University of Akron students want to know how much of their fees go toward athletics

[ZippyRulz]

http://www.ohio.com/news/local/university-of-akron-students-want-to-know-how-much-of-their-fees-go-toward-athletics-1.554002

[Dave in Green]

UA estimated that $400 of the $428 fee per semester goes for athletics.

That $400 has to be a typo as $40 would be more in line with Can't, where:

Students are paying $809.70 a semester for a general fee, with 5.51 percent, or $44.61, going toward intercollegiate athletics.

[ZippyRulz]

Apparently the $400/semester is correct. So 27,000 students x $800/yr = $21.6M that goes to the athletic dept. (actually somewhat less if you pro-rate for part-time students). I don't know how Can't can do it for about 11% as much.

[Hilltopper]

Apparently the $400/semester is correct. So 27,000 students x $800/yr = $21.6M that goes to the athletic dept. (actually somewhat less if you pro-rate for part-time students). I don't know how Can't can do it for about 11% as much.

Creative accounting.

[Dave in Green]

Once again, Can't journalism students are on top of it:

Examining the University Bill

[ZippyRulz]

So the percentage of our fees spent on athletics (28%) is half that of Miami (57%)? Who would ever want to send their kid to Miami?!

[Balsy]

So the percentage of our fees spent on athletics (28%) is half that of Miami (57%)? Who would ever want to send their kid to Miami?!

Pretentious a**holes.

[LZIp]

Once again, Can't journalism students are on top of it:

Examining the University Bill

published in 2011 FYI

[Dave in Green]

published in 2011 FYI

Yep, I should have noted that they were more than 3 years ahead of the most recent iteration of questioning student fees.

[skip-zip]

I had already read the article.

My first thought was that people want to raise a stink about having money diverted to athletics. Even though it's a small amount, THAT should tell you something about our students.

This isn't good news. Just the fact that they are making an issue of it. It tells me that they likely aren't happy about it.

FYI to Akron Students: You get FREE ADMISSION to ALL athletic events for a small amount of money. Stop complaining. You could be at a school that makes you PAY for your game tickets.

[Balsy]

I had already read the article.

My first thought was that people want to raise a stink about having money diverted to athletics. Even though it's a small amount, THAT should tell you something about our students.

This isn't good news. Just the fact that they are making an issue of it. It tells me that they likely aren't happy about it.

FYI to Akron Students: You get FREE ADMISSION to ALL athletic events for a small amount of money. Stop complaining. You could be at a school that makes you PAY for your game tickets.

Which is why you and a good portion of those on this board, will never understand student attendance at games. Our student body, your future alumni, (or at least a good number of them) aren't here for the sports teams.

No wonder there's so few students at games, because the AD probably looks at things like you do. Their "student engagement" is: "You get to come to games for free...so you should come".

[ZippyRulz]

I had already read the article.

My first thought was that people want to raise a stink about having money diverted to athletics. Even though it's a small amount, THAT should tell you something about our students.

This isn't good news. Just the fact that they are making an issue of it. It tells me that they likely aren't happy about it.

FYI to Akron Students: You get FREE ADMISSION to ALL athletic events for a small amount of money. Stop complaining. You could be at a school that makes you PAY for your game tickets.

At $800/year in fees, if a student goes to 20 games it's still $40/game...not exactly cheap. But it's up to them if they want to go to a university, small private college (at 3x tuition), community college, online school, etc. They just need to look at the bottom line amount they're paying for the quality and marketability of education they desire. Itemizing the costs won't change the bottom line. Although some would probably like to make it an issue that state schools should have lower costs as a priority over sponsoring/subsidizing sports.

[ZippyRulz]

Yep, I should have noted that they were more than 3 years ahead of the most recent iteration of questioning student fees.

This ABJ article was the first of its sort I remember seeing specifically about Akron, however a little Googling shows that students/parents wanting a fees breakdown is not a new issue as your Can't piece shows. Frankly I'm surprised it hasn't become more of a national story line by now. What would be interesting would be for some universities to come up with an estimated advertising/branding dollar value from having their school playing in nationally and regionally televised sporting events (with spots about the school/academics), mentions during professional sports games with athletes from those schools, and other sporting events using campus facilities (e.g. HS playoffs, pole vault convention, ncaa wrestling tournament, big east track championships, etc.).

[Dave in Green]

There's a perception issue when student fees are specifically identified for athletics because some people simply aren't interested in athletics, or at least spending a lot of money on athletics. That portion of the student fee should be identified as marketing and community relations expenses, because that's the way athletics are used today. There are plenty of studies about the marketing value of athletics cited by universities to justify some level of investment. The key question would be exactly how much is worth spending based on return on the dollar compared with other marketing options?

