Alumni Association Board. According to my friend, this is a watershed development. Purpose of the meeting with the NIU Board of Trustees will be to gain approval on a handful of options presented for going forward. Purpose of the meeting with the Alumni Association is relatively less important (to quote, "one of those steps on a checklist that you have to do for political reasons"). If all goes well in these meetings, the expectation has been communicated to major donors that official annoucement of a building campaign will be forthright.
Additionally, efforts are also being actively directed at gaining a roughly $500 K estate gift from an alumnus who is retired.
I don't know about that but I hear that it is coming soon.
This is not really new news. The players were asking Phillips what's the deal with the endzone facility because they kept hearing about it. He told the players they had $4.5M and need to secure $1.5M before breaking ground. They have a donor prepared to pay for the amount above the $6M received from other sources.
niu85alum Wrote:According to my friend, this is a watershed development.
Of course it's a watershed development. In the last year we've seen the first two significant actual fundraising efforts by NIU - note, Barsema coming forward and giving a bunch of money does not count.
So, it's great to get it funded and started. It took 3 years since the project was first mentioned, and that's pretty lousy with an up-and-coming entity like NIU football. But at least they finally were able to get
something done.
Getting 12 million for a school that was one of the worst in the nation just a few years ago in three years isn't that lousy in my opinion. If nothing else, look at it this way, now when Novak retires in a few years as he has said he would, it will be a lot easier for us to get a good coach to come in or stay here with decent facilities in place by then.
With facilities to go along with the attendance numbers things are only looking up for recruiting. Looks like NIU might just sustain this success with Phillips around, even if Novak does retire in a few years.
HuskieFan84 Wrote:Getting 12 million for a school that was one of the worst in the nation just a few years ago in three years isn't that lousy in my opinion. If nothing else, look at it this way, now when Novak retires in a few years as he has said he would, it will be a lot easier for us to get a good coach to come in or stay here with decent facilities in place by then.
With facilities to go along with the attendance numbers things are only looking up for recruiting. Looks like NIU might just sustain this success with Phillips around, even if Novak does retire in a few years.
They don't have 12 mil, they have 4 mil. And it took 3 years minimum to get to that point after shifting priorities to another project.
Regardless, it's nice to see some of the administration holding up their end of the bargain and getting
anything done.