From Ward Mullens just now:
The campus community is invited to join Regent Tom Sidlik and EMU Athletic Director Derrick Gragg as they announce the largest gift in the history of EMU athletics, Friday, Feb. 29, 10 a.m., Room 300 of the student center.
Oh, goody….
On the one hand, I appreciate the fact that this is probably a gift/donation coming from someone who said they wanted it tied to athletics at EMU or not here at all. In other words, it was probably a “take it or leave it” kind of deal. On the other hand, is this something we really need as we enter the next budget crisis here at “Education First” U? Brace yourself for Friday, I guess.
Does this mean EMU Athletics can be SLASHED 50%….60%….75%…or heck…15% of the total amount of the Gift to limit the impact of the Rumored 3 million dollar revenue gap?
I.E. If Atheltics just received a CUSHY GIFT out of no where (before Athletics had their revenue raised) then wouldn’t this gift mean Athletics has less of a need for the extra money it received?
One thing with budgeting is “obligations.” If you increase something then a business and finance director tends to just automatically believe that the increased amount is actually the “Cost of Business” amount. An absurdity….
This “Gift,” I wonder, is not that “GIFT” of a Indoor Atheltics Training Center??
Where the gift is to fund the building in part, not whole, and has nothing to do with post-construction costs?
The biggest reason EMU’s budget gets more expensive annually are all of the obligations EMU puts on its budget which have nothing to do with educating a single, living, breathing, EMU Student. (Not that the EMU Student Government members care).
I do find it interesting that it is Regent Sidlik and NOT Provost Loppnow, like the last academic gift that was given to EMU. Says a lot about the RoR’s interests.
Lets see what the gift is for……….
Put your money where your mouth is! You have to give Derek Craig and Craig Fink credit, they have raised the bar of professionialism in the Athletic Department, not to mention transparency. If they raised the money, good for them. Maybe you had not noticed but a group of EMU Football Players donated the largest amount of money as a group last year. Dave Diles, the former athletic director would back equal money out of a teams budget if they raised money. The fund raising incentive amoung the coaches went down the tubes under his regime. Now things are perking right along. All of the EMU Academic Departments have the same option to organize and raise money to aid their budgets. So brace yourselves!
I hear what you’re saying about academic departments being able to raise money for themselves if they want to, Alum. But besides all the limitations that more or less prevent that, the problem is that it’s really hard for people to come and cheer for a winning English department or something like that.
Now, what EMU could do (and I presume they are/have tried to do this) is to attract big donors to contribute and then have their names attached to things like departments/programs. Just to offer an example I’m familiar with: the U of M has the Sweetland Writing Center. And I know there are plenty of schools that have the “so-and-so College of Arts and Sciences” or the “such and such program in ‘x’” or whatever. Not to mention buildings like Halle Library. We could as an institution do more of that, though that’s a level of fund raising beyond the bake sale level of events we’re used to in my department.
And then there are the other conflicts in a name too. Do I want to teach in the Domino’s Department of English Language and Literature? Probably not; unless it really was a lot of money and/or included free pizza.
“On the other hand, is this something we really need as we enter the next budget crisis here at “Education First” U? Brace yourself for Friday, I guess.”
You’re right, since we are “Education First” we should tell donors that they can’t make six or seven figure gifts here unless it’s for the English department.
I can understand faculty frusteration with budget cuts, but I don’t understand the complaining because someone is foolish enough to still care about this University and still wants to give money to a program here.
Though I suspect that corporate sponsorships in this economy are less of an opportunity, and EMU isn’t at the top of their list, but why has EMU never been able to obtain a corporate name sponsorship for the Convocation Center? The current name certainly is bland, and perhaps they should name it after some former president to sound better (but maybe after reaching back several decades to find a worthy name).
One would think that this venue is large enough to warrant some corporate advertising revenue in the name and perhaps remedy some budget challenges. Of course, this depends on the corporate name…
SiteDad: I totally disagree with you. The English Department simply has not tried. The longer you wait, the longer it takes. You mean you would not accept a multi million dollar donation from the Pizza King if he wanted his name to grace your department. Come on! Why not partner with the Library Group to fund raise together? What about the Taubman School of Urban Planning and Architecture – Taubman is a convicted felon and can not even vote.
