star2city

So you're an architecture major? There are numerous programs at UND that are nationally recognized, but get little local publicity. For example: much of the EERC's strengths and growth is directly attributable to graduates of UND's chemical and environmental engineering programs, majors which NDSU does not possess. Also, this type of award wining site, Volcano World, gives the world a glimpse of UND's strengths in space studies and geology.

So what is your credit card debt currently? jk So why is Teammakers constantly running ads for more Teammakers? Where are all the facilities upgrades that NDSU was going to do after moving up? To my knowledge, there's been one upgrade: the football offices and locker rooms in the Fargodome. Wasn't that paid for with a loan from NDSU's alumni association (correct me if I'm wrong)? I have reason to believe that UND will have much fewer monetary issues than NDSU. All the facts, and donations, are not in yet.

http://www.UND.edu/president/docs/MASTER%2...ENTS%20ONLY.pdf From the DI Task Force Report, the above pdf attachment lists needed facility upgrades. Here is the list: Track-Indoor Track/locker rooms $8 million Track -Mem Stadium track upgrade 1 Fb - Outdoor field w/ irrigation 1 Fb- Indoor practice field turf 10 Fb- Locker room, wt room renovations 5 Soccer - seating, scorebd, lighting 1 Alerus Turf replacement 1.5 Baseball - 500 seat stadium 2.5 Softball - on campus field 1.5 Tennis (7 indoor, 6 outdoor) 5 Golf (indoor range, 18 holes) 2.5 Athletic Admin offices 3 Swimming - replacement pool 10 Total of needs / wants $ 52 million The total for all the projects is $52 million, while Buning has suggested a $ 35 million capital improvement drive. Why the difference? First, an indoor track can almost certainly be combined with an indoor football facility. Second, a number of facilities listed would be duplicates of facilities already available in Grand Forks, such as an indoor tennis center, as well as baseball and softball fields. If UND is going to build new athletic facilities, they should either be unique to the city and/or a significant upgrade to what already exists. A $2.5 milliion baseball stadium and a $5 million tennis center would not be upgrades. Furthermore, a UND facility should be rentable to the public, just like ice time at the Ralph/Olympic arena or court time at the Betty. An indoor golf driving range and an indoor football/track facility would be unique to Grand Forks and would clearly have interested non-UND groups that would pay to use them. An 18-hole Ray Richards golf course as well as an indoor driving range has been discussed by groups like the New Horizons, so the golf option seems likely. Its also questionable where UND would find the land for some of the facilities, like an on-campus baseball stadium, softball field, or tennis complex. So, adjusting the list to delete some of the projects: Track-Indoor Track/locker rooms $8 million Track -Mem Stadium track upgrade 1 Fb - Outdoor field w/ irrigation 1 Fb- Indoor practice field turf 10 Fb- Locker room, wt room renovations 5 Soccer - seating, scorebd, lighting 1 Alerus Turf replacement 1.5 Baseball - 500 seat stadium 2.5 Softball - on campus field 1.5 Tennis (7 indoor, 6 outdoor) 5 Golf (indoor range, 18 holes) 2.5 Athletic Admin offices 3 Swimming - replacement pool 10 Adjusted total of needs / wants $ 35 million The new grand total is $35 million, precisely what the capital improvement drive is slated for.

Woden: Just browsed the report, but does anyone know the nature of the 3.1 million in one-time expenditures? Payment on the Betty? Also, in the past, the REA budget and UND athletic budget normally haven't been "mixed together", although they should be, as long as the transfer payments from the REA to the athletic budget don't get double counted. The REA budget issues make UND's financial picture much harder for the average fan to grasp, relative to other schools.

I would agree with that 1 million is way too low, but with a couple of caveats: (a) go really, really slow on expanding scholarships, pay assistant coaches and trainers poverty wages, and get a bunch of guarantee games (all like SDSU did), or (b) drop enough sports so we're down to 6 men's and 8 women's.

WDAZ's parent is currently in bed with NDSU. That makes the relationship inherently unstable. Either get WDAY & company to join WDAZ, or get another partner (KVLY ?) for the REA/MidContinent/FSSN partnership. Why have a partner (WDAZ) who's parent (Forum Communications) has vested interests opposing UND?

Surprised this hasn' been talked about:

If another TV station had Sioux broadcast rights, there would need to be stipulations about coverage. Whether WDAZ has TV broadcast rights or not, they would, without question, cover the Sioux, or their news ratings would go way down.

Anyone know how profitable WDAZ-TV's broadcast of UND hockey games are? If the WDAY TV/radio loses NDSU sports, could Forum Communications be looking at adding UND hockey broadcasts to WDAY-TV and KBMY-TV (Bismarck) / KMCY-TV (Minot)? The WDAZ connection to WDAY/Forum Communications/NDSU was never ideal for UND, as it limited broadcast TV options to NE North Dakota. IMO, UND either needs to dump WDAZ for NBC or Fox affiliates, or get all Forum stations on board.

