Running for Trustee - Keep 100% of BTN Revenue in the Athletic Dept.

[oldcougar77]

Sorry but just don’t agree. Liberal arts education has become non analytical and ideological based that produces students who are unable to even hear other viewpoints let alone consider them.

Many engineers work successfully outside the US and there is a huuuge difference between studying an ideological analysis about how another culture works versus how it actually works on a day by day basis.

I couldn't disagree any more strongly. I have two daughters who have earned liberal arts degrees in the last 10 years and another who will earn one in 2020. Their university education has had exactly the opposite effect on all three - just as it did for me almost forty years ago.

The biggest problem in America is the vast number of undereducated adults who still can't shed racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, prejudices and who are dumb enough to believe a snake-oil salesman can return them to previous point in time where the underskilled can expect to earn a middle-class living.

The second biggest problem is a privileged political class that can afford to have its children educated ( or buy their way in) and who couldn't care less if anyone else in this country earns a living wage or can afford a higher education for themselves or their children. They view higher education - and in some cases all education - as an expense that takes tax dollars from their pockets rather than an investment in the growth of this nation. They endorse and promote a perverse student loan system that rivals the payday loan racket in its cruelty. They willingly tolerate a system that provides short-term tax relief for themselves at the expense of creating future generations who won't be able to afford the consumer spending or investing that drive this nation's economy. Young people who can't afford homes or cars or set aside money for retirement because of unnecessary and exorbitant student loan interest rates are only going to be rivaled by their undereducated, unskilled peers who made the decision to avoid the debt but can't find decent jobs. The shortsightedness of this folly would be laughable if it weren't so damn terrifying.

The end result is a catch-22 for working class families. Forego a college education and struggle to make ends meet in low-skill, low-wage jobs the rest of their lives, or take on the burden of massive debt and struggle to achieve some semblance of the American dream.

I really fear that it's going to be too late when we finally wake up in this country and realize that the concentration of wealth that our policies have been so actively encouraging in this century are going to bite us all in the ass, rich and poor alike. An uneducated, unhealthy labor force that can't afford decent health care or an education operating in a nation with crumbling infrastructure trying to compete in the world against nations that made the decision to invest in future generations.

 

[CriticArisen]

Funny, I have found the opposite from what is posted in your first paragraph. But, I can understand your viewpoint. Such a polarizing media today doesn't allow those closer to the middle of the issues to have their say. Which results on the right seeing the left as inflexible and vice versa. Extremists get in the news because of their extremism.

And as to the second paragraph, there is a difference in studying and total immersion in a culture. But, one should not exclude the other. I have found that studying Spanish has increased my desire to go to Spain and to Latin America. It also gives a leg up on just going there. Which I have done too. I have volunteered to assist immigrants to study and to pass the US Citizenship Tests and Interviews. My wife volunteers to teach and is active in English as a Second Language classes through a local county program.

So we disagree on both accounts. But do appreciate the comments.

The polarizing media you cite have the liberal arts education that you support. I don’t know what you have experienced that is the opposite. Liberal Arts universities across the country have banned main stream speakers who promulgate views that are in opposition to the general ideology of the university.

This entire idea about studying cultures often includes an element of stereotyping. At the end of the day people are people and they have similar needs and wants no matter what the culture.

 

[lxetvrts]

The biggest problem in America is the vast number of undereducated adults who still can't shed racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, prejudices and who are dumb enough to believe a snake-oil salesman

This response illustrates CriticArisen's point.

 

[oldcougar77]

The polarizing media you cite have the liberal arts education that you support. I don’t know what you have experienced that is the opposite. Liberal Arts universities across the country have banned main stream speakers who promulgate views that are in opposition to the general ideology of the university.

This entire idea about studying cultures often includes an element of stereotyping. At the end of the day people are people and they have similar needs and wants no matter what the culture.

While those things have occurred, they are rare, not commonplace. What is more problematic is the seizing upon these incidents by the ultra-right to create a false narrative that universities are places that brainwash defenseless youth. Give your kids (and my kids) a little more credit. The idea that more education is more dangerous and threatening to a free society than ignorance is ludicrous.

 

[snarlcakes]

I couldn't disagree any more strongly. I have two daughters who have earned liberal arts degrees in the last 10 years and another who will earn one in 2020. Their university education has had exactly the opposite effect on all three - just as it did for me almost forty years ago.

The biggest problem in America is the vast number of undereducated adults who still can't shed racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, prejudices and who are dumb enough to believe a snake-oil salesman can return them to previous point in time where the underskilled can expect to earn a middle-class living.

The second biggest problem is a privileged political class that can afford to have its children educated ( or buy their way in) and who couldn't care less if anyone else in this country earns a living wage or can afford a higher education for themselves or their children. They view higher education - and in some cases all education - as an expense that takes tax dollars from their pockets rather than an investment in the growth of this nation. They endorse and promote a perverse student loan system that rivals the payday loan racket in its cruelty. They willingly tolerate a system that provides short-term tax relief for themselves at the expense of creating future generations who won't be able to afford the consumer spending or investing that drive this nation's economy. Young people who can't afford homes or cars or set aside money for retirement because of unnecessary and exorbitant student loan interest rates are only going to be rivaled by their undereducated, unskilled peers who made the decision to avoid the debt but can't find decent jobs. The shortsightedness of this folly would be laughable if it weren't so damn terrifying.

