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From: The Rice University Board of Trustees
To: Rice Community
Date: May 4, 2004
The mission of Rice University is teaching, learning and research. In all matters, the Board of Trustees is mindful of ensuring excellence in those core endeavors. Within that context, the Board finds benefit in Rice's competing in intercollegiate athletics at the highest levels at which it can excel consistent with academic standards. The Trustees take pride in the way Rice conducts athletics.
As it does with all facets of the university from time to time, the Board currently is reviewing the athletic program. To obtain full and objective information, the Trustees commissioned McKinsey & Co., a top management-consulting firm, to do research on all aspects of Rice's athletic program, including budgets, academic and athletic success rates, and of the changing national picture. As the accompanying report illustrates, the Board did not ask for recommendations, but rather data on where Rice stands, and the pros and cons of the status quo and potential options.
The Trustees have studied the report and many other materials, and have held lengthy discussions. The Board has made no decisions, but has narrowed the focus to specific concerns. With the intention of completing its review by the end of May, the Board now invites the Rice community to read the McKinsey Report and -- using the online form linked below -- to make informed comment, particularly on four areas of concern:
- The appropriate level of intercollegiate athletic competition for Rice.
At this point, the sense of the Board is that Rice should continue to compete at the Division 1 level based on demonstrated success. Given the data, what, in your opinion, is the best level?
- Facilities.
Already high on the list of university needs has been a student-faculty recreation and convocation center, which also would serve as an improved venue for intercollegiate basketball and volleyball. Do you feel this should be a university priority and would you commit to donating toward its construction?
- Ensuring the student in "student-athlete."
The McKinsey and faculty reports raise issues about the current separate admission process for athletes and integration of athletes into general student life. What are your views?
- The athletics financial deficit.
Counting the portion of financial aid that exceeds that