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Pylons
Joined: 08/25/2005
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Pylons
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I am not necessarily against the additional funding.

I'm pretty ambivalent about it really. I *am* against the argument that it's some slam dunk because athletic success is such a boon to the university overall. It's not all being "taken" from academics, but $48.3 in "institutional support" certainly is. $21.3 million in student fees sort of is...people keep saying "it's only $100"...well then make this increase to tuition and use the money to market what VT actually is...an academic institution...rather than some weird branding end around...as if there's any logic to say a school good at sports is strong academically. The 39.6 million in bridge funding, I don't understand well enough to comment. $120 million in increased philanthropy...first of all, I'll believe it when I see it. Secondly, I think if effort were put into boosting academic donations by even half of that, it would be a better, more direct impact on academics. Plus, the more money people give to athletics, the less they have to give to other parts of the university. I do think it's important for the local economy to have successful sports...that's the argument that makes sense. The other concerning thing is the uncertainly associated with throwing more money at the problem. Sports are a zero sum game. For every winner, you need a loser. Simply keeping up with the Joneses merely gives us a chance to be a winner. It's hard to be a winner. So the argument for boosting academics is hurt further by that uncertainty. If I have ire, it's because people here give so much credit to football for making VT what it is. The ire comes from being a VT academician. I spent 10 years earning 3 degrees from VT. I worked with a lot of faculty and administrators in various capacities over those 10 years, right up to multiple presidents. I also worked at VT as faculty and in administration for about 8 years, including in the highest academic office at VT (the Provost's). The credit people give to football for making VT what it is feels like a slap in the face to the academic folks who have worked hard to make VT what it is. I care because I'm as loyal to VT as you or anyone else. I do want to win. VT sports (far more than just football...the pendulum has swung away from football and toward wrestling, basketball, baseball, etc. for me over the years) are great entertainment for me...and it's better when we're winning. But I think it's fair to question when playing the crazy game big-time college athletics has turned into doesn't make sense anymore. VT and many other institutions have painted themselves into a corner over the years and no one wants to be the first to say "uncle." It will take some type of concerted effort to turn sports for the VT's of the world into something that seems more sensible.
Posted: 10/01/2025 at 10:36 AM ET
(In response to this post by CPVT3)

Thread Replies (108)

Full Thread →
BOV Meeting - Discussion and Vote
FINGrad91 • 09/30/25 10:05 AM ET
Negative Nancy. It goes without saying.**
OrlandoHokie • 09/30/25 04:36 PM ET
Nancy had to vote against it
Turk Malloy • 09/30/25 04:05 PM ET
All this euphoria! Let me be a Debbie Downer.
likehokies • 09/30/25 12:12 PM ET
6-7% of the total VT budget. Now and after. Not really much of difference
justolerable • 09/30/25 10:10 PM ET
Can't get a hit if you don't swing
Turk Malloy • 09/30/25 04:02 PM ET
Those questions are in the interview guide for the next administration**
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/30/25 01:31 PM ET
Do we (my kids) get a refund if unanswered? (love the username btw).**
VTChemE • 09/30/25 03:05 PM ET
This is all going on the credit card
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/30/25 06:37 PM ET
more money = better coaches and better players. impossible to not be better**
VaPoly07 • 09/30/25 01:26 PM ET
Unchartered waters.
MrFantastic! • 09/30/25 12:39 PM ET
Life is all about risks**
RiverVT • 09/30/25 12:15 PM ET
I hope all the new $$ gets spent wisely. **
40ozDistrict • 09/30/25 12:05 PM ET
Yes if you heard her reasoning
RiverVT • 09/30/25 11:35 AM ET
What was indicative of being out of touch with reality?**
Pylons • 09/30/25 01:13 PM ET
Let me guess: academic ivory towers type concerns?
Hokiefied • 09/30/25 12:09 PM ET
It's not *critical* to the university**
Pylons • 09/30/25 01:15 PM ET
I wondered if you’d chime in
Hokiefied • 09/30/25 02:15 PM ET
Does $200 million over 4 years really mean that?
Pylons • 09/30/25 02:40 PM ET
Hence I said it has to be managed well to get an ROI for all**
Hokiefied • 09/30/25 02:51 PM ET
Of course. Still far from guaranteed ROI.