The end result is a catch-22 for working class families. Forego a college education and struggle to make ends meet in low-skill, low-wage jobs the rest of their lives, or take on the burden of massive debt and struggle to achieve some semblance of the American dream.

I really fear that it's going to be too late when we finally wake up in this country and realize that the concentration of wealth that our policies have been so actively encouraging in this century are going to bite us all in the ass, rich and poor alike. An uneducated, unhealthy labor force that can't afford decent health care or an education operating in a nation with crumbling infrastructure trying to compete in the world against nations that made the decision to invest in future generations.

Your first paragraph is fine. The rest of your post belongs on the political board. Also, do yourself a favor and read Steven Pinker's "Now" book. The world isn't as scary as you think in comparison to the rest of human history and what the media portrays.

 

[82hoosier]

I bet this platform of more money for athletics and lower tuition costs would sell very well in the SEC.

 

[Daydreamer]

"The $53 million building was funded entirely through university sources with half of the funding coming from IU's Big Ten Network revenues, representing the largest-ever commitment from IU Athletics revenue to support the core academic mission of the university."

https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Global+and+International+Studies+Building+Dedication+Ceremony/1_f7ozd2pd

And?

Practically every major athletic department returns money to academics. There isn’t anything unique or special about what IU has done here. If you want to be a Trustee, you should understand this. Instead, all you’ve done here is practice and encourage confirmation bias.

 

[snarlcakes]

"The $53 million building was funded entirely through university sources with half of the funding coming from IU's Big Ten Network revenues, representing the largest-ever commitment from IU Athletics revenue to support the core academic mission of the university."

https://iu.mediaspace.kaltura.com/media/Global+and+International+Studies+Building+Dedication+Ceremony/1_f7ozd2pd

Thanks for posting. I hope you win.

 

[IDontWannaLargeFarva]

I couldn't disagree any more strongly. I have two daughters who have earned liberal arts degrees in the last 10 years and another who will earn one in 2020. Their university education has had exactly the opposite effect on all three - just as it did for me almost forty years ago.

The biggest problem in America is the vast number of undereducated adults who still can't shed racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, prejudices and who are dumb enough to believe a snake-oil salesman can return them to previous point in time where the underskilled can expect to earn a middle-class living.

The second biggest problem is a privileged political class that can afford to have its children educated ( or buy their way in) and who couldn't care less if anyone else in this country earns a living wage or can afford a higher education for themselves or their children. They view higher education - and in some cases all education - as an expense that takes tax dollars from their pockets rather than an investment in the growth of this nation. They endorse and promote a perverse student loan system that rivals the payday loan racket in its cruelty. They willingly tolerate a system that provides short-term tax relief for themselves at the expense of creating future generations who won't be able to afford the consumer spending or investing that drive this nation's economy. Young people who can't afford homes or cars or set aside money for retirement because of unnecessary and exorbitant student loan interest rates are only going to be rivaled by their undereducated, unskilled peers who made the decision to avoid the debt but can't find decent jobs. The shortsightedness of this folly would be laughable if it weren't so damn terrifying.

The end result is a catch-22 for working class families. Forego a college education and struggle to make ends meet in low-skill, low-wage jobs the rest of their lives, or take on the burden of massive debt and struggle to achieve some semblance of the American dream.

I really fear that it's going to be too late when we finally wake up in this country and realize that the concentration of wealth that our policies have been so actively encouraging in this century are going to bite us all in the ass, rich and poor alike. An uneducated, unhealthy labor force that can't afford decent health care or an education operating in a nation with crumbling infrastructure trying to compete in the world against nations that made the decision to invest in future generations.

“I hate rich people and Trump voters”

 

[snarlcakes]

And?

Practically every major athletic department returns money to academics. There isn’t anything unique or special about what IU has done here. If you want to be a Trustee, you should understand this. Instead, all you’ve done here is practice and encourage confirmation bias.

Perhaps you can post some examples? Then we can compare how much each school spends on academics and form an opinion on facts? Instead all you have done is made unsubstantiated claims to reaffirm your own confirmation bias.

 

[Daydreamer]

Perhaps you can post some examples? Then we can compare how much each school spends on academics and form an opinion on facts? Instead all you have done is made unsubstantiated claims to reaffirm your own confirmation bias.

Okay, here’s 10 for you.
https://247sports.com/Bolt/Report-10-athletic-departments-gave-more-money-to-academics-43162535/

Note that this is a list of schools who gave back more than they received in subsidies, not a comprehensive list of schools who put money back into academics. That list is much longer. Please note who #10 is. Also note who isn’t on that list. Now go back and reread IUgradman’s post that I called fantasy.

