Authorization for New Academic Center

[PlayerRep]

The legislature put in authorization for several UM building projects, in a larger bill that is now awaiting signature by the governor. This includes the new academic center, as well as the new Missoula College building (which is to be paid for with state funds, not funded by the issuance of bonds). Note the last sentence of the below excerpt from a Missoulian article, which mentions the academic center. I thought the portion to be paid by private donations was something lower, like $1.7 million. I wonder if the athletic dept has the commitments to fund $2.5 million. I don't know; I just wonder.

"As passed by the House and Senate, the bill includes roughly $54.65 million in state funding to complete several building projects submitted by the Montana University System, including $29 million for Missoula College.

The bill also gives the university system a green light to construct the Gilkey Center for Executive Education using $9.3 million in private funding, along with a new student-athlete academic center using $2.5 million in private funds."

 

[kemajic]

The GSA recently kicked in a half mil for the academic center.

 

[PlayerRep]

The GSA recently kicked in a half mil for the academic center.

Thx. Wasn't this GSA commitment made last summer? Isn't it over a several year period?

Do you think the athletic dept has a total $2.5 million of private funds lined up for the academic center?

 

[mondayamqb]

At a briefing two weeks ago, Administration said they "had the money" and just needed the bill to be passed and signed for authorization to go ahead.

 

[WaGriz4life]

Really sad this money isn't going towards a new weight room

 

[tgreseth]

Really sad?

I believe the program needs both.

Isn't a new weight room in the works as well?

YITB

 

[BWahlberg]

Really sad this money isn't going towards a new weight room

Order of improvements:

1. Lights (done for Root Sports TV deal)
2. Academic Center (has always been 1st to get done, lights jumped it for the TV deal)
3. Weight Room (need to figure out where it will go still, has options but would require moving other stuff)
4. Locker Rooms (would occupy old weight room location)
5. Wood floor in 2nd aux. gym that's connected to the WAG (currently cement floors)
6. Practice facility probably in the South Campus/Missoula College area

So the weight room is next. And the focus first on improving academic study space/office space to help our student athletes makes the most sense to me.

 

[billingsgriz]

I agree with Mr. Wahlberg--I personally love our Athletic Departments focus on academics !!!

 

[mikegriz]

I agree with Mr. Wahlberg--I personally love our Athletic Departments focus on academics !!!

+1

 

[84GRIZ]

Really sad this money isn't going towards a new weight room

Order of improvements:

1. Lights (done for Root Sports TV deal)
2. Academic Center (has always been 1st to get done, lights jumped it for the TV deal)
3. Weight Room (need to figure out where it will go still, has options but would require moving other stuff)
4. Locker Rooms (would occupy old weight room location)
5. Wood floor in 2nd aux. gym that's connected to the WAG (currently cement floors)
6. Practice facility probably in the South Campus/Missoula College area

So the weight room is next. And the focus first on improving academic study space/office space to help our student athletes makes the most sense to me.

I guess the conversion of the Art Annex into the weight room got put on hold when the new Art Building estimates came in way over the projected budget. Word is that they are looking to build a seperate weight room / training facility behind the south endzone in either the parking lot by Aber or the one next to the current Art Annex.

 

[uofmman1122]

Really sad this money isn't going towards a new weight room

Order of improvements:

1. Lights (done for Root Sports TV deal)
2. Academic Center (has always been 1st to get done, lights jumped it for the TV deal)
3. Weight Room (need to figure out where it will go still, has options but would require moving other stuff)
4. Locker Rooms (would occupy old weight room location)
5. Wood floor in 2nd aux. gym that's connected to the WAG (currently cement floors)
6. Practice facility probably in the South Campus/Missoula College area

So the weight room is next. And the focus first on improving academic study space/office space to help our student athletes makes the most sense to me.

I guess the conversion of the Art Annex into the weight room got put on hold when the new Art Building estimates came in way over the projected budget. Word is that they are looking to build a seperate weight room / training facility behind the south endzone in either the parking lot by Aber or the one next to the current Art Annex.

Just what UM needs. Less parking. :lol:

 

[BWahlberg]

Really sad this money isn't going towards a new weight room

Order of improvements:

1. Lights (done for Root Sports TV deal)
2. Academic Center (has always been 1st to get done, lights jumped it for the TV deal)
3. Weight Room (need to figure out where it will go still, has options but would require moving other stuff)
4. Locker Rooms (would occupy old weight room location)
5. Wood floor in 2nd aux. gym that's connected to the WAG (currently cement floors)
6. Practice facility probably in the South Campus/Missoula College area

So the weight room is next. And the focus first on improving academic study space/office space to help our student athletes makes the most sense to me.

I guess the conversion of the Art Annex into the weight room got put on hold when the new Art Building estimates came in way over the projected budget. Word is that they are looking to build a seperate weight room / training facility behind the south endzone in either the parking lot by Aber or the one next to the current Art Annex.

That's correct, not only did the costs to renovate the art annex come in way too high but the cost to provide them new space was also much more pricey than expected. The next plan was to move into the current 2nd gym, the East Aux - but they want to keep that for practice space and gym floor expansion. That pretty much leaves building a new facility.