BrianAlum – I think at one time the U had someone to name the Convo after but the guy passed to quickly before the arrangements were made. He was in his 90′s. Still left a tidy sum to EMU though.
Alum, in the order you bring these issues up:
* The English Department has and continues to try mightily to raise funds. We have some folks in our PR program who have been very active in this. However….
* … The kinds of funds we are able to raise has many fewer zeros behind it then what is possible with some rich-cats who want their name on a training facility for a football team instead of on an English department.
* The issue with the Domino’s or the Pizza King (or whoever) is “selling out” to commercial interests. This seems particularly problematic with a state educational agency like EMU, and it is risky depending on the whims of the commercial interest at hand. “Enron Field” is an example that immediately comes to mind.
* There are many different reasons why the “Library Group” (as you put it) and English have not partnered together on this. Maybe we should. But in brief, just because we both have an interest in books doesn’t mean we have a lot else in common.
* As far as Taubman goes– see above, though I think the scale and one person involved aspect of it probably makes it a different issue, though I don’t really know.
To get to the kind of dollars that I am guessing is involved with this Athletic gift for an academic program requires more than just the English department to get involved, and given your familiarity with the foundation, I am assuming you know that, Alum.
One last thing about people like me getting involved with fund-raising. I tell you what: when someone from the foundation wants to teach some of my classes and/or do some of the scholarly stuff that I need to get done done and/or deal with the “administrative creep” I’ve seen over the last few years, etc., etc.– that is, if someone from the foundation wants to do even a part of my job, then I will part of their job too. Seem like a deal?
SiteDad:
All hope is lost!
Sitedad wrote,
” But besides all the limitations that more or less prevent that, the problem is that it’s really hard for people to come and cheer for a winning English department or something like that”
It doesn’t have to be that way. The English Department could become more transparent, and public, and motivate their students to go beyond the classroom.
I completely agree with ALUM here. Not all of the blame game should fall on the athletics department or the administrator’s priorities.
English Students aren’t Football Players with a 5 year full ride atheltics scholarship, so they can not personally donate any money beyond the tuition they are charged. But, students would be willing to donate their time and energy if the English professor was not asking too much out of them and if they could see that it will make a positive difference.
The problem is people don’t really understand what EMU SPIRIT means. They think it means football attendance records at Rynearson Stadium. It doesn’t. Get the students motivated to entice donors by showcasing their works and winning contests and having FUN outside the classroom and you will revolutionize how your department attracts donations.
Of course…. You also need to overhaul the entire management of donations but that’s a different topic!
Get students motivated to apply towards writing contests and have a public celebration should any EMU Student do well in any of the contests.
Or combine the English Department with another department or two and have a big project much like what U of M did with their Solar Panel vehicles.
The problem with expecting more academic donations while not doing much to get your department talked about in the “News Media” through public events, projects, contests, displays of Student work and Achievement, Conferences, etc…is that donors will never realize that EMU has the best English Department in the State of Michigan.
I am *proof* that EMU has the best English department (as long as I don’t get criticized for my typos in a discussion forum like this).
All hope is lost? Wha? A “more transparent” English Department? I didn’t realize we were in the shadows….
Look, at the risk of belaboring this too much:
* The only point I was trying to make with my original post is that it’s kind of a shame that we can get really big bucks (apparently– we haven’t seen the details of the donation yet) from someone to name some kind of sports thing after themselves, but the funds we can raise that actually have a direct impact on academics are tiny in comparison. That’s not a problem unique to EMU, of course. This has been some of the controversy over at U of M with their football stadium upgrades, right? I just think it’s too bad.
* Besides the things I’ve already mentioned (we do lots of little fund raising things in the department), I guess I’d like to mention that one group in our department, the linguistics folks, brings more money into the the university in the form of grants than any other department in the College of Arts and Sciences. And, as a whole, my department raises more money in the form of tuition dollars than any other department on campus as measured in FTE. In those two senses, I think my department does more than its part.
* I frankly just don’t see fund raising as a part of my job, and I think that most faculty feel the same way. But here’s what I would do, and here’s what I think most other faculty person at EMU would do too: if the Foundation wanted to organize some kind of fund drive for a particular academic purpose (scholarship funds for students, travel funds for faculty, an endowed chair, a capital campaign for new buildings and facilities, etc.) and they wanted to get faculty to help out (go to functions to meet “big donors,” give presentations about innovative teaching, call potential donors on the phone, etc.), then I am certain that many faculty would be happy to help out.
