Intercollegiate athletics carr sports associates, inc

In Virginia, each institution’s governing Board of Visitors sets all tuition and fee rates while the Governor and General Assembly set tuition policy. The General Assembly returned to each Board of Visitors the authority for tuition increases in 2004. Tuition and all fees include the sum of tuition, mandatory E & G fees and mandatory non-E & G fees. Tuition and mandatory E & G Fees are “mandatory student charges used to support instruction and related educational activities.”

Mandatory non-E & G fees are mandatory student charges used to support non-instructional activities such as health services, athletics, recreational activities, campus transportation and capital debt service. Intercollegiate Athletic Fees are fees charged to students or staff in support of intercollegiate athletics and are located under Auxiliary Enterprises. These fees are termed ‘Athletic Fees’ and are separate from student fees classified as Education and General sources of revenue.

Appendix A http://www.schev.edu/AdminFaculty/ChartOfAccounts.pdf

Appendix B http://www.schev.edu/Reportstats/2004-05Tuition&FeesReport.pdf

http://www.schev.edu/Reportstats/2004-05Tuition&FeesReport.pdf
The following table represents the amount of Student Fees received by the RU Athletics Department over the last five years:

Athletic Fee Information	2000-01	2001-02	2002-03	2003-04	2004-05 (as of March 31, 2005)
Annual Athletic Fee Per Full-Time Student	$440	$480	$494	$514	$580
Actual Student Fees Received by Athletics	$3,547,121	$3,822,451	$4,001,333	$4,513,040	$4,852,299

1.b What commitment of funds would be required by the University in order to successfully compete in the Big South or a more competitive conference on an annual basis? Prepare careful financial analysis contrasting and comparing existing and potential conference and summarize findings.

A comprehensive benchmarking financial analysis is shown at Exhibit 9 and at Exhibit 5 is a description on a sport-by sport basis of the competitive environment that exists in four conferences: the Big South Conference, the Atlantic Sun Conference, the Southern Conference and the Colonial Athletic Association. In addition, Exhibits 6A- 6B provide institutional financial information, benchmarks and environmental data for the peer group of 22 institutions identified and selected by the Consultants based on the institutions’ similarities to RU among Southern Master’s Universities as categorized by U.S. News and World Report.

Inasmuch as the Consultants recommend that RU remain in the Big South Conference, we have focused on the commitment of funds necessary to strengthen the university’s competitive position within that conference. Further, the commitment of funds required to achieve greater competitive success in the Big South would not be inconsistent with those required to compete successfully in the Atlantic Sun Conference or Southern Conference, except that increased travel expenditures could be expected in both of those conferences. Finally, while membership in the Colonial Athletic Association may be desired and in the long-term interest of Radford, it is not a viable alternative at this time, nor is it likely to be a possibility within the next five years. Accordingly, the Consultants feel strongly that the RU administration should focus its attention entirely on building the strongest program possible within the Big South. Undoubtedly by doing so, RU will be better positioned for the possibility of long-term expansion by the CAA.

In order to enhance its competitiveness within the Big South, the Consultants believe the full implementation of the Intercollegiate Athletics Three-Year Budget Proposal adopted in May 2004 is essential:

Radford University Intercollegiate Athletics Three-Year Budget Proposal
Budget Expense Category	Requested Budget Increase
Recruiting Includes vehicles, recruiting travel, expenses for official visits, mobile phones, recruiting brochures	Year 1	Year 2	Year 3
	$72,000	$33,000	$10,000
Scholarships Includes summer school allotment for MBB/WBB and upgrading top-tier sports	$150,000	$120,000	$120,000
Personnel/Salaries Personnel: Full-time head coaching positions M/W Golf from PT to FT 2004-05 M/W Tennis from PT to FT 2006-07 Strength Coach from PT to FT 2004-05 One additional FT Trainer in 2004-05 One additional FT Trainer in 2006-07 FT administrator (SWA) in 2005-06 Salaries: Adjust to Big South Conference average over 3-year period	$123,000	$100,000	$120,000
Student-Athlete Welfare Increase per diem from $18/day to $22/day Lodging – 2 student-athletes per room Increased charter bus service	$125,000	0	0
Marketing/Promotions Expansion of radio/TV network	$30,000	$27,000	-0-
TOTAL BUDGET ENHANCEMENT	$500,000	$280,000	$220,000

