In Our Opinion
If Eastern Washington University alumni want better facilities for the college’s athletics programs, they are going to have to open their wallets and checkbooks.
That’s the conclusion the Spokesman Review’s Jim Allen came up with in a June 13 story where he analyzed Eastern hiring Phoenix Philanthropy Group to assess the school’s fundraising capacity and create a plan to help raise money for its athletic facilities.
Alumni and fans do a good job of supporting the university’s football team by coming back to Cheney every year and through ticket sales, generating $865,000 last year, during football season. Donations are a different story.
The university’s $18.6 million endowment fund, which is funded through private donations, ranks the lowest of the Big Sky Conference football schools. Meanwhile schools like the University of Montana, has a $170 million endowment fund.
Athletics director Bill Chaves is hoping to renovate and expand the 50-year old Roos Field — originally named Woodward Field — for $30 million.
If Eastern alumni want better athletic facilities, perhaps they should donate money to the university. However, we don’t think people need to “give until it hurts.” Instead, they should donate what they can.
There’s a misconception that when it comes to donating money, people have to give thousands of dollars, when in fact they can donate less than $100.
The Eagle Athletic Fund (EAF) has different tiers for members, with the lowest being $25 a year. Members can choose if they want their money to go toward athletic scholarships or to different programs. If someone doesn’t want their money to go athletics, they can donate to the EWU Foundation or other university programs, groups or clubs.
Eastern could also further its efforts in soliciting donations from alumni living in the West Plains.
The university tends to do a lot of promotion for football and basketball in the city of Spokane. Although Eastern is trying to expand their reach beyond Cheney, it’s tough for the school to get noticed because it’s not the only college athletics program in town. Even when the Eagles win a Big Sky championship, they have to compete for the spotlight that shines on the Cougars when they qualify for a bowl game, or when Gonzaga begins its non-conference schedule. Schools like Montana State or Montana don’t have to worry about sharing the spotlight because they’re really the only game in their respective cities.
In Cheney, there are Eagle alumni who feel the university overlooks the city. Fortunately, there are efforts from both the university and the city to collaborate and we hope that continues.
The money generated from local alumni may not be enough to fund upgrades for the athletic facilities, but it would be a push in the right direction.
The university could also reach out to former football players, for big money donations. People know the story in 2010, when alum Michael Roos and his wife donated $500,000 to the university’s “See Red” stadium project. The school’s board of trustees renamed the field in his honor.
Perhaps the next big donation could come from other Eagles playing in the NFL or in Canada. Eastern could also reach out to former coaches for donations.
If Eastern can collect the funds to upgrade its facilities, we hope they are good stewards of the money. There’s no need for additional retail shops in the stadium. The upgrades should be enough to help continuing the tradition of success that Eastern’s football team has created in the last several years.
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