In fact, I believe that’s the way it’s done on most college campuses. But for some reason, the vibe I’m getting from Alum here is I’m supposed to go and convince the foundation to raise money.
Doesn’t that seem a little backwards?
Sitedad,
English Department is in the shadows. There were a number of projects I worked on while majoring in Technical Communication (as well as projects other students did) that really never went anywhere outside the classroom.
Our successes never saw the *light*
Here’s one example:
I worked and developed a Technical Manual which was Q/A tested and reviewed by my professor.
That manual went to Halle Library as the “Poster Plotter Machine Manual.”
Yet the entire IT department changed and I don’t know what became of the plotter machine but my Manual was just suddenly missing. At no time was my Achievement treated with any respect and ultimately did not end up helping out a single student.
There’s countless other examples such as the FindLaw website or whatever… These Projects become Portfolio Pieces and nothing more. At least the Art Students get a bulletin board to show case their drawings and paintings.
P.S. Fundraising never is a faculty’s job but then again you ARE in 2-fold crisis:
A) Academics was just slashed again
B) EMU Foundation IS NOT starting any kind of capital fund drive and exactly when was the last time they started one? Everyone I spoke with told me that the EMU Foundation never conducted 1 Capital Campaign in at least a decade.
The reality of the situation is that, for most people in society, the most recognized activity, by far, at any university, including UM and Notre Dame (schools with outstanding academic reputations) is athletics. Is that sad? Yes. Is it reality? Yes. The fact of the matter is that, if the football and basketball teams win a few MAC titles, the local media and a broader swath of the general population in MI and surrounding states will take greater notice of Eastern. Eastern is, in my mind, the best kept secret in the state (midwest?) with regard to higher education. That’s unfortunate. A school as strong as Eastern should be well known. “Athletics aren’t your house, but they are the front porch” (Appalachian State president after the upset in the Fall)
I have one daughter at Eastern now who could have gone anywhere. I have another joining her in the Fall. I’ve interacted with a few of the teachers on campus. The faculty is as strong, from a teaching perspective, as any. My hope is that, in the not distant future, this fact is well known.
By the way, I was a college student once. My college mattered to me. It seemed as though every year, I was on the brink of not being able to afford to go. Any time you care for something so much, the fear of loss is real and it’s painful. I totally understand the frustration with costs and why more isn’t being done to reduce the cost and make Eastern specifically, and higher education in general, more affordable.
Jeff, regarding your “Poster Plotter Machine Manual.” If it “went to the Halle Library” in order to be placed into the permanent collection, then it should be available, but I don’t find it listed in the library catalog. Therefore, perhaps it went to someone in the IT department, which resides in Halle.
Presumably someone, perhaps yourself, took it over there. The plotter is still there, printing marvelous posters on a regular basis. If you have another copy, or 2 actually, why don’t you print it out and library staff could deposit one in the collection and the other could be given to the student assistants who work at the multimedia desk.
I find it entirely reasonable that athletics should be doing active fund-raising, that donors should be able to place constraints on how their money is spent, and that academics should expect more from the EMU Foundation.
As an academic at EMU I have no objection to personally participating in fundraising. I do, however, strenuously object to setting up an infrastructure for fundraising or for doing other development activities (e.g., cold calls) that are the responsibility of the Foundation and/or of some non-academic division of the university. It’s really astonishing how much faculty time is spent on things that should be done by P&A or CS (clerical staff). That said, I am perfectly happy to help convince donors that the computer science program is a worthy place for their money.
My chief reason for commenting here has almost been forgotten though. And that is to say congrats to Athletics! Well done and attaboy!
SiteDad:
How about opening a Bib n’ Bop Shop in PH! Doesn’t have to be a bake sale – only kidding!
Susan:
Don’t you keep in touch with your students who become alumni. That’s why the Foundation needs you. To identify people that you or anyone else might want to bring back to campus for any of a myriad of reasons. The faculty are the key to making academic fundraising click at EMU.