• 
  Scholarships
  
• 
  Facility Improvements
  
• 
  Recruiting Budgets
  
• 
  Administrative Personnel and Services
  
• 
  Coaching Staff
  

1. 
   Scholarship Enhancement Several critical factors, including the leadership and expertise provided by the head coach and assistant coaches; facilities; operating budgets; and institutional factors such as academic reputation, location, available housing and student amenities, among others, are fundamental to the successful recruitment of prospective student-athletes. Generally, however, those factors are not enough to successfully recruit Division I student-athletes capable of achieving competitive success at a conference championship level, unless an adequate number of athletic scholarships are available in a sport. The Consultants believe that in a number of sports sponsored by RU, the university is at a significant competitive disadvantage within the Big South Conference and will not achieve greater competitive success or win championships in those sports except in extraordinary circumstances. This is the single most important factor in Radford achieving increased competitive success, including winning championships, and advancement in the Sasser Cup and NACDA/U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup standings. The difference of even one scholarship in any of the sports sponsored at Radford can place the university at a significant competitive disadvantage.
   

Sport	2004-05 Scholarship Level#	Number of Scholarships Necessary to Increase Competitive Success	Cost of Scholarship Increase Necessary to enhance Competitive Success*	Number of Scholarships To Win Championships	Cost of Scholarship Increase necessary to Win Championships
Baseball	6.68	9	$31,088	11	$57,888
Men’s Basketball	12.72	13	$3,752	13	$3752
Men’s Track & Field/Cross Country	5.31	8	$36,046	11	$76,246
Men’s Golf	2.27	4	$23,182	4	$23,182
Men’s Soccer	6.90	9	$28,140	9.9	$40,200
Men’s Tennis	4.41	4.5	$1,206	4.5	$1206
Women’s Basketball	13.5	15	$20,100	15	$20,100
Women’s Track & Field/Cross Country	4.07	7	$39,262	12	$106,262
Field Hockey	3.54	4	$6,164	8	$59,764
Women’s Golf	1.57	3.5	$25,862	6	$59,362
Women’s Soccer	8.67	10	$17,822	11	$31,222
Softball	6.06	8	$25,996	10	$52,796
Women’s Swimming & Diving	2.13	4	$25,058	12	$132,258
Women’s Tennis	3.94	6	$27,604	7	$41,004
Volleyball	7.31	9	$22,646	11	$49,446
Total			$333,928.00		$754,688.00

*Value of full grant in aid was calculated at $13,400 (average of in-state and out-of-state costs)

2. 
   Facility Improvements Improvements to a number of facilities are essential to achieving enhanced competitive success and winning championships at Radford on a long-term basis. Based on the Facilities Master Development Plan (Draft June 2004) provided by the university, an observatory audit undertaken by the Consultants during site visit in April, facility trends and the competitive marketplace, the Consultants have identified the following capital projects that while not required to achieve increased competitiveness, if completed, should enable Radford to compete for, and win, championships in the Big South:
   

Highest Priority
Facility Project	Projected Cost	Sport(s) Affected	Competitive Issues/Impact
Dedmon Center – Roof Replacement (critical in short term)	$5.5 Million	All varsity sports, with special benefit for Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball and Volleyball	Necessary infrastructure to maintain facility
Synthetic Field – Field Hockey and Soccer (critical in short term)	$1.2 Million	Field Hockey, Men’s Soccer and Women’s Soccer	Necessary to alleviate severe scheduling and field maintenance issues; will contribute to enhanced competitiveness of Field Hockey and Men’s and Women’s Soccer teams

Highest Priority (cont.)
Facility Project	Projected Cost	Sport(s) Affected	Competitive Issues/Impact
Soccer Practice Field Improvements (critical in short term)	$600,000	Men’s Soccer and Women’s Soccer	Necessary to alleviate severe field maintenance issues caused by flooding that result in overuse of other recreation and practice fields; RU’s outstanding game field/stadium, if coupled with high-quality practice fields, would provide RU a nationally competitive training and competition environment
Dedicated Intercollegiate Athletics Weight Room	TBA (based on site identified)	All	Current weight room(s) place RU at a recruiting disadvantage; a state-of-the-art, weight room can have a major impact in recruiting in addition to enhancing the training environment for all RU student-athletes

Next Highest Priority
Facility Project	Projected Cost	Sport(s) Affected	Competitive Issues/Impact
Dedmon Center – Renovation and Expansion (tremendous long-term benefit)	$7.2 Million	All, with special benefits to Men’s Basketball, Women’s Basketball and Volleyball	The proposed Dedmon Center renovation and expansion would have the single greatest impact on achieving increased competitive success of any project; while functional, and far from obsolete, the Dedmon Center is not a recruiting asset or attractive to spectators
Softball Field Improvements (press box, improved seating etc.)	$200,000	Softball	Improvements have been made to the softball facility over the last two years that have contributed to the advancement of the program; further improvements, when coupled with scholarship increases, may result in a championship-level program