 

[Daydreamer]

Okay, here’s 10 for you.
https://247sports.com/Bolt/Report-10-athletic-departments-gave-more-money-to-academics-43162535/

Note that this is a list of schools who gave back more than they received in subsidies, not a comprehensive list of schools who put money back into academics. That list is much longer. Please note who #10 is. Also note who isn’t on that list. Now go back and reread IUgradman’s post that I called fantasy.

And just to add to this thought, Purdue didn't pay for the building with "BTN money". They built it with private donations and debt.
https://www.purdue.edu/newsroom/rel...es-new-everyday-home-of-the-boilermakers.html

 

[mrhighlife]

BTN is most certainly not affiliated with ESPN or ABC. Until you can get the basic facts right, not much else you say is relevant.

Sorry its 51% owned by Fox which has right air agreements with ESPN. So sorry I was waaaaay off.

 

[snarlcakes]

Okay, here’s 10 for you.
https://247sports.com/Bolt/Report-10-athletic-departments-gave-more-money-to-academics-43162535/

Note that this is a list of schools who gave back more than they received in subsidies, not a comprehensive list of schools who put money back into academics. That list is much longer. Please note who #10 is. Also note who isn’t on that list. Now go back and reread IUgradman’s post that I called fantasy.

Thanks for the information. Some thoughts. I tried to read the The Chronicle study that 247 cite, but it was behind a paywall. I am skeptical of the source considering it's inherent bias. For example it's first sentence, "Less than $1 of every $100 in revenue generated by major college athletic departments at public colleges is directed to academic programs, according to a Chronicle analysis of NCAA financial statements". The study should have been conducted in profit, rather then revenue. For example IU's total revenue was around 122 million, in 2018, and they profited around 6 million. Putting that aside.

If the numbers remained consistent it would put IU in the top 5 after their 26.5 million investment in the media space project (whatever the name of it is). I consider that very unique. I wouldn't take any issue with it, if IU invested similar amounts of money into their basketball and football programs as OSU, Texas, LSU, and Bama. Of course we don't and people should take issue with that. Putting aside the drastic differences in facilities just look at coaching salaries:

OSU- 7+ million for football and 7+ million (including Holtmann's buyout) basketball
Bama- 8+ million for football and 2.8 million for basketball
Texas- 5 million for football and 3.2 million
IU-1.8 million for football and 3.6 million for basketball

I could also include assistants and it looks worse for IU. Both of Bama's coordinators make over a million a year.

It's safe to say IU athletic department has been overly generous in the amount of money it has given back for academics when compared to it's peers. It's also true that they have been extremely stingy when it comes to investing in coaches and facilities when compared to it's peers. I am not sure why any IU alum or fan wouldn't want IU's athletic department to invest more into their coaches and facilities.

 

[speroni]

Your first paragraph is fine. The rest of your post belongs on the political board. Also, do yourself a favor and read Steven Pinker's "Now" book. The world isn't as scary as you think in comparison to the rest of human history and what the media portrays.

I have disagreed with almost every post you have made on this board. In this instance, I felt it was time to offer you some support! Yes, I do wish those with political agendas ON BOTH SIDES would leave their opinions off of this board. It's a basketball related board (which really has me wondering if someone who is trying to be on the BOT should be campaigning here either).

 

[Harry Hondo]

My name is Brian Davidson and I am running for the Indiana University Board of Trustees. Before I explain who I am, I want to express WHY I am running.

My platform consists of two very simple messages.

First, I support immediate TUITION CAPS to ensure Indiana University students are earning the highest possible return on their educational investment. I do not believe the university is adequately changing its financial and educational models to compete in our rapidly changing communities and economies. Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and other disruptive technologies will radically transform our lives and our world in the coming decade. Universities will need to adapt. Or, they will risk saddling students with outdated skills and mountains of debt. Tuition caps will encourage the university to leverage technology to increase teaching efficiency, reevaluate degrees and programs that do not attract student interest or provide students with reasonable economic prospects, and help curb the devastating growth of student debt.

Second, I support giving Indiana University’s student-athletes the financial resources necessary to achieve excellence on the field and in the classroom. As trustee, I will work to see that 100% of B1G Network Revenue remains in the athletic department. The hundreds of Hoosier student-athletes have EARNED that money representing our school in thousands of competitions across the country. It should be spent supporting them and their pursuit of excellence, both athletic and academic. While athletics may seem a trivial pursuit for a university, one does not have to look far to see the financial and community benefits derived from having a successful athletic department, such as those maintained at universities in neighboring Michigan and Ohio.

Who am I?

I graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 2004 with degrees in entrepreneurship, marketing, and management. I was a member of my fraternity’s executive council and participated in our national philanthropic outreach event - bicycling over 3,700 miles across the United States to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities. The experience had a profound effect on my core values.

Post-graduation, I settled in Chicago, where I had the opportunity to put my education and entrepreneurial mindset to work when starting my business, Matchnode Digital Marketing. Matchnode has had the privilege of working with numerous well-known brands, but none more so than the Indiana Alumni Association and Foundation. I regularly participate in alumni events in the Chicago-land area, and have even had the pleasure of hiring several Indiana University graduates.

