Endowment Numbers

[jpg_91]

Anyone know why Albany doesn't have a medical or law school? There must have been a time in the past when both were proposed.

[scrabbleship]

Was Albany's choice to not pursue these in the 60's...why didn't we?

 

If UAlbany closed, would anyone or anything really suffer?

 

The Capital Region would become a ghost town. Remember, UAlbany has an $1 billion PLUS economic impact on the region annually (that stat was found before Nanotech was introduced).

 

Nobody outside of what little administration we have and this board seems to realize this to tell you the truth. The local sentiment seems to be that we're a way-station for downstaters to get drunk and little else.

 

This is the point that gets forgotten by local pols. I reiterated this to Jim Tedisco in my recent email to him. Even though he's Schenectady and Saratoga Counties, his constituents stand to gain from a stronger UAlbany as well.

 

It is the point that gets forgotten by locals, period. And nobody seems to want a stronger UAlbany minus us.

 

Might a state-subsidized annex of RPI to replace UAlbany be a prudent move? The merged school would be an all-out powerhouse (and an overpaid oblivious president is better than 3 years with none) in all fronts from academics to athletics.

[UA_MA_2000]

There are many donors who give large amounts, maybe not enough, but they aren't always looking for publicity. If all the alumni just gave $500, we'd add 70+ million. If you look at the donations in the ualbany magazine, there are many that give more than this, but if everyone gave, the book would look like a small telephone book instead of a small magazine.

 

 

That's a very good observation; perhaps I was a bit hasty in one of my other posts either in this thread or in another thread about the importance of professional schools for purposes of donations and endowment. Alum73's point is a significant one that I suppose alumni like myself should not lose sight of, and that is the fact that smaller donations can make a difference when we all contribute a nominal or slightly more than nominal amount!

 

Perhaps we could have a fundraising drive whereby student fees would be increased by X amount to raise (i.e., an athletic facility fee) 1/3 of the portion needed for a new stadium, 1/3 of the funding could be from the state or loans/bonds, and the final 1/3 could be money raised from the alumni through contributions. If students and alumni were stepping up to theplate and helping with the cost of the stadium, it would be more likely, in my view, that the state assembly and senate would be willing to contribute the final amount needed for a stadium. If we have nothing raised, then I'm not so sure the state would be willing to step in and contribute money for such a cause. Thoughts?

[danefan]

There are many donors who give large amounts, maybe not enough, but they aren't always looking for publicity. If all the alumni just gave $500, we'd add 70+ million. If you look at the donations in the ualbany magazine, there are many that give more than this, but if everyone gave, the book would look like a small telephone book instead of a small magazine.

 

 

That's a very good observation; perhaps I was a bit hasty in one of my other posts either in this thread or in another thread about the importance of professional schools for purposes of donations and endowment. Alum73's point is a significant one that I suppose alumni like myself should not lose sight of, and that is the fact that smaller donations can make a difference when we all contribute a nominal or slightly more than nominal amount!

 

Perhaps we could have a fundraising drive whereby student fees would be increased by X amount to raise (i.e., an athletic facility fee) 1/3 of the portion needed for a new stadium, 1/3 of the funding could be from the state or loans/bonds, and the final 1/3 could be money raised from the alumni through contributions. If students and alumni were stepping up to theplate and helping with the cost of the stadium, it would be more likely, in my view, that the state assembly and senate would be willing to contribute the final amount needed for a stadium. If we have nothing raised, then I'm not so sure the state would be willing to step in and contribute money for such a cause. Thoughts?

 

I've raised the student fee possibility many times, and the research I have done indicates that student athletics fees are already at or above the level of peer SUNY institutions (close to $500 a semester). I think it should at least be brought to a vote, but perhaps not until some portion of the funding is secured (at least enough to renovate Univ. Field). Say they get $15 mil ($10 mil in state funding plus $5 mil in private donations/corporate sponsorship). Then put the student fee to a vote. Every $100 per year increase adds $1.5 million in income. If it gets voted down (likely IMO) than at least you can renovate University Field to seet 8,000.

[danefan]

Anyone know why Albany doesn't have a medical or law school? There must have been a time in the past when both were proposed.

 

 

I've actually gotten unsolicited emails (through my Linkedin account) from people pushing the UAlbany - Albany Law merger and asking me to support it.

 

Interestingly enough, one of the guys is the Director of Development at Stony Brook. Nice guy and a big UA athletics fan.

[alum73]

i'd really like to se that happen. do any of you lawyers think there's a chance for this to happen?

[danefan]

i'd really like to se that happen. do any of you lawyers think there's a chance for this to happen?

 

I doubt it would happen in the next 10-15 years.

If it does happen it will have to come from UAlbany. Albany Law admins are stuck on the "oldest independent law school" tag line, even at the cost of their students. Policiticians need to jump on this soon before Binghamton gets their law school plans underway. SUNY needs another public law school, but it certainly doesn't need two.

 

It makes so much sense, especially considering that most people I meet already think the two schools are affiliated.

[Classof72/74]

It may be old news by now, but Capital District Business Review recently did a graph on endowments for Capital District colleges. UAlbany, with the largest enrollment and probably also the largest number of alums, had the second lowest endowment for 2008 (barely beating out St.Rose) and the lowest (pre-stock market crash) for 2007.