In the current economic climate of increasing college costs and flat income for most of the workforce, it's pretty reasonable to expect students and parents to question how their fees are spent by universities. A good case can be made that a prudent investment in athletics can produce good marketing and community relations returns, but there will always be a debate over exactly how much is appropriate.

On the other side of the equation are economic forces pulling for increased spending on athletics. Student athletes are demanding to be paid for their services and are in the process of unionizing. Professional football coaches are leaving the NFL to take plum college coaching positions that pay even more millions than the pro league. Fans are demanding nicer facilities and more wins from their teams, which all requires more and more investment. Where is the point of diminishing returns? Will college athletics continue to grow indefinitely or has the bubble become unsustainably large and getting close to bursting? Where does UA fit into this ecosystem and what's the best strategy for success over the long haul?

[skip-zip]

Some great comments here. Great discussion.

I guess all of this just leads us back to the other topic I just started........the need for PRIVATE money keeps getting greater and greater.

I know that the PUBLIC money available to run an athletic program like Akron's, as a percentage of the total amount needed, has been dwindling for decades. Here's yet another trap that will make Akron fade further and further from the pace with others if PRIVATE money just continues to be the premium that determines your ability to compete.

Those with plenty of outside money will thrive, and everyone else will be left further and further in the dust.

The time to act is now (I think I just gave a plug to my other topic).

[skip-zip]

Which is why you and a good portion of those on this board, will never understand student attendance at games. Our student body, your future alumni, (or at least a good number of them) aren't here for the sports teams.

No wonder there's so few students at games, because the AD probably looks at things like you do. Their "student engagement" is: "You get to come to games for free...so you should come".

Balsy....I've always said that I would rather come here to learn, share, and help the program.....as opposed to coming here to see a bunch of know-it-alls brag about their knowledge and connections.

My student days at Akron go back 3 decades. So you might be right. Maybe myself, and many others don't understand how the students feel these days. That's probably not solving the problem for me to be saying "you students get free admission...so stop complaining". And as someone who's spent the majority of my career in corporate sales and marketing, I do agree with you that "come to the games since it's free" would not be an effective form of marketing. And neither is the "Game Today" poster that I see in front of the JAR, or handing out schedules. If students aren't interested, just simply letting them know that there is a game, and that it's free, would likely not motivate them too much.

I'd love to see more and more thoughts on getting students more engaged. I think we might be touching on some of them in the other topic I started.

[Dave in Green]

Some of the rationale for using athletics to market colleges is cited on IMG's website here. UA is one of IMG's 90 university clients, serviced by the IMG College arm of the marketing conglomerate. When IMG was sold in 2013 for $2.3 billion, Forbes wrote the following about how IMG College affected the sale price:

... The company’s crown jewel is IMG College, which has grown rapidly via acquisitions, like Collegiate Licensing, Host Communications and ISP Sports, the past several years and has been riding the wave of higher media and sponsorship revenue for college football.

IMG College already has the marketing rights to 90 universities and conferences, including two-thirds of the Bowl Championship Series Schools and 49 of the 50 largest U.S. markets–an incredible feat given IMG was not even in the business a few years ago. This year, revenue for IMG College will be about $375 million and operating income $75 million. Those figures represent about 25% and 40% of the company’s total revenue and operating income, respectively. But growth at IMG College without acquisitions has proved much more difficult due to its business model.

IMG College buys the media, merchandise and licensing rights of colleges and guarantees the schools a certain payment. With those guarantees IMG takes on significant operating costs and liabilities that can take a bite out of earnings certain targets are not achieved. To keep increase its roster of schools IMG has been very aggressive with its guarantees.

To book fat earnings IMG College must surpass its guarantees to the schools. It has fallen short recently, which explains why the unit’s operating income is coming in below expectations this year.

The challenge of growing IMG College could explain why, despite the abundance of cheap money available to finance acquisitions, the price of deal came in below expectations and other suitors with buckets of money, like KKR, opted out of the bidding.

[Balsy]

Balsy....I've always said that I would rather come here to learn, share, and help the program.....as opposed to coming here to see a bunch of know-it-alls brag about their knowledge and connections.

My student days at Akron go back 3 decades. So you might be right. Maybe myself, and many others don't understand how the students feel these days. That's probably not solving the problem for me to be saying "you students get free admission...so stop complaining". And as someone who's spent the majority of my career in corporate sales and marketing, I do agree with you that "come to the games since it's free" would not be an effective form of marketing. And neither is the "Game Today" poster that I see in front of the JAR, or handing out schedules. If students aren't interested, just simply letting them know that there is a game, and that it's free, would likely not motivate them too much.

I'd love to see more and more thoughts on getting students more engaged. I think we might be touching on some of them in the other topic I started.

