2016: Alden Report Released by University of Louisiana Athletics

[Boomer]

Been in the business over twenty years and this one is different. This is the first time in the history of O&G that we have a supply side issue stacked on top of a demand side problem. Geopolitics can often cause sudden changes in our industry and we need to hope something happens in this area because from an economics standpoint I don't think we are close to an end.

---BOMB BOMB BOMB----BOMB BOMB IRAN!!!

[mxt3999]

How much did report cost?

^This. I was about to ask that question whenever I read the first line of this post. IMO spending any money on consultants is a waste. I mean consultants? really? I'de like to slap whoever placed a job title on the word Consultant. Consultants are a big part of the reason our great state is in such financial trouble right now. President and AD along with their staff should know whats going on within their university. No need to throw money away at a consultant.

[CajunJack55]

nm

[Turbine]

I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but the timing of this report couldn't be any worse. .

The timing is perfect.

A system born in wealth will fall apart in dearth.

The opposite is even more true.

jmo

[CajunJack55]

Not saying you are wrong, but I did present the idea of a ticket fee and was told by a UL System Board member that it would have to be approved by them. Now there has been a facility fee that has helped build Moncla Indoor and then another for the Student Union. There may be another somewhere in there, but I haven't seen it described as a ticket fee.

I couldn't find anything more recent, the following breakdown of fee charges is updated for Spring 2013 fee schedule as of 12.02.12: but I do not see any fees regarding getting into athletic events for free except for the "Auxiliary Operations Fee" and if that is it then I would assume Martin Hall and I would love see the breakdown of how much of that $100 goes towards athletics. (Probably higher in 2016 but still seems low)

*Board Assessed Fees:

Tuition/General Registration
-Up to $ 2,234.28 per semester
Building Use fee
-$10.00 per semester
Building Use Fee-New
-Up to $48.00 per semester
Academic Enhancement
-$25.00 per semester
Academic Excellence
-$10.00 per credit hour; $30.00 minimum, $120.00 maximum
Operational Fee
-up to $61.20 per semester

University Assessed Fees:

Records and Evaluation Fee ($10.00 per semester)
-Provides funding for maintenance of student academic records; provides students with free copies of University transcripts.
Auxiliary Operations Fee ($100.00 assessed at 4 or more credit hours)
-Provides ancillary student support for Auxiliary services which include the Student Union, transit system, operations, recreational sports/activities, the health clinic, and other student related services.
Energy Fee (up to $60.00 per semester)
-Provides funding to offset energy costs of the University
Student Self-Assessed Fees
Masterplan Advancement Program ($7.50 per credit hour, maximum of 15 credits)
-Provides funding for campus improvements with input from students
Student Union (up to $23.00 per semester)
-Provide funding for construction and maintenance of existing UL Lafayette Student Union
Student Union ($20.00 per semester for students assessed at 6 or more credit hours.
-Provides funding for construction and maintenance of a new first-class Student Center
Student Union ($55.00 per semester for students at 6 or more credit hours
-Provides funding for construction and maintenance of a new first-class Student Center
Student Technology Fee ($5.00 per credit hour)
-Provides funding to enhance student-accessible technology on campus
ID Photo ($10.00 per semester)
-Provide for ID photographs and identification cards
La Louisiane-Alumni ($2.50 per semester)
-Provides funding for La Louisiane, the alumni magazine
Debate ($1.00 per semester)
-Provide funding for travel expenses for the University Debate Team
Entertainment ($5.50 per semester)
-Provide funding for University Program Council for events like Lagniappe Week, Ragin Roar, and Homecoming. UPC sponsored events are free to students
Day Care ($2.25 per semester)
-Provides for top quality child care at affordable prices for children of full time students.
Intramurals ($2.00 per semester)
-Provides for intramural sports for UL Lafayette students
Band Association (up to $5.00 per semester)
-Provides funding for the Pride of Acadiana March Band
Student Loan (.50 per semester)
-Provides for emergency loan assistance through the short-term loan program.
Lyceum (up to $1.00 per semester)
-Provides for academic speakers at the University
Book (.10 per semester)
L 'Acadian ($12.00 per Fall semester for students with 12 or more credit hours)
-Provides a copy of the L 'Acadian Yearbook for each full-time student
KRVS (.50 per semester)
-Provides funding for KRVS, the campus radio station
SGA ($7.50 per semester for 6 or more credit hours)
-Provides funding for the Student Government Association
Insurance ($22.00 per semester for students assessed at 7 or more undergraduate credit hours or 6 or more graduate credit hours)
-Provides students with health care coverage
Vermilion ($2.00 per semester)
-Provides funding for the student published newspaper
SGA Scholarship (.75 per semester)
-Provides funding for SGA-awarded scholarships
International Student Council (.35 per semester)
Club Sports ($3.15 per semester)
-Provide funding for club sports such as Judo, Bowling, Soccer, Rugby, Tae Kwan Do, Skeet Shooting, and Water Skiing.
Arts Fee (up to $7.00 per semester)
-Provides funding for the UL Lafayette Symphony Orchestra and UL Lafayette
Performing Arts
Cheerleaders (up to $4.00 per semester)
-Provides funding for UL Lafayette cheerleaders
University Police ($1.00 per semester) Provides funding for the University Police Department for scholarships, student officers, Code Blue emergency systems, crime prevention programs, and equipment for officers.
Art Museum (up to $5.00 per semester)
-Provides funding for the University Art Museum
Parking and Transit (up to $25.00 per semester for students assessed at 6 or more credit hours)
-Provides funding to maintain transit facilities (buses), improve parking facilities, and provide free parking at Cajun Field and Zone 40.
Recreational-.Facility/Equipment ($20.00 per semester for students assessed at 6 or more
Credit hours)
Student Health Service ($20.00 per semester for 6 or more credit hours)
-Provides health care services to student free of charge
Student Health Service Support ($5.00 per semester for students assessed at 6 or more credit hours
-Provides support services for Student Health Services
Auxiliary Improvement
-$15.00 per semester for students assessed at 6 or more credit hours
Initial Enrollment Fee ($7.50 first time freshmen only)
-Provides enrollment services to first-time stude