I don’t know about Susan, but actually Alum, no, I don’t keep in touch with students who become alumni. I generally am too busy keeping track of the students who I have in any given semester. I’m lucky, more or less, because while I teach a subject that is very intense and demands a lot of small group attention (you’ll never see a lecture hall version of a writing course, at least not a successful writing course), I don’t in terms of numbers have that many students. But I still don’t keep track of past students, and I don’t think many others around here do either.
Now, as I think about this, I have to say that maybe I should. I mean, it wouldn’t be that big of a deal to build an emailing list, one that would quickly go out of date of course, but one that might be quasi-useful. But as an institution, isn’t this the sort of thing that should be done by the foundation?
Oh, and I don’t know what a Bib n’ Bop Shop is, but as long as it were to serve better coffee than is currently available in PH, I’d be all for it.
The first rule of fundraising: you have to ask. people have money and will give it to those who ask.
The second rule of fundraising: people give to people, not organizations. three main students’ connections with the university are through athletics, student orgs and faculty.
why do you think athletics here and at almost every university receives the most donations? because they know former students (and fans) have a strong affinity for the sports. they ask for support–and they get it!
simply put, it should be part of every faculty members’ job to maintain relationships with former students. i mean, you hear students brag all the time about what a difference a faculty member made in their lives. faculty members are the life blood of our institution. the foundation needs to provide the mean/methods for faculty to reach out to their former students and ask for their support. point them in the right direction and then let the foundation take care of the paperwork. believe it or not, people feel good about giving to EMU
we’re not talking about cold-calling, we’re talking about maintaining existing relationships with former students… students who love EMU and would love to read a newsletter about their former profs, or just hear how they are doing. is that too much to ask of every department on campus?
i challenge every faculty member to mention the importance of giving back to EMU after students graduate at least once a year (perhaps the last class of each semester). if that is too tough, then at least inform your students about the foundation and say there are many opportunities to participate.
what about student orgs. with 200 student organizations, practically every department can connect with at least one student org on campus. i give to all the student orgs i belonged to as an undergrad. why? because they asked.
you see, what i’m getting at is a student’s connection to the university is not just in books and tests, but rather the human element which we all play a very important role. if you didn’t want this role, you’d be working somewhere where it just didn’t matter.
if athletics can do it, so can academics. it’s not about comparison (comparing English to Athletics), it’s about people and the unique and special connection they have to EMU.
Almost Alum,
I agree with most of what you say. But put it in context: athletics departments have far more staff, on a staff to student ratio, than do academic programs, and much of the athletics staff is devoted to the fundraising relationships you advocate. I advocate them too. But
in the context of overworked people who can’t get adequate time or support for their main jobs – teaching and research – it’s a wee bit pie in the sky to say that each faculty member should cultivate meaningful fundraising relationships among alumni. Nice theory, but not too practical, as it’s a one size fits all proposal that overlooks context. Still, I agree in principle. Yet the most vital context is that EMU academics more than pay for themselves thru revenues produced (tuition and fees), while all EMU athletics exists solely thru the subsidies that EMU academics provides to the athletic department.
So, while I favor fundraising for academics. I’ve never known EMU to have a president, provost, or VP for Development who understood that concept, or did much real or sustained to promote fundraising for academics. And believe me, I’ve dealt with those characters, known them, and been disappointed at their indifference. They want a big check in the near future, and have no concept of long term relationships being the basis of successful fundraising.
Almost Alum: You are wise beyond your years. It certainly is the responsibility of faculty to maintain relationships throughout the years with former students. Having contact with alums at various professional conferences and events on campus (homecoming) is a simple and effective thing to do. There are many EMU faculty who have been able to generate significant donations to the university by using these methods while also teaching, conducting research and service. It is not a direct method of fund raising, but an indirect way of helping people to stay connected with the university. I rarely ask former students for outright donations but it is an amazing coincidence how many actually do contribute to EMU. Alums who feel a connection to faculty, staff or coaches will donate at a greater rate than others who do not enjoy this contact. People who choose to not participate in fund raising will always raise one excuse or another why it cannot be done. I tend to ignore these people and focus on the positive and what IS possible. I learned a long time ago that excuses are for losers.
