Some Random Positive News

KRAM1 · May 22, 2015

So, admins can feel free to move this thread where they would like, but here goes....

At today's board meeting of the UNT Alumni Association we heard from guest speakers John Nitardy and Rick Villarreal from athletics and Eileen Moran, Interim VP for University Advancement. Each shared a few bits of good news that I thought folks might like to hear.

First...the overall athletic teams GOA for the spring semester was 3.1. Twelve teams have GPA's over 3.0. This is, of course, fantastic news.

Second...to the new golf practice facility. The BOR approved the construction in yesterday's meeting. Among other things it will include a practice tee, a 3-hole practice course, hitting bays, stretching and recruitment room, trophy room, locker room area and best of all...access to the course 6 days a year for tournament play! This is BIG and will allow UNT to host tournaments and draw name teams.

Third.... Rick V. Verified a $1,000,000 pledge to athletics from a new donor with $500,000 paid and in hand. Yes, acquired by RV.

Forth... Upgrades announced for softball (upgrade concessions and rest room facilities and bricking in the outfield walls), for soccer (bricking in the back end zone wall) and upgrades to the volleyball facility.

Fifth....Eileen mentioned that this year's faculty/staff matching fund-raising campaign almost doubled last year's giving rate...well close going from about $450,000 to $716,000 including the match for both years) and that the number of donors doubled as well. This all in a one-month campaign. Why is this so significant you ask? Well, for one reason it shows the commitment on the part of those who are employed at UNT to make it even better and it shows a significant rise in employee morale (my opinion but shared by others as well).

Sixth.... And I don't really know how positive this is, but I know it is an improvement over prior years...we now have about 170,000 "identifiable" alumni in our data base at the University. In this case "identifiable" means that we have a current and verifiable email address and current contact info. Obviously, work continues on increasing this number.

Seventh... And this is not so good news, but again a higher number than last year...the percentage giving rate among alumni (alumni members and/or donors to the University) stands at 7%. Yep...only 7%, but that is being seen as "opportunity" as it should be.

Eight.... Our new VP of Advancement, UNT grad Dr. David Wolf starts this coming May 27th, five new Advancement staff employees have been hired recently and the budget for Alumni engagement is being proposed for a significant increase. Yes, still "proposed" at this time as the budget process is still on going.

Ninth... The UNT Law School has made a significant and prominent hire...described as a coup for the law school who will be named shortly. AND...

Tenth.... Your Alumni Association through an outside vendor has developed and is now sending out through email to members and other alums some 55,000 surveys in the hopes of learning what our alumni members...and other alums want from their Alumni Association in the way of programming, engagement, etc. the surveys are going out in rolling batches, so not everyone who is on the list will receive a survey at the same time. BUT PLEASE PLEASE if you get a survey...fill it out and return it. Be honest in your reply but be professional as well. the Association truly wants to hear from you. This is the first every client survey your Alumni Association has ever attempted. So, if you want to be heard and want to help, PLEASE fill it out and return the survey.

OK, that's probably all the Good News some of you folks can take at any one time. But, we had such a positive and forward looking board meeting today that I just felt the need to share.

Ben Gooding · May 22, 2015

Awesomeness. Our softball program could be a consistent program for us and I am glad to see them upgrading the facilities. This goes without saying, but that 7% needs to improve. A little data cross reference analysis could allow us to pinpoint the actual donor number.

Edited May 22, 2015 by Ben Gooding

greenminer · May 22, 2015

A couple questions:

1) Regarding point seven, what is the ideal giving percentage among university alumni?

2) This goes back to Cerebus's post and the AD's 2001 "Game Plan for Success": where would be financially if we had actually met those goals? Was failing to meet those numbers considered a financial loss or set-back? Maybe even a reason there has been a delay in additional facility development?

Thanks for the update, Kram.

untcampbell · May 22, 2015

Mark,

Do you know if the softball upgrades are related to the team hosting the CUSA conference tournament next year? Hoping work will be done before the season starts obviously.

Thanks, and GMG.

10Eagle10 · May 22, 2015

Thanks for the updates!

Do you know if soccer and softball are each getting new bathroom facilities or if they will continue o be shared? And also, do you know when the sports facilities are scheduled to start and be completed (softball, soccer, volleyball)?

KRAM1 · May 22, 2015

Well...I do not have many more specifics than I posted. What we got was the "executive overview" not the detailed report, so really no dates, times, etc. or specific details more than I posted.