Canad Hotel/Water Park attached to Bismarck Civic Center Canad outlines hotel's features Apparently, Canad and their financiers now have enough confidence to practically duplicate the Alerus/Canad complex in Bismarck.

perry c: Welcome to Siouxsports.com! I am skeptical that the NCAA would be all that helpful or understanding with the MidCon's situation regarding continuity of core membership. The larger DI schools would like nothing better than killing a few autobids so they get more at-large bids. Also, autobids for all other sports are less-threatened as the continuity requirements are less severe. If the MidCon lost another member, it could very well maintain auto bids for women's basketball, baseball etc., but be denied a men's basketball autobid. Effectively the MidCon would be playing for a bid to the NIT, barring an exceptional team making the at-large field. The continuity requirements are the reason the Big East must wait at least five years to split. After that time, both halves of the split conference would meet the continuity requirements, and each half would be awarded an autobid. When / if the Big East splits, the NCAA field would then be increased to 66 teams from 65. By eliminating an autobid from a lower conference, the field could be kept at 65.

IMHO, the gift will fund a few new programs, which would be chosen from among the following on the strategic plan: Undergraduate -Human Resource Management -Sports Business -Graphic Design -Computational Chemistry -Ethics -Aeronautical Engineering -Community Health -Environmental Science Master

The MidCon is not an option. If it loses another school within two years, it will cease to have an autobid for men's basketball. Not a single school in the MidCOn has any level of satisfaction with its circumstances. Any school that the MidCon takes, whether it be IPFW, UTPA, UVSC, NDSU, or SDSU, will only cause futher dissatisfaction because of travel issues. Adding UTPA would torgue all the northern teams; adding IPFW will not exactly excite ORU, Centenary, or SUU. Adding NDSU and/or SDSU will aggravate every school but UMKC. Both SU's could very well get into the MidCOn, but if its lacking a men's autobid, membership would be bitterweet. The MidCon's options are really bound, because no school from another conference (like UALR) will make a jump unless SUU is gone. But if SUU is gone, the autobid is gone. Catch -22. The schizophrenic geopraphic footprint makes the MidCon just too unattractive for any school that has any other option.

IMO, Sac State's days in the Big Sky are numbered, as Sac is the most logical candidate to replace Louisiana Tech when they move out of the WAC. Louisiana Tech can only afford to stay in the WAC now because the basketball credits (and NCAA payout) left behind by Tulsa when it moved to CUSA. When those payments expire in two years, La Tech will move on. And that force the WAC to take in another team: Sac St. The Honolulu Advertiser would seem to agree. So, when Sac St is gone and with Northern Colorado is in July 1st, the votes can be there for expansion east. The time is right to prepare for this change by UND. There are no other options in DI (the MidCon will not remain viable much longer).

In a Dakota Student article a month or so ago, there was talk of building a chapel along the English Coulee that would resemble a chapel at Westmont College in Santa Barbara, where Elnora lived.

Is this on the right track: Lancaster, Minnesota, Arctic Cat, Mesaba Airlines?

So the winner is: "No Action. No schools will be added." Or at least until October.

Its seven, with six together for at least five years. So, yes, they would have to add SUU. Not if it is a matter of life/death for the conference. The Big Sky is interested in the Denver, but not so much the other way around. Agree that Denver/Seattle to the WCC would make sense, but that is a number of years away.

You clearly fail to grasp the seriousness of the six core member @ five years & seven core member issue. SUU will be added to the Big Sky if the Big Sky's autobid is threatened due to lack of "core" members, whether they have 60 scholarships or not. As far as Denver (without football), Fullerton recently talked about that possibility on talk radio and mentioned that possiblity two years ago. BTW, if SUU were in the Sky, they'd be more likely to afford 60 scholarships because their travel budget would go done. UNC, NDSU, SDSU, and UND would all have limited benefits to a conference as conference members until later next decade when they have attained "core" status.

Had forgotten about all the existing Iowa --> UND ties: Fitch, Rodgers, Gunther. Not bad company.

That would dilute the conference too much and threaten its BCS status. Notre Dame would likely stay with the football schools, as an alliance member, but not be a full football conference participant. Big East Basketball would only have seven members. They would if its helps them get BCS status. The Big Sky dropping to 7 (with UNC) forces it to add another "core" member. UNC doesn't qualify as a core member until 2015. Southern Utah and Denver are the only core member possibilities in the West. If the Big Sky adds Southern Utah now, it would destroy the MidCon's autobid. The Big Sky will likely keep SUU as a last gap option, in case SUU is needed for the Big Sky's very survival. The Big Sky has to be still interested in Denver, as Denver meets the core member criteria. Denver was rebuffed by the Horizon (which chose Valpo instead) and has few choices remaining if it wants out of the Sunbelt. It will probably just stay in the Sunbelt, rather than going to a less prestigious Big Sky. But Denver probably has an open invite anytime to the Sky.

Jones seemed well respected among Iowa Hawkeye fans, at least according to this board: Iowa thread #1 Thread #2

Any DII or DIII school can chose two programs (one men's, one women's, but not basketball or football) to participate at the DI level. NDSU chose wrestling and volleyball to receive this exemption. Those two sports are subject to different transition bylaws than the rest of the athletic department.

My two questions of the day: Why would UND ask for an extension if they weren't seriously considering DI? Why would Brian Jones take a DII position?