This is where I think we can overlap on views skip...I think we all want to see more students involved and as well as the community, and we don't think the university's marketing it doing the best/effective job either.

I'm speaking from a recent grad's standpoint. My first year on campus I watched UA build the football stadium. At the time, I had no idea it was supposed to be a football stadium. That's how lax the communication was to New Students, and I had no interest to learn because I was there to get a degree. As I learned about our sports teams (on my own), and that I could go for free, I thought it was a no brainer. I was a commuter my entire time there (of which 80% of students at UA are) and I don't think UA engages those students at all. Not even a half-ass attempt.

My No. 1 criticism of UA and the reason I joined ZNO, is that there is a lack of community within the university itself. A lack of community and a lack of identity.

[skip-zip]

This is where I think we can overlap on views skip...I think we all want to see more students involved and as well as the community, and we don't think the university's marketing it doing the best/effective job either.

I'm speaking from a recent grad's standpoint. My first year on campus I watched UA build the football stadium. At the time, I had no idea it was supposed to be a football stadium. That's how lax the communication was to New Students, and I had no interest to learn because I was there to get a degree. As I learned about our sports teams (on my own), and that I could go for free, I thought it was a no brainer. I was a commuter my entire time there (of which 80% of students at UA are) and I don't think UA engages those students at all. Not even a half-ass attempt.

My No. 1 criticism of UA and the reason I joined ZNO, is that there is a lack of community within the university itself. A lack of community and a lack of identity.

Balsy, you've certainly convinced me that we need the feedback from students and recent graduates, just as much as we need it from an old veterans of Zips Athletics like myself. The more and more I read these posts, I think that there is a lot to learn from current students, rather than just reflecting on our student days ourselves. And trust me, the memory starts to fade with age anyway

Let me tell you this...

I once sat in on a conversation with several people in the athletic department regarding their desire to put together a package to keep the AKRowdies coming back after graduation. It was supposed to include some type of "recent graduate" rate for Z-Fund membership. Did this ever happen?

[ZippyRulz]

http://www.cleveland.com/akron/index.ssf/2015/01/university_of_akron_hands_over.html

By John Harper, Northeast Ohio Media Group
Email the author | Follow on Twitter
on January 05, 2015 at 11:05 AM, updated January 05, 2015 at 11:06 AM

AKRON, Ohio -- The University of Akron will start telling students exactly how much of their tuition is being spent on athletics.

Can't State reported that the university, working with the student leaders, agreed to provide a breakdown of the athletic-related fees online or on students tuition statements. University President Scott Scarborough told the station that Akron is "will likely be the first university in the state to provide this information."

About $400 of a $428 "general fee" is spent in the athletic department, WCan't State reported. Scarborough told WCan't State that "financial times are tough for students and so they're just wanting to make sure they're comfortable with how their tuition dollars and their student fees are being distributed"

Last year, in an attempt to balance its budget, the university raised tuition $102.88 while cutting about 20 academic programs.

[LZIp]

Let me tell you this...

I once sat in on a conversation with several people in the athletic department regarding their desire to put together a package to keep the AKRowdies coming back after graduation. It was supposed to include some type of "recent graduate" rate for Z-Fund membership. Did this ever happen?

I have definitely seen a recent graduate package somewhere before. Do not believe there is a special rate for single games, though.

[Balsy]

Let me tell you this...

I once sat in on a conversation with several people in the athletic department regarding their desire to put together a package to keep the AKRowdies coming back after graduation. It was supposed to include some type of "recent graduate" rate for Z-Fund membership. Did this ever happen?

Yes it did! Because I am currently one of those alumni! The only problem with it, is that it isn't heavily publicized. I only learned about it after I purchased season tickets and my ticket rep said "hey...we do have an alumni package"...

[Zip_ME87]

I was curious to see if any blOSU fees went to athletics even though they generate so much money from Football and Basketball. They seem to have a decent breakdown of fees they charge. http://registrar.osu.edu/policies/feesexplanation.asp

[Zip_ME87]

Yes it did! Because I am currently one of those alumni! The only problem with it, is that it isn't heavily publicized. I only learned about it after I purchased season tickets and my ticket rep said "hey...we do have an alumni package"...

Purchase 2015-16 UA Alumni All Sports Ticket Package is listed under Season Tickets for every sport on this page.

[Balsy]

Purchase 2015-16 UA Alumni All Sports Ticket Package is listed under Season Tickets for every sport on this page.

Trust me...it hasn't always been on the website. But this is after you've gone looking into buying tickets yourself. As a Rowdie I never heard of this, working for athletics I'd never heard of this, while graduating I never heard of it. For all the mail/emails/pamphlets I received towards graduating, it wasn't included in it. Now perhaps thats because I graduated in December...

I'm just saying...getting the word out about an Alumni package is easy and inexpensive.