Oklahoma State is out of control . . .

[sonofdaxjones]

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/fb/fbc/4463941.html

Pickens and his buddies have now contributed more to OSU athletics, then the worth of OSU's academic endowment.

A $50 million dollar indoor practice facility??   

[Joker]

Craziness man. How much longer until the college football landscape is no different than MLB, with the best players going to the highest bidders?

[sonofdaxjones]

$115 million on a stadium they don't sell out, $65 million on GIA, $50 million on an indoor practice facility, and a whole bunch of other stuff.

It would bother me near as much if Oklahoma State had a $2 billion dollar academic endowment, but they've got a freaking $175 million dollar academic endowment.

[pissclams]

I think it's badass and am jealous.

[sonofdaxjones]

Sure it's badass . . . but I never want to see KSU spend more money then what the endowment is worth on athletic facilities.

KSU's endowment is $75 million dollars larger (and growing rapidly) then OSU's and KSU has over $44 million dollars more in total endowment assets then OSU (as of FY 2006 end)

[waks]

you facilities, endowment whore..

[sonofdaxjones]

I'm a giver . . . not a taker.

[Joker]

Sure it's badass . . . but I never want to see KSU spend more money then what the endowment is worth on athletic facilities.

KSU's endowment is $75 million dollars larger (and growing rapidly) then OSU's and KSU has over $44 million dollars more in total endowment assets then OSU (as of FY 2006 end)

So you could say KSU is very well endowed?

Kabom-chish! (drum sound)

[catinthehat]

you can put a fur coat on a pig but it's still a pig

[sonofdaxjones]

you can put a fur coat on a pig but it's still a pig

Like most Cornhole State women for example.

[Stillwater Cat]

Now if they only had decent roads to get to these facilities.

Here is a link to some sketches of the new athletic village/training facilities.

http://www.orangepower.com/showthread.php?t=31610

Its gonna cover the entire block just north of BPS.

[opcat]

There needs to be a CAP on this type of sh**.

If you really care about your school then donate to the academics.

It's an out of control armsrace.

[waks]

There needs to be a CAP on this type of sh**.

If you really care about your school then donate to the academics.

It's an out of control armsrace.

It is a simple equation..

Good Facilities      = Good Recruits
Good Recruits      = Good Team
Good Team         = More Exposure
More Exposure     = Higher Enrollment
Higher Enrollment = More Money for meaningless things like academics..

[skerinKansas]

The sad thing is, every school in the country would love to have these 2 guys as alums who are willing to give this much to athletics.  Essentially, $185 million for athletics that will be spent in 2 years.  With the exeption of MAYBE Texas, Oklahoma and Nebraska, there isn't a school in the Big 12 that wouldn't drool over that kind of money to spend.  OSU is basically redoing their entire athletic department, including Gallagher-Iba, in the spand of 8 years. 

[Joker]

there isn't a school in the Big 12 that wouldn't drool over that kind of money to spend.

Of course there isn't. But that's the problem.

When does it become too much? Eventually you're going to end up with a few "Yankees" of college athletics. What 18 year old wouldn't like to live in luxury?

[sonofdaxjones]

What you all are missing is the fact that apparently OSU doesn't want to have a University the athletic department can be proud of of . . . They've spent more on athletic facilities in the last 5 years, then what they have invested in their academic endowment fund.

Again, I wouldn't see any problem with this, if OSU had a $900 million dollar academic endowment.   But looking at all the construction, it's quite clear that athletlics is more important at OSU then academics.   

They have the smallest academic endowment in the Big 12, and it looks like they have the smallest amount of research expenditures in the Big 12 .

[pissclams]

But for athletics, would The Oklahoma State University, Inc. exist?

[Kat Kid]

To give some perspective on KSU and OSU's endowments, Harvard's academic endowment in fiscal year 2006 was $29.2 billion.

[fatty fat fat]

Again, I wouldn't see any problem with this, if OSU had a $900 million dollar academic endowment.   But looking at all the construction, it's quite clear that athletlics is more important at OSU then academics.   

So it's OK for UT to spend on athletics but not OSU?

[sonofdaxjones]

Yep that's amazing.   In defense of KSU, prior to Wefald our Foundation/Endowment was badly neglected.  KSU has really picked up the pace on increasing their academic endowment and contributions over the last decade.

Oh and Fatty, UT's academic endowment and research funding dwarfs OSU, and UT won't spend as much as OSU and UT is using millions in financed funding for improvements, it's not entirely contributions, not even close.

[Kat Kid]

Again, I wouldn't see any problem with this, if OSU had a $900 million dollar academic endowment.   But looking at all the construction, it's quite clear that athletlics is more important at OSU then academics.   

So it's OK for UT to spend on athletics but not OSU?

I think his point is this:  If Kansas State still had Farrel Library, no new grain sciences buildings, no new Jardine (potentially best on-campus living in the world), no new alumni center, no improvements to general campus facilities (wireless/high-tech classrooms etc.) and completely refurbished Ahearn and BSFS and built the practice facility at the same time......then some may begin to question things.

Plus they are Okies.  What do you expect?

[sonofdaxjones]

and . . . if KSU wasn't working diligently to increase academic endowments.   What OSU is showing is they are willing to invest more money in athletic facilities then they are endowing scholarships, faculty chairs and endowed research.

It might as well be, Oklahoma State University at T. Boone Pickens Sports Park.

[Kat Kid]

Did I mention that Kansas State University leads the nation in Rhodes, Marshall and Truman scholars?

[sonofdaxjones]

Did I mention that Kansas State University leads the nation in Rhodes, Marshall and Truman scholars?

Did I tell you I wrote a paper on the Negro Leagues??

[catzacker]

If I win a 100million+ lottery, I wouldn't give any money towards academics.  The money I did give to athletics would go to tearing down Bram and renovating Ahearn.  

[sonofdaxjones]

If I win a 100million+ lottery, I wouldn't give any money towards academics.  The money I did give to athletics would go to tearing down Bram and renovating Ahearn.  

Good luck with that. 

[fatty fat fat]

How much would a college arena cost?

[sonofdaxjones]

Virginia just spent $110 Million, Mizzou $75 million.

If you're talking about renovating Ahearn, don't stop until you get to $30 million just to do the bare minimum, and that's if you want to lose seats over its capacity back in 1986 which was 11,220 jammed in there.   If you want to have equal to or greater then 11,000 you're likely looking at $60-$70 million.   There's no way they'd let KSU move back in there for crowds of 9-10-11,000 plus without meeting all the new codes. 

[waks]

Did I mention that Kansas State University leads the nation in Rhodes, Marshall and Truman scholars?

You forgot Goldwater and Udalls too.