Over the years, my passion for Indiana University has never wavered. Each fall, I renew my near weekly pilgrimage down I-65 and Route 37 to watch Hoosier football, basketball, and soccer. My family and I planted a tree outside Memorial Stadium, I bought an RV for fall weekends, and I met my wife, a fellow Hoosier, at a football tailgate. My wife and I were married at Beck Chapel last year, something I once dreamed about during a campus walk during my freshman orientation.

I believe my dedication to Indiana University, my perspective as a digital business owner, and my focus on student economics give me a unique voice for change. I humbly ask for your consideration to represent you as a trustee.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss any of my positions at 812-322-0585 or visit my website at briandavidsonfortrustee.com.

That’s nice, but the original deal with the B1G Presidents and the BTN was to split the profits between athletics and academics. I think you’d have to get the majority of B1G schools to agree in order to change the contract.

 

[snarlcakes]

That’s nice, but the original deal with the B1G Presidents and the BTN was to split the profits between athletics and academics. I think you’d have to get the majority of B1G schools to agree in order to change the contract.

If true this would have been helpful before I spent 20 minutes looking up revenues and etc. Where were you then when I needed you, Hondo?

 

[hondo314]

Sorry but just don’t agree. Liberal arts education has become non analytical and ideological based that produces students who are unable to even hear other viewpoints let alone consider them.

Many engineers work successfully outside the US and there is a huuuge difference between studying an ideological analysis about how another culture works versus how it actually works on a day by day basis.

you're confusing the pejorative liberal with liberal arts, which is ironic because that's the kind of thing they taught us on the liberal arts side. lol. seriously, some of you zombies have just been conditioned to go nuts when you see that word. for more information on this phenomenon, see pavlov's dog but be warned that pavlov had a liberal arts degree...

besides some types of psychology degrees, math and biology are also liberal arts majors. what were you saying about ideological analysis?

newsflash: academics usually tend to be liberal in the sense you are thinking. so let the kiddies be forewarned when picking majors. not saying the world needs more progressives-- er, liberals...or conservatives but it sure as hell needs more people who know what f*** liberal arts means...

 

[BrianDavidsonforTrustee]

Perhaps you can post some examples? Then we can compare how much each school spends on academics and form an opinion on facts? Instead all you have done is made unsubstantiated claims to reaffirm your own confirmation bias.

I have disagreed with almost every post you have made on this board. In this instance, I felt it was time to offer you some support! Yes, I do wish those with political agendas ON BOTH SIDES would leave their opinions off of this board. It's a basketball related board (which really has me wondering if someone who is trying to be on the BOT should be campaigning here either).

That's fair if you don't want to me posting here. I'll continue to tweet, post to Facebook, and email supporters.

I'm dissapointed this post took a turn towards attacking fellow hoosiers.

I do believe our University needs change. I will be the only Challenger in this election. If you want to discuss the role further please give me a call or shoot me a text. 812-322-0585

 

[CriticArisen]

I couldn't disagree any more strongly. I have two daughters who have earned liberal arts degrees in the last 10 years and another who will earn one in 2020. Their university education has had exactly the opposite effect on all three - just as it did for me almost forty years ago.

The biggest problem in America is the vast number of undereducated adults who still can't shed racist, xenophobic, sexist, homophobic, prejudices and who are dumb enough to believe a snake-oil salesman can return them to previous point in time where the underskilled can expect to earn a middle-class living.

The second biggest problem is a privileged political class that can afford to have its children educated ( or buy their way in) and who couldn't care less if anyone else in this country earns a living wage or can afford a higher education for themselves or their children. They view higher education - and in some cases all education - as an expense that takes tax dollars from their pockets rather than an investment in the growth of this nation. They endorse and promote a perverse student loan system that rivals the payday loan racket in its cruelty. They willingly tolerate a system that provides short-term tax relief for themselves at the expense of creating future generations who won't be able to afford the consumer spending or investing that drive this nation's economy. Young people who can't afford homes or cars or set aside money for retirement because of unnecessary and exorbitant student loan interest rates are only going to be rivaled by their undereducated, unskilled peers who made the decision to avoid the debt but can't find decent jobs. The shortsightedness of this folly would be laughable if it weren't so damn terrifying.

The end result is a catch-22 for working class families. Forego a college education and struggle to make ends meet in low-skill, low-wage jobs the rest of their lives, or take on the burden of massive debt and struggle to achieve some semblance of the American dream.

