INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC

COMMITTEE MEETING

May 26, 2004

 

ATTENDING:  Charlie Bridgeford, Judy DeMers, Ray Diez, Phil Harmeson, Sue Jeno, Susan Nelson, Elizabeth Nichols, Mark Rudolph, Lowell Schweigert, John Sirignano, Bruce Smith, Roger Thomas

 

Recorder:  Bev Hopman

 

Sue Jeno called the meeting to order at 3:35 p.m. in the Physical Therapy Conference Room (1537), of the Medical School.  This was the final meeting for committee members Judy DeMers and Elizabeth Nichols.  Sue Jeno thanked them for their service on the committee.

 

Minutes:  Judy DeMers moved that the minutes from the April 22, 2004, meeting be approved.  Charlie Bridgeford seconded.  Motion carried.

 

Schedules:  John Sirignano passed out proposed schedules for soccer and volleyball.  Elizabeth Nichols asked if it was normal for such a high percentage of soccer games to be road games.  John Sirignano said it was difficult to get teams to travel to Grand Forks for a single game.  Previously, teams could schedule NDSU on the same road trip.  Ray Diez moved to approve the volleyball and soccer schedules for 2004-05.  Bruce Smith seconded.  Motion carried.

 

Compliance:  Bev Hopman said that Jared Bruggeman indicated there were no violations to report.  A preliminary grade report showed that the student-athletes GPA for spring semester was at 3.0.  The final GPA will be available for the fall meetings.

 

Budget:  John Sirignano distributed a report with the budget figures for FY04 and FY05.  Areas that impacted the growth in expenses are increases in tuition, the number of scholarships, game management (guarantees), and league fees for women’s hockey.   He reported that most team budgets stayed the same or were cut.  Ray Diez said travel expenses would also be higher.  Charlie Bridgeford asked how much of the student fee money is allocated to Athletics.  That information was not available.  Charlie Bridgeford asked where the REA money showed up in the budget.  John Sirignano said it was a mixture of ticket revenue and marketing promotions.   Ray Diez questioned whether Athletics would end the year in the black.  John Sirignano said the budget surplus was last year’s number and this year (04) Athletics should break even.  Judy DeMers asked if the decrease in concessions was due to the move to the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center.  John Sirignano said Athletics does not receive concession income from REA or the Alerus.  He also said he has been informed from Dining Services that Athletics would not be receiving any money from concessions sold at the Hyslop this year.  Judy DeMers questioned whether anyone oversees the REA concession contracts.  John Sirignano said the REA Board would have that option and Bob Gallager, UND VP of Finance and Operations, served on the board.  Elizabeth Nichols moved to approve the budget.  Bruce Smith seconded.  Motion carried with Judy DeMers and Ray Diez abstaining. 

 

NCC Meetings:  Roger Thomas reported that the NCC spring meetings were held in Alexandria, MN, May 17 and 18.  NDSU and SDSU were recognized at the opening but were not participants in the meetings that followed.  Minnesota Duluth took part as a full member for the first time.  There are currently 7 league members and no other school is actively pursuing admission into the NCC.  Fewer teams in the league impacts budgets because of more non-conference games, higher travel costs and larger game guarantees.  On the positive side, UND won the Women’s All Sports Trophy for the third time in four years.  The Wells Fargo post season basketball tournaments have generated money that will be returned to the member schools.  The income may be used to offset membership dues of approximately $14,000.  There was also discussion of having affiliated members, such as Moorhead State for swimming.  Phil Harmeson said the NCC is receiving an NCAA grant to hire an assistant to oversee officials.  The NCC is also taking steps to encourage former student-athletes to become officials.  Sue Jeno asked how UND ranked in the Sears Cup standings.  Roger Thomas said is has been renamed the United States Sports Academy Directors Cup and UND is ranked 4th. 

 

Strategic Planning:  Roger Thomas said the Athletic Department will be setting a date in July for the entire department to participate in strategic planning.  He asked if the IAC wanted to be represented in this process.  Alumni representatives Charlie Bridgeford and Lowell Schweigert will be notified when the meetings are scheduled.  One of them will try to attend.  Sue Jeno, Ray Diez and Susan Nelson will be notified as well.  Bruce Smith asked how the IAC could help Athletics and if there were areas of resistance the committee could help resolve.  Roger Thomas will let the committee know when such issues arise. 

 

Departmental Update:  Roger Thomas said this has been a very successful spring.  Baseball and tennis advanced to the regionals and track has several individuals competing in the nationals this week.  Tom Wynne, tennis, and Kelvin Ziegler, baseball, were both NCC Coach of the Year recipients for spring sports.   Matt Granstrand, soccer; Brian Strom, diving; and Dale Lennon, football were fall and winter sports NCC Coach of the Year recipients.  l

 

Women’s Golf Coach:  Roger Thomas announced that Steve Christian has resigned  as the women’s golf coach and Athletics will be looking for a replacement. 

 

Old Business:  Charlie Bridgeford asked if any progress had been made on class scheduling conflicts.  Bruce Smith said the issue had been brought before the Dean’s Council and will need to be addressed each semester.  Judy DeMers said scheduling is interdependent and is not a matter of changing just one class.  Elizabeth Nichols said another problem is the push by the University to schedule more late afternoon and evening classes.  Judy DeMers suggested that only multi session classes be offered in the late afternoon.  Ray Diez said the recommendations for the spring 2005 schedule are due July 6th.  Roger Thomas said Jared Bruggeman would get a list of the “problem” classes to Sue Jeno as soon as possible. 

 

The issue of students missing classes for university sanctioned events was discussed at the University Senate.  Most Senate members said it is not a problem, but a few professors said that if a test date is in the syllabus, it is the student’s responsibility to be present .  Ray Diez said that  Bruce Dearden said there is an appeals process that students can use if they feel they’ve been treated unfairly.  The general consensus was that the University Senate was very supportive.  Susan Nelson asked if Athletics could identify specific faculty members that were causing problems and that IAC members could visit with them one on one.  Roger Thomas said he would have Jared Bruggeman get that information to Sue Jeno.

 

Sue Jeno thanked Judy DeMers for her 6 years service on the committee. 

 

A tentative fall meeting date was set for September 21, at 3:30 p.m.  The location will be announced in the fall.  The meeting adjourned at 4:25 p.m.