Facilities Upgrades

[iupgroundhog]

Ok so this “doofus” will now rail why IUP gets nothing from a Harrisburg to upgrade sports facilities but failing triad campuses get cash to upgrade sports venues for rapidly dwindling. I’m glad Clarion has a renovated Fieldhouse but wasn’t it really a waste of money that could have been better spent at IUP?

IUP has a slew of new buildings, tearing down old ones but still the same 63 year old foosball facility and an outdated Fieldhouse that could bE repurposed. Zuni Is old too. Why isn’t IUP getting cash to renovate? Why did Cal get an arena with no conditions?

That's a good point. Cal, Clarion, Edinboro... these are poor investments.

Another question is why is LHU still stuck in Thomas Field House? These "facility upgrades" don't seem well-coordinated.

[Ship69]

It really is much more even. Lock Haven has improved tremendously, and East Stroudsburg certainly has as well. Millersville had a lot of good players leave after they went into a tailspin last year, so will have to see how they bounce back. You could even argue that the East is stronger now than the West is.

I'll hold off on Lock Haven. They've had one good year after several decades of bad ones. Their new coach seems to have something going, but can they keep him? East Stroudsburg's improvement looks more sustainable. Millersville surprised me last year. I thought they'd be better. For the East to really be better balanced, West Chester, Ship, and Bloomsburg have to get back to at least a semblance of what they used to be.

[Tdobson]

Did cal really build an arena with no ac?

[IUPNation]

Did cal really build an arena with no ac?

That can’t be true right? I imagine that is not up to code unless there are no codes in the VietMon.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Why isn’t IUP’s AD setting up a fundraising campaign to get cash for renovating The Cig?

It’s not that simple. He’s really limited to what the administration is willing to do. I also don’t think it’s really the AD’s job to try and fundraise on top of everything else that job entails. If you want to see what goes into managing an athletic program even at the D2 level, just go stand around Memorial Field House and Zink Hall for a day. It’s like a beehive of athletes and coaches from every sport buzzing around from daylight and well past dark. I’m guessing that’s what it’s like on about every campus in the PSAC, etc. It’s A LOT, and really eye opening. Despite the day-to-day, Todd can be seen at games for all sports consistently.

If IUP was really behind getting something done the administration would present a plan and then have their fundraisers work to find the resources. As it stands now, if I were to walk into the development office and say I want to write a check to support a stadium upgrade, I’d likely get looked at like I have two heads. You present a plan and find the resources to get it done. I can tell you that I have literally offered money and other resources for a couple athletic programs and was never followed up with. That’s fundraising 101 stuff and if it happened to me, who else has it happened to? There doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency.

[Fightingscot82]

Ok so this “doofus” will now rail why IUP gets nothing from a Harrisburg to upgrade sports facilities but failing triad campuses get cash to upgrade sports venues for rapidly dwindling enrollments. I’m glad Clarion has a renovated Fieldhouse but wasn’t it really a waste of money that could have been better spent at IUP?

IUP has a slew of new buildings, tearing down old ones but still the same 63 year old foosball facility and an outdated Fieldhouse that could bE repurposed. Zink Is old too. Why isn’t IUP getting cash to renovate? Why did Cal get an arena with no conditions?

I

The PASSHE schools put forth requests for construction funding for five years out. IUP put a lot of that into the new science building. Unsure what else is on their list. Penn West realized how bad Edinboro's fieldhouse had become and made it their #1 priority. They too have torn down several buildings in the last year. By summer they'll be down to one traditional dorm that's used for offices and storage

[Fightingscot82]

Why isn’t IUP’s AD setting up a fundraising campaign to get cash for renovating The Cig?

Because he doesn't have unilateral power over fundraising. It has to be an institution wide priority. And it most likely isn't. They also have the data to tell them if their bigger donor prospects would support it. They most likely don't.

[IUPNation]

It’s not that simple. He’s really limited to what the administration is willing to do. I also don’t think it’s really the AD’s job to try and fundraise on top of everything else that job entails. If you want to see what goes into managing an athletic program even at the D2 level, just go stand around Memorial Field House and Zink Hall for a day. It’s like a beehive of athletes and coaches from every sport buzzing around from daylight and well past dark. I’m guessing that’s what it’s like on about every campus in the PSAC, etc. It’s A LOT, and really eye opening. Despite the day-to-day, Todd can be seen at games for all sports consistently.

If IUP was really behind getting something done the administration would present a plan and then have their fundraisers work to find the resources. As it stands now, if I were to walk into the development office and say I want to write a check to support a stadium upgrade, I’d likely get looked at like I have two heads. You present a plan and find the resources to get it done. I can tell you that I have literally offered money and other resources for a couple athletic programs and was never followed up with. That’s fundraising 101 stuff and if it happened to me, who else has it happened to? There doesn’t seem to be a sense of urgency.