I really fear that it's going to be too late when we finally wake up in this country and realize that the concentration of wealth that our policies have been so actively encouraging in this century are going to bite us all in the ass, rich and poor alike. An uneducated, unhealthy labor force that can't afford decent health care or an education operating in a nation with crumbling infrastructure trying to compete in the world against nations that made the decision to invest in future generations.

you're confusing the pejorative liberal with liberal arts, which is ironic because that's the kind of thing they taught us on the liberal arts side. lol. seriously, some of you zombies have just been conditioned to go nuts when you see that word. for more information on this phenomenon, see pavlov's dog but be warned that pavlov had a liberal arts degree...

besides some types of psychology degrees, math and biology are also liberal arts majors. what were you saying about ideological analysis?

newsflash: academics usually tend to be liberal in the sense you are thinking. so let the kiddies be forewarned when picking majors. not saying the world needs more progressives-- er, liberals...or conservatives but it sure as hell needs more people who know what f*** liberal arts means...

WTF bro. I am in fact referring to liberal arts degrees. You are way out of date using the term liberals. The meaning of “liberal” and “conservative” are really indistinct at this time in US politics.

 

[snarlcakes]

That's fair if you don't want to me posting here. I'll continue to tweet, post to Facebook, and email supporters.

I'm dissapointed this post took a turn towards attacking fellow hoosiers.

I do believe our University needs change. I will be the only Challenger in this election. If you want to discuss the role further please give me a call or shoot me a text. 812-322-0585

I didn’t have any problems with you posting here. I enjoyed the thread and glad you’re running. I hope you’re able to accomplish your goals. I agree with your ideas.

 

[hondo314]

WTF bro. I am in fact referring to liberal arts degrees. You are way out of date using the term liberals. The meaning of “liberal” and “conservative” are really indistinct at this time in US politics.

lol. no, you aren't.

 

[CriticArisen]

lol. no, you aren't.

Sorry but I am. Your post suggests you believe I am conservative and that I dislike liberals. I don’t really know what your definition of conservative since so many definitions are possible at this time but if It is as I suspect then I am far from your idea of an archetypal conservative. Liberal and Conservative generally denote an ideology and I am far from an ideological person. So in fact I am referring to liberal arts education as currently conducted in the US.

 

[oldcougar77]

“I hate rich people and Trump voters”

I have no problem with rich people.

 

[Big Red Crimson Buffalo]

Thanks for the information. Some thoughts. I tried to read the The Chronicle study that 247 cite, but it was behind a paywall. I am skeptical of the source considering it's inherent bias. For example it's first sentence, "Less than $1 of every $100 in revenue generated by major college athletic departments at public colleges is directed to academic programs, according to a Chronicle analysis of NCAA financial statements". The study should have been conducted in profit, rather then revenue. For example IU's total revenue was around 122 million, in 2018, and they profited around 6 million. Putting that aside.

If the numbers remained consistent it would put IU in the top 5 after their 26.5 million investment in the media space project (whatever the name of it is). I consider that very unique. I wouldn't take any issue with it, if IU invested similar amounts of money into their basketball and football programs as OSU, Texas, LSU, and Bama. Of course we don't and people should take issue with that. Putting aside the drastic differences in facilities just look at coaching salaries:

OSU- 7+ million for football and 7+ million (including Holtmann's buyout) basketball
Bama- 8+ million for football and 2.8 million for basketball
Texas- 5 million for football and 3.2 million
IU-1.8 million for football and 3.6 million for basketball

I could also include assistants and it looks worse for IU. Both of Bama's coordinators make over a million a year.

It's safe to say IU athletic department has been overly generous in the amount of money it has given back for academics when compared to it's peers. It's also true that they have been extremely stingy when it comes to investing in coaches and facilities when compared to it's peers. I am not sure why any IU alum or fan wouldn't want IU's athletic department to invest more into their coaches and facilities.

Absolutely- in short, many of those schools bring in more athletic revenue than IU by a country mile. They have the disposable income to do that and still continually spend big money on athletic facilities. It doesn’t hit their pocket book nearly as hard. It’s a mere drop in the bucket for them.

 

[CriticArisen]

I have no problem with rich people.

If a rich person voted for Trump do you have no problem with them because they are rich or hate them because they voted for Trump.

 

[i'vegotwinners]

My name is Brian Davidson and I am running for the Indiana University Board of Trustees. Before I explain who I am, I want to express WHY I am running.

My platform consists of two very simple messages.

First, I support immediate TUITION CAPS to ensure Indiana University students are earning the highest possible return on their educational investment. I do not believe the university is adequately changing its financial and educational models to compete in our rapidly changing communities and economies. Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and other disruptive technologies will radically transform our lives and our world in the coming decade. Universities will need to adapt. Or, they will risk saddling students with outdated skills and mountains of debt. Tuition caps will encourage the university to leverage technology to increase teaching efficiency, reevaluate degrees and programs that do not attract student interest or provide students with reasonable economic prospects, and help curb the devastating growth of student debt.

Second, I support giving Indiana University’s student-athletes the financial resources necessary to achieve excellence on the field and in the classroom. As trustee, I will work to see that 100% of B1G Network Revenue remains in the athletic department. The hundreds of Hoosier student-athletes have EARNED that money representing our school in thousands of competitions across the country. It should be spent supporting them and their pursuit of excellence, both athletic and academic. While athletics may seem a trivial pursuit for a university, one does not have to look far to see the financial and community benefits derived from having a successful athletic department, such as those maintained at universities in neighboring Michigan and Ohio.

