Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

[89rabbit]

Some bad news coming out of Vermillion about their athletic department.  Here are highlights (or should I say lowlights) from a Volante story:

http://www.volanteonline.com/news/20...l-901208.shtml

Deficit focus of proposal

USD faces 'chronic funding issue'

By Jeremy Hoeck
Published: Wednesday, March 23, 2005


USD Athletic Director Joel Nielsen

In what administrators are calling a "chronic funding issue," the USD athletic department has a budget deficit that is reported to be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars range.

Athletic Director Joel Nielsen, Assistant Athletic Director Jeanette Hubert and Vice President of Finance and Administration Greg Redlin are working together to come up with solutions to remedy the deficit.

"We are all working together to identify ways to cover the increases in our expenses," Nielsen said. "We are also working with a 'funding model' to stop the systemic problem."

During each athletic year, there are anticipated increases in the fixed expenses of the department, including scholarship fluctuations, operating expenses, as well as travel and inflationary increases.

The three administrators are in the process of coming up with proposals that include possible ways to cover the debt and are planning to finish within the next few weeks. From there, they will give the proposals to USD President Jim Abbott with some recommendation of one that they think will work the best.

"In each proposal, we will include some adjustments to the way we do business," Nielsen said. "With any funding model, you have to make assumptions and you just do your best to anticipate what might happen in the future. It's a complicated and challenging job."  .  .  .

Unlike last spring's decision, Nielsen said that cutting another program is likely out of the question despite the desparate times of the department.

"When we go into this process, we put everything on the table," Nielsen said. "One of the first things we address is not reducing opportunities. We will only make adjustments in our program as a last resort. That is a last resort option for us."  .  .  .



The program cuts may not be over.

[filbert]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

This Can't Be Fun.

[OK_Jackrabbit]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

My favorite quote from the full story:

"For the fiscal year of 2005, it was reported that the operating budget for USD's athletic department was $2,823,749. However, Redlin and his associates have not calculated the exact deficit."

They're working on it, he says... and the reporter accepts that as an answer? I'm no accountant, but I'm guessing if they wanted to they could narrow it down closer than "more than six figures".

So it could be $100,001 or it could be $999,999.

[BHSSDSUFAN]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Got to be a little hard to swallow for all of those "Yote" fans!!!!!

[89rabbit]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

More news from Vermillion:

http://www.volanteonline.com/news/20...s-902565.shtml

ALLEN RESIGNES
By Jeremy Hoeck
Published: Wednesday, March 23, 2005


After 14 years as head coach of the USD swimming and diving program, Ron Allen said on Wednesday that he is resigning.

A formal announcement by the university is expected by next week.

"I decided this yesterday, and I told them (the team) that I would be resigning," Allen said.  .  .  .

Allen's resignation came the same day "The Volante" learned the athletic department will be reducing the number of scholarships for the men's swimming and diving team. Scholarships for the women's team will remain the same. The decision comes as a result of the department's internal look at the budget deficit.  .  .  .

[jackmd]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Lets see the state legislature bail them out of this one.
I don't wish ill will upon USD but you have to wonder how this was allowed to happen.  

Cutting scholarships, eliminating opportunities, reducing coaches salaries, etc...  Sounds about right for DII.  No wonder the NSIC has most of its interest in the U of Mary.

Lastly, anyone know what the numbers will look like for our athletic dept this year? I suspect there was a slight drop off from previous years. Maybe even a deficit?

[JBNJBQ]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Not to worry!

Their new "state of the art" scoreboard will fill the stands and allow them to recruit any athlete they desire in a five state area. That was their plan.

Their problem, as I see it, is their marketing strategy. They were relying a little too heavily on their "HATE STATE" t-shirt sales which fell off sharply when we moved up. The "HATE AUGGIE" sales were dismal. The "HATE UND" shirts just didn't catch on. The "HATE MOUNT MARTY" shirts were bought just as a curiousity. Their "HATE PRESENTATION" sales had to be called off when the nuns got ticked off and formed a picket line at the game in Vermillion. A letter was written to the Pope and Pres. Abbot stopped all sales of hate shirts.

They don't know how they will make up the revenue without cutting another sport.


;D ;D ;D ;D ;D


JBNJBQ

[Rabbitlivinginverm]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

[quote author=jackmd link=board=Smack;num=1112033382;start=0#5 date=03/28/05 at 15:22:08] Sounds about right for DII.  quote]

I think has to do more with the past leaders (and maybe some current ones as well) than it does with being D2. Seems to me that Joel Nielson is taking care of some buisiness that should have been taken care of long ago.