They cannot possibly think having 60 year old facilities is a good thing.

The bowtie needs to get on the ball.

[EyeoftheHawk]

Because he doesn't have unilateral power over fundraising. It has to be an institution wide priority. And it most likely isn't. They also have the data to tell them if their bigger donor prospects would support it. They most likely don't.

There are donor prospects who are interested. What’s lacking is a plan to get behind and a subsequent campaign to get the money. There is progress, just not happening as quickly as many would like.

[IUPNation]

The PASSHE schools put forth requests for construction funding for five years out. IUP put a lot of that into the new science building. Unsure what else is on their list. Penn West realized how bad Edinboro's fieldhouse had become and made it their #1 priority. They too have torn down several buildings in the last year. By summer they'll be down to one traditional dorm that's used for offices and storage

But there was private funding for the science building. It wasn't all state funding.

It just looks like IUP has to do this to get that...but everyone else just gets that without having to do this.

Everyone like to make fun of the condition of The Cig but we aren't getting any $$$ to fix it up and Josh is sitting on a 14 billion dollar surplus.

[IUPNation]

Because he doesn't have unilateral power over fundraising. It has to be an institution wide priority. And it most likely isn't. They also have the data to tell them if their bigger donor prospects would support it. They most likely don't.

What is there not to support? A nicer venue to watch a game? A real press box with real suites so these big donors can sit even more comfortably?

Look at what the KCAC draws outside of IUP games. Wouldn't a nice stadium venue not be able to hold events outside of IUP athletics.

[Fightingscot82]

But there was private funding for the science building. It wasn't all state funding.

It just looks like IUP has to do this to get that...but everyone else just gets that without having to do this.

Everyone like to make fun of the condition of The Cig but we aren't getting any $$$ to fix it up and Josh is sitting on a 14 billion dollar surplus.

Everyone on here likes to make fun of the condition of The Cig. We're a fraction of 1% of the IUP world.

State funding for a building that also doubles as community convocation space and offices can be argued for state money. Edinboro's fieldhouse is used for 5 NCAA teams, a club team, national tournaments, high school playoff games, summer camps, graduations, community swim lessons, concerts, and admissions events. It's much more than an arena that also hosts the Harlem Globetrotters every 6 months. I don't think IUP could make that argument for a football stadium. I still think IUP should have proposed some sort of multipurpose stadium with the county fairgrounds. Much more of a regional asset. Edinboro's dome probably draws more total people than Miller.

The big fundraising priority will always be scholarships.

[IUPNation]

Everyone on here likes to make fun of the condition of The Cig. We're a fraction of 1% of the IUP world.

State funding for a building that also doubles as community convocation space and offices can be argued for state money. Edinboro's fieldhouse is used for 5 NCAA teams, a club team, national tournaments, high school playoff games, summer camps, graduations, community swim lessons, concerts, and admissions events. It's much more than an arena that also hosts the Harlem Globetrotters every 6 months. I don't think IUP could make that argument for a football stadium. I still think IUP should have proposed some sort of multipurpose stadium with the county fairgrounds. Much more of a regional asset. Edinboro's dome probably draws more total people than Miller.

The big fundraising priority will always be scholarships.

So Edinboro got a renovation no questions asked but IUP had to fundraise a conditional amount before the state would pay their share of the KCAC?

[Brandon]

Everyone on here likes to make fun of the condition of The Cig. We're a fraction of 1% of the IUP world.

State funding for a building that also doubles as community convocation space and offices can be argued for state money. Edinboro's fieldhouse is used for 5 NCAA teams, a club team, national tournaments, high school playoff games, summer camps, graduations, community swim lessons, concerts, and admissions events. It's much more than an arena that also hosts the Harlem Globetrotters every 6 months. I don't think IUP could make that argument for a football stadium. I still think IUP should have proposed some sort of multipurpose stadium with the county fairgrounds. Much more of a regional asset. Edinboro's dome probably draws more total people than Miller.

The big fundraising priority will always be scholarships.

Put some classrooms in the lower levels.

[iupgroundhog]

Put some classrooms in the lower levels.

While that might be perceived as being a little bit cynical, I think there is a lot of truth to it.

It's true that an arena like the KCAC can hold more community-related events beyond the IUP basketball games. The KCAC came into existence by promoting the alternative uses.

The fact is that Indiana and Indiana County is an economically depressed area. If IUP can demonstrate alternative benefits to a stadium renovation as a "multi-use" project, I think they can sell it to get funding for the much needed upgrades. A proposal that includes economic development can go far. It just requires innovative thinking and the will to go for it.