Post by Aggie One on Dec 11, 2006 12:41:30 GMT -5
WSSU athletics experiencing growing pains
Move to Division I has caused some grumbling among fans, alumni
By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Monday, December 11, 2006
Nobody said that Winston-Salem State's transition from Division II to Division I would be easy. There have been growing pains as the athletics program continues its move toward full membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference by 2010-11.
To some WSSU alumni, there hasn't been a clear message from Athletics Director Chico Caldwell about a vision for the future. However, several alumni club presidents - including Victor Bruinton, the national alumni president - say that Caldwell is doing just fine.
Many of the alumni voicing displeasure live in or close to Winston-Salem.
Al Roseboro is in that group. A former football player, coach and athletics director at WSSU, he said that his biggest concern is a lack of leadership on the subject of athlete retention.
"We just have to have a sound retention program for athletes, and I'm just not seeing that," said Roseboro, who was WSSU's AD from 1990 through 1996 and is in the school's hall of fame. "And there also isn't enough of bringing alumni and former athletes together, because that's how you can have better recruiting, through those avenues."
Caldwell, who is in his sixth year as athletics director, has had to navigate the program through the hiring of more coaches, the addition of scholarship money and the upgrading of facilities. He said he's pleased with the progress. When asked about his critics, he said they come with the territory.
"I think the transition is on schedule," Caldwell said. "And I'm also aware of the calls from alumni and their concerns. But we are making the necessary moves and going through this transition just like other schools have done."
When asked about academic issues for athletes, Caldwell said that his department is working more closely with the university's academic support services.
Al Harvey, who sits on the committee for the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame at WSSU, said he is disappointed by the way that Caldwell has been out of touch with fans and alumni. Harvey said that Caldwell consistently rubs people the wrong way and that he hasn't been very open to suggestions.
Harvey even suggested that some WSSU supporters have withheld donations because of Caldwell.
"They are disappointed with his leadership and there's just no vision," Harvey said.
Travel concerns
One of Harvey's complaints is with the men's basketball schedule that Caldwell put together. The Rams are playing 23 of their 29 games on the road, mostly against Division I teams, and will make nearly $500,000 for their travels.
Although he said that it's fine that Caldwell is trying to make money for the athletics department, Harvey has concerns about the fans.
"They are only playing six home games," Harvey said. "And from what I understand, he didn't even get the travel and hotel stays built into those big contracts for playing those games in faraway places."
When asked about the schedule, Caldwell said that the travel money has come from the $500,000. The Rams were away from campus for 21 days last month.
"What we did was include the travel in the guarantees," Caldwell said. "So there were set amounts in those guarantees, and we took the travel money out of that. So in other words, we will not spend any travel money out of the university budget."
The Rams will travel about 25,000 miles this season, raising another concern for Roseboro about time away from campus.
"I know Chico said they all got laptops for the players, but that's not going to cut it in my book," Roseboro said.
Caldwell said he has always been concerned about athletes' performances in the classroom.
"We had meetings with some of the basketball players' professors and there was some good dialogue about the time they would be spending on the road," Caldwell said. "So that was addressed, and we are confident that Coach (Bobby) Collins and his assistants have been monitoring the players while they've been on the road."
Embracing change
Bruinton has nothing but praise for Caldwell.
"Some are just slow to change," Bruinton, a 1982 graduate, said of some of the alumni's concerns. "With the CIAA, it's like leaving your family, but I'm sure more folks will come around as we get into the Division I move down the line."
Caldwell agreed with Bruinton that some alumni still do not believe that moving to Division I was the right move. Caldwell said he finds it odd that he is the person catching all the heat.
"I'm just a director, and it's the upper administration that I answer to who want to make this work," Caldwell said. "Athletics is going along with the growth of the rest of the university, and that's the bottom line. I'm just following the plan that the university has in place as we continue this move."
As for the claim that Caldwell doesn't have a vision, Bruinton said: "I think he does have a vision for athletics, but I guess it's up to others to accept that vision. Some are concerned that we've lost our heritage by moving out of the CIAA, but it's just the way the entire university is moving and that's to bigger and better things."
Bruinton said that when he was in school, WSSU had about 3,000 students. The enrollment now is about 6,000.
Bruinton also shot down the notion that donations are down because of Caldwell.
"That would just be an opinion, but I wouldn't say donations are down," Bruinton said. "I know with us moving up, you have some new donors because of the excitement of Division I. But as far as maybe some of the old guard not donating because of the move, I just don't think that's the case."
'There is a vision'
Mae Godette, the president of WSSU's Greensboro alumni chapter, said that the way that the university prepared for the move was the right way to do it.
"There is a vision, and it started with Dr. (Harold) Martin (WSSU's former chancellor) and it's continued with (interim chancellor Michelle) Howard-Vital," Godette said.
Godette said she has heard about the issues with other alumni.
"I just think that there are some personality conflicts that Dr. Caldwell has to work through with some of those folks," she said. "He's always been willing to do whatever is needed for any of the alumni chapters, so I haven't heard of any complaints from the chapter presidents and I talk with a lot of them on a regular basis."
Harvey said that Caldwell has not been clear about WSSU's objectives.
"What are we trying to achieve?" Harvey asked. "Are we trying to be a good mid-major program, or are we trying to be on the level with a program like East Carolina? There are different levels, yet he's never conveyed this to anybody. I just think he's selling us short without a vision."
