ARE YOU KIDDING ME!!!!!

[TG1996]

Temple may be the highest of all. Can anyone research this?

Just over $196 million.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Temple_University

[Schadenfreude]

Are you Kidding ME?

Buffalo is a SUNY school, with a med and a dental school. Why wouldn't you think it has a big endowment. The fact that it is in one of the most populated states should also clue you into the fact that they should be funded well and able to invest it wisely.

This is also a pretty good argument for why Buffalo is a good thing for the MAC.

Football may come around. Basketball already has.

Buffalo is the closest thing the MAC has to a Big Ten-style school. It's the centerpiece of the SUNY system -- first among the equals of Albany, Binghamton and Stony Brook.

I like keeping that kind of company.

[redskins4ever]

Your USA Today numbers are misleading... for example...

Miami has the following...

$180 MM in cash on hand for operations

$117 MM for Endowment

$159 MM in the Miami Foundation (most of which is endowed in perpetuity

$22 MM in other gifts

This does not include the $230 MM pledged in the current capital campaign drive

As of 11/10/05

[PGY Tiercel]

Your USA Today numbers are misleading... for example...

Miami has the following...

$180 MM in cash on hand for operations

$117 MM for Endowment

$159 MM in the Miami Foundation (most of which is endowed in perpetuity

$22 MM in other gifts

This does not include the $230 MM pledged in the current capital campaign drive

As of 11/10/05

How is that misleading when we are only comparing endowments and not all other funds. Yeah the USA Today had the endowment at $112M, but whats $5M anyways. So the USA today numbers are pretty much right on for Endowments.

It may be that comparing Endowments is misleading for determining athletic success. It is probably those other funds that are more important athletic success compared to endowment size. Then again UK is pretty close to finishing a $1Billion fundraising campaign and I'm not sure the football team will win more than 4 games this year (Going to have a kick-ass medical research/hospital complex in 1o years though).

[UK Peregrine]

Your USA Today numbers are misleading... for example...

That's fine and great for Miami, but there's nothing intentionally misleading about the numbers I used from US News. It's the number that Miami and other MAC schools had reported as their general endowment to US News for the annual report. Miami is in the upper 25-33% of the MAC, and that's great for them. It's possible to parse out and include every account for every school the same way you did for MU (off the top of my head, BG's 100 million for the "Building Dreams" campaign isn't included). It just that it really doesn't make a difference for the original argument. And that is this misconception that UB is bad for the MAC because their football team stinks. The problem for many is they only see UB's football team and don't really know anything else about the school, like it's well-respected academic reputation.

Note: US News reports Temple at 166 million for general endowment, which is similar to TG's number of 196 million.

[redskins4ever]

I disagree... its what behind the numbers that really counts... on the surface something may look great... but if 1/2 of your endowment goes to the music school which only has 300 students... it really doesn't benefit the entire school now does it?

USA Today has a funny way of misleading everyone with their statistical information... if we are comparing apples all the way around then great... but the strength of a university isn't necessarily in the endowment...

Bowling Green has consistently been an Education Major driven school... your alumns will rarely hit the big dollars that a school that has a Law Program, Med School, or research programs which really drive up an endowment. Thats not to say either that it is a sure fire homerun either... look at Toledo... pathetic...

$ cant buy you championships... well then again SMU and Marshall did a pretty good job.

[moneymaker02]

sports reporters have always called buffalo a sleeping giant when it comes to sports because it has the money and the facilities.

[UK Peregrine]

I disagree... its what behind the numbers that really counts... on the surface something may look great... but if 1/2 of your endowment goes to the music school which only has 300 students... it really doesn't benefit the entire school now does it?

Since you seem to have an inside contact on all of the endowment figures and the behind the scenes figures from the MAC schools, let's see where you would change the rankings. Are disagreeing that Buffalo, OU, Miami and WMU are the top schools when it comes to endowments and donations? Or are you disagreeing that BG is a middle third-tier school like Ball State and CMU? Or are you disagreeing that UT, EMU and NIU are trailing behind everyone? You seem to very adamant about this, yet I see nothing to that would knock Buffalo as a well-funded school. The fact remains that when it comes to academics and research, Buffalo is the tops in the MAC. Sure they have the advantage of the SUNY system, but that doesn't change the fact they are a relatively rich school in MAC terms.

As for the strength of the school not totally be related to the endowment figures, I agree with you 100%. There are lots of things to consider, but the fact remains that many institutions use the general endowment as a barometer for academic and research reputation.

[HowAboutThatLocalSportsTe]

Does it really matter whose endowment is bigger? (tries to stifle a giggle)

Most universities are restricted to spend something like 2% -5% of their endowment per year, to ensure continued growth. (when inflation is low, they can spend more). From my very limited knowledge, much of this cash goes to things like professorships and scholarships. It's not like BG would be able to drop $5million on a sweet facility if the administration wanted.

I think much more important than the endowment are donations earmarked for the athletic program.

[It's the Journey...]

When it comes to endowments that majic number is 1 Billion. At that point a university cam pretty much spend as much of the interest as it wants each year and continue to grow the original amount. I believe I read there are only three in the state of Ohio that have reached that mark. Obviously Ohio State is one, another is around Cleveland, and I cannot remember the third or find the article where I got the figures.

[jacojdm]

Obviously Ohio State is one, another is around Cleveland, and I cannot remember the third or find the article where I got the figures.

Case at $1.55 billion and the University of Cincinnati at $1.02 billion.

[It's the Journey...]

Thank you!!!

[Bean-Counter]

The University of Toledo uses a foundation to control its endowment and contributions. Some funds are still in the University's name. It looks like those are the only funds included in the total given above.

In fact, a review of the TU 6/30/05 Foundation financial statement shows an endowment of $128 million. Add to that the 6/30/05 endowment of the Medical University of Ohio that just merged with UT and you have a total endowment in excess of $160 million at 6/30/05. Add to that some sizable gifts received in the current year and the endowment is approaching the $200 million mark.

[ChicagoFalcon]

Yeah, and someone thought this was a moot subject. No...this is a valid subject. Look at the University of Richmond in VA. well over $900 Mil! Whodahthunkthis!? The underlining fact here is...what is BG doing to increase funding and endowment! Look at the Big 10 and each schools endowment! This is why the Big 10 was structured and if I'm correct; they actually started the BCS! Think about that! There's a method behind my madness! Think people, think, don't get worked up over small stuff! THINK! Buffalo is GREAT for the MAC!

[ChicagoFalcon]

Buffs are at a half Billion!