Amelia: It’s like Minnesota fans are dying for success …unless it costs them anything

[swanyj]

I don't expect you to look at these because you strike me as the type of person who doesn't like to let the facts get in the way of his opinion.

Oh I looked at them. The first one is a national table and has nothing to do with MN. Yes the second does show a decline in state funding per student. However, when you look at how much is spent per pupil at the U of MN alone (which is what we are talking about) it is still above average. AND spending per student has nothing to do with the efficiency of how those dollars are spent which is what I am talking about and complaining about. There have been many published reports in regards to this so it is a documented fact of their inefficiency.

 

[cjbfbp]

Oh I looked at them. The first one is a national table and has nothing to do with MN. Yes the second does show a decline in state funding per student. However, when you look at how much is spent per pupil at the U of MN alone (which is what we are talking about) it is still above average. AND spending per student has nothing to do with the efficiency of how those dollars are spent which is what I am talking about and complaining about. There have been many published reports in regards to this so it is a documented fact of their inefficiency.

My original post made a claim about state funding of higher education. That claim is correct. I made no claim about the U of M individually but I have no reason to believe the university is immune from these national trends.

"AND spending per student has nothing to do with the efficiency"

Apparently you are not well versed in quantitative measures of efficiency. Here is a generalized efficiency formula -----

Output (some measure)/Input (in dollars)

If the denominator goes down in real terms over time and the numerator does not, then this ratio increases and the measure of efficiency increases. Duh.

Talking about this or that situation that may have been inefficient in the individual case is anecdotal evidence and does not provide any real inference about the organization as a whole. Your claim was that the university as a whole was inefficient.

"However, when you look at how much is spent per pupil at the U of MN alone (which is what we are talking about) it is still above average."

Yes, and the general cost of living in this state, especially the Twin Cities, is above the national average by most indexes and so are wages. Furthermore, the U of M is a Big Ten research I institution so it has to pay its professionals at a rate comparable to its peers. It can't pay wages that are comparable to Southwest State if it wants to attract those kinds of professionals.

 

[station19]

I've mentioned this before but I think the Rose Bowl wins for Wisconsin under Alvarez came at the perfect time. That was the around the time college athletics was starting to become the multi-billion dollar business it is today. Success and support was at an all-time high at a time when more and more money was needed.

Good point. Hadn't thought about that.

 

[LakerFan]

Solution: we start a religion and the tenets of belief will center around Gopher Football and Basketball attendance and tithing to the program.

Reverend Kaler's sermons are a little too dry for me. Maybe the MASONic church of latter day Gophers could talk people into opening their wallets.

 

[bemidjigopher]

Maybe the Chilli cook off at the church of Brewstertology will bring in the donations. I hear the pellet gun bear hunt is quite popular as well

 

[Ignatius L Hoops]

http://blogs.mprnews.org/oncampus/2013/06/a-graph-of-the-recent-history-of-state-funding-to-the-umn/

Here a chart of the recent history of state funding to the U. It's about 17% of a $3.6 billion budget. A number far lower than yesteryear.

You can find the University funding charts on the U's site. About half the University (1.3 billion) is self funded revenue. The other half (education) is tuition and state funding, etc.

Our public universities pretty much have to operate like private universities and private companies.

 

[alchemy2u]

Oh I looked at them. The first one is a national table and has nothing to do with MN. Yes the second does show a decline in state funding per student. However, when you look at how much is spent per pupil at the U of MN alone (which is what we are talking about) it is still above average. AND spending per student has nothing to do with the efficiency of how those dollars are spent which is what I am talking about and complaining about. There have been many published reports in regards to this so it is a documented fact of their inefficiency.

Your tired old argument that the problem is just wasteful spending and not dramatic cuts in funding is boiler plate explanations by people who don't really understand the details. From 2008 to 2013 Minnesota had a 26% decrease in funding for higher education. The state funding averaged $12,346/student in 1991 and it dropped to $6,533/student in 2013. So just take your, "they can manage because they are idiots" rhetoric elsewhere.

Back to the topic, Minnesota is traditionally one of the top states for charitable giving.


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[cjbfbp]

Your tired old argument that the problem is just wasteful spending and not dramatic cuts in funding is boiler plate explanations by people who don't really understand the details. From 2008 to 2013 Minnesota had a 26% decrease in funding for higher education. The state funding averaged $12,346/student in 1991 and it dropped to $6,533/student in 2013. So just take your, "they can manage because they are idiots" rhetoric elsewhere.

Back to the topic, Minnesota is traditionally one of the top states for charitable giving.


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Thank you! I also get very tired of know-nothings with attitude.

 

[cjbfbp]

http://blogs.mprnews.org/oncampus/2013/06/a-graph-of-the-recent-history-of-state-funding-to-the-umn/

Here a chart of the recent history of state funding to the U. It's about 17% of a $3.6 billion budget. A number far lower than yesteryear.

You can find the University funding charts on the U's site. About half the University (1.3 billion) is self funded revenue. The other half (education) is tuition and state funding, etc.

Our public universities pretty much have to operate like private universities and private companies.

Yes, at least a lot more than they used to in decades past.

 

[Moonlight]

Your tired old argument that the problem is just wasteful spending and not dramatic cuts in funding is boiler plate explanations by people who don't really understand the details. From 2008 to 2013 Minnesota had a 26% decrease in funding for higher education. The state funding averaged $12,346/student in 1991 and it dropped to $6,533/student in 2013. So just take your, "they can manage because they are idiots" rhetoric elsewhere.

