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There are some interesting twists going on in the neighboring state of North Dakota. Today's Fargo Forum has a article on what is going on, and Jeff Kolpeck also did a column last week. The issue is that certain ND legislators have taken an interest in the NDSU athletic budget and they asking for a audit which makes no sense unless, you are up to no good and hoping to find political fodder.
Here is the Forum article.
Division I dollars: Raising funds has its good days, bad days
By Jeff Kolpack, The Forum
Published Sunday, April 17, 2005
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With less than 10 percent of their budget being funded by the state, North Dakota State athletic department officials admit it hasn't been easy raising the money required for the school's move to Division I.
"It's a struggle," NDSU assistant athletic director Erv Inniger said.
Yet athletic director Gene Taylor continues to maintain that his department is on course for funding the move from Division II to Division I.
NDSU announced Aug. 30, 2002, that it would move to Division I and pledged to operate the athletic department without seeking or using additional state-appropriated money.
Taylor confirmed the pledge last week when some North Dakota legislators asked for an audit of NDSU's athletic department.
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"I have no problem opening our books and showing that we're doing what we promised we'd do two years ago," Taylor said last week.
NDSU's athletic department received $760,000 from state appropriations last year, a figure that amounts to almost 10 percent of its budget.
The rest of the pie, which adds up to approximately $7.7 million, is generated by the school through fund-raising, game guarantees, ticket sales, sponsorships, student fees and institutional dollars, Taylor said.
"Gene has said over and over, 'Guys, I know we're all stressed out and working to the max but something has to sacrifice,' " Inniger said. "We're all pushing hard but we knew it would be hard. And once you're in it, it's harder than you can imagine."
Inniger's efforts are geared to help NDSU through the five-year Division I reclassification period. His goal is $1 million a year for the next two years. He says this year's target is 40 percent complete with a June 31 deadline.
"It just takes time," he said. "I have a couple of guys right now who could turn it into 80 percent."
Football is seeing the biggest increase in scholarships going from 36 to 63. Women's basketball is going from 10 to 15, men's basketball from 10 to 13 and wrestling from five to 10. Since NDSU puts a full ride at about $10,000, that's an increase of $400,000 from the 2003 athletic year.
State tax payers are not footing that bill, Taylor said. He said 80 percent of the North Dakota Higher Education state-appropriated $760,000 goes toward salaries.
Inniger's fund-raising effort is not part of NDSU Team Makers, which for years has been the fund-raising arm of the athletic department. In 2004, Team Makers registered a striking rise in contributions surpassing $1 million - a long way from the $105,000 it raised in 1978.
That eventually reached $705,000 in 2000 followed by $716,000 in 2001, $717,000 in 2002 and $767,000 in 2003.
"At first, you say, 'wow that's a stretch, a 35 percent increase in a mature organization,' " said Pat Simmers, Team Makers executive director. "But once you get into it, it starts happening."
Simmers said NDSU's Division I-AA football schedule and the Division I transition in general are two big reasons for the increase.
"Just a lot of energy," he said. "There are a lot of people getting off the minimum and saying we need to support that."
The group is not resting at $1 million. Simmers said the goal for 2005 is $1.4 million. About 95 percent of the Team Makers funds go toward scholarships.
"We have a great group of volunteers that pound the pavement and believe in the cause," he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
Here is the Forum article.
Division I dollars: Raising funds has its good days, bad days
By Jeff Kolpack, The Forum
Published Sunday, April 17, 2005
· advertisement ·
With less than 10 percent of their budget being funded by the state, North Dakota State athletic department officials admit it hasn't been easy raising the money required for the school's move to Division I.
"It's a struggle," NDSU assistant athletic director Erv Inniger said.
Yet athletic director Gene Taylor continues to maintain that his department is on course for funding the move from Division II to Division I.
NDSU announced Aug. 30, 2002, that it would move to Division I and pledged to operate the athletic department without seeking or using additional state-appropriated money.
Taylor confirmed the pledge last week when some North Dakota legislators asked for an audit of NDSU's athletic department.
RELATED CONTENT
Coaching salary bar raised with Kill's contract
"I have no problem opening our books and showing that we're doing what we promised we'd do two years ago," Taylor said last week.
NDSU's athletic department received $760,000 from state appropriations last year, a figure that amounts to almost 10 percent of its budget.
The rest of the pie, which adds up to approximately $7.7 million, is generated by the school through fund-raising, game guarantees, ticket sales, sponsorships, student fees and institutional dollars, Taylor said.
"Gene has said over and over, 'Guys, I know we're all stressed out and working to the max but something has to sacrifice,' " Inniger said. "We're all pushing hard but we knew it would be hard. And once you're in it, it's harder than you can imagine."
Inniger's efforts are geared to help NDSU through the five-year Division I reclassification period. His goal is $1 million a year for the next two years. He says this year's target is 40 percent complete with a June 31 deadline.
"It just takes time," he said. "I have a couple of guys right now who could turn it into 80 percent."
Football is seeing the biggest increase in scholarships going from 36 to 63. Women's basketball is going from 10 to 15, men's basketball from 10 to 13 and wrestling from five to 10. Since NDSU puts a full ride at about $10,000, that's an increase of $400,000 from the 2003 athletic year.
State tax payers are not footing that bill, Taylor said. He said 80 percent of the North Dakota Higher Education state-appropriated $760,000 goes toward salaries.
Inniger's fund-raising effort is not part of NDSU Team Makers, which for years has been the fund-raising arm of the athletic department. In 2004, Team Makers registered a striking rise in contributions surpassing $1 million - a long way from the $105,000 it raised in 1978.
That eventually reached $705,000 in 2000 followed by $716,000 in 2001, $717,000 in 2002 and $767,000 in 2003.
"At first, you say, 'wow that's a stretch, a 35 percent increase in a mature organization,' " said Pat Simmers, Team Makers executive director. "But once you get into it, it starts happening."
Simmers said NDSU's Division I-AA football schedule and the Division I transition in general are two big reasons for the increase.
"Just a lot of energy," he said. "There are a lot of people getting off the minimum and saying we need to support that."
The group is not resting at $1 million. Simmers said the goal for 2005 is $1.4 million. About 95 percent of the Team Makers funds go toward scholarships.
"We have a great group of volunteers that pound the pavement and believe in the cause," he said.
Readers can reach Forum reporter Jeff Kolpack at (701) 241-5546
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