 

[WaGriz4life]

The Academic Center is a completely unnecessary project. The Academic Center will not help our student athletes get better grades nor will it help attract high level student athletes to the University. A new weight room would help attract these kids to our school. The University is scared to death to put any money into a weight room that only athletes can use. If they really cared about academics for our athletes, and not just the perception of caring about academics, they would use that money to hire a staff of tudors for our athletes. We will have an academic center with no academic support staff for the athletes. This is a glorified study hall that is a huge waste of money. We are throwing money towards a problem that doesn't exist.

We need a new weight room

 

['68griz]

The Academic Center is a completely unnecessary project. The Academic Center will not help our student athletes get better grades nor will it help attract high level student athletes to the University. A new weight room would help attract these kids to our school. The University is scared to death to put any money into a weight room that only athletes can use. If they really cared about academics for our athletes, and not just the perception of caring about academics, they would use that money to hire a staff of tudors for our athletes. We will have an academic center with no academic support staff for the athletes. This is a glorified study hall that is a huge waste of money. We are throwing money towards a problem that doesn't exist.

We need a new weight room

From the 15th and 16th centuries???? My God, they would be awfully old and, I fear, would have trouble identifying with today's athletes.

 

[Grizbeer]

If they really cared about academics for our athletes, and not just the perception of caring about academics, they would use that money to hire a staff of tudors for our athletes.

From the 15th and 16th centuries???? My God, they would be awfully old and, I fear, would have trouble identifying with today's athletes.

While that is probably true '68 you have to admit the Tudors had a unique policy in dealing with women issues, and if UM had hired a staff of Tudors to assist Griz athletes with these issues perhaps many of the problems of the last 18 months might have been avoided, and think how much better of the recruiting would be.

 

[Ursa Major]

The Academic Center is a completely unnecessary project. The Academic Center will not help our student athletes get better grades nor will it help attract high level student athletes to the University. A new weight room would help attract these kids to our school. The University is scared to death to put any money into a weight room that only athletes can use. If they really cared about academics for our athletes, and not just the perception of caring about academics, they would use that money to hire a staff of tudors for our athletes. We will have an academic center with no academic support staff for the athletes. This is a glorified study hall that is a huge waste of money. We are throwing money towards a problem that doesn't exist.

We need a new weight room

From the 15th and 16th centuries???? My God, they would be awfully old and, I fear, would have trouble identifying with today's athletes.

HA! Nice work 68!

 

[Bear Spray]

The Academic Center is a completely unnecessary project. The Academic Center will not help our student athletes get better grades nor will it help attract high level student athletes to the University. A new weight room would help attract these kids to our school. The University is scared to death to put any money into a weight room that only athletes can use. If they really cared about academics for our athletes, and not just the perception of caring about academics, they would use that money to hire a staff of tudors for our athletes. We will have an academic center with no academic support staff for the athletes. This is a glorified study hall that is a huge waste of money. We are throwing money towards a problem that doesn't exist.

We need a new weight room

Exactly! Why would anyone allow academics to get in the way of athletics? This administration needs to get their priorities straight. Putting academics before griz football? Inconceivable!!

 

[Grisly Fan]

The Academic Center is a completely unnecessary project. The Academic Center will not help our student athletes get better grades nor will it help attract high level student athletes to the University. A new weight room would help attract these kids to our school. The University is scared to death to put any money into a weight room that only athletes can use. If they really cared about academics for our athletes, and not just the perception of caring about academics, they would use that money to hire a staff of tudors for our athletes. We will have an academic center with no academic support staff for the athletes. This is a glorified study hall that is a huge waste of money. We are throwing money towards a problem that doesn't exist.

We need a new weight room

Exactly! Why would anyone allow academics to get in the way of athletics? This administration needs to get their priorities straight. Putting academics before griz football? Inconceivable!!

Akademiqs is hily over raytid.

 

[Washgrizfan1]

Realizing that a new academic center is a higher priority than a new weight room and locker rooms for Engstrom, is there any connection between the size or quality of an academic center and the quality of athletics, especially football? Does the size or quality of an academic center help attract better recruits? Does an outdated and deficient weight room and locker room negatively impact recruiting?

Will $2.5 million of private funds have a negative impact on raising private funds for a weight room and locker rooms?

Answers: no or probably not, no, yes, yes or probably yes.

 

[grizindabox]

Realizing that a new academic center is a higher priority than a new weight room and locker rooms for Engstrom, is there any connection between the size or quality of an academic center and the quality of athletics, especially football? Does the size or quality of an academic center help attract better recruits? Does an outdated and deficient weight room and locker room negatively impact recruiting?

Will $2.5 million of private funds have a negative impact on raising private funds for a weight room and locker rooms?

Answers: no or probably not, no, yes, yes or probably yes.

The flaw with your whiny post is that the Academic Center was the priority well before Royce was a major player in any decision making at the U. You and GrizWhinyInWA seem to forget that without academics there would be no athletics. Do you really think the State and educators in the Montana University System would keep giving money to athletics if they did not make an attempt to promote the actual "student" part of student-athlete...it is call politics.