Next Highest Priority (cont.)
Facility Project	Projected Cost	Sport(s) Affected	Competitive Issues/Impact
Baseball/Softball – Indoor Hitting Facility	$300,000	Baseball and Softball	Truly significant impact on recruiting and team training/student-athlete development
Baseball Field Improvements (lights, permanent seating, dugouts)	$500,000	Baseball	If coupled with scholarship increases, an improved facility would certainly enhance RU’s ability to recruit better prospective student-athletes in the sport of baseball
Indoor Tennis Courts (Enclose three outdoor courts)	$1.2 Million	Men’s and Women’s Tennis	Indoor courts would provide a much improved practice venue, as well as local facility for indoor competition (currently have to use Virginia Tech facilities in Blacksburg)

3. 
   Recruiting Budgets The proposed three-year budget enhancement adopted in May 2004 represents an essential start to a strategic plan to enhance the competitiveness of the programs. As is the case with achieving a minimum threshold of investment in scholarships, a larger than proposed increase in the recruiting budgets of several sports will have a significant impact on achieving greater competitive success. In addition to the funds request in the May 2004 proposal, the Consultants recommend that the recruiting budgets in 2006-07 be increased in each Tier I sport by an additional $2,000 (total increased investment of $12,000 beyond original budget proposal). Further, the Consultants encourage RU to maintain the flexibility to increase the recruiting budgets in the Tier II team sports of baseball, softball and volleyball in 2006-07 if a heightened opportunity for competitive success has emerged. In particular, it appears the softball program is rapidly advancing in that direction.
   

4. 
   Administrative Personnel and Services The Consultants believe the university has benefited from the sound, efficient and consistent leadership of its Director of Athletics. His experience and untiring commitment to the university has enabled Radford to maintain an extremely lean administrative staff and operation. The Consultants agree with the recommended administrative staff changes proposed in the three-year budget proposal. Of special significance, the Consultants believe the planned transition of the Head Athletic Trainer/Senior Woman Administrator to a full-time administrative role (i.e., Assistant or Associate Athletic Director/Senior Woman Administrator) with primary responsibility in the areas of internal affairs, sport supervision and student-athlete welfare is necessary. Further, the opportunity for increased competitive success would be enhanced by a commitment of funds necessary to add the position of Assistant or Associate Athletic Director for External Affairs. Annual costs associated with this external position are estimated at $60,751 (salary of $45,000, plus benefit costs estimated at 35% of salary). In order to achieve significant competitive advancement of the athletics program, the Consultants believe that RU must grow its revenue received from ticket sales, corporate sponsorship and fund-raising and that the current organizational structure will not facilitate that growth.
   

5. 
   Coaching Staff The provision of strong and consistent leadership by coaches will substantially impact the opportunity for greater competitive success, as well as an enhanced student-athlete experience. The Consultants concur with the proposed elevation of the head golf, tennis and strength coaches to full-time positions (some which have already occurred), as well as proposed salary increases that bring other members of the RU team to the average salaries of their Big South peers. In addition to those changes, the Consultants believe the elevation of part-time assistant coach positions to full-time status in the Tier I sports of Men’s and Women’s Soccer would increase the opportunity to achieve competitive success and win championships in those sports. Costs associated with upgrading those positions are estimated at $16,050 per sport (salary adjustment from $15,000 to $23,000, plus benefit costs estimated at 35% of salary). Further, the Consultants recommend that RU maintain the flexibility to upgrade additional part-time assistant coach positions when special circumstances arise (e.g., the continued emergence of the softball program and the heightened adverse impact of the loss of quality assistant coaches).
   

1. 
   For Radford Athletics, the most significant measure of achievement is Big South Conference (BSC) championships. The Sasser Cup has been awarded annually since 1986 to the conference’s most successful sports program. Radford has never won the award. Here is a brief overview of Radford University’s recent competitive record in the conference and NCAA:
   

1. 
   Big South Conference Championships in the past five years:
   

Radford has won only 3 Big South Conference regular season team titles in the past 5 years:

• 
  Men’s basketball in the 2000-2001 regular season (did not advance to the NCAA or NIT)
  
• 
  Volleyball in 2000
  
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  Volleyball in 2001 with no post season
  
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  Field Hockey was the 2004 NorPac East Division Champion (a regular season title)
  

1. 
   NCAA Post Season in the past five years by winning Big South Tournament
   

• 
  2000 Men’s Soccer – Lost NCAA Play-In
  
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  2000 Volleyball a first round loss in the NCAA Tournament
  
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  2002 Women’s Soccer – Lost NCAA First Round
  

2. 
   United States Sports Academy NACDA Cup Standings over the period 1993-94 to 2003-04: