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Wow - MGN Silver Membership is now $250 :-(

  • Prolific said...

    Lackluster overrall giving is a big reason why the school has sort of maxed out its climb in the rankings. I never quite understood why the culture of institutional pride is relatively weak compared to similar schools. Somehow that needs to change.

    People tend to give for two reasons: 1. The school's academic reputation and 2. The school's athletic success.

    UMD's academic reputation has risen significantly in the past 10-15 years, but, before that, it was a notch below the top public universities, so it doesn't have the sustained academic reputation that some of the other schools mentioned in this thread have.

    We've also never had a sustained multi-decade period of success in football or men's basketball. It's always been a few years up followed by a few years down. You need long, sustained periods of success to turn casual fans into the hardcore fans who donate money.

    Then there's other ancillary factors like the fact that much of the local community is transient, so 'Maryland pride' isn't instilled in people from a young age.

    UMD2004

  • bkmalik said...

    OK, so they either have decades of success or 400 years of academic and old money connections.

    Maryland has to do things differently because they don't have hundreds of years of charitable good will built up with their alumni.

    And alumni giving is separate from athletic donations, IMO. Athletic donations should receive benefits. My donation to the school at large is strictly charitable.

    again, Illinois or Pittsburgh have 400 years of academic success or old money connections?

    goterpss

  • UMD2004 said...

    People tend to give for two reasons: 1. The school's academic reputation and 2. The school's athletic success.

    UMD's academic reputation has risen significantly in the past 10-15 years, but, before that, it was a notch below the top public universities, so it doesn't have the sustained academic reputation that some of the other schools mentioned in this thread have.

    We've also never had a sustained multi-decade period of success in football or men's basketball. It's always been a few years up followed by a few years down. You need long, sustained periods of success to turn casual fans into the hardcore fans who donate money.

    Then there's other ancillary factors like the fact that much of the local community is transient, so 'Maryland pride' isn't instilled in people from a young age.

    I don't disagree, but plenty of schools with little success or academic reputation do it better than us.

    FYI, Clemson raised $18 million last year through IPTAY (their Terrapin Club).

    goterpss

  • goterpss said...

    again, Illinois or Pittsburgh have 400 years of academic success or old money connections?

    So what do they do that Maryland doesn't? I would seriously like to know.

    bkmalik

  • goterpss said...

    again, Illinois or Pittsburgh have 400 years of academic success or old money connections?

    Pittsburgh claims nine football national championships; Illinois claims five. It may not be a significant factor because most of them were 50+ years ago, but I'm sure they use them to beat their chests about their great "tradition."

    This post was edited by UMD2004 on 12/22/2011 at 4:11 PM

    UMD2004

  • afterp said...

    So, for my donation last year I got a giant middle finger and this year I'm offered the chance to renew for more than twice the money at less than half the benefits offered the season prior. Screw that.

    +1

    HungryHerman

  • bkmalik said...

    So what do they do that Maryland doesn't? I would seriously like to know.

    64K question.

    Here's my main list:

    1) We instill no local pride. People on Ohio who have no connection to Ohio St bleed that school. The same can be said for a lot less prominent schools. (we're also a much smaller state).

    2) We got started late

    3) We haven't been great in football -- basketball has essentially kept this department afloat for 10 years. That sport is much less the money generator than football so really speaks to the success and demand there.

    4) We're a working class school. Also minorities and first generation college grads tend to be less charitable (across all philanthropy) than others, go figure.

    goterpss

  • UMD2004 said...

    Pittsburgh claims nine football national championships; Illinois claims five. It may not be a significant factor because most of them were 50+ years ago, but I'm sure they use them to beat their chests about their great "tradition."

    Eight of Pittsburgh's football NC's came between 1915 - 1937. I want to meet the guy that's donating based on their tradition, they can't even keep a coach for more than 4 years.

    goterpss

  • goterpss said...

    I don't disagree, but plenty of schools with little success or academic reputation do it better than us.

    FYI, Clemson raised $18 million last year through IPTAY (their Terrapin Club).

    You know that's because they have that crazy, southern football passion that we're never going to have.

    And, as I pointed out earlier, they also have the smallest endowment in the conference.

    UMD2004

  • I know, but we can and should have a better fraction of that.

    goterpss

  • The thing is you can't change a "culture" (whatever that means) overnight.

    You can't get on your pedestal and say "Hey, our culture of giving here sucks. That's why our teams suck. Why don't you start giving us lots of your hard earned money? Then we'll be as awesome as UNC, Florida, etc."

