Carbondale Bytelife

Looks like five buildings on campus will be getting new roofs over the next year. I find it interesting that the Dunn Richmond Center, the newest of the buildings, is the one slated to be repaired first and the oldest, the Old Baptist Foundation, gets replaced last. Student fees are, of course, funding these repairs as well as the Saluki Way project. While it's good to seen long deferred maintenance taken care of, it still says something about SIUC priorities that the Saluki Way project still has a green light while ther eis still lots more defered maintenance on academic buildings that need addressing.

Labels: Saluki Way, siuc

Looks like the stock market's gyrations are really hurting the university in general and the Saluki Way project in particular. Bonds to finance the project aren't selling as well as projected and donations aside from the city's, are sitting at $5.5 million, still a long way from the $21.5 million neeeded. This post points out a much better use of the $20 million geneated by the increase in the C'dale sales tax. More scholaarships would bring in more students, generating more fees, eventually allowing the building of a new stadium and Arena, instead of the hope that by building new sporting facilities, the univeristy will attract more students.

Labels: Carbondale, sales tax, Saluki Way, siuc

Chancellor Sam Goldman did a 20 minute interview on WSIU this morning. Saluki Way, declining enrollment and the rise of the community college and the Simon affair were all touched on. You can listen to it here.

Labels: John Simon, Saluki Way, siuc

There have been a few questions about what happens if the city can't meet its $1 million a year payment to SIUC for Saluki Way. I got curious so here's what section 7 says:

Termination

Either party may cancel the contract in the event of a default. For purposes of this contract, "event of default" means 1) a breach of any material provision of this agreement, 2) failure to pay any amount due within 10 days of its due date 3) the breach of any representation or warranty, or 4) any voluntary petition by or involuntary petition against either party shall be filed pursuant to any chapter of any bankruptcy code or either party shall make an assignment for the benefit of creditors, or there shall be any other marshaling of the assets and liabilities of either party for the benefit of such party's creditors.

In the event of a default, the non-defaulting party shall notify the defaulting party of the event of default. The defaulting party shall remedy the breach within 10 calendar days. If the default is not remedied in 10 calendar days, the non-defaulting party may cancel the contract by giving 30 days notice in writing of its intention to cancel this contract.

Nothing herein is intended to prevent the non-breaching party from seeking any remedy available to it, including but not limited to specific performance of this agreement.

Labels: Carbondale, Saluki Way, siuc

Alumni and others are just not coming forward with donations for the Saluki Way project:

Private donations for the first phase of the project rose from $1.6 million at the end of May to a $3.5 million currently, athletic director Mario Moccia said. But a large portion of the $83 million dollar project, which administrators have said will be funded equally by student fees and private donations, remains undetermined.


Student fees will double to pay for part of the project as well:


Staggered increases to student fees for the project are expected to cover half of the total. The student fee for the project increased from $40 to $60 this year while an increase to $80 is scheduled for fall 2009.

Labels: Saluki Way

I've been looking over the agreement between the city and SIUC regarding the $20 million donation for Saluki Way. There's a separate agreement with more detail regarding terms, conditions and time frames, but the general agreement between the city and SIUC gives naming and advertising rights for the renovated Arena to the City. I'll have to see if I can get ahold of the more detailed agreement but in the meantime, any suggested names for the City Council to consider? Me, I like Binky. Binky Arena has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?

Labels: City council, Saluki Way, siuc

Must be a slow news week at the Southern. That's the only reason I can see for the two day lovefest focused on the remodeling of McAndrew Stadium and the Arena (which the city apparently gets naming rights to as part of its contribution to Saluki Way). No real news in the store, just a recap of the history and plans for each. Also, no mention that I see of how the fund raising is going.

Labels: Saluki Way

It's buried deep down in the story, which mainly discusses the city's donation of $20 million to SIUC for Saluki Way, it looks like there's been another large donation to the project:

Treviño also said at the meeting that the university would announce a "seven-figure" donation to the construction project at a press conference Jan. 24 at the Arena. Treviño would not give a name, but said the donor was from Illinois.

The Southern has a little more detail.

Labels: Saluki Way

For the first time ever, I received a Christmas card from the mayor. Technically, it's an oversized postcard that probably went to all businesses in Carbondale. It features a photo of of a scrimmage by the 1930's football Maroons on one side and a brief history of football fields at SIUC on the other, concluding with a reference to the city's support of the Saluki Way initiative. How do I know it's a Christmas card? It says "Seasons Greetings," of course.

Labels: Christmas, Saluki Way

Interesting interview in last week's Carbondale Times with Mayor Cole. I was especially intrigued with his comments about other colleges around the nation picking up and Carbondale's funding of Saluki Way through sales tax revenues. Apparently some one in the city government of Pocatello, Idaho read about Carbondale's tax funding and adapted it to help fund building at Idaho State University. Mayor Cole also says there was a story on ESPN.com about it and several other colleges on the East Coast are looking into it as well. I did a quick search of both ISU's and ESPN's websites but didn't turn up anything. Also shot off an email to Pocatello's city hall but haven't heard anything back from them yet.

Labels: Saluki Way, taxes

Interesting article in the current issue of Fortune magazine on Florida Gator alumni support. The following bit caught my eye (emphasis mine):

But the really mind-blowing dollars in college sports are going into a facilities-building boom. According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, from 2002 to 2007 schools in the nation's six premier athletic conferences raised at least $3.9 billion for stadium expansions, new practice facilities, and such.

In many cases it's the powerhouses expanding to ensure their dominance, such as the $226 million stadium renovation planned at Michigan. Or it's a striver like Oklahoma State putting to use the $165 million pledge by billionaire OSU alumnus T. Boone Pickens. In all cases, it is the schools' boosters who are footing most of the bill.

Labels: Saluki Way, siu

Front page on today's DE is this story on the official cost of the first part of Saluki Way. Apparently, according to the story, planing is further along on the athletic projects than the student services building so that's going to get taken care of first. Aside from the city's $20 million, donations are pretty anemic for the project with about a million in actual donations secured and another $500,000 pledged. Oh, and the $38 million the students are donating.

Labels: Saluki Way