[sports_buff]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

You guys spend a lot of time worrying about USD and talking about USD for some guys who don't care about USD. In fact 89 even goes on line to read the Volante, I don't even do that and I'm a USD grad. And he accused me of having an unhealthy fascination. :

[89rabbit]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Sorry to burst your bubble, I didn't find the story.  It came up as part of a discussion on why USD didn't move up to D-I on another board.  I posted it here because I am sure this fiasco is going to cost the good people of South Dakota more tax money (Just like the Grain Bin's/Dakota Dome Roof and the Med. School).  Maybe USD would be more cost effective if they moved down to the GPAC I could see a great rivalry with USF and Mornigside, maybe even Dana and Northwestern.  It really is a nice geographic fit for USD.

http://www.gpacsports.com/







Look even the logo would fit right in.  I know this is going to tick some of you Yote fans off, but I am just trying to help with what USD administrators called a 'chronic funding issue', and also save the tax payers of South Dakota some of their hard earned money.  Don't let your pride get in the way, it is ok that you can't keep up with the best University in the state, no one expects you to.  

Go State, South Dakota's only D-I University!  ;D


P.S.  Sports_Buff says he doesn't read the Volante, that doesn't surprise me.  Lack of interest and financial support is what got USD into the mess in the first place.  It is also the reason why they don't have their own fan board.  

[Texas_Jacks_Fan]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Sports_Buff,
Your the one that has 154 posts on a SDSU fan board. I think your the one with the unhealthy fasination with SDSU. Instead of posting here all of the time get a second job and donate it all to the usd athletic. dept.
they need the help.
TJF

[sports_buff]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

My client has a message:
Tell 89 Rabbitt that I said that it appears that they would fit into the GPAC as well. Morningside 70 SDSU 62.
They are talking about the Yotes financial problems when they should be concerned about their own. Drawing 1,000 people to basketball games isn't going to pay alot of bills. Tell SDSU fan that BIG JAKE and myself are not the same people. One of those computers nerds should be able to figure that out.


Mavs #1

Speaking of rivalries with Morningise, it looks like you guys already have one going. I hope you get another crack at them next year.

Texas Jack, I was already accused of having an unhealthy fascination. I said I am interested in the move, I'm interested why State would do it, I'm interested in how a D-I team can get dominated by an NAIA team. I've never denied that. What I was saying was, you people quit denying your interest in USD. It's gotten to the point where you are posting more about USD than you are SDSU. Thats fine, but don't deny your interest, you aren't fooling anyone.
It does appear that USD has funding issues right now in the athletic dept. which makes me glad that Nielsen is taking steps to correct it. Our last A.D. would have done something stupid like add another expensive sport when we were having trouble paying for the ones we already have. Nielsen may not be making the popular decisions, but he's making the necessary decisions.

[89rabbit]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Sports_Buff,

How sad that you need Maverick #1 to run smack for you.  I would be embarrassed if I were you.  :-[ :'(

Next this thread is about USD and it's inability to fund a NCAA D-II program.  I am not saying you should join the GPAC from a completive ness standpoint only a financial one.  Given some time, I am sure USD football can go head to head with USF.  

Finally when you are right you are right.  I would have been foolish for USD to try and maintain a NCAA D-II baseball team when even after they got rid of it they still can't make ends meet.

There are two ways for USD to get out of this mess.  They could grow their revenue stream or they can cut expeses.  As JBNJBQ pointed out earlier it is hard to grow revenue when the "Hate State" marketing plan that USD has operated under  for years is no longer viable (I am now starting to understand why those who care about USD are sooooo upset with our decision to move forward).  So perhaps the slash and burn approach is the best if USD wants to remain as a NCAA D-II school.  Best of luck to USD.  

Sports_Buff in the spirit of helping USD out, here is a link to Monster to help you get that second job so you can help support USD athletics.  Sorry you won't have as much time to keep up with SDSU athletics.  Stop back from time to time and see how the "big dogs" are doing.  

http://www.monster.com/

Go State!  ;D

[sports_buff]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Sports_Buff,

How sad that you need Maverick #1 to run smack for you.  I would be embarrassed if I were you.  :-[ :'(

Go State!  ;D

Just because Mav #1 has a point he wants to make doesn't mean I need him to run smack for me. You have about 100 other guys here to run your smack for you, is that embarrassing for you? Mav has points he would like to make, but unfortuanately he can't do it himself.

Shouldn't you guys be worried about finding a conference instead of USD's financial situation.

I bet State's financial situation isn't that great either, but their newspaper probably isn't allowed to talk about it.

[joeybrownerHOF]

Re: Hard times at SD's largest D-II University

Yes, the USD athletic dept. is dealing with some serious issues right now.  However, the current AD is cleaning up the mess of others.  The belief that SD will bail out USD athletic dept though is unfounded.  Athletic funding comes directly from the student General Activity Fee.  The problem with USD is that their GAF fee is one of the lowest among the university's in the state system (SDSU generates about $50 more per student per semester than USD....the funny thing is SDSM&T and DSU have the higest GAF fee) The allocation of these funds (athletics, student orgs, etc) is determined by the University and students.  USD again is among lowest allocation of GAF to athletics.  The USD administration will have to change this to help shore up the budget. The SDBOR has strict policy against SD taxpayers money to aid collegiate athletics.  Hopefully Nielson will get this mess straightened out. Anyone with more specific information on how this works would be appreciated. Enough about USD from me.