Good News!

[dforde]

Just got this by campus e-mail.

BGSU commits $2.5 million to ice arena renovations

BOWLING GREEN, O.--Bowling Green State University President Carol
Cartwright announced today that the University will commit $2.5
million in capital improvement funds toward the renovation of its ice
arena.

An additional $1.5 million in funding from the state of Ohio was
secured by state Rep. Randy Gardner and state Sen. Mark Wagoner for
the project.

According to Cartwright, the University accepted the state funds
recognizing that a University contribution would be necessary. "These
funds are clearly needed to keep the facility viable. That is
important for the Bowling Green community and the University,"
Cartwright said.

In June, the University announced it had engaged Bentz Whaley
Flessner, a national fund-raising consulting firm, to assess the
potential of a fund-raising campaign for the ice arena renovations and
scholarship endowments for the BGSU hockey program. The study is
expected to be completed by the end of August.

Cartwright added that she hopes the University's commitment will
jumpstart the campaign. "I believe this is an important show of good
faith," Cartwright said. "I am confident that the funds necessary to
ensure the future of the arena and BGSU hockey can be raised. I want
to make it very clear that we want this effort to succeed."

[transfer2BGSU]

I still don't believe it. It just delays the renaming of the Ice Arena to the new gymnastics facility by a couple of months. Will still have plenty of time to remove the boards and the floor structure and change out so we can use it for gymnastics.

[TG1996]

transfer's delusional musings aside...

What fantastic news for the hockey situation! While it still doesn't make me more than "cautiously optimistic", the fact that the university is stepping up an effort to contribute is great. That this contribution and statement from Dr. Cartwright comes in the days after she gathered with Jack Vivian and hockey alums tells me that the "hockey side" told her "Here's what we're bringing to the table, what can you do to help?" and she/they did it.

[Freakling1]

I hope my friend Ethan plays hockey at BG.

[psc2009]

I'm going to go beyond cautiously optimistic and spend the rest of the day in euphoric. I'll be nervous again next week.

[professorjackson]

I know it'll probably just piss people off, but here goes anyway. What does it say about university priorities when academic buildings and dorms are crumbling, but $2.5 million gets committed to something that is not in fact necessary to our continued functioning as a university? I think it's especially important to ask this given the recent firing of dozens of instructors, the elimination of programs and centers that may be coming (and in some cases already has happened (Canadian Studies), no faculty raises, furloughs, and probable increases in health care costs for employees. It makes it kind of hard to cry "financial crisis" when $2.5 million can be found so easily. Unless, as has already been suggested, it's not a real commitment.

[Rightupinthere]

It makes it kind of hard to cry "financial crisis" when $2.5 million can be found so easily. Unless, as has already been suggested, it's not a real commitment.

A bluff to pull out donors is an option in the back of my mind as well. I remain cautiously optimistic that some long term good can come from this move.

Meaning, as athletics go so too does BG's enrollment - at least that's my belief.

[MACMAN]

She is doing exactly what she said she would do.
This part I, in a very short there will be another fantastic announcement, then it will get even better.
Folks I understand your tentative nature on this, we have bent over the table for a long, long time, but the reality is this crisis, is what was needed to turn the program around, and around it is headed. This season will be a rebirth, it will have pains, every birth does, but it is reborn, and the celebration of restoration has begun.

[professorjackson]

"Meaning, as athletics go so too does BG's enrollment - at least that's my belief."

I think the evidence is mixed on the potential causal relationship between athletic success and enrollment success. I think I read that some schools had an increase in applicants when they won national championships (MSU in basketball), but not an increase in the quality of applicants. It seems like we could use an increase in applicants and commited, arriving freshmen.

[JoeFalcon]

She is doing exactly what she said she would do.

She is who we thought she was!

[Altoid_storm]

I understand what you're saying about the academic building, but most of the residence halls are getting huge renovations, which is why Rogers is closed this year and HAB was closed last year. Founders also just got a new floor and the other buildings are getting a lot of upgrades. But I do understand what you're getting at. I'm just going to be happy it's SOME money Yay! It is a definite step in the right direction!

[Falcon Fanatic]

I am SOOOOOOOOOOO freakin' happy right now!!!!

[bgpuckster]

This is great news and I'm sure supporters, alums and former players will take it to the next level. As for Professor Jackson's comments, while I understand where he's coming from, the University is spending far more on other buildings than the Ice Arena. Being that the money problem is caused by enrollment being down, professors and the like are natural positions to downsize or right-size to the number of students. It's a great day for hockey fans and the program and I don't remember any of us complaining as the University built new academic buildings the last few years as we watched the arena crumble.

[Falcon Fanatic]

It's a great day for hockey fans and the program and I don't remember any of us complaining as the University built new academic buildings the last few years as we watched the arena crumble.

Oh, there was plenty of complaining...it's just that no one was listening...UNTIL NOW!!!!

FALCON HOCKEY FOREVER!!!!

[Falconfreak90]

Fantastic news!!!