Who am I?

I graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 2004 with degrees in entrepreneurship, marketing, and management. I was a member of my fraternity’s executive council and participated in our national philanthropic outreach event - bicycling over 3,700 miles across the United States to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities. The experience had a profound effect on my core values.

Post-graduation, I settled in Chicago, where I had the opportunity to put my education and entrepreneurial mindset to work when starting my business, Matchnode Digital Marketing. Matchnode has had the privilege of working with numerous well-known brands, but none more so than the Indiana Alumni Association and Foundation. I regularly participate in alumni events in the Chicago-land area, and have even had the pleasure of hiring several Indiana University graduates.

Over the years, my passion for Indiana University has never wavered. Each fall, I renew my near weekly pilgrimage down I-65 and Route 37 to watch Hoosier football, basketball, and soccer. My family and I planted a tree outside Memorial Stadium, I bought an RV for fall weekends, and I met my wife, a fellow Hoosier, at a football tailgate. My wife and I were married at Beck Chapel last year, something I once dreamed about during a campus walk during my freshman orientation.

I believe my dedication to Indiana University, my perspective as a digital business owner, and my focus on student economics give me a unique voice for change. I humbly ask for your consideration to represent you as a trustee.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss any of my positions at 812-322-0585 or visit my website at briandavidsonfortrustee.com.

just a heads up Brian, but despite it's getting much of the PR on the subject, i don't think BTN is the big athletic media revenue producer for B10 schools.

unless something has changed recently, the tier1,2 contracts are still the media revenue big dogs for athletics.

that said, at some point gold plated toilets still function just as well as solid gold ones do, and just how much better are imported Italian marble shower walls than domestic.

point being, at some point the athletic facilities arms race produces diminishing returns to all recruits other than the most emotionally needy, who we can probably do without anyway.

until govt reins in the cable/internet beyond belief anti competitive business model, the athletic media money is just going to keep coming in.

at some point, if not already, there are or will be better uses for that money than a new $50,000,000 tiddlywinks arena.

and even that $50 mil tiddlywinks arena would be a better use of money than just giving more and more millions to a few coaches and an AD.

as for the academic side,

teaching people to think and understand and perform and communicate, as opposed to just teaching them the hot job skills of the day, will always be a debated topic.

life is short, complex, and ever changing, with no guarantees.

people should be able to pursue their passion, even if their passion isn't the most profitable skill in today's job market.

that said, pursuing their passion shouldn't cost a beyond ridiculous amount, with poor financing options.

there are about the same number of large state universities today as there were 100 yrs ago, so obviously said schools are pretty much immune to normal competitive market forces such as competitor market entry and price-demand market forces.

absent a normal competitive market environment or normal competitive market forces in play, the only way to hold down, or better yet lower, tuition and board, is with a gun to their head and forcing them to live within a budget..

as otherwise, why else would they, and who could ever force them to?

the problem isn't with youth pursuing their passion.

the problem is the out of control cost of doing so, with no constraints to said runaway out of control costs, anywhere in sight.

and what looks like the hot money making degree today, other than medicine, may not look so hot tomorrow.

good luck with the IU board thing, but you'll need to go into bigger politics to ever bring about the changes needed so desperately.

as that "gun to their head", can only, i repeat ONLY, come from govt, when big state and even private schools are pretty much totally immune from most market forces that control pricing in other industries.

 

[76-1]

OK ...

I've given you a couple of days...

You're losing my vote if you can't come up with a plausible list of JUCO's who might be able to help us immediately!

Hey..., a man's gotta have his priorities...

 

[BrianDavidsonforTrustee]

OK ...

I've given you a couple of days...

You're losing my vote if you can't come up with a plausible list of JUCO's who might be able to help us immediately!

Hey..., a man's gotta have his priorities...

Then I'm not gonna get it! Recruiting isn't my thing

 

[BrianDavidsonforTrustee]

I wanted to let the thread know that our official campaign statements have been posted to the IUAA website: https://alumni.iu.edu/events/trustee-election/biographies/index.html

If you agreed or disagreed with any of my statements, you can weigh the choice in this election.

 

[RickyRoe87]

Employers today want cogs for their machines. They're not willing to take someone with a broad based liberal arts degree and train them up for a position. They'd rather go with the plug-n-play candidate.

It's the same in the trades. Industry used to provide apprenticeships, and strong unions would train up new workers to go into their respective fields. Now that the unions have been broken and the industries themselves aren't willing to provide the training, all you hear is whining about how there aren't enough qualified workers.

My union isn't broken (local 22 Indianapolis) It's more that kids don't want to work for anything anymore. Every year 22 brings in about 35-50 kids to start an apprenticeship at $19.00 an hour and without fail by the time the first year is over about 20% of the class is gone due to failed drug tests, failure to show up for work and or apprenticeship school, or they are continually laid off from the companies they are dispatched to due to pure laziness....

 

[UncleMark]

My union isn't broken (local 22 Indianapolis) It's more that kids don't want to work for anything anymore. Every year 22 brings in about 35-50 kids to start an apprenticeship at $19.00 an hour and without fail by the time the first year is over about 20% of the class is gone due to failed drug tests, failure to show up for work and or apprenticeship school, or they are continually laid off from the companies they are dispatched to due to pure laziness....

So 80% complete successfully? That sounds pretty good to me, relatively speaking. I suspect many outfits would be happy to have only a 20% washout rate.

 

[RickyRoe87]

So 80% complete successfully? That sounds pretty good to me, relatively speaking. I suspect many outfits would be happy to have only a 20% washout rate.

I wish it was 80% probably closer to 50% as it is a 4 year apprenticeship.

 

[mcmurtry66]

I hear you but have a different perspective on liberal educations. While a technical or professional education focus is necessary for many reasons in society, many believe that the liberal education provides lots.

Liberal arts education is typically broad-based and exposes students to science, mathematics, social sciences, and humanities. This broad knowledge of the wider world will prepare one to deal with complexity, diversity, and change. A liberal arts education will also help one develop a strong sense of social responsibility as well as strong and transferable intellectual and practical skills, such as communication, analytical, and problem-solving abilities, and a demonstrated ability to apply knowledge and skills in real-world settings.

I have a business degree and an engineering degree (not from Purdue). But many of my treasured classes were in the liberal arts areas. For instance: music, theater, psychology, sociology, cultural anthropology, English, Spanish, literature, geology, philosophy, political science, public speaking, even athletics.

I believe a well-rounded education assists one in many social areas. I think that many engineers and technical experts would benefit greatly learning more about other cultures and ways of life. And how to live within a society of many different people.

Good post and I agree. The issue becomes at what cost? At 15k a year it’s one thing at 50k a year it’s another. It’s been 25 years since I was in undergrad - before this insane tuition inflation. What I assumed was that these obscene tuitions were mostly a fiction: rich foreign kids paid full freight, by way of example, but most residents etc cobbled packages of loans, grants, and aid that result in few paying full tuition

 

[darkhawk returns]

Education should be a public University's #1 priority NO MATTER WHAT! If they need to borrow money from the athletic department, so what? The other way around I have a major problem with. As for tuition, you state you want the students to get the most possible out of their education while simultaneously saying you want to cut down on funding for education by limiting tuition (with no regard for the fact it is state/national funding cuts that typically result in larger tuition increases). It is the typical flaw of the extremist Conservative. Yes, I wholeheartedly agree with you Athletic Department dollars ideally should remain in the AD. However, without the University, their would be no AD. So, your proposal is fundamentally flawed. I don't agree, at all, with inflexible platforms (as you have no idea what issues could arise to further cause issues with your ideas). Either way, as a trustee, you should be 95% concerned with how the University itself (and probably the mold issues in the dorms needing dramatic upgrades for decades) and closer to 3-4% concerned about the AD budget (that is doing quite well since Glass got there, even with the University taking a rather small portion of the B10 money). The AD should ALWAYS have a surplus, by design. It should never be a drain on the public part of the University (unless we were a small school with very limited fan base).

My name is Brian Davidson and I am running for the Indiana University Board of Trustees. Before I explain who I am, I want to express WHY I am running.

My platform consists of two very simple messages.

First, I support immediate TUITION CAPS to ensure Indiana University students are earning the highest possible return on their educational investment. I do not believe the university is adequately changing its financial and educational models to compete in our rapidly changing communities and economies. Machine Learning, Artificial Intelligence, and other disruptive technologies will radically transform our lives and our world in the coming decade. Universities will need to adapt. Or, they will risk saddling students with outdated skills and mountains of debt. Tuition caps will encourage the university to leverage technology to increase teaching efficiency, reevaluate degrees and programs that do not attract student interest or provide students with reasonable economic prospects, and help curb the devastating growth of student debt.

Second, I support giving Indiana University’s student-athletes the financial resources necessary to achieve excellence on the field and in the classroom. As trustee, I will work to see that 100% of B1G Network Revenue remains in the athletic department. The hundreds of Hoosier student-athletes have EARNED that money representing our school in thousands of competitions across the country. It should be spent supporting them and their pursuit of excellence, both athletic and academic. While athletics may seem a trivial pursuit for a university, one does not have to look far to see the financial and community benefits derived from having a successful athletic department, such as those maintained at universities in neighboring Michigan and Ohio.

Who am I?

I graduated from the Kelley School of Business in 2004 with degrees in entrepreneurship, marketing, and management. I was a member of my fraternity’s executive council and participated in our national philanthropic outreach event - bicycling over 3,700 miles across the United States to raise money and awareness for people with disabilities. The experience had a profound effect on my core values.

Post-graduation, I settled in Chicago, where I had the opportunity to put my education and entrepreneurial mindset to work when starting my business, Matchnode Digital Marketing. Matchnode has had the privilege of working with numerous well-known brands, but none more so than the Indiana Alumni Association and Foundation. I regularly participate in alumni events in the Chicago-land area, and have even had the pleasure of hiring several Indiana University graduates.

Over the years, my passion for Indiana University has never wavered. Each fall, I renew my near weekly pilgrimage down I-65 and Route 37 to watch Hoosier football, basketball, and soccer. My family and I planted a tree outside Memorial Stadium, I bought an RV for fall weekends, and I met my wife, a fellow Hoosier, at a football tailgate. My wife and I were married at Beck Chapel last year, something I once dreamed about during a campus walk during my freshman orientation.

I believe my dedication to Indiana University, my perspective as a digital business owner, and my focus on student economics give me a unique voice for change. I humbly ask for your consideration to represent you as a trustee.

Please feel free to contact me to discuss any of my positions at 812-322-0585 or visit my website at briandavidsonfortrustee.com.

 

[darkhawk returns]

The biggest problem is any time there is a budget crisis at the state or federal level Education is one of the first places cut from. The University plans for long term on projects, staff (a lot more than just professors and the like), and even adding/improving areas of education. Each time the budget is cut (usually to fund a tax break or war, as if we ever fully cover the costs of either), they have to find ways to pay for projects already committed to or finished. Add to this basic requirements from the government that change depending on who is in power, and you begin to see some of the problems. They have to stay competitive with the rest of the public Universities to attract the best students. Now, can you see some of the reasons tuition goes up? Maybe rethink who you vote for in state/federal elections, if you don't want tuition to continue to skyrocket? Maybe don't elect someone who heads the Department of Education with someone who openly believes public education should be done away with and education isn't a right?

Good post and I agree. The issue becomes at what cost? At 15k a year it’s one thing at 50k a year it’s another. It’s been 25 years since I was in undergrad - before this insane tuition inflation. What I assumed was that these obscene tuitions were mostly a fiction: rich foreign kids paid full freight, by way of example, but most residents etc cobbled packages of loans, grants, and aid that result in few paying full tuition

 

[BrianDavidsonforTrustee]

I'm not sure if that post was directed at me, so I will respond.

1) You are making assumptions on how I vote.
2) I'm not advocating for cutting education spending. I'm advocating for cutting tuition.

Brian

 

[IU? I'm Fine]

I'm not sure if that post was directed at me, so I will respond.

1) You are making assumptions on how I vote.
2) I'm not advocating for cutting education spending. I'm advocating for cutting tuition.

Brian

So, Brian, what happens if the proposed cuts in tuition do not result in efficiencies and cost savings that were envisioned in your original post?

There are some similarities to rent controls. While both caps in tuition and rent are well meaning, they may have ramifications that are not intended.

For instance, rent controls save bundles for those that get in under the cap. But those coming afterwards may experience accelerated increases. Plus landlords may demolish older rentals since new construction may not come under the controls.

Many cities have found that tax breaks seem to stabilize some net rents and stop the fast gentrification.

Why not propose more student financial assistance?

 

[BrianDavidsonforTrustee]

Great questions. In my opinion, a tuition cap is a little different than rent control. The original issue with rent is that government capped profit on the private sector thus supply diminished. This resulted in non-capped property seeing a large spike. I believe a self-imposed cap wouldn't hurt supply.

I favor lowering costs across the board vs financial aid for a few reasons. One, the financial aid process is a maze (I used to help families try to navigate the maze at my first job). Various scholarships, grants, and general aid are applied inconsistently (the actually create externalities a little bit like rent control!). Two, it is my contention that the entire collegiate system is creating a nation-wide debt problem. We have to find a way to educate our population at a lower cost. IU should be a leader in solving that problem.

As to your initial point about what if this doesn't work? I'm running to be a part of the board to bring a different point of view to the room. If these ideas were accepted, they could just as easily be reversed.

 

[IU? I'm Fine]

Great questions. In my opinion, a tuition cap is a little different than rent control. The original issue with rent is that government capped profit on the private sector thus supply diminished. This resulted in non-capped property seeing a large spike. I believe a self-imposed cap wouldn't hurt supply.

I favor lowering costs across the board vs financial aid for a few reasons. One, the financial aid process is a maze (I used to help families try to navigate the maze at my first job). Various scholarships, grants, and general aid are applied inconsistently (the actually create externalities a little bit like rent control!). Two, it is my contention that the entire collegiate system is creating a nation-wide debt problem. We have to find a way to educate our population at a lower cost. IU should be a leader in solving that problem.

As to your initial point about what if this doesn't work? I'm running to be a part of the board to bring a different point of view to the room. If these ideas were accepted, they could just as easily be reversed.

Thanks for an answer. But the answer to my question about other ramifications and possibly increasing tuition aide was not directly addressed.

Your answer says if caps don't work they can be reversed. That avoids the issue that they may not work and the impacts may affect students, business and the university for years.

The linked article discusses some similar items in a neighboring state. https://www.masu.org/policyreports/masuhighereducationpublicpolicyagenda/tuitionpolicy/

Has the State of Indiana or Indiana University already studied this? Purdue Global has.