As far as an ideal percentage of alumni giving...well, that's a good question and I wish I had thought to ask that one. What I do know is that is is well above 7%. But, even with the "identifiable" 170,000 alums it will take a good number of new donors to raise that number. And, in addition, new "identifiable" alums are being added each and every day ... In fact several thousand new added just this last week due to graduation. And many more as UNT systems and programs are combined, upgraded and coordinated across campus departments and units. A VERY big project in itself, but one on going for a couple of years now with significant progress made, but plenty of room to go to be able to declare victory.

All alums can help by just calling the alumni association or the division of Advancement or their own college and just update their info or check to see if it is current. And, of course, by filling out that Alumni Association survey and sending it back in if you are one of the 55,000 receiving the survey via email.

Harry · May 23, 2015

This is good news KRAM. Thanks for sharing!

cogido · May 23, 2015

The 7% alumni support has got to improve. I live in Denton and have purchased two season tickets for years plus donation. Maybe the out of town alums just don't feel connected. How do we bring them home? One, we need to start winning consistantly. We have been piss poor at this. Rick V and the Board need to ramp it up or we stay pathetic. GMG

TheWestie · May 23, 2015

I thought the common bathrooms/concessions area for the soccer stadium and Lovelace were gonna be tied into the overall redevelopment of that area when they (eventually) build the baseball stadium? I'd heard them say it was gonna be a kind of plaza area where that driveway between Lovelace and the soccer field currently is.

Also, sorry for my ignorance, but where is the golf practice facility gonna be?

GreenFlag · May 23, 2015

Also, sorry for my ignorance, but where is the golf practice facility gonna be?

In Carrollton at the Honors Club. It's probably a 45-50 minute drive from campus with no traffic.

GMG24 · May 23, 2015

Mark, one thought, how are the alums that don't receive these emails/have moved and address has changed, how do we get our information changed? I am planning on joining the MGC at Plano, then the following month I'll be signing my wife and I both up for lifetime alumni memberships. Both NT grads, but I believe there's got to be a place, possibly a website that alums know for sure they can go to, and update all their information . What do you think? Thanks for that post very promising! Maybe enough alum join MGC and we won't have to play $$$$$ games and we can bring these coveted names to apogee

DallasGreen · May 23, 2015

Mark, one thought, how are the alums that don't receive these emails/have moved and address has changed, how do we get our information changed? I am planning on joining the MGC at Plano, then the following month I'll be signing my wife and I both up for lifetime alumni memberships. Both NT grads, but I believe there's got to be a place, possibly a website that alums know for sure they can go to, and update all their information . What do you think? Thanks for that post very promising! Maybe enough alum join MGC and we won't have to play $$$$$ games and we can bring these coveted names to apogee

Go to www.unt.edu and click on alumni and you will get to a site to establish a log in, find coming events, join the alumni association , and connect with other alums.

Ben Gooding · May 23, 2015

Mark, one thought, how are the alums that don't receive these emails/have moved and address has changed, how do we get our information changed? I am planning on joining the MGC at Plano, then the following month I'll be signing my wife and I both up for lifetime alumni memberships. Both NT grads, but I believe there's got to be a place, possibly a website that alums know for sure they can go to, and update all their information . What do you think? Thanks for that post very promising! Maybe enough alum join MGC and we won't have to play $$$$$ games and we can bring these coveted names to apogee

Getting as many people to join the MGC in theory would allow UNT to try and minimize road P5 games, in theory of course. Increase in attendance could also offset the budget to allow UNT to start avoiding at least in some years the road P5 game. We need more support externally and seeing innovation and more effort internally could garner more external support. Chicken-egg.

GMG24 · May 23, 2015

Thanks!! Seems like they'd have every one who walked get inn lines and show them how to do that? Maybe another idea just say hey, this is how we can keep you connected once you leave and if you move you can update your info here if you want us to stay in contact?

KRAM1 · May 23, 2015

Mark, one thought, how are the alums that don't receive these emails/have moved and address has changed, how do we get our information changed? I am planning on joining the MGC at Plano, then the following month I'll be signing my wife and I both up for lifetime alumni memberships. Both NT grads, but I believe there's got to be a place, possibly a website that alums know for sure they can go to, and update all their information . What do you think? Thanks for that post very promising! Maybe enough alum join MGC and we won't have to play $$$$$ games and we can bring these coveted names to apogee

You can do that on the Alumni Association website...or you can PM me with the info and I will get it in for you...sending you a PM.