Back to the topic, Minnesota is traditionally one of the top states for charitable giving.

So I think it begs the question, "Why can't the U woo its base better than it does?".

As a client of mine pointed out to me today, many longtime season ticket holders were ousted out of their primo seats in the Barn for the big bucks people. I would bet in this case the legacy donation from this couple was cut significantly after they lost their prime seats to corporate donors. This should have been handled better. At the time, many people applauded the idea that a bunch of old codgers (who don't stand up enough, damn it) wouldn't be clogging up the seats. Um, now we'd probably like them and their donations back.

The U is perennially behind in innovation and creativity in terms of making a positive experience for its season ticket holders and we can probably presume the same for fundraising. They just sent me return address stickers and an envelope for a donation plea. Oh boy! Ms. Babu sent a lengthy list or cheap suggestions some years ago - no change.

(BTW - This year they finally have a process whereby a season ticket holder can electronically forward their tickets to someone to print out. This might enable more tickets to be used. ie. I can forward my tickets to my kids or friends at the last minutes if I can't use them.)

 

[SelectionSunday]

U give us something to get something?

. ... They just sent me return address stickers and an envelope for a donation plea. Oh boy! Ms. Babu sent a lengthy list or cheap suggestions some years ago - no change.

I got a chuckle out of that as well, Moonlight, got mine in the mail yesterday. ... Woooohoooo!

I think I came up with my solution. Maybe I'll return the donation card without a check or credit card information, with this reply:

"When the 2016-17 men's basketball non-conference schedule is released in August, if it includes a home game vs. an ACC, Big East, Big XII, Pac 12, or SEC opponent (excluding conference-mandated ACC Challenge or Dave Gavitt/Big East games), please call me and I will be glad to donate something in the range of $50-75. If it does not, you can save yourself future postage until that rare occurrence becomes a reality."

For the record, this has occurred twice in the last 10 seasons, last in the 2011-12 season (USC) under Tubby, and prior to that two games in 2006-07 (Arizona State, Iowa State) in Monson's final abbreviated season.

 

[The Lorax]

"When the 2016-17 men's basketball non-conference schedule is released in August, if it includes a home game vs. an ACC, Big East, Big XII, Pac 12, or SEC opponent (excluding conference-mandated ACC Challenge or Dave Gavitt/Big East games), please call me and I will be glad to donate something in the range of $50-75. If it does not, you can save yourself future postage until that rare occurrence becomes a reality."
.

This is absolutely frustrating. You'd at least think we'd be able to get home and homes with mid level power conference teams. I get someone like Duke isn't going to sign up for it, but give me a kansas state, a Vanderbilt, something...

 

[swanyj]

Fact - U of MN ticket prices to Athletic events are some of the highest in the country let alone the Big Ten (including seat donations).

Fact - The U of MN places 5th in the B10 on total Athletic Revenue but places 9th on profitability. Seems like a problem somewhere ...doesn't it?

Fact - Total Spending at the University has continued to climb every year and has grown faster than the rate inflation.

Fact - Enrollment has slightly declined in the last 5 years.

Fact - The University of MN did not place in the top in regards to efficiency on a previous review of the nations universities in regards to efficiency relative to academic quality.

Fact - Kaler's budget is proposing elimination of millions of dollars of Administrative etc... costs next year. Yes that may be out of not getting as much state funds as requested but nevertheless those are costs that he feels he can get rid off. Applaud for better efficiency!

Fact - Spending per student is above the national average (accounting for COLA of 2.8%)

I am not sure why everyone is so upset with some critical looking at the U of MN spending and efficiency. Seems like the people that made arguments were just upset with the decline in funding from the State. Why would that be?? Employees of the U of MN??

Nothing is ever as simple as you or I are making this but to simply claim the sky is always blue and never critically review the situation is not productive. The U of MN does have flaws in the financial area and people are getting upset with always being asked for money. If you are a wealthy individual I guess you don't have to worry and can just give money away.

I am especially surprised when you get so upset and emotional that you feel the need to lash out at people and degrade them. I feel sorry for you.

 

[Holy Man]

So I think it begs the question, "Why can't the U woo its base better than it does?".

As a client of mine pointed out to me today, many longtime season ticket holders were ousted out of their primo seats in the Barn for the big bucks people. I would bet in this case the legacy donation from this couple was cut significantly after they lost their prime seats to corporate donors. This should have been handled better. At the time, many people applauded the idea that a bunch of old codgers (who don't stand up enough, damn it) wouldn't be clogging up the seats. Um, now we'd probably like them and their donations back.

The U is perennially behind in innovation and creativity in terms of making a positive experience for its season ticket holders and we can probably presume the same for fundraising. They just sent me return address stickers and an envelope for a donation plea. Oh boy! Ms. Babu sent a lengthy list or cheap suggestions some years ago - no change.

(BTW - This year they finally have a process whereby a season ticket holder can electronically forward their tickets to someone to print out. This might enable more tickets to be used. ie. I can forward my tickets to my kids or friends at the last minutes if I can't use them.)

I like the return address stickers. Only special people who I am doing correspondence with get them!

On a more serious note, the experience at the arena is far less about the institution than it is about the individual relationships made or nurtured at the games. As you aptly note, the institution has done nothing to serve the season ticket holders. The whole transition could have been handled in a cascading way, allowing the old timers to keep their tickets and replacing them with bigger donors over time, rather than all at once.

I now pay a premium on top of a high ticket price to the U of M athletic department. They are not in my estate plans, but will get a piece of the lottery should I ever buy a ticket and win.