Indiana University Athletics
IU Athletics Announces Capital Campaign as Part of University-wide “For All Bicentennial Campaign”
3/6/2016 2:50:00 PM | Football, Varsity Club
BLOOMINGTON, IN - Indiana University Vice President and Director of Intercollegiate Athletics Fred Glass today announced the fundraising goal, volunteer leadership team, and the capital projects which comprise the Athletic Department's capital campaign as part of the University-wide "For All Bicentennial Campaign."
University Campaign
"For All: The Bicentennial Campaign for Indiana University" is unprecedented in its ambition and scope. Under the leadership of President Michael A. McRobbie, "For All" is the first ever all-campus campaign. With an historic goal of $2.5 billion, it is IU's largest campaign ever. It is also one of the largest campaigns ever launched at any public university in the United States. The Campaign is successfully proceeding under the outstanding guidance of IU Foundation President and CEO Daniel C. Smith.
"The bold goals of the Bicentennial Campaign, which are the most ambitious in Indiana University's history and among the largest ever by a public university, will set Indiana University on the course for greatness in its third century," said IU President Michael A. McRobbie. "Built on our strategic priorities, this unprecedented undertaking will fulfill IU's promise to change the way we live through path-breaking research, innovative academic programs, unparalleled international engagement and an accessible and exceptionally valuable education."
"The For All campaign is an ambitious endeavor and a chance to help write the next chapter of IU's great story," said IU Foundation President Dan Smith. "The innovative initiatives put forward by our athletics leaders will not only contribute to the performance of our student athletes in their respective sports, but will prepare them for success throughout their lives."
Athletics Campaign Fundraising
"Also unprecedented in its ambition and scope, The Bicentennial Campaign for Indiana Athletics will help establish this as a new Golden Age of Indiana University Athletics," Glass said, "benefitting all students who participate in intercollegiate athletics for a generation and beyond by providing differentiating facilities and educational support to enable us to continue to compete and excel competitively and financially."
The fundraising goal of the Athletics Campaign is $170 million comprised of a scholarship goal of $85 million and a Capital Projects goal of $85 million. This is an historically ambitious goal. The total goal for Athletics' last fundraising campaign was $80 million for which $92 million was ultimately raised. Already to date Athletics has raised $124 million of this campaign's $170 million goal.
Athletics believes it can be successful in achieving its challenging $170 million goal, in part, because of the recent success in pursuing and securing large gifts. Starting with the Cook gift in 2009, six of the seven largest gifts in department history have occurred in the last eight years ($40, $15, $5, $5, $4, and $2 million). Athletics has raised more than twice the funds in one million dollar and plus gifts since 2009 than in the entire rest of the history of the department. Last year the department set an all-time record in annual giving and increased total giving for the fourth time in five years. Because the department separately funds all administrative fundraising costs, every penny of every contribution goes directly to 100% support every donor's area of interest.
Athletics Campaign Leadership Team
To guide the Athletics Campaign, Glass has appointed a Campaign Steering Committee of extraordinary volunteer leaders. The Committee is co-chaired by Quinn Buckner, Jeff Cohen, Kem Hawkins, Steve Henke, Ned Pfau, Wayne Radford, Larry Rink, Tom Rush, and Cindy Simon Skjodt.
For the first time ever, Glass has also appointed Honorary Co-Chairs for an Athletics capital campaign: Ashley Benson (Volleyball), Derek Drouin (Track and Field), Trent Green (Football), Victor Oladipo (Men's Basketball), Antwaan Randle El (Football, Men's Basketball, and Baseball), and Cody Zeller (Men's Basketball).
Co-Chair Cindy Simon Skjodt, who's Samerian Foundation, made the record setting $40 million gift to the campaign, remarked: "Everyone in our family has enjoyed incredible experiences with Indiana University. We feel fortunate for our IU relationships, and it is rewarding to give back. We hope others in Hoosier Nation who are able to do so will also give back to help make the IU Athletics Campaign a success."
The full membership of the Athletics Campaign Steering Committee, which includes 10 former student-athletes, 2 members of the IU Board of Trustees, and other major supporters of IU Athletics, is attached.
Athletics Campaign Scholarships
IU Athletics pays the campus full tuition, room and board, fees, books, and the like for our students on athletic scholarships without any special university subsidy, fee remission, discounted rate, student fee or state appropriation. Thus, in order to guarantee academic opportunities for our students who compete in intercollegiate athletics, it is critical that we meet our fundraising goal for scholarships which comes primarily from our annual fund donors. In addition to annual giving support, the campaign will also pursue named/endowed scholarships which will be match eligible under certain conditions.
Athletics Campaign Capital Projects
In addition to fully funding our scholarship needs, a successful Athletics Bicentennial Campaign will provide transformative and differentiating facilities to enable those students to successfully compete for Big Ten and national championships and to be prepared to succeed in life as well.
Four major facilities currently comprise the capital projects for the Athletics Campaign: the Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Renovation; the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology; the Memorial Stadium South End Zone Excellence Academy and Football Facility Renovations; and the Indoor Arena. In addition, two other major facility projects will be added to the campaign if fundraising, particularly substantial lead gifts, allow: Renovation of the Golf Course and Renovation of Armstrong Stadium. It is expected that all of these projects will be completed no later than the Bicentennial year of 2019-2020.
Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Renovation
Already well underway, the $45 million Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall Renovation will be completed for the 2016-2017 basketball season. This project will preserve the greatest home court advantage in college basketball for another generation and more by improving the fan experience and fan accessibility, enhancing the building's aesthetics inside and out, and rebuilding its infrastructure. A list of "Key Elements" and some renderings of the renovations are attached.
Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology
Built out in the west side of the future Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall is the Mark Cuban Center for Sports Media and Technology. This state of the art facility, but even more importantly the technology it will provide, will put Indiana University at the cutting edge of sports media and technology, differentiating IU by outdistancing our competition. This will give IU and IU Athletics a great advantage in training existing students and student-athletes, recruiting prospective students and student-athletes, and delivering the highest quality game and other experiences to our fans. The $5 million Cuban Center will open contemporaneously with the new Simon Skjodt Assembly Hall this fall. Attached is a list of "Key Elements" and a rendering of the Cuban Center.
Memorial Stadium South End Zone Excellence Academy and Football Facility Renovation
Enclosing Memorial Stadium with the South End Zone Excellence Academy will provide a home for the Excellence Academy, one of the most innovative and effective student-athlete development programs in all of intercollegiate athletics. This facility will also create a bold new "front door" to campus for Memorial Stadium and more generally the Athletics' campus while also dramatically improving the experience for our football fans. As part of the completion of the south end zone, a football facility renovation will upgrade what has become an outdated football locker room area, especially in comparison to the rest of our football facilities and, more importantly, the corresponding facilities of our competition. The estimated overall cost of this project is $50 million, and it is expected that it can be completed in time for the 2018 football season. Attached is a list of "Key Elements" and some preliminary renderings.
Indoor Arena
An indoor arena will bring a competition venue for volleyball and wrestling onto the Athletics' campus consistent with the University's Master Plan and provide an indoor multi-purpose 3,000 seat venue for Athletics and the University. It is expected that this estimated $15 million project will be completed well in advance of the 2019-2020 Bicentennial year. A preliminary rendering of the project is attached.
Golf Course Renovation
A renovation of the IU golf course will establish a destination, championship 18-hole golf course and renovated clubhouse worthy of the IU brand. This renovation will not only enable our intercollegiate golf teams to compete at the highest levels but will provide a quality of life and economic development amenity for the entire University and Bloomington communities. This renovation's estimated cost is $11 million, and its completion date is dependent on securing a lead gift.
Armstrong Stadium Renovation
A renovation of Armstrong Stadium will restore what was once college soccer's premier facility back to its rightful status as the elite soccer venue, home to one of the nation's elite college programs. This will enable IU to remain competitive in recruiting and retaining the best students who compete in men's and women's college soccer, while providing a first rate experience for them as well as our fans. This renovation's estimated cost is $6 million, and its completion date is dependent on securing a lead gift.
For All: The Indiana University Bicentennial Campaign is taking place on all IU-administered campuses including IU Bloomington, Indiana University–Purdue University Indianapolis, IU East, IU Kokomo, IU Northwest, IU South Bend, and IU Southeast. The campaign will conclude in December 2019 to coincide with IU's bicentennial year celebration in 2020. To learn more about the campaign, its impact, and how to participate, please visit forall.iu.edu.