On another point, I would submit that athletics is very much an educational experience for students. As a 4-year collegiate athlete, I say without reservation that my participation in college sports enabled me to achieve to the level I have today. My major field gave me technical knowledge and qualifications to begin to learn once I entered the workforce. My collegiate athletic experience was the difference in helping me to lead, persevere and overcome adversity. I have relied on my athletic experiences every day of my life to remain focused and positive. This is why you see so many donations to athletics. Coaches have pushed students beyond their perceived limits, have challenged them to excel in all they do, and connected them to EMU for a lifetime. I typically donate to EMU athletic AND academic programs. I always give to athletics first because of the experiences and interactions I had with coaches and my teammates. I give to academic programs because of the opportunities they provide to all EMU students. I would also say that such educational experiences are not limited to athletics but can be obtained in all extracurricular activities (band, dance club, music and theater programs, debate clubs, etc.). It is about a sense of belonging to a group and showing passion about that group. The most effective education is not sitting in a classroom listening to some professor tell you his biases. It is by interacting with professionals and being involved in obtaining goals whether artistic, academic clubs or yes, even athletic. Most people who enjoy criticizing the athletic experience have never had the opportunity to be part of a group who has bonded together in good times and bad, and they will never understand the educational component of athletics as long as they live. It is something that is very foreign to them and we have to accept that. Keep up your attitude Almost Alum. You have the right spirit and rest assured there are many at EMU who are already doing what you propose. See you at Homecoming!
Mark,
Makes sense. I agree that a lot of time and effort go into making it happen in the classroom, and I know faculty members are invited to do lots outside the classroom as well.
I don’t know much about the history of fundraising at EMU, but I do know that there have been a number of heads of the advancement division in the past decade. They probably are charged by the university president or board of regents to get quick results. And since there is a normal high rate of attrition in fundraisers in any organization, the only way maintaining long term relationships is through cultivation by the faculty (and coaches and administrators) that continue to represent and support the university through the years.
I would argue that Dan McClory’s gift didn’t come solely as a result of Dr. Gragg being AD, but I would suspect because of the difference Bob Parks made when Dan was on the track team, and because he was given an opportunity to give back to EMU.
EMU faculty make a difference in the lives of our students and students remember that when they get older. I don’t know if Dan kept in contact with Bob or how the gift came about, but I do know that there are many successful alumni that would be happy to give back to EMU if asked by a former professor that made a difference in their life. If each of our 700+ faculty could provide information to just one friend/graduate of the university each year about opportunities to give back, I guarantee it would make a difference.
In my last post I mentioned that people give to people, and that is why although they may have different roles and engagement, each and every member of the EMU community needs to believe they are a part of this process for EMU to be successful in any fundraising campaign.
Need an example? The CTA department was successful in creating a P George Byrd endowed scholarship. This was a tribute from friends of his when he retired after 51 years at EMU. Now I don’t believe George was out there asking people for money for this endowment, but it was his relationship with his many students, colleagues and friends combined with the opportunity to give back to EMU that created this success story.
There aren’t many George Birds out there. However, there are some really fabulous people that teach at EMU that have and will continue to make a lasting positive impact on our students.
It might not seem like that big of a deal for faculty to do “just one more thing” and help do fund raising. But let me just offer a couple of thoughts on this:
* Just what is it that the foundation and people employed at EMU as fund raisers are supposed to do, anyway?
* Very VERY frequently, I don’t have any way to keep in any contact with my students beyond the class. They frequently don’t check their EMU accounts (and I don’t blame them for that), they frequently don’t provide any permanent email address, they change addresses, etc., etc. The same is true for snail mail addresses and phone numbers and such (not that I am going to phone students or stop by their apartments or something).
* In the relatively short-term, students move on– especially as they get older/advance in their careers– and faculty do the same. Hopefully, students who graduate are on to different jobs/lives/etc. after 10 years of graduating. And it is not all unusual for faculty-types to also move on to different jobs, etc. 11 years ago, I was teaching at a completely different university; am I supposed to be doing fund-raising for them? Lots and lots of faculty move from faculty positions to administrative positions and back; are these people supposed to keep track of students while their administrators outside of their previous department?
* In the longer-term, students and faculty really REALLY move on. I don’t know what the numbers are on this exactly, but I would guess that a lot of potential college donors– particularly big donors– are not really financial in a position to do so until they are in their 50s or 60s or more. That’s 30 or 40 or years after graduating. Well, I graduated from college (gulp!) 20 years ago now, and I am pretty sure that the majority of my professors are either retired or dead. This severely limits faculty efforts at lobbying potential donors.