Pylons • 09/30/25 02:57 PM ET
I think it's the university that's out of touch with reality. Eventually...
ModerateHokie • 09/30/25 11:56 AM ET
What was her argument?**
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 11:44 AM ET
Politics 101- she knew that it would pass, so she did some grandstanding**
BROman Hokie • 09/30/25 11:41 AM ET
Solid observation IMO......
2hhoop3 • 09/30/25 12:20 PM ET
What was her reasoning?**
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/30/25 11:37 AM ET
Increased athletic fees for students **
HokieR • 09/30/25 11:40 AM ET
How does our peer school fees impact
RiverVT • 09/30/25 12:01 PM ET
Affordability of $100 is a silly argument
Pylons • 09/30/25 01:28 PM ET
VT Football and University $ go hand in hand
CPVT3 • 09/30/25 10:26 PM ET
a 2-year bump in applications is pretty easy to forget
Pylons • 09/30/25 10:28 PM ET
You don't think the impact of Michael Vick played more of a role than that?**
CPVT3 • 09/30/25 10:29 PM ET
Sure, it's more than that...that's just what everyone points to
Pylons • 09/30/25 10:46 PM ET
We're sort of at an impasse
CPVT3 • 09/30/25 11:38 PM ET
If you think my account here proves anything other than I'm a long-time
Pylons • 10/01/25 12:26 AM ET
I appreciate the cordial discourse
CPVT3 • 10/01/25 06:17 AM ET
I am not necessarily against the additional funding. ◄
Pylons • 10/01/25 10:36 AM ET
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flutie_effect**
CPVT3 • 09/30/25 11:20 PM ET
Sure, I'm familiar. Did you read it?
Pylons • 10/01/25 12:12 AM ET
I think the correlation.....
2hhoop3 • 09/30/25 11:07 PM ET
Why is some commuunity aghast abut VT while JMU and ODU is horrible
1947Sunbowl • 09/30/25 12:10 PM ET
Because based on the sample size of this message board, everyone wants
CPVT3 • 09/30/25 10:30 PM ET
Equating a VT degree to a JMU or ODU degree is horrible... **
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:16 PM ET
Fair point**
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/30/25 11:42 AM ET
Nice to see Progress..
JRHokie • 09/30/25 10:43 AM ET
Good for her. Unanimous votes aren’t necessary on this.
kingofcassell • 09/30/25 10:33 AM ET
Why did she vote against it?**
Hokie98 • 09/30/25 11:25 AM ET
She’s still waiting for her BCA refund….**
HokiefromBedford • 09/30/25 12:56 PM ET
Sugar cookie issues**
RiverVT • 09/30/25 11:31 AM ET
The student athletic fee increase
Pylons • 09/30/25 11:31 AM ET
She is not wrong**
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/30/25 11:37 AM ET
Compare VT student fees to our peers?
RiverVT • 09/30/25 12:06 PM ET
Compare U.S. tax rates to other countries. Maybe we should raise taxes!**
ModerateHokie • 09/30/25 12:30 PM ET
Which was a very reasonable position and valid opposition
HokieAl • 09/30/25 11:36 AM ET
Not necessarily. She makes more of an emotional argument than factual.
marcbvtgm • 09/30/25 12:10 PM ET
There's both emotion and fact on both sides
Pylons • 09/30/25 12:48 PM ET
Not to the Ivys**
ModerateHokie • 09/30/25 12:22 PM ET
Football doesn't increase starting salaries for new grads
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:13 PM ET
You don't think JMU's modest athletic success hasn't impacted perception?
marcbvtgm • 09/30/25 02:47 PM ET
No. Not at all**
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 05:57 PM ET
Yeah, the impact on potential employers is a stretch **
Pylons • 09/30/25 12:51 PM ET
No it's not. A school that people know on a resume carries weight.
marcbvtgm • 09/30/25 02:51 PM ET
You don't need football success for employers to know Virginia Tech
Pylons • 09/30/25 03:03 PM ET
If I need to hire, I don't care in the slightest where they went to school
HokieAl • 09/30/25 10:59 PM ET
How unreasonable!!!**
ModerateHokie • 09/30/25 11:35 AM ET
The Grad Student Rep
VTFinance10 • 09/30/25 10:09 AM ET
I earned my masters degree from Tech. I had more than enough time to attend
3011Cochrane • 09/30/25 12:48 PM ET
This is a football board, of course ...
