"Can you hear me now?" How is Fordham doing on its TOWARD 2016 strategic plan?

[John]

I don't think Sexton's disloyal. I don't think he was ever offered the Fordham job. But I agree, he'd probably do wonders at his alma mater.

As to Fordhamramfan08's observation about spending on athletics, I'm not so sure our spending level is all that low. We seem to be middle-to-upper tier in terms of A-10 spending on the big sports like basketball. The gap between our position in the investment standings and the competition standings is the result of poor Athletic Department management, not lack investment.  I'm not suggesting that we need to become a perennial Top 20 team like Georgetown, or spend $7 million a year on hoops, like Marquette. But I would like to see us viewed as competitive and successful at our level, like Creighton, for instance. And I see no reason why we couldn't achieve a Creighton-like standing at current investment levels, with the right people to manage that investment.

Bottom line: Fr. McShane wants and needs to improve alumni giving, both in terms of dollars and participation percentage. Successful athletics are a way to do it, and it's an area where we are underperforming -- badly.  Fordham basketball, both mens' and womens', has been a "feel bad" proposition for years. And there's nothing to suggest we have the personnel on hand to turn that around. So Fr. McShane is left to do his job with the proverbial hand tied behind his back.

[txram]

I hope over time, we are also able to improve the image of GBA (I hope an alum steps forward with like a $50 million check for the school's naming rights) and bring it to national limelight and have it compete with the likes of Stern.

Having gone to Stern instead of the inaugural year at GBA, and seeing Stern consistently ranked in the top 10-15, it would be a great goal to have.  We've come a long way since 1969, but we still have eons to go to match Stern I'm afraid.  And no, I don't have $50 million to name it "Txram Graduate School of Business at Lincoln Center".

[fordhamramfan08]

Having gone to Stern instead of the inaugural year at GBA, and seeing Stern consistently ranked in the top 10-15, it would be a great goal to have.  We've come a long way since 1969, but we still have eons to go to match Stern I'm afraid.  And no, I don't have $50 million to name it "Txram Graduate School of Business at Lincoln Center".

Oh yea, no question. If Stern is sky, we are ground. Huge disparity. But some positives that we can take away is that our part time program is nationally regarded/consistently ranked in the top 15 by U.S. News and we are a top 15-20 ranked Finance program, probably both products of being in NYC. Our avg GMAT is 600 vs NYU's 690-700 (I'd assume), and rankings are usually products of selectivity and reputation. If we can get a huge donation from one of the billionaire alums, get a name of on the school instead of being called GBA, and continually invest in it, we can compete with a program like Stern 10-15 years down the road, but of course those are all big IF's.

[B2Bomber]

  I'm not suggesting that we need to become a perennial Top 20 team like Georgetown, or spend $7 million a year on hoops, like Marquette. But I would like to see us viewed as competitive and successful at our level, like Creighton, for instance. And I see no reason why we couldn't achieve a Creighton-like standing at current investment levels, with the right people to manage that investment.

Bottom line: Fr. McShane wants and needs to improve alumni giving, both in terms of dollars and participation percentage. Successful athletics are a way to do it, and it's an area where we are underperforming -- badly. 

BINGO!   Those are precisely the points I have been making on several threads.   And I truly believe that getting rid of that puscule Grank would be the first move in the right direction.

[B2Bomber]

So a powerhouse athletics program is not necessary to turn the school around although it doesn't hurt like you said (but we just do not have the financial resources). There are some schools like Hofstra, St. John's, etc that would be willing to invest in an athletics program at the expense of their academic reputation. Schools like B.C. and GT were able to do it because they had the means to. We just are not that financially sound to play our cards everywhere and need to take it one step at a time and remain focused on our goal of further improving our academic reputation and everything else will follow.

I had an entire thread on the issue you bring up, fordhamfan....that they are not mutually exclusive and it doesnt take bazillions to do it.    Our problem is not lack of funding.  Its exceptionally incompetent, lazy, arrogant and condescending leadership (Grank and DW.)    Get Rid of Grank should be our rallying cry and motto.   GROG.    GROG.  GROG.   

Start the cry at the first Fordham basketball game....and what a HOOT that will be.   Frank will be there wondering, 'What on earth are those people chanting about?"     The joke will be on him.     

[fordhamramfan08]

I had an entire thread on the issue you bring up, fordhamfan....that they are not mutually exclusive and it doesnt take bazillions to do it.    Our problem is not lack of funding.  Its exceptionally incompetent, lazy, arrogant and condescending leadership (Grank and DW.)    Get Rid of Grank should be our rallying cry and motto.   GROG.    GROG.  GROG.   

Start the cry at the first Fordham basketball game....and what a HOOT that will be.   Frank will be there wondering, 'What on earth are those people chanting about?"     The joke will be on him.     

I guess you're right. But we cannot expect Fordham to build a new $40 million stadium that everyone wants. Grasso has done a great job for us and he's a good example of if you work hard and have the right attitude, you can get the work done. I think he's done an unbelievable job recruiting with the resources that we have had, and if we continue to have recruiting classes like this over the next two year, we are a young enough team to be very good in 3 years, if everyone stays together. You're right. We need better management and efficiency. Yea, and get rid of DW and Grank. Let's hire Mark Jackson as the head coach. Let's get a 300 people ($3,333 each) on this board to raise $1 million a year to pay for his salary.

[rambacker]

rambacker:

I thought that the Lincoln Center improvements were being funded from the Capital Campaign, not from land sales?

Huh?  This is what I posted:  One setback has been with the sale of the two land parcels at Lincoln Center, the sale of which is intended to pay for the new campus center and recreation center at Rose Hill.

[rambacker]

The projected costs for the Lincoln Center construction is $1.6 billion. The sale of the land ($300 million) was supposed to be one of the major components of bringing the project forward. Their vision is to build vertically rather than horizontally.

This is incorrect.  The $300 Million from the land sale is/was to fund the new campus center and recreation center.

[fordhamramfan08]

This is incorrect.  The $300 Million from the land sale is/was to fund the new campus center and recreation center.

Well whatever way the money is allocated, that's still what it comes down to. If we can't sell the land, we probably cannot start on the construction of phase II at LC, whether that money affects it directly or indirectly. I think the law school is very close to the completion of raising its $100 million.

[fordhamramfan08]

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