Hey, Wayne, if the list moderators think this an inappropriate line of
commentary for this list, then He shouldn't have posted it!!
 
John Holyoke's article was great!  It brought out a valid point about a
"dynamic" that the U seems stuck in, one of academics vs. athletics instead
of the U as a whole entity.  I was surprised to read the article because
Holyoke had seemed very critical of UMaine back when I used to read the BDN
every morning.  The BDN seemed to have a policy of biting the U any way it
could for a while there, as though good news was not news and always had to
be tempered, either by a negative slant to the story or by regurgitating past
foibles, (lest we forget).  Now, there seems to be a less sensationalist,
more factual, responsible reporting style coming from Maine largest daily
newspaper.  Bravo, Mark Woodward!
 
When I was FMH prez, and sat on the public relations committee for the Black
Bear Club (which raises funds for athletic scholarships for all sports) we
attempted to identify areas for improvement of the public image of the
athletic department.  The UMaine faculty was often spoken of as a continuing
source of negative images making their way into the Maine's voting public
consciousness.  It made me sad to listen to it, and see the enormous task of
trying to change that bias discussed over and over again, with no apparent
action taken.  Has it always been this way?  I don't recall this being true
back in the dark ages when I was in college.  I was an art major, and still
was proud of the athletes.  I was pretty shocked about 6-8 years ago when I
tried to rope the art department into a fundraising idea (from which they
would also benefit) and encountered scorn from Michael Lewis for any idea
which included athletics.  He wouldn't even give me permission to talk to the
art students about the idea.  That's how mean he felt towards athletics.
 
Professor Locke doesn't seem to share the common academic bias, yet athletics
is where one will see the most impact from his suggested, yet-to-be-defined
policy changes, ie. I don't recall seeing signs all over the MCA like they
are at the Alfond, nor have I heard a Unicel ad before, during and after a
performance.  I know nothing about the financial drain, if any, the MCA and
it's associated works are on State University funds, but in those BBF
meetings we were told by Sue Tyler and Dino Mattesich that athletics takes
only 2% of the funds given to UMaine by the State.  They RAISE the rest of
what's needed, yet are still at a financial disadvantage compared to the
schools they compete against.  Pretty effective bang for the buck, isn't it?
 
How many bunsen burners could that 2% buy?  How many people in Maine would
vote bond issues funding the University if they didn't have some contact with
either of the two main public outlets for UMaine - the MCA or UMaine
athletics?  How many Maine voters are aware of the many other ways UMaine
impacts on our day-to-day lives?  I get slapped regularly with yet another
way either UMaine research or service benefits Maine people.  But if I didn't
have the contacts I have up there, if I still lived in western Maine, in
beautiful Bethel, would I have a clue?  NO!  I would know when the teams win
and lose, though, and I would still go to the MCA and marvel.
 
My point is that academics benefit from athletics.  It is a convoluted route
in some cases, but it is undeniably true.  The benefit is well worth the
relatively small cost of "doing business".  I think that was the main point
Holyoke was trying to make...
 
The Athletic Department pinches as much or more from a penny as any other
department up there.  I hope that gets them some respect, and makes folks sit
up and take notice.  I also hope someone up there starts listening to
analysis of public relations folks (Is Susan Reardon in charge of PR, too?)
and starts impressing this upon the academics who are still laboring under
the delusion that academics would flourish if not for athletics.  Maybe then
there could be a sense of pride in the whole University FROM the whole Univers
ity.
 
Well, Maine is playing BC and winning 2-0.  It's hard to type with my fingers
crossed so...
 
Cathy Hart