[Duggie35]

This report talks about many many things that have to get done and a lot of them are immediately. But none of this is going to get done in any sort of a timely manner until we increase our athletics staff by a LOT.

To be fair (and I say that understanding none of you need to be fair LOL) suggesting our leadership can't get it done may be valid, but how do we know when they've never been given the resources they need to be successful.and personnel is chief among them.

I'm not smart enough to know exactly what order things need to be done, but I'll argue increasing the staff needs to be at the top of the list.

Mike Alden is well respected.but even he wouldn't be able to get this to where it needs to be without a LOT more people.

There were more people involved in putting this report together than we have on our full time athletic staff.

Think about that.

I guess that means the ball is now in Dr. Savoie's court.

[basinbear]

Well, that was an investment well spent. Comprehensive and complete in its review and suggestions/plan of action.

As we have long discussed, the "Branding" of athletics and all that encompasses that single descriptive word (adjective, noun, and verb) was broken down into all of its single components from marketing, digital, new media, traditional media, sponsorship's, ad sales, in game and out of game experiences for the fans etc, etc. This report is a total and conclusive road map to the future success (off the field) of UL Athletics. Some of what I liked.

Have a multimedia group like IMG, Learfield, or others handle all sponsorship marketing. It gives UL a national reach that nearly every school in the country enjoys. They also specialize in brand licensing and other internal marketing objectives.

Improve on all of the digital/new media opportunities. Develop more content for distribution, both through traditional and non-traditional means. Folks, the media landscape is going to changing in the near future in Lafayette. KADN/KLAF etc will be put up for sale after Nexstar acquires Media General. KLFY will ride that train while KADN/KLAF will be sold to (in all likelihood) to Meredith Corp. or some other large broadcast group. Most of those don't sell, produce, and air local originated sports. The outlets you enjoy now will be gone.

The biggest advantage to a more multi media approach is in selling the brand/product to anyone in the world who has an interest. Yes, the oilfield sucks right now, but there are alumni and friends and interested parties far beyond the boundary that of Louisiana and Acadiana that would love to be a part of the Cajun Nation with donations if they were only enticed to do so

Love all the suggestions as far as in-game experiences. "Stomp at the Swamp".love it. Have always thought that a cajun fiddler or accordion playing the national anthem (have seen it done at softball) would be a great way to kick off any athletic event.

Finally logos and the intellectual property of the university. Personally, I like the "one and only" Ragin Cajuns campaign. My problem is that the brand of "Ragin Cajuns" while owned by UL is continually used and seen without any payment to the University. I just saw a commercial for (I think) TGI Fridays or some other QSR for a Ragin Cajun steakHow much money is the university loosing on this sort of stuff. The University of California (Cal) has a great program that sniffs out and punishes business who use all things Cal that don't pay for the use of or misuse of their intellectual property, logos, etc. This problem goes straight to the University Marketing Office.those buffoons should be fired with the release of this report.

