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[MoValley John]

The fact of the matter is this, the money problems at both UNI and MSU aren't going away. Nothing has been solved, nothing has been put to bed. UNI benefitted from a Sweet 16 occuring at the same time as the budget scrutiny occured. What is happening at UNI is very political and there isn't a politician alive willing to axe a program immediately following a Sweet 16. But that doesn't mean that there aren't plenty of opportunistic politicians ready to play the trump card again when the timing is right. And until the athletic program becomes sulf-sustaining, the issues at UNI will arise again and again, the next time it surfaces, UNI might not have a Sweet 16 as a lifeboat.

As for Missouri State, I don't know how you fix a budget shortfall that is being fueled by a debt payment on a building they can't afford. The solutions there seem both plausible and ridiculous. I can guarantee anyone that selling alcohol at events will help, but it's a very minor cash infusion. Missouri State needs to find a way to shore up the hole in financing JQH or they are going to lose everything. I was down in Branson a few weeks ago, I talked to several MU fans, along with a couple of MSU fans. Mizzou fans would like nothing more than to relegate the Bears to NAIA status. They also have the powers in state government to do so. Their fans can paint whatever picture they want, reality is the situation in Springfield is ugly.

In the end, the budget woes at both UNI and MSU are concerns every public university in the Valley is facing. Whether they have surfaced yet or not isn't the question, it's when. At what point do elected officials in Indiana, Illinois and Kansas also begin to scrutinize spending taxpayers money on "mid-major" athletic programs. Generally, the politicians behind the debates went to the larger, BCS state university and would like nothing more than to stop the mutt down the street eating out of the foodbowl reserved for their pedigree greyhound. Like it or not, what IS happening at UNI and MSU can and probably will happen to the rest of the public schools in the Valley. The same could be said for the four private schools, but the politics are a lot different.

This is a very trying time.

[MoValley John]

To dovetail the UNI problem, the State of Iowa is in a cash crunch. To further the problem, Western Iowa is recovering from a flood that will cost the state millions and millions of dollars in repairs. Streches of Interstate 29 and 680 are closed and need rebuilt, this alone will cost millions. Try selling basketball at UNI as more important than infrastructure repair to residents of Hamburg, Crescent, Tabor and Missouri Valley. It's a tough sell when FEMA has already told them that they have no money.

[MoValley John]

Here is a closeup picture of the Interstate on the Iowa side of Omaha.



The state needs to fix this. When the threat of tax increases surfaces, don't be surprised if a much louder cry is to cut more discretionary spending first. State aid to support college athletics is the epitomy of discretionary spending. UNI might not be on the cutting block this time, but every time there is a budget crisis, disaster or any other budgetbreaking situation, somebody will eye the money UNI is spending on sports.

[panther-state]

You guys should email Troy Dannen and ask him yourself about UNI's athletic financial situation. UNI will be in D-I/FCS for as long as he is alive and there is absolutely no talk about this anywhere except the internet. Believe what you want but UNI is no more in danger of losing athletics than any other Valley school. There is actually talk about ADDING a sport to the women's side...doubt it happens since the Club Womens Rugby circuit is more competitive than the NCAA sanctioned one, but based on all talk within the athletics dept. this so called "dire-situation" is a non-factor.

[DoubleJayAlum]

When it comes to recruiting, perception is reality. When schools you're recruiting against can literally hand out copies of newspaper stories where UNI's AD discussed the possibility of dropping down to D2, it ain't good.

[DoubleJayAlum]

You guys should email Troy Dannen and ask him yourself about UNI's athletic financial situation. UNI will be in D-I/FCS for as long as he is alive and there is absolutely no talk about this anywhere except the internet. Believe what you want but UNI is no more in danger of losing athletics than any other Valley school. There is actually talk about ADDING a sport to the women's side...doubt it happens since the Club Womens Rugby circuit is more competitive than the NCAA sanctioned one, but based on all talk within the athletics dept. this so called "dire-situation" is a non-factor.

If money isn't a problem, why did UNI drop baseball?

[MoValley John]

You guys should email Troy Dannen and ask him yourself about UNI's athletic financial situation. UNI will be in D-I/FCS for as long as he is alive and there is absolutely no talk about this anywhere except the internet. Believe what you want but UNI is no more in danger of losing athletics than any other Valley school. There is actually talk about ADDING a sport to the women's side...doubt it happens since the Club Womens Rugby circuit is more competitive than the NCAA sanctioned one, but based on all talk within the athletics dept. this so called "dire-situation" is a non-factor.

Let me ask you this. What is the financial situation at UNI if the state eliminates subsidizing the athletic department? All that it would take for the discussion to come up again is another bump in the recession or another disaster. Think what you want, but UNI is not the dominant name in Iowa higher education. When you rely on state aid to subsidize a program few benefit from, you are always at risk. Always. With that, what happens to UNI athletics if the state drops funding?

[unipanther99]

Can we agree that money IS a problem at UNI, always will be, but not any more so than at other public FCS schools? That's the only point I'm trying to make. We had our dirty laundry aired publically a couple years ago. Who's next? MSU, SIU, ISUx2?

The fact of the matter is that Iowa is on fairly stable ground economically compared to other states. The agricultural economy is propping up the general economy. If other schools want to say D2 as a recruiting tool or whatever, let them. It's always been something at UNI. Before this it was the UNI-Dome. And yet we seem to do alright for ourselves.

[panther-state]

Think what you want, but UNI is not the dominant name in Iowa higher education.

Really as an education major and someone who is highly involved in the university and reach-out programs to the other state schools, that is news to me. UNI is still one of the tops in the Midwest for education and they were once again ranked as the #2 regional university for the Midwest. The situation you alluded to would be a major problem to any public university, not just UNI. I'm not saying we're sitting on a pot of gold but the idea that we are in a serious financial situation that afflicts no one else is just plain ignorant.

[MoValley John]

Can we agree that money IS a problem at UNI, always will be, but not any more so than at other public FCS schools? That's the only point I'm trying to make. We had our dirty laundry aired publically a couple years ago. Who's next? MSU, SIU, ISUx2?

So I think we are in agreement. Money is a problem at UNI. At the same time, it is a problem at all other Valley public institutions. I have no problem pointing out the money problems at UNI. At the same time, I do mention that this is a problem everywhere, even if it hasn't made the local newspaper. Anyone that denies this simply has their head in the sand. The battles at UNI and MSU aren't unique, they simply have been publicized. The danger of losing athletic funding is a real problem that every state school faces if their sports programs are subsidized. Until a program is selfsufficient, the risk and problem remains.