(03-28-2019 03:50 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:23 PM)klake87 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:09 PM)dogdangit Wrote:  The University sent out an email today stating that next year's budget is $28 million short. In that same email they stated athletics has to cut 18% of their budget for next year. Now I don't know what athletics exact expenses are but it usually has hovered around $25 million. If that is true then they're looking to cut at a minimum $4 million. You can kiss the idea of firing Montgomery goodbye.

Donors are even more important. Student fees way down from years ago.

Exactly! If there is truly a budget "crisis", it seems like Athletics has done little to address it.

Unlike an academic department, Athletics has the ability to generate lots of money. Have they worked their current donor base (i.e., ALL donors) to request additional donations in a respectful and appreciative manner, complete with thank you letters for everyone who donates and personalized thank you letters for donations above a certain level? They should also be working every damn business from the Mississippi to Chicago for sponsorships or donations. I don't think there's a business that exists that cannot afford a small donation such as $100. Those add up, people! They should work the local population with donation mailings and ads in the Chronicle. Also, they should consider more informal fundraising events that won't cost $400 per person like the Victor E. Huskie Ball.

There has always been a lack of aggressiveness to generate gifts and donations. Look how they dropped the ball after all that huge Orange Bowl sizzle. Donations should have been way, way up after that. Were they?

What about hiring a fundraiser to mount a professional fundraising campaign? They may be able to find a fundraising company that will work on a contingency basis where they earn a percentage of the donations generated.

There are many ways money can be generated, but they need to want to do it. With declining State resources, the generation of revenue is critically important for the present and future.

It is easy to *****, my wife does it all the time.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(03-28-2019 03:59 PM)pantone1935 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:50 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:23 PM)klake87 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:09 PM)dogdangit Wrote:  The University sent out an email today stating that next year's budget is $28 million short. In that same email they stated athletics has to cut 18% of their budget for next year. Now I don't know what athletics exact expenses are but it usually has hovered around $25 million. If that is true then they're looking to cut at a minimum $4 million. You can kiss the idea of firing Montgomery goodbye.

Donors are even more important. Student fees way down from years ago.

Exactly! If there is truly a budget "crisis", it seems like Athletics has done little to address it.

Unlike an academic department, Athletics has the ability to generate lots of money. Have they worked their current donor base (i.e., ALL donors) to request additional donations in a respectful and appreciative manner, complete with thank you letters for everyone who donates and personalized thank you letters for donations above a certain level? They should also be working every damn business from the Mississippi to Chicago for sponsorships or donations. I don't think there's a business that exists that cannot afford a small donation such as $100. Those add up, people! They should work the local population with donation mailings and ads in the Chronicle. Also, they should consider more informal fundraising events that won't cost $400 per person like the Victor E. Huskie Ball.

There has always been a lack of aggressiveness to generate gifts and donations. Look how they dropped the ball after all that huge Orange Bowl sizzle. Donations should have been way, way up after that. Were they?

What about hiring a fundraiser to mount a professional fundraising campaign? They may be able to find a fundraising company that will work on a contingency basis where they earn a percentage of the donations generated.

There are many ways money can be generated, but they need to want to do it. With declining State resources, the generation of revenue is critically important for the present and future.

It is easy to *****, my wife does it all the time.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, Brainiac, how about coming up with some of your own solutions to generate more revenue?

(03-28-2019 05:40 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:59 PM)pantone1935 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:50 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:23 PM)klake87 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:09 PM)dogdangit Wrote:  The University sent out an email today stating that next year's budget is $28 million short. In that same email they stated athletics has to cut 18% of their budget for next year. Now I don't know what athletics exact expenses are but it usually has hovered around $25 million. If that is true then they're looking to cut at a minimum $4 million. You can kiss the idea of firing Montgomery goodbye.

Donors are even more important. Student fees way down from years ago.

Exactly! If there is truly a budget "crisis", it seems like Athletics has done little to address it.

Unlike an academic department, Athletics has the ability to generate lots of money. Have they worked their current donor base (i.e., ALL donors) to request additional donations in a respectful and appreciative manner, complete with thank you letters for everyone who donates and personalized thank you letters for donations above a certain level? They should also be working every damn business from the Mississippi to Chicago for sponsorships or donations. I don't think there's a business that exists that cannot afford a small donation such as $100. Those add up, people! They should work the local population with donation mailings and ads in the Chronicle. Also, they should consider more informal fundraising events that won't cost $400 per person like the Victor E. Huskie Ball.

There has always been a lack of aggressiveness to generate gifts and donations. Look how they dropped the ball after all that huge Orange Bowl sizzle. Donations should have been way, way up after that. Were they?

What about hiring a fundraiser to mount a professional fundraising campaign? They may be able to find a fundraising company that will work on a contingency basis where they earn a percentage of the donations generated.

There are many ways money can be generated, but they need to want to do it. With declining State resources, the generation of revenue is critically important for the present and future.

It is easy to *****, my wife does it all the time.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, Brainiac, how about coming up with some of your own solutions to generate more revenue?

Don't get testy. I am sure the limited athletic staff with their limited funds are doing everything they can to bring funds in, cut down on expenses with budget cuts hanging over their heads. Do you really think they sit around and play with their phones all day. They more than you want to succeed to save their jobs and help the athletic dept
continue to survive. I am sorry but your continual complaining gets old.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(03-28-2019 08:56 PM)pantone1935 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 05:40 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:59 PM)pantone1935 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:50 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:23 PM)klake87 Wrote:  Donors are even more important. Student fees way down from years ago.

Exactly! If there is truly a budget "crisis", it seems like Athletics has done little to address it.

Unlike an academic department, Athletics has the ability to generate lots of money. Have they worked their current donor base (i.e., ALL donors) to request additional donations in a respectful and appreciative manner, complete with thank you letters for everyone who donates and personalized thank you letters for donations above a certain level? They should also be working every damn business from the Mississippi to Chicago for sponsorships or donations. I don't think there's a business that exists that cannot afford a small donation such as $100. Those add up, people! They should work the local population with donation mailings and ads in the Chronicle. Also, they should consider more informal fundraising events that won't cost $400 per person like the Victor E. Huskie Ball.

There has always been a lack of aggressiveness to generate gifts and donations. Look how they dropped the ball after all that huge Orange Bowl sizzle. Donations should have been way, way up after that. Were they?

What about hiring a fundraiser to mount a professional fundraising campaign? They may be able to find a fundraising company that will work on a contingency basis where they earn a percentage of the donations generated.

There are many ways money can be generated, but they need to want to do it. With declining State resources, the generation of revenue is critically important for the present and future.

It is easy to *****, my wife does it all the time.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, Brainiac, how about coming up with some of your own solutions to generate more revenue?

Don't get testy. I am sure the limited athletic staff with their limited funds are doing everything they can to bring funds in, cut down on expenses with budget cuts hanging over their heads. Do you really think they sit around and play with their phones all day. They more than you want to succeed to save their jobs and help the athletic dept
continue to survive. I am sorry but your continual complaining gets old.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

There are many ways they could generate revenue. I guess if they had the money, they could hire people who know what they’re doing and actually generate some revenue. I know it can be done because I have seen it done. But, in the meantime, I guess they can play with their phones. And, also in the meantime, listen to your wife.

(03-28-2019 08:56 PM)pantone1935 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 05:40 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:59 PM)pantone1935 Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:50 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  

(03-28-2019 03:23 PM)klake87 Wrote:  Donors are even more important. Student fees way down from years ago.

Exactly! If there is truly a budget "crisis", it seems like Athletics has done little to address it.