• John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
This story can be found at: www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192121188&path=%21sports&s=1037645509200
Move to Division I has caused some grumbling among fans, alumni
By John Dell
JOURNAL REPORTER
Monday, December 11, 2006
Nobody said that Winston-Salem State's transition from Division II to Division I would be easy. There have been growing pains as the athletics program continues its move toward full membership in the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference by 2010-11.
To some WSSU alumni, there hasn't been a clear message from Athletics Director Chico Caldwell about a vision for the future. However, several alumni club presidents - including Victor Bruinton, the national alumni president - say that Caldwell is doing just fine.
Many of the alumni voicing displeasure live in or close to Winston-Salem.
Al Roseboro is in that group. A former football player, coach and athletics director at WSSU, he said that his biggest concern is a lack of leadership on the subject of athlete retention.
"We just have to have a sound retention program for athletes, and I'm just not seeing that," said Roseboro, who was WSSU's AD from 1990 through 1996 and is in the school's hall of fame. "And there also isn't enough of bringing alumni and former athletes together, because that's how you can have better recruiting, through those avenues."
Caldwell, who is in his sixth year as athletics director, has had to navigate the program through the hiring of more coaches, the addition of scholarship money and the upgrading of facilities. He said he's pleased with the progress. When asked about his critics, he said they come with the territory.
"I think the transition is on schedule," Caldwell said. "And I'm also aware of the calls from alumni and their concerns. But we are making the necessary moves and going through this transition just like other schools have done."
When asked about academic issues for athletes, Caldwell said that his department is working more closely with the university's academic support services.
Al Harvey, who sits on the committee for the Big House Gaines Hall of Fame at WSSU, said he is disappointed by the way that Caldwell has been out of touch with fans and alumni. Harvey said that Caldwell consistently rubs people the wrong way and that he hasn't been very open to suggestions.
Harvey even suggested that some WSSU supporters have withheld donations because of Caldwell.
"They are disappointed with his leadership and there's just no vision," Harvey said.
Travel concerns
One of Harvey's complaints is with the men's basketball schedule that Caldwell put together. The Rams are playing 23 of their 29 games on the road, mostly against Division I teams, and will make nearly $500,000 for their travels.
Although he said that it's fine that Caldwell is trying to make money for the athletics department, Harvey has concerns about the fans.
"They are only playing six home games," Harvey said. "And from what I understand, he didn't even get the travel and hotel stays built into those big contracts for playing those games in faraway places."
When asked about the schedule, Caldwell said that the travel money has come from the $500,000. The Rams were away from campus for 21 days last month.
"What we did was include the travel in the guarantees," Caldwell said. "So there were set amounts in those guarantees, and we took the travel money out of that. So in other words, we will not spend any travel money out of the university budget."
The Rams will travel about 25,000 miles this season, raising another concern for Roseboro about time away from campus.
"I know Chico said they all got laptops for the players, but that's not going to cut it in my book," Roseboro said.
Caldwell said he has always been concerned about athletes' performances in the classroom.
"We had meetings with some of the basketball players' professors and there was some good dialogue about the time they would be spending on the road," Caldwell said. "So that was addressed, and we are confident that Coach (Bobby) Collins and his assistants have been monitoring the players while they've been on the road."
Embracing change
Bruinton has nothing but praise for Caldwell.
"Some are just slow to change," Bruinton, a 1982 graduate, said of some of the alumni's concerns. "With the CIAA, it's like leaving your family, but I'm sure more folks will come around as we get into the Division I move down the line."
Caldwell agreed with Bruinton that some alumni still do not believe that moving to Division I was the right move. Caldwell said he finds it odd that he is the person catching all the heat.
"I'm just a director, and it's the upper administration that I answer to who want to make this work," Caldwell said. "Athletics is going along with the growth of the rest of the university, and that's the bottom line. I'm just following the plan that the university has in place as we continue this move."
As for the claim that Caldwell doesn't have a vision, Bruinton said: "I think he does have a vision for athletics, but I guess it's up to others to accept that vision. Some are concerned that we've lost our heritage by moving out of the CIAA, but it's just the way the entire university is moving and that's to bigger and better things."
Bruinton said that when he was in school, WSSU had about 3,000 students. The enrollment now is about 6,000.
Bruinton also shot down the notion that donations are down because of Caldwell.
"That would just be an opinion, but I wouldn't say donations are down," Bruinton said. "I know with us moving up, you have some new donors because of the excitement of Division I. But as far as maybe some of the old guard not donating because of the move, I just don't think that's the case."
'There is a vision'
Mae Godette, the president of WSSU's Greensboro alumni chapter, said that the way that the university prepared for the move was the right way to do it.
"There is a vision, and it started with Dr. (Harold) Martin (WSSU's former chancellor) and it's continued with (interim chancellor Michelle) Howard-Vital," Godette said.
Godette said she has heard about the issues with other alumni.
"I just think that there are some personality conflicts that Dr. Caldwell has to work through with some of those folks," she said. "He's always been willing to do whatever is needed for any of the alumni chapters, so I haven't heard of any complaints from the chapter presidents and I talk with a lot of them on a regular basis."
Harvey said that Caldwell has not been clear about WSSU's objectives.
"What are we trying to achieve?" Harvey asked. "Are we trying to be a good mid-major program, or are we trying to be on the level with a program like East Carolina? There are different levels, yet he's never conveyed this to anybody. I just think he's selling us short without a vision."
• John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
This story can be found at: www.journalnow.com/servlet/Satellite?pagename=WSJ%2FMGArticle%2FWSJ_BasicArticle&c=MGArticle&cid=1149192121188&path=%21sports&s=1037645509200
