Winston-Salem State University’s motives are good. It wants to bolster its institutional profile by joining an internationally-recognized sports brand in the NCAA’s Division I. The problem is that it’s no small task or cost in making this move, and as we’ve discovered, it’s a task that the Rams may not be up for at this moment in time.
But, as Rams tend to be, WSSU is stubborn about realizing its potential. And this stubbornness may wind up costing students more, as the university has asked the University System of North Carolina to approve an increase in student fees to subsidize their plans for moving to Division I.
Times are tough enough for students and soon to be tougher in finding money for college. Should they be required to pay additional fees, of any amount, for a program looking to heighten its cross-marketing appeal? It could be a worthy goal, but it’s a bad look for students to see that the price of education may go up to sustain a move for sports that, when the move is complete, will be on the downturn.
WSSU has been on record with some low numbers on alumni giving, which can directly impact the athletic viability of any collegiate institution. In the 2007-08 academic year, Winston-Salem State brought in less than $40,000 dollars in private donations for athletics.
So when its proven that you can’t get it from alumni, corporate donors and the surrounding community, the solution is to hit the students upside their wallets?
Wrong move, WSSU.
Stay put, Rams. Don’t create a PR nightmare for your program by letting students know that you don’t value their expenses as you attempt to build the university brand. These are students. Try raising alumni dues, or being more diligent in your athletic fundraising efforts. Hit up the people that are already making money, not those trying to get to that point.
Stay put in the CIAA, where you have a strong following already, a proven record of success and a trail of corporate dollars that could follow that success if you only make the effort to reach out to people. Don’t rush for anonymity and struggle through years of adjusting to the Division I requirements.
Students short-term struggles shouldn’t finance the university’s long-term aspirations.
American Don 2:54 pm on February 5, 2009 Permalink
They are seeing folks like Sav State and others making the move to D1 and they want a taste of that action, thinking that once they officially get there, it will be all good. But they did not get the memo that athletics generally costs money, not makes money. Moving back to D2 will be so embarassing that they will never try it again, just like FAMU will never try going to D1 FCS again, ever. But it will happen nonetheless unless the alums kick in some serious money. And in a recession with an alum base that is mostly teachers, you can scrap that.
JC 8:02 pm on February 5, 2009 Permalink
I think many of the schools can move up, but it has to begin with a viable fundraising campaign. Raising fees is not something that should be a part of the equation.
I believe that Winston-Salem State can be a sustainable program at the next level, but they just need a little more time to develop the ground work.