    It doesn't work like that. The way it works here is that, hey, I'll give you 100 bucks this time and see what happens. If we get good results and I feel great talking shit to my UVA coworkers then the next time, I'll give you 500 bucks. And if we continue to be good then maybe I'll give you 1000 bucks. But the moment I see you hire that POS Randy Edsall who goes on to dismantle our team, I'll go back to giving 100 bucks or maybe even nothing until you get rid of that asshole.

    Turtle Roar

  • All of you shut up and start writing checks. Jesus. The fact you are all looking for "benefits" from these donations is the reason we are second class to begin with. Write checks, and awesome will follow.

    AstrMikeDexter

  • Pitt has the med school. My ex boyfriend went there and worked the phones, and most of their big alumni donors are from the medical school.

    purplehayes

  • I know that some stores that are trying to build business, raise their prices and lower their service level.

    Then they go out of business.

    SATerp

  • goterpss said...

    because you actually want to support the initiative. that's generally the impetus behind a charitable contribution.

    In other words you want us to take a course of action to lower our endowment.

    letsgoterps

  • I do what I do every year: claim the value of my posting to 24/7 as an in-kind charitable contribution to the athletic department, then deduct it from my taxes.

    This year I donated 19 million dollars. It does look weird to write "YOUNG MEN" on my taxes, though, but tax law is tax law.

    "And I try to har-mo-nize with songs the lonesome sparrow sings... There are no kings inside the Gates of Eden."

    dixonownsyou

  • purplehayes said...

    Pitt has the med school. My ex boyfriend went there and worked the phones, and most of their big alumni donors are from the medical school.

    This a great point. They also have a law school. People with professional degrees are more likely to donate for obvious reasons.

    Giving the professional schools their own campus was an incredibly short-sighted decision.

    UMD2004

  • Ha, like I've given a single penny to the law school since I've graduated...

    MisterSmiley

  • Objectively looking at the benefit listings, I actually think the Gold Level isn't so bad, if not improved with an "All Access Event" if it will be similar to what the basketball team did. Seems to be the sweet spot in terms of giving levels.

    I can see the Silver level folks issue that their fee has doubled, but frankly the previous staff was giving too much away for that level, and most of it of the garden picnic variety. There are other ways to look at it, but sometimes it just doesn't meet the goal to raise the funds needed. In the old MGN, the Gold Level raised as much if not more than the hundreds that joined at the Silver Level.

    As for Platinum, sure there may not be many, but if you get say 10 folks then you have generated a good amount of revenue for really not much more than a Gold Level member receives. That is truly the philantrophic giving level. There were some attempts of this in the old MGN, but it really wasn't pushed hard.

    MoCoTerp

  • There's a good chance the UMD professional schools eventually fall under the Univ of Maryland umbrella, i think there's a focus group studying it right now. I hear it's imminent.

    I think our endowment number is the System wide endowment which would include the medical and law schools. I know it's a pooled fund.

    goterpss

  • Good points MoCoTerp. I don't really see how the previous staff was giving too much away, the only benefit was some cold appetizers. All the MGN events are Cash Bar so other than giving of their time the Coaching Staff is not giving much at all tangible to the Silver Members.

    My final point on the difference between $100 and $250 is that at a hundred bucks I just sign up no questions asked, at $250 I feel like I need to get it cleared with the boss. This year I don't think she will be too thrilled with that kind of donation..

    Nancy Pelosi - The Gift that Keeps on Giving..

    TerpFaith

  • goterpss said...

    The Terrapin Club (and pretty sure the MGN) are most certainly 503b charities.

    Not sure what you mean. Section 503 b covers prohibited transactions.

    http://www.coacheshotseat.com/CoachesHotSeatRanking.htm

    everterp

  • everterp said...

    Not sure what you mean. Section 503 b covers prohibited transactions.

    Sounds like that's gonna put a damper on much giving.

    SATerp

  • sorry 501c

    I think those that work in fundraising can appreciate and understand the cut off points, that feed back is very good. You still have the opportunity to support UMD football with a check of $100, though might not get the benefits, etc.

    goterpss

  • goterpss said...

    I don't disagree, but plenty of schools with little success or academic reputation do it better than us.

    FYI, Clemson raised $18 million last year through IPTAY (their Terrapin Club).

    IPTAY: I believe stands for I pay thirty a year...... granted it was given the name a long time ago, however the strategy of getting a lot of people to pay a little makes sense

    I think the MGN peaked at about 1,000 members, I doubt it is close to that anyone. The decision to raise the dues now is foolish.

    North Jim