Unlike an academic department, Athletics has the ability to generate lots of money. Have they worked their current donor base (i.e., ALL donors) to request additional donations in a respectful and appreciative manner, complete with thank you letters for everyone who donates and personalized thank you letters for donations above a certain level? They should also be working every damn business from the Mississippi to Chicago for sponsorships or donations. I don't think there's a business that exists that cannot afford a small donation such as $100. Those add up, people! They should work the local population with donation mailings and ads in the Chronicle. Also, they should consider more informal fundraising events that won't cost $400 per person like the Victor E. Huskie Ball.

There has always been a lack of aggressiveness to generate gifts and donations. Look how they dropped the ball after all that huge Orange Bowl sizzle. Donations should have been way, way up after that. Were they?

What about hiring a fundraiser to mount a professional fundraising campaign? They may be able to find a fundraising company that will work on a contingency basis where they earn a percentage of the donations generated.

There are many ways money can be generated, but they need to want to do it. With declining State resources, the generation of revenue is critically important for the present and future.

It is easy to *****, my wife does it all the time.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Okay, Brainiac, how about coming up with some of your own solutions to generate more revenue?

Don't get testy. I am sure the limited athletic staff with their limited funds are doing everything they can to bring funds in, cut down on expenses with budget cuts hanging over their heads. Do you really think they sit around and play with their phones all day. They more than you want to succeed to save their jobs and help the athletic dept
continue to survive. I am sorry but your continual complaining gets old.


GO HUSKIES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And you are one of those constantly *****ing about the budget. It gets old. I prefer to be fiscally positive and believe all the sky-is-falling gloom and doom is not completely realistic.

NIU (EIU, WIU, SIU) are following the path of the state. Declining enrollment, declining revenue is causing big problems. At some point, the state will have to make a decision on how many public universities they can support.

If anything, this post is a temporary diversion, but ...

Northern is in better shape than the other three, but by how much I don't know. Attended WIU two years before transfer to NIU and graduation in '75. Still have relatives in Macomb. Some family buried there.

Biggest problem? Universities became "islands," regarded themselves as immune to changing technology, economics, generational interests, costs. Then the real world showed up.

WIU more than the others you mentioned. In an area informally called "Forgottonia," (For-got-TOW-nee-uh), the 6-county area west of the Illinois River, east of the Mississippi, west of Peoria, south of the Quad Cities. As in, the area the state forgot.

Look at a map. No interstates. Closest major airports are Peoria, Quad Cities and Quincy, each at least an hour away, and hard to get there. A lot of the routes are two-lane blacktop because they never completed 4-laning of Route 67. When I went there, I REALLY went "away" to college. Crop and cattle country (there are some pretty big herds if you know where to look). Even team bus trips have difficult, time-consuming routes.

Enrollment down under 8k. When I was there, 14k+ and so crowded freshmen were sleeping on bunkbeds in the dorm lounges. Last few years, WIU demolished two high-rise dorms; no students, no revenue, too much maintenance costs.

Yet like NIU some really first-class programs. Law enforcement has a national rep. But talk about athletics problems. They've had an interim AD for at least a year. FB coach left to be a Power 5 asst. Some talk about leaving the Summit and MVFC; travel costs to the Dakota-centric Summit is a killer, and football can't keep up with the Missouri Valley. Maybe move all sports to the Ohio Valley.

Our concern, of course, is NIU, but as you said, we're not alone.

BTW, WIU has a good wbb program like NIU, and their mbb program sucks too.

Visited WIU for first time last year and was shocked how isolated from the interstate it was and the roads to get there. Even EIU and SIU aren’t far off 57. WIU was about an hour off 74. Macomb was a nice small town (Sunrise Family Restaurant!) but the location is fatal for a state school today.

(03-29-2019 12:48 PM)IWokeUpLikeThis Wrote:  Visited WIU for first time last year and was shocked how isolated from the interstate it was and the roads to get there. Even EIU and SIU aren’t far off 57. WIU was about an hour off 74. Macomb was a nice small town (Sunrise Family Restaurant!) but the location is fatal for a state school today.

Yeah, they (who is "they"?) have talked for a couple of years (some years more than others) about closing Chicago State, but I would think, if a school had to be closed, WIU would have to be the first one on the list.