 

Here's the numbers (I'm tempted to say read 'em and weep)

 

 

(these are all millions)

 

UA - $26.8 (2008) (26.7 for 2007)

St.Rose - $26 ($28)

Sage - $29.5 (31.9)

S***a - $134.4 (139.9)

Skidmore - $296.3 (287.3)

Union - $391.3 (370)

RPI - $813 (793.3)

 

I suppose the good news is that even with '08 ending on such a dire note UAlbany's number was up slightly. Clearly there is not a tradition of support from alumni, or the community, for UA that others locally are, and have been, able to generate.

 

The reasons, as many other posters have noted, are many and varied.

[Classof72/74]

It may be old news by now, but Capital District Business Review recently did a graph on endowments for Capital District colleges. UAlbany, with the largest enrollment and probably also the largest number of alums, had the second lowest endowment for 2008 (barely beating out St.Rose) and the lowest (pre-stock market crash) for 2007.

 

Here's the numbers (I'm tempted to say read 'em and weep)

 

 

(these are all millions)

 

UA - $26.8 (2008) (26.7 for 2007)

St.Rose - $26 ($28)

Sage - $29.5 (31.9)

S***a - $134.4 (139.9)

Skidmore - $296.3 (287.3)

Union - $391.3 (370)

RPI - $813 (793.3)

 

I suppose the good news is that even with '08 ending on such a dire note UAlbany's number was up slightly. Clearly there is not a tradition of support from alumni, or the community, for UA that others locally are, and have been, able to generate.

 

The reasons, as many other posters have noted, are many and varied.

 

Small oops --- these are as of June 2008, prior to the stock market freefall.

[jpg_91]

From Newsday today:

 

Stony Brook University's seven-year, $300 million capital campaign - set to end June 30 - has already surpassed its goal, school officials announced today. The campaign was pushed over the top by a $17 million gift from a former math department chairman Jim Simons and his wife, Marilyn, who and his wife.who run the Simons Foundation.

 

The couple has donated a total of $100 million to Stony Brook in recent years, including a $60 million donation in February 2008, the largest ever in the history of the state university system.

 

"We were hovering around $295-$296 million for awhile before we got this gift," said Stony Brook Presideny Shirley Strum Kenny. She noted that given the spiraling economy, the fundraising effort will plug gaps left by cuts in state funding.

 

"At the moment, have been drastically cut by the state and what we do is so important," Kenny said. "I think that our success in this campaign really speaks to people's understanding the importance of public higher education and the importance of private support for our mission."

 

The campaign will continue through June 30. It is the largest ever in SUNY history. The money has and will be used for a variety of purposes, including academic programs ($85.2 million), scholarships and financial aid ($26.8 million), research programs ($67.9 million) and capital projects (90.4 million).

 

I'd say we have fallen way behind UB and Stony Brook.

[Clickclack]

On top of that the state is also helping them out with renovation of facilities etc.....yeh, we have fallen WAY behind.

[scrabbleship]

On top of that the state is also helping them out with renovation of facilities etc.....yeh, we have fallen WAY behind.

 

Thank you doctors in Hilton Head for killing our president and Susan Herbst for running to Georgia when we needed you the most and could have counter-offered with the President position right then and there.

 

The fact that $iena's alumni stay in the area while ours are downstaters who see Albany as a way to loaf 4 years and never look back helps so much in endowments...

[ATL_DANE]

The "simple" problem is that alumni leave UA and the Capital Region and never look back. I see this every day - my boss and the managing partner of my office are both very wealthy alumni who has absolutely zero interest in the University whatsoever. They laugh at me when I invite them to football and basketball games. I would bet that this is pretty common among alumni too.

 

I work with people from the large public schools (Michigan, Oklahoma, Florida, etc..) that have a serious connection to their school. Offices decorated, etc.

I also work with folks from DIII schools (ie, Hamilton, etc.) that have more of a connection to their school.

 

100% accurate. Most UA alumni collect their degree and move on.

 

I know roughly a dozen UA alumni in Atlanta. My two female Atlanta based UA alums didn't know UA even had a football team. They vaguely knew UA was D1. Really knew nothing about Albany Nano. Just really could care less about UA academically or athletically.

 

I take every point to try to inform them or peak their interest but to no avail. They live in the South so of course they go to Georgia Tech football games with their boyfriends. They attend UGA-Florida parties. It's frustrating to see the apathy and ignorance of their own school but then going along with other schools.

 

I work in an office where most people discuss their colleges every day. Mondays people discuss Saturday football. During the winter they discuss basketball. Yesterday they discussed national signing day. College athletics is what keeps them connected and that leads to support of academics. Its just that simple. If you want the 144,000 alumni and the hundreds of thousands of people in the Capitol District to get involved it starts with athletics and spreads from there.

 

Like it or not FBS football is how you get the alumni connected and donating (unless you can get our basketball program into the Big East). Like it or not those FBS games is what gets the attention of alumni, fans and politicians.

[Clickclack]

On top of that the state is also helping them out with renovation of facilities etc.....yeh, we have fallen WAY behind.

 

Thank you doctors in Hilton Head for killing our president and Susan Herbst for running to Georgia when we needed you the most and could have counter-offered with the President position right then and there.

 

I find this comment despicable!

[danes05]

On top of that the state is also helping them out with renovation of facilities etc.....yeh, we have fallen WAY behind.

 

Thank you doctors in Hilton Head for killing our president and Susan Herbst for running to Georgia when we needed you the most and could have counter-offered with the President position right then and there.

 

I find this comment despicable!

 

 

Shocking, yet another idiot post from Scrabbleship.