Post by aggiejazz on May 15, 2009 9:17:47 GMT -5
By John Dell, JOURNAL REPORTER, Published: May 15, 2009
Winston-Salem State fans and alumni hoping for a vote of confidence from Chancellor Donald Reaves about the athletics program's move to Division I didn't get one Wednesday night.
Reaves, speaking at a public forum, spelled out what WSSU needs to complete its transition to Division I and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
"It's not an expense problem," he said. "We are not having a problem in athletics because it's spending too much. That's simply not the case. If you look at the expenditures of the other MEAC schools, you will see we are not spending nearly as much as they are.
"The problem at Winston-Salem State is a revenue-side problem. We simply don't raise enough revenue."
Reaves, who was hired in August 2007, stood for two hours during the forum and answered questions ranging from graduation rates to athletics. And questions about athletics stirred the most passion.
WSSU, in its fourth year of transition to Division I, has lost $6.1 million since starting the move, and charts that Reaves used Wednesday show more losses ahead. Reaves was loud and clear about the key point of his presentation -- WSSU needs to raise nearly $3 million more a year to help offset losses. WSSU currently brings in about $2.9 million a year in student fees for athletics, by far the biggest source of revenue.
"We have looked at various options, and if we can raise between $2.5 and $3 million every single year, we can continue along the path to Division I," he said.
If WSSU can't raise that amount, staying in Division II and returning to the CIAA is a real possibility.
With the economy lagging, Reaves expects WSSU to have a difficult time raising the money it needs through donations. Reaves said he has done extensive research on fundraising through the years at WSSU and that the results are not encouraging.
"I've said to Victor (Bruinton), we will work with the alumni association to try to raise money for athletics, but I do not believe you can raise $3 million dollars a year," Reaves said.
Bruinton is the president of WSSU's national alumni association. A spokesman for the association said Wednesday that the school had 1,134 registered donors three years ago but just 690 this year.
When pressed by an alumnus about the need to raise money for athletics, Reaves responded sharply. "I'm trying to be honest with you," said Reaves, who has an extensive business background and said he wants to see the school's books balanced. "I need cash, and I need cash this year. And there's no record whatsoever at this university in fundraising."
Reasons for the limited donations for athletics are unclear. Alumni could be hesitant to give because they see no clear direction for the program. Some might be hesitant to donate because of a sense that Reaves is lukewarm toward athletics and that their donations will have little impact, no matter how much they give.
Reaves said that his priorities are student retention and higher graduation rates, not athletics.
Among the alumni who spoke in favor of athletics at the forum was Curtis Richardson, a High Point businessman and one of the top donors for athletics. He urged others to take out their checkbooks and make a difference. "Let's stop hollering and yelling at each other about what we are not doing and let's do something," he said.
Walter Marshall, a county commissioner and WSSU alumnus, said: "We need to put up or shut up."
Reaves doesn't have the power to stop the move to Division I -- WSSU's board of trustees has the ultimate vote. Reaves and the board will meet next month and again in September, and although he wouldn't say what his recommendation to the board would be, it seems clear which way he's leaning.
Reaves said that if WSSU stays in Division II, it probably could balance the athletics budget in two years. The MEAC wants an answer about WSSU's intentions sometime this year.
Click on link for the rest of the story
John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
www2.journalnow.com/con...tion-at-wssu/sports/
Winston-Salem State fans and alumni hoping for a vote of confidence from Chancellor Donald Reaves about the athletics program's move to Division I didn't get one Wednesday night.
Reaves, speaking at a public forum, spelled out what WSSU needs to complete its transition to Division I and the Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference.
"It's not an expense problem," he said. "We are not having a problem in athletics because it's spending too much. That's simply not the case. If you look at the expenditures of the other MEAC schools, you will see we are not spending nearly as much as they are.
"The problem at Winston-Salem State is a revenue-side problem. We simply don't raise enough revenue."
Reaves, who was hired in August 2007, stood for two hours during the forum and answered questions ranging from graduation rates to athletics. And questions about athletics stirred the most passion.
WSSU, in its fourth year of transition to Division I, has lost $6.1 million since starting the move, and charts that Reaves used Wednesday show more losses ahead. Reaves was loud and clear about the key point of his presentation -- WSSU needs to raise nearly $3 million more a year to help offset losses. WSSU currently brings in about $2.9 million a year in student fees for athletics, by far the biggest source of revenue.
"We have looked at various options, and if we can raise between $2.5 and $3 million every single year, we can continue along the path to Division I," he said.
If WSSU can't raise that amount, staying in Division II and returning to the CIAA is a real possibility.
With the economy lagging, Reaves expects WSSU to have a difficult time raising the money it needs through donations. Reaves said he has done extensive research on fundraising through the years at WSSU and that the results are not encouraging.
"I've said to Victor (Bruinton), we will work with the alumni association to try to raise money for athletics, but I do not believe you can raise $3 million dollars a year," Reaves said.
Bruinton is the president of WSSU's national alumni association. A spokesman for the association said Wednesday that the school had 1,134 registered donors three years ago but just 690 this year.
When pressed by an alumnus about the need to raise money for athletics, Reaves responded sharply. "I'm trying to be honest with you," said Reaves, who has an extensive business background and said he wants to see the school's books balanced. "I need cash, and I need cash this year. And there's no record whatsoever at this university in fundraising."
Reasons for the limited donations for athletics are unclear. Alumni could be hesitant to give because they see no clear direction for the program. Some might be hesitant to donate because of a sense that Reaves is lukewarm toward athletics and that their donations will have little impact, no matter how much they give.
Reaves said that his priorities are student retention and higher graduation rates, not athletics.
Among the alumni who spoke in favor of athletics at the forum was Curtis Richardson, a High Point businessman and one of the top donors for athletics. He urged others to take out their checkbooks and make a difference. "Let's stop hollering and yelling at each other about what we are not doing and let's do something," he said.
Walter Marshall, a county commissioner and WSSU alumnus, said: "We need to put up or shut up."
Reaves doesn't have the power to stop the move to Division I -- WSSU's board of trustees has the ultimate vote. Reaves and the board will meet next month and again in September, and although he wouldn't say what his recommendation to the board would be, it seems clear which way he's leaning.
Reaves said that if WSSU stays in Division II, it probably could balance the athletics budget in two years. The MEAC wants an answer about WSSU's intentions sometime this year.
Click on link for the rest of the story
John Dell can be reached at 727-4081 or at jdell@wsjournal.com.
www2.journalnow.com/con...tion-at-wssu/sports/
because when you let the ones go who knew... they took the plans right out the door with them... 