* And I guess the other concern I have is this just seems like another example of “administrative creep” onto faculty without any incentive or reward. Now, why would faculty do that?
Perhaps professors who teach in the professional programs (business, teacher education, health sciences, etc.) as well as coaches, and advisors in various organizations might have an easier time staying in touch with students through professional activities than professors in the liberal arts. I have found it very easy in my chosen field, but I realize my situation may not be the same as others. Development officers cannot do it all themselves. As almost alum states, people give to people. So true. When my former coach or professor calls, I just cannot say no.
I have to agree with the statement that people give to people. In the fund raising workshops I have been in everyone in an organization is responsible for getting donors.
However, sitedad has a point about the professors being retired or dead. (that raises a whole other issue about the avg. age of the faculty that keeps getting older, maybe another post needs to be started on why young professors are not coming into the profession as much as they used too)
Think about this…who has ever moved and forgot to tell some of your creditors your new address…but they seem to find you….there are ways to find that information out. So last summer I moved and forgot to tell the Rutgers Alumni Assoc. I moved BUT somehow they found my new address…so I did a little “fact finding” it seems they use a service that “finds” people. Anyone can buy this service….at least once a year they update their records. Even if the Alum does not….talk about staying in touch and keeping track of their Alumni!
Now granted EMU may need to do more work getting a positive image out there….but how can we build a sense of PRIDE in our school if there is all this in fighting. A friend of mine said it best “When the faculty and the administration start fighting the student get caught in the middle.” Who wants to give to a toxic culture? I don’t! (I will start a post on “Who really cares about the students?”)
In my opinion should be trying to keep up with students, at all but some. I am sure you, faculty, have those students who you wonder about, how they are doing, did they make it in life. AS an educator I would hope you want to ensure your students are successful. But that is starting to cultivate that relationship from day one. And then keep those relationships going.
For example: In my professional organizations ACPA and NASPA at every annual convention each college/university can if they chose to hold a reception. I am proud to say EMU does hold this reception all most every year. It is in the program book and alumni come. Last year when I went for the 1st time to the convention I got to meet alumni from my program. We chatted about how things are the same and how things are different. Got to hear about “the good old days” and I got to tell them about “the fun days of present.” Now who do you ask set this up…my professors….not some administrator……why because my professors want to ensure they stay connected with our alumni….yes the people may change, but it is because the department keeps the reception going people keep coming to see what is new. (Even pasted faculty show up!)
Maybe this can start to happen at the other conventions our professors go too. Hey maybe at the K-12 teachers’ convention this can happen as well…keeping the professors connected with the alumni….Is there any other profession that EMU could help take the lead on and start this type of program at there conventions.
Those are my thoughts…….
Regina, I think the point you’re making about professional programs is pretty accurate. In my program, I think the comparison is graduate students and faculty/folks involved in things like the Society for Technical Communication of Southeast Michigan, or for the higher level of contact we have with our graduate students in general.
But again, I go back to the question of whose job this is: what exactly does the foundation do? Isn’t it the group that is supposed to be taking the lead on this sort of thing?
Hi Everyone, as a former athlete, I can attest that I plan to donate down the road to the EMU Athletic Department, in particular, Football.
EMU athletics gave me a opportunity to go to school and get a education free of charge. I would love to give back to the program that gave me the tools to be successful in the business world. When I think about great experiences, life lessons learned, valuable daily business knowledge, I do reflect back to being a athlete and what it took to be successful on and off the field.
Why does EMU not make a better effort in communicating with its alum and stress how important EMU was to them being successful? Especially while we are there! I completely agree with “SiteDad” about communicating. Somehow this should be addressed to keep these students giving back the way EMU gave to them…after graduation. Fundraising is such a poor choice of words and will deter alum from giving on a large scale.
Our Football program is the only form of communication I have from EMU 15 years later. The Business school = no, the Marketing Department = no, EMU Alum Assoc = no, EMU Football = yes, consistantly, with a hand written letter from each of the past few coaches and invites to events. Also, our alumni still communicate, work together and continue to help out fellow EMU alum if we can!
Its why we feel compelled to help out where help was given in the past. Communicate and make them feel like they are extended forever EMU family and people will feel like they should help out EMU. Ask for fundraising, get fundraising results!
Just a thought, here in sunny FLA!