ESPN hit piece on the stadium renovation

[kaz36]

Huskers' $450M stadium upgrade plan criticized

Nebraska's $450 million plan to renovate Memorial Stadium is being met with wide criticism as the school also looks to cut millions of dollars from its academics programs.

www.espn.com

 

[Black Dean]

Fuck em

 

[Frogsker30]

Why is it so difficult for these smooth brains to understand that it is two separate accounts/budgets/funding

 

[huskerj12]

'Asked this week by The Associated Press whether he's considering state funding of the project, Pillen's office said he is not including any funding for Memorial Stadium in his proposed budget.

Alberts and other university officials say the project will not use taxpayer money, instead relying on private fundraising and the athletic department's surplus funds.

"In other words, we could stop the stadium project today, but that would not do anything to mitigate the $58 million shortfall," said Melissa Lee, spokeswoman for the University of Nebraska. "The dollars that will fund the stadium renovation cannot otherwise be used to pay university salaries or keep the lights on or fund an academic program."

Some in academia want to see private fundraising for academic programs and staff, much the way athletics raises money for athletic programs.

UNL sociology professor Christina Falci, who is president of the American Association of University Professors' UNL chapter, said higher education fundraising outside of athletics is concentrated mostly in boosting research centers, student services and endowed chairs, not in aiding humanities and the professors who teach them.

Without a push to bring in such revenue for academia, she said, "you're going to shrink the breadth of courses that students can take."'


This is what it all comes down to. The optics are horrible, the priorities are out of whack for how universities *should* be run, Pillen is a dope, but the renovation money is coming from different sources than the academics and university budget cuts. Two separate things. I think the renovation is unnecessary and silly right now, and I sure as hell think the budget cuts are ridiculous (and are keeping me from a much deserved raise at the moment) but it is what it is.

 

[Black Dean]

'Asked this week by The Associated Press whether he's considering state funding of the project, Pillen's office said he is not including any funding for Memorial Stadium in his proposed budget.

Alberts and other university officials say the project will not use taxpayer money, instead relying on private fundraising and the athletic department's surplus funds.

"In other words, we could stop the stadium project today, but that would not do anything to mitigate the $58 million shortfall," said Melissa Lee, spokeswoman for the University of Nebraska. "The dollars that will fund the stadium renovation cannot otherwise be used to pay university salaries or keep the lights on or fund an academic program."

Some in academia want to see private fundraising for academic programs and staff, much the way athletics raises money for athletic programs.

UNL sociology professor Christina Falci, who is president of the American Association of University Professors' UNL chapter, said higher education fundraising outside of athletics is concentrated mostly in boosting research centers, student services and endowed chairs, not in aiding humanities and the professors who teach them.

Without a push to bring in such revenue for academia, she said, "you're going to shrink the breadth of courses that students can take."'


This is what it all comes down to. The optics are horrible, the priorities are out of whack for how universities *should* be run, Pillen is a dope, but the renovation money is coming from different sources than the academics and university budget cuts. Two separate things. I think the renovation is unnecessary and silly right now, and I sure as hell think the budget cuts are ridiculous (and are keeping me from a much deserved raise at the moment) but it is what it is.

I agree about the renovation though, I think we should just do a full new stadium

 

[BIGSTICK67]

Be mad at the generations prior to now. That's how we got here.

If academics wants to plan a spelling bee or science fair on steroids and sell 90,000 tickets, then they need to figure out a way to do that. Or come up with a creative way to raise zillions - as the guy said in the article. He's an academic and he uses the word zillions?

Agreed the optics are terrible, but athletics already gives some of their $$ to academics. Rare for universities to do that anywhere across the country. How about they spend some of the few billion in foundation money. WTF is that there for? Same issue with Covid...academics were complaining about money, but nobody wanted to spend the foundation money. Just keep raising tuition.

They don't go to college to play school.

 

[1HuskerDad]

When I saw. UNL sociology professor Christina Falci, I knew what angle the article was going to take! Most miserable suffocating load of BS class I had to sit though ever. Took it as a summer course so I could get it over in 6 weeks.

Meanwhile these fiefdoms of tenured professors that teach in majors that sucks thousands of dollars out of an 18-22 year old student’s account so they can wait tables when they get out of college complain……

 

[Baron Winnebago]

Media needs to move on from low hanging fruit and start highlighting the upcoming higher education apocalypse when we hit 18 year post-Great Recession

 

[Kazman5k]

 

[Turn Down for What]

 

[Samkellers_69]

LMAO at the breeding ground for commies.

 

[HuskerChemist]

I think the answer is in the article, the U should cut down the “breadth of classes” kids can take so they can get a useful degree, instead of general studies degree that reads like a participation trophy.

No one needs a degree in sociology to wait tables these kids should save 80k & work.

 

[HuskerGarrett]

No one cares about academics except nerds. We need to cut education funding even more and funnel that money to highly ranked high school players

 

[God is a Husker]

MORE FULLBACKS, LESS SOCIOLOGY PROFESSORS

 

[MrKnightedHusker]

'Asked this week by The Associated Press whether he's considering state funding of the project, Pillen's office said he is not including any funding for Memorial Stadium in his proposed budget.

Alberts and other university officials say the project will not use taxpayer money, instead relying on private fundraising and the athletic department's surplus funds.

"In other words, we could stop the stadium project today, but that would not do anything to mitigate the $58 million shortfall," said Melissa Lee, spokeswoman for the University of Nebraska. "The dollars that will fund the stadium renovation cannot otherwise be used to pay university salaries or keep the lights on or fund an academic program."

Some in academia want to see private fundraising for academic programs and staff, much the way athletics raises money for athletic programs.

UNL sociology professor Christina Falci, who is president of the American Association of University Professors' UNL chapter, said higher education fundraising outside of athletics is concentrated mostly in boosting research centers, student services and endowed chairs, not in aiding humanities and the professors who teach them.

Without a push to bring in such revenue for academia, she said, "you're going to shrink the breadth of courses that students can take."'


This is what it all comes down to. The optics are horrible, the priorities are out of whack for how universities *should* be run, Pillen is a dope, but the renovation money is coming from different sources than the academics and university budget cuts. Two separate things. I think the renovation is unnecessary and silly right now, and I sure as hell think the budget cuts are ridiculous (and are keeping me from a much deserved raise at the moment) but it is what it is.

FYI - some of us are already providing designated funds for academia, there is a fair amount of fund raising taking place.

 

[Cash68847]

No one cares about academics except nerds. We need to cut education funding even more and funnel that money to highly ranked high school players

The SEC has it figured out.

 

[Mavsker]

Oh no, UNK's geography program might get cut?? What are we going to do?!

 

[Mr.Bojangles]

Huskers' $450M stadium upgrade plan criticized

Nebraska's $450 million plan to renovate Memorial Stadium is being met with wide criticism as the school also looks to cut millions of dollars from its academics programs.

www.espn.com

Funny how espn remained quiet when Ohio st's QB said we're here to play football not to play school but once we start throwing money towards our football program they're all over it and we're more about athletics than education. 🤦

 

[whoboppin]

Oh no, UNK's geography program might get cut?? What are we going to do?!

Maybe some UNK theater alumni can help pitch in to keep the program open.

Those programs are basically stealing from kids.

 

[HuskerChemist]

No one cares about academics except nerds. We need to cut education funding even more and funnel that money to highly ranked high school players

I am a bonafide nerd that went to 2/3 of the UNiversity of Nebraska schools, for undergrad and graduate school, and i don’t care about academics