Not just the marketing office.

[CajunFan83]

This report talks about many many things that have to get done and a lot of them are immediately. But none of this is going to get done in any sort of a timely manner until we increase our athletics staff by a LOT.

To be fair (and I say that understanding none of you need to be fair LOL) suggesting our leadership can't get it done may be valid, but how do we know when they've never been given the resources they need to be successful.and personnel is chief among them.

I'm not smart enough to know exactly what order things need to be done, but I'll argue increasing the staff needs to be at the top of the list.

Mike Alden is well respected.but even he wouldn't be able to get this to where it needs to be without a LOT more people.

There were more people involved in putting this report together than we have on our full time athletic staff.

Think about that.

All valid points. Opinions about current leadership aside Then the issue becomes about money and personnel before anything gets started. We need significantly more personnel but don't have the money. We need significantly more money but don't have the personnel. Eventually we will have to take a shot at the student fee or T Joe will have to allocate more to athletics. If neither of these occur then I guess it falls on the back of private fundraising. I'm not sure we can immediately raise the kind of money we need to kick this off.

[Cajun Monkee]

Pretty sure fees and tuition has increased substantially in the last 3-4 years with the state cut backs coupled with the state allowing universities to increase tuition based on performance criteria.

Right, and I noted that. Tuition in and of itself has gone up about $2000 since this PDF was produced.

I don't think that any additional student fees have been adopted by the students since 2013 (maybe the facility fee?), but from what I'm reading fees are capped at a maximum, so I dont' think they can be arbitrarily increased, without going back to the students.

[AstroCajun]

I hate to rain on anybody's parade, but the timing of this report couldn't be any worse. It has come out just in time to see the oilfield completely shut down while the entire world heads into recession. The Great State of Louisiana is also completely broke at this time. It also comes out just as the P5 conferences are imposing the cost of pay for play on all of us.

Not to beat a dead horse, but we needed to have acted on the information in this report 15-20 years ago. As usual, our timing is a day late, and a dollar short.

We'll be doing well if we can just maintain the status quo over the next few years.

Anyone else read this in Debbie Downer's voice?

[VObserver]

All valid points. Opinions about current leadership aside Then the issue becomes about money and personnel before anything gets started. We need significantly more personnel but don't have the money. We need significantly more money but don't have the personnel. Eventually we will have to take a shot at the student fee or T Joe will have to allocate more to athletics. If neither of these occur then I guess it falls on the back of private fundraising. I'm not sure we can immediately raise the kind of money we need to kick this off.

Somebody at the university needs to understand that if we do not INVEST in our future by putting money into whatever we need to implement this plan, we may as well go back to the SLC now, and prepare for ALL of our sports to be totally irrelevant, including Softball and Baseball.

[VObserver]

How much did report cost?

How much does it cost you to hire a CPA to do your taxes? If he is good, and you do what he tells you, he MAKES you money. Same here.

[uslol'dog]

Somebody at the university needs to understand that if we do not INVEST in our future by putting money into whatever we need to implement this plan, we may as well go back to the SLC now, and prepare for ALL of our sports to be totally irrelevant, including Softball and Baseball.

Many on this board will agree that if we can't get our name right, if we can't even decide what to call ourselves, how we brand ourselves, then we are screwed from the "get go". I submitted this ideal years ago. We need to get out of the Louisiana name battle and attack from a totally different angle. ULM, LA Tech, LSU, Lafayette, ULLLL.it's all exhausting.

Are you ready? ACADIANA UNIVERSITY. The Acadiana Ragin' Cajuns ARC. No more confusion with Lafayette Leopards. No more "you guys are in Monroe right?" It sets us apart. It will take time but will work. There is no other Acadiana, no other Ragin' Cajuns. Do it.

[Cajunrunner]

How much does it cost you to hire a CPA to do your taxes? If he is good, and you do what he tells you, he MAKES you money. Same here.

Exactly.

We could sit and all say, "Well we've been saying this for years on this message board", but the reality is the initiatives wouldn't be implemented until people who have been there done that, like Alden, put together something for our university leadership.

[jric116]

As someone who is familiar with organizational development consulting, most companies already know the problems and potential solutions before a consultant is hired. The information is generally received better by the employees/stakeholders when that info in conveyed by an outside source.