The American Heritage Dictionary defines “university” as “...an institution for higher learning with teaching and research facilities constituting a graduate school and professional schools that award master's degrees and doctorates and an undergraduate division that awards bachelor's degrees.”
The primary purpose of a university is to provide for academic advancement and to conduct research in any number subjects. What about the secondary activities offered by the University? Athletics and student performance groups, for instance. Increasingly, university athletic teams have become symbols of pride for students, staff, and faculty. They are encouraged and everyone -- almost universally -- enjoys watching their team compete. While not everyone enjoys theater or concert choir performances, the principle is the same: the community felt and experienced directly and indirectly at these events is unique and plays an important role in terms of providing diverse students commonality.
There comes a point, however, when the primary goals of the university seem eclipsed by the secondary activities that are intended to play a supporting role to academics and research. How do we know one of these secondary activities has eclipsed academia and research?
Well...a university has to pay competitive salaries in order to attract good faculty. They have to provide decent benefits as well, so those are a given. But in some cases, the most superlative of salaries aren’t awarded to faculty or researchers. Instead, they're awarded to a staff member in another, less mission-oriented area. Specifically, I’m speaking of the exorbitant salary the University of New Mexico has awarded its basketball coach.
According to the Albuquerque Tribune (here), Coach Steve Alford is making about $975,000 a year, base salary and fringe all considered. That sounds like quite a bit, especially for those of us who are students. Personally, I know that much money would pay for my schooling (entirely) all the way through grad school and then some. It would pay for about 1,000 nicely-equipped Dell Optiplex GX 740’s. I’m not sure how many undergrads it would fund through their bachelor’s, but I’m guessing at least twenty.
I would imagine that the University has addressed its academic and research obligations before spending so much money to attract a basketball team coach. I mean, take care of academics and research first, right? Sadly, the opposite is true.
Example: A prominent research institution located near campus was told recently that the University would no longer pay its rent, which is a cool ten-thousand dollars a month. In a time when deep cuts were being made to conserve money, this institution is having to let go of staff, and stretch equipment and computers further than they are stretched already. Given the amount of money this particular institution brings to the University (well in excess of the cost of the rent) I find it shocking that UNM would simply renege upon its obligation to pay the rent. This institute is part of UNM. They just happen to live across the street.
So here’s an idea: pay the basketball coach one-hundred thousand dollars less a year and maintain the status quo. Pretty radical, huh?
Another example: Has anyone actually visited Carlisle gym? The dance majors -- and the people like me, who take an African dance class or Flamenco for fun -- are dancing on springboard floors built in the 70’s, according to one faculty member. These are bad for feet, knees, and back because the floors get old and "give out." There are no sound systems of worth in any of the studios. I wonder what $250,000 (the dollar value of Coach Alford’s TV and radio contract) a year for the next four years (the length of Alford's contract) would do for the Dance program and Carlisle gym. Wow -- new floors? Sound systems? Air conditioning and heating that doesn't alternately freeze and roast students? Stuff that’s been needed for years and years.
Am I the only person who thinks that perhaps the resources being flung at the basketball team are a bit excessive? In terms of what money goes where, I would like to believe that an accounting can be given to the public to show than this isn't the case. I'd like to believe that people pushing the money around do everything for the advancement of academics and the furtherance of research. Maybe there's a method to the madness. (Certainly I can’t claim to have a full understanding of the situation without such an accounting, and I ask that if anyone has one or has some knowledge that can shed light on this topic, please do.)
Until I hear otherwise, my feelings can be summarized as such: clearly, someone has got the wrong priorities at the top of the “To Do” list. UNM is not a sports franchise, we are a university. Academics and research are our primary goals. Obviously, athletics have trumped them both.
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6 comments:
Nice job! I feel the same way! I am writing on a similar topic but in a little different way. I think this is a big issue at UNM and maybe between the two of us we can out out enough info to show those who didn't know how much of our money is going to athetics just how much they are spending on something that may have nothing to do with them.
I have had this discussion with my boyfriend several times because I can't believe how much money is poured into sports. He contends that so much is put into it because it makes more money for the school to put in other areas. I tend to agree with you. I know that this coach has generated good feelings about this season and it brings in more money to the school but if the money isn't spent on the school, what's the point?
I don't know where we might find that information. I wonder, given that UNM is a state university, that it's not public knowledge and published. As well, while athletics brings in a lot of money, I doubt they generate as much discretionary income as UNM Healthcare, the Law School, or Anderson.
Sports, like opera, tend to be self-propagated. They generate money and public interest to better themselves. For all the effort, they involve a minute portion of the student body.
Instead of being supported by the University, research tends to support UNM: every research institution associated with UNM pays a percentage of its earnings to the University directly, "off the top." In some cases, this can be as low at three percent of a contract; in some cases, it can be as high as twenty percent. Of course, I've only heard this from staff members and faculty involved in research, so it may not be entirely accurate. But you won't catch main campus endowing semi-autonomous research entities with hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to attract a "big name" scientist.
In the end, I wonder what will attract more students from outside the state -- amazing academics or amazing athletics? Given that I will never play on a college athletic team, I'm inclined to gravitate toward excellence in academics. After all, my participation is greater and the benefit more direct than being a loyal attendee of basketball or football games.
Im glad Im not the only one who feels this way!!! I agree w.you 100%
At one time there was no tuition for New Mexico residents to attend the university. But let's face it, going to college costs a lot of money, because we need to live somewhere, eat, and get around, not to mention art supplies in my field. We are pretty lucky to be in college.
Interesting that there seem to be so many people who think just like me that a university should focus on education and not on sport. This by itself still gives me a warm feeling that there are still sensible people at UNM.
Of course I can hear some people say that if UNM doesn't pay the football and basketball coaches these huge salaries they would simply choose another university, but what if all universities would stop paying these outrages amounts? Just because sports make money for a university doesn't have to mean that we give that money instantly to the coach! If that's the case then you might as well have no sport.
What if universities pay all coaches of whatever sport a normal faculty salary, like for instance a chemistry professor also gets?
And as one university would need to start with this policy, why shouldn't this be UNM who would start this new policy? If all universities would follow then this doesn't have to mean that the quality of the sports would go down. It would simply mean that the coaches would get paid less, and that there would be more money invested in other parts of the universities.
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