Facilities Master Plan

[The Sicatoka]

If you sunk the floor of the Alerus such that the new seating on the sides was the same pitch as the current seating for football, I wonder how many more seats you could put in the Alerus for a bball configuration?

Why ruin the convention center aspect just for hoop. The Al holds 9000 in BB config already. (So many folks forget that about half of the west grandstand is mobile.)

[MplsBison]

Blargh!

If you're going to do that, just play BBall in the Ralph.

[biff]

If you sunk the floor of the Alerus such that the new seating on the sides was the same pitch as the current seating for football, I wonder how many more seats you could put in the Alerus for a bball configuration?

Just think of how much water it could hold with that lowered floor.

[The Sicatoka]

Are we getting the idea here? Just on the list above UND will have spent around 3/4 of a BILLION dollars. And this money is in addition to what people are already giving in scholarships, athletic tickets, athletic gifts, facility repairs, lawsuit money, etc. Does it sound realistic that a school of UND's size is going to raise 3/4 of a billion dollars on top of that? ...

I'm not trying to be a jerk here, but you really believe that this money is going to be there in 10 years?

Well, if you don't believe that's possible at UND over the course of 10 years, how ever did this happen?

We just finished recognizing the 10th Anniversary of the 1997 flood. UND and the entire area have changed significantly since then. On campus, we have had more than $400 million in construction projects since the flood. I am very proud of how the Greater Grand Forks Community and UND have worked together through the years.

And "not trying to be a jerk here", but that "is in addition to what people are already giving in scholarships, athletic tickets, athletic gifts, facility repairs, ... "

[The Sicatoka]

Just think of how much water it could hold with that lowered floor.

The Alerus Center will gladly leave hosting indoor water skiing to the Fargodome given that Fargodome has the experience having previously been filled with 8, and then 12, feet of water.

(Historic footnote: GF had planned on a below grade floor in The Al but Fargodome's flooding adventures, and the notion that putting The Al at grade could have it serve as a shelter or staging area during potential future flooding events, kept the field out of a hole.)

[biff]

The Alerus Center will gladly leave hosting indoor water skiing to the Fargodome given that Fargodome has the experience having previously been filled with 8, and then 12, feet of water.

(Historic footnote: GF had planned on a below grade floor in The Al but Fargodome's flooding adventures, and the notion that putting The Al at grade could have it serve as a shelter or staging area during potential future flooding events, kept the field out of a hole.)

I know someone would relish in pointing that out. It resulted in a lower than desired ceiling for the Al, but it beats an aquarium.

[aff]

Well, if you don't believe that's possible at UND over the course of 10 years, how ever did this happen?

And "not trying to be a jerk here", but that "is in addition to what people are already giving in scholarships, athletic tickets, athletic gifts, facility repairs, ... "

So I take it you're willing to give up any new construction on campus in the next 10 years to fund this endowment? Or you think there is enough money to continue construction, as well as gain another half billion dollars for the school?

If anything, you've just proved my point. The total amount of construction from all funding sources at UND in the last 10 years has been less than the amount you're talking about raising. How in the world can you expect to double that amount of money?

Like I said (and has sarcastically been replied to), I'm not trying to be a jerk, but that figure is ridiculous.

[aff]

Ya'know, aff is right.

I'd like the world's best hockey rink, a practice rink, and a 3500 seat basketball/volleyball training facility.

It means each person here has to give $35,456.

I guess it's not going to happen.

No, thats wrong. For those, it would be a donation of $1714 a piece.

Getting to the blunt point though, a single 100 million dollar donation from a dead man doesn't mean that you can raise endowment money faster than MIT. Sure its fun to think that some unknown mystery donor is going to give your school one of the largest donations in American history... but realistically its not going to happen.

Honestly, I don't even know what the argument is about here. I was almost positive that several other members would agree with me, but guess not.

Sometimes I think I could come on here and tell you that UND doesn't own the moon, and 10 or 15 of you would point at the ralph and tell me that "We could own it, people said the same thing about the ralph. Man they were wrong!".

[Smoggy]

Sometimes I think I could come on here and tell you that UND doesn't own the moon

We do own the moon.

Quit being so jealous and we might let you visit it sometime.

[GeauxSioux]

We do own the moon.

Quit being so jealous and we might let you visit it sometime.

You beat me to the punch Smoggy. Our joint operations with NASA are conditional on us letting NASA use OUR moon.

[Smoggy]

You beat me to the punch Smoggy. Our joint operations with NASA are conditional on us letting NASA use OUR moon.

I like your response better.

[SiouxMD]

We do own the moon.

I heard UND will be opening a remote learning center at the Mare Tranquillitatis...construction begins in the spring of 2009.

[82SiouxGuy]

So I take it you're willing to give up any new construction on campus in the next 10 years to fund this endowment? Or you think there is enough money to continue construction, as well as gain another half billion dollars for the school?

If anything, you've just proved my point. The total amount of construction from all funding sources at UND in the last 10 years has been less than the amount you're talking about raising. How in the world can you expect to double that amount of money?

Like I said (and has sarcastically been replied to), I'm not trying to be a jerk, but that figure is ridiculous.

That is your opinion and you are welcome to it. Other people disagree and that is their opinion and they have a right to it. You do come off as negative and as a jerk at times. That is also your right but others don't have to like it.

One of the first rules of fundraising is to make sure that you have a majority of the goal already pledged (formally or informally as long as you trust the pledge) before you make the goal public. You also need to have a plan that can work. There is absolutely no guarantee that the goal will be reached. But a good plan can make it possible. If the school is going to officially announce this goal and the plan, my guess is that they have some large pledges already in hand. They just aren't ready to make the whole project public yet.

Here are a couple of other things to think about. Hundreds of billions of dollars, if not trillions, will be distributed in the United States over the next couple of decades as our older generation passes away. Much of this will be passed down to family. But most experts in the field of philanthropy believe that more money will be distributed to schools, churches and non-profit groups during this upcoming period then in any previous period, and by a large margin. UND has very loyal alumni and many of them have done very well financially. It would not be a surprise if that group starts to make some larger pledges. I have no idea if that will add up to $400 million (the amount of increase needed to reach the $500 million endowment). But it has a chance to be a significant amount. The last 2 large gifts that have been announced may be just the start of this whole project. Only time will tell if this discussion is "ridiculous".

[82SiouxGuy]

Giving to colleges jumps.

Driven primarily by gifts from individuals, the nation's colleges and universities took in a combined $28 billion in charitable contributions last year, up 9.4 percent over 2005, a new study says.

Stanford led the pack, raising $911.16 million in 2006, followed by Harvard University with $594.94 million and Yale with $433.46 million.

Meanwhile, the market value of college and university endowments jumped 15.2 percent for the almost 1,000 schools that reported year-to-year performance.

[The Sicatoka]

So I take it you're willing to give up any new construction on campus in the next 10 years to fund this endowment? Or you think there is enough money to continue construction, as well as gain another half billion dollars for the school?

If anything, you've just proved my point. The total amount of construction from all funding sources at UND in the last 10 years has been less than the amount you're talking about raising. How in the world can you expect to double that amount of money?

Like I said (and has sarcastically been replied to), I'm not trying to be a jerk, but that figure is ridiculous.

This number you're talking about ($750 MM, not UND's $500 MM endowment number) includes on-campus construction, does it not? There's no "give up on on-campus construction" in that; by your definition ($750 MM) it's included (stadiums).

UND did $400 MM in the preceding 10 years with one or two small targetted campaigns (for example, $20 MM for College of Bus and Pub Admin). Now they are going "full active" to raise money from any and all sources. I trust you can see the difference.

Finally, the time value of money:

UND did $400 MM over the preceding 10 years. What's $400 MM "worth" 10 years later? Assuming 4% return, roughly $600 MM. Put another way, talking about $600 MM today would have been like talking about $400 MM in 1997 (and there was no active campaign in 1997).

[PCM]

I remember the good old days when people from the SUs came here to accuse UND of not thinking big. Now, apparently, UND is thinking too big.

[Diggler]

I remember the good old days when people from the SUs came here to accuse UND of not thinking big. Now, apparently, UND is thinking too big.

No, you don't. You don't even remember what you had for breakfast yesterday.

[PCM]

No, you don't. You don't even remember what you had for breakfast yesterday.

I remember when you didn't feel the need to make an insulting reply to every one of my posts.

[The Sicatoka]

No, you don't. You don't even remember what you had for breakfast yesterday.

Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't, but he'd still eat your lunch.

[PCM]

Maybe he does, maybe he doesn't, but he'd still eat your lunch.

It was a bagel with honey and a glass of grape juice.

Thanks for all the concern about my diet.

[Diggler]

I remember when you didn't feel the need to make an insulting reply to every one of my posts.

It's all because I aspire to be you! You know you're my true hero.

[PCM]

It's all because I aspire to be you! You know you're my true hero.

Now I need a tissue.

[Rick]

I need my lunch.....what happened to my lunch.

[The Sicatoka]

It's all because I aspire to be you! You know you're my true hero.

And now I lost my lunch.

[Bison06]

I would pose this question on bisonville, but since the discussion has been going here for awhile I will ask it here. Does NDSU have an endowment fund set up? And if so, how much money is in the fund? I am also curious if someone could lay out specifically what money in the UND endowment fund is used for at the university? Thanks.