DallasGreen · May 23, 2015

Giving % for public research universities from alumni average close to 9%. The number of 7% seems high for UNT.at the end of 2013 UNT Advancement was showing 2.7% of alumni gave back. The 7% could include estates! trusts! private foundation! and most importantly corporate gifts. Deferred giving plans through charitable gift trusts, life insurance, gift annuities, and employer matches also could be included. As Treasuer of the foundation I can tell you that gifts in all areas are down from 2014 because of the accounting practices problem. I am told by the Chancellor that this has been resolved for MUCH less than reported and is paid in full. So that should no longer be an excuse. PM me if you have specific questions, and I'll attempt to answer unless it is something not yet released for the public. I can tell you there is a good possibility of a Major gift to baseball. The thing we currently need most is an increase in the student athletic fee to match TSU@San Marcos and UTSA. With theirs being double what our fee is and others in CUSA sometimes being triple what ours is we simply can't compete effectively. If a student can' afford an additional $150 per semester IMHO they don't belong in college. The UNT legal staff screwed up the wording for the original bill or it would have been the same as UTSA & TSU-SM. Contact your state representatives and senators as an amendment to the fee bill in now with another omnibus bill in committee in state legislature . In Denton call office of Myra Crownover and Mike Burroughs. In Lewisville contact Jane Nelson.

UNTFan23 · May 23, 2015

Getting as many people to join the MGC in theory would allow UNT to try and minimize road P5 games, in theory of course. Increase in attendance could also offset the budget to allow UNT to start avoiding at least in some years the road P5 game. We need more support externally and seeing innovation and more effort internally could garner more external support. Chicken-egg.

Mean Green Club is strictly for raising funds for student athlete scholarships. Ticket sales will help us in the scheduling department.

Edited May 23, 2015 by UNTFan23

GreenFlag · May 24, 2015

. The thing we currently need most is an increase in the student athletic fee to match TSU@San Marcos and UTSA. With theirs being double what our fee is and others in CUSA sometimes being triple what ours is we simply can't compete effectively. If a student can' afford an additional $150 per semester IMHO they don't belong in college. The UNT legal staff screwed up the wording for the original bill or it would have been the same as UTSA & TSU-SM. Contact your state representatives and senators as an amendment to the fee bill in now with another omnibus bill in committee in state legislature . In Denton call office of Myra Crownover and Mike Burroughs. In Lewisville contact Jane Nelson.

Terrible.

Edited May 24, 2015 by GreenFlag

GreenMachine · May 24, 2015

Terrible.

Actually, he is spot on.

Ben Gooding · May 24, 2015

It needs to happen, Ryan. I know you and others don't agree with it, but it needs to happen. We are widely known as an inexpensive college and an additional $150 isn't going to change that. We have to at any rationale level try to keep up with at least our peers.

KRAM1 · May 24, 2015

Yeah!!! Debt is already at inconceivable levels and UNT already charges fees for paper and our non-existent union that students didn't want!! Tack on another $150!!

You have got to be a joke, right? Students didn't want? Please discuss where you get all this stuff you post lately? I am thinking you are a certain person that was pretty much run off a while ago and has come back pretending to be someone else. You claim UNT degrees which you won't name, you talk nonsense about Dr. With and her husband and now you claim the new Union was not wanted by the students. Are you not really that fool who went nuts over Apogee and rallied the Denia folks to oppose it's construction at every opportunity. You know, that guy!

Debt is at inconceivable levels? You are aware that only about 40% of UNT students graduate with any debt at all, right? And, If I recall Dr. Smatresk correctly, the average debt for the 40% who have any debt is around $21,000.00. Hardly "inconceivable" numbers, but then that would not fit your agenda, would it? Ain't facts fun?

P.S. My post is not advocating for a raise in the student fee...just to be clear.

Edited May 24, 2015 by KRAM1

GreenMachine · May 24, 2015

Yeah!!! Debt is already at inconceivable levels and UNT already charges fees for paper and our non-existent union that students didn't want!! Tack on another $150!!

go elsewhere and pay 2 to 3 times more.

Mean Green Matt · May 24, 2015

Yeah!!! Debt is already at inconceivable levels and UNT already charges fees for paper and our non-existent union that students didn't want!! Tack on another $150!!

The union fee passed a vote, so that's about as clear an indication that the students wanted it as there can be.

Mean Green Matt · May 24, 2015

It didn't.
SGA didn't want it, the administration did it anyway, and only gave students a vote on when they wanted to pay for it.

That really isn't accurate, especially to make an all encompassing statement that SGA didn't want it. The SGA president at the time was one of the biggest advocates for it. Were there senators here and there that didn't want the fee, I'm sure there were. To suggest this was some big conspiracy from the university administration is silly.

https://news.unt.edu/news-releases/unt-students-approve-union-fee-building-set-open-2015

Ben Gooding · May 24, 2015

The university needed to upgrade that 1970 facility no how. It's irrelevant how the ball got rolling to make it happen. It's happening and almost complete. And, Abbott spoke so that's over as well. Find another tune to fiddle.