Beerman • 09/30/25 12:04 PM ET
so dont come to a school that wants a big time football program.
VaPoly07 • 09/30/25 01:29 PM ET
Isn't that, essentially, what this vote was about?
Beerman • 09/30/25 01:31 PM ET
She really is out of touch **
RiverVT • 09/30/25 11:37 AM ET
Not really. It's easier to spend other people's money. **
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 11:58 AM ET
Indeed. Just ask my kids**
BackInTheBurg • 09/30/25 12:25 PM ET
If graduate students are not happy there are other choices
1947Sunbowl • 09/30/25 12:14 PM ET
If $100 is nothing, let's also increase season ticket prices $100 each year
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:15 PM ET
They should. As a season ticket holder I’d have no issues. The money grab
BackInTheBurg • 09/30/25 12:28 PM ET
It's all other people's money**
marcbvtgm • 09/30/25 12:04 PM ET
Yes...but some money is purely transactional while others is not
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:06 PM ET
Thanks for the irrelevant economics lesson.**
marcbvtgm • 09/30/25 12:11 PM ET
I can talk slower if you need me to**
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:12 PM ET
comparing basic public transport to operating a sports franchise is madness**
ModerateHokie • 09/30/25 11:19 AM ET
Yes, equating public transportation to a minor league sports team is insane**
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 11:42 AM ET
Comparing the student fee to taxes is about right tho.
Truthahn • 09/30/25 12:09 PM ET
Pretty interesting to see a fiscally conservative VA "tax" students more
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:12 PM ET
Is this the state raising the student fees? Does state government get a say
3011Cochrane • 09/30/25 12:50 PM ET
Just some info. JMU has the highest student athletic fees in
saret • 09/30/25 01:14 PM ET
Lots of things are interesting
Beerman • 09/30/25 12:47 PM ET
To quote HoF QB Ryan Willis:
VTFinance10 • 09/30/25 12:18 PM ET
I try to avoid thinking of Ryan Willis
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:54 PM ET
That's what all politicians do, conservative and liberal, for billionaires
NokieHokie • 09/30/25 12:17 PM ET
True....**
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 12:55 PM ET
Why hammer a differing opinion/perspective? I'm excited about
VT757to276 • 09/30/25 10:38 AM ET
However...
Rationalist • 09/30/25 11:29 AM ET
Aren't there lots of things in a large state university that one group of
3011Cochrane • 09/30/25 12:52 PM ET
My MBA class partied harder than we did as undergrads
HokieAl • 09/30/25 10:19 AM ET
I just made this same point - I enjoyed my Sharkey's time very much as a
3011Cochrane • 09/30/25 12:53 PM ET
I worked and served in the military during my MBA. Had zero time for
AirborneHokie96 • 09/30/25 11:43 AM ET
Additonally
VTFinance10 • 09/30/25 11:02 AM ET
You had a much different grad experience than me
Happy Dog • 09/30/25 10:25 AM ET
Hope those late nights paid off
HokieAl • 09/30/25 11:05 AM ET
They did
Happy Dog • 09/30/25 11:22 AM ET
also interesting a new athletic oversight committee in an amendment
1947Sunbowl • 09/30/25 10:07 AM ET
Hey Whit, you know you are terrible leader when your role is replaced by
VT ChemE 1986 • 09/30/25 11:40 AM ET
What does the CEO position do?
HokieKick`nBack • 09/30/25 10:55 AM ET
The other thing I found interesting...
VTHokieTBone7 • 09/30/25 10:20 AM ET
Probably a hedge against the ACC imploding in a few years from now. lol**
Kid Rock • 09/30/25 10:25 AM ET
Or a nod to the P2 that we are willing to invest to get an invite**
HokieAl • 09/30/25 10:33 AM ET
should have taken the SEC invite instead of tucking into our shell**
VaPoly07 • 09/30/25 01:32 PM ET
VT is wise to keep all of its options on the table for now because the dust
VTHokie2000 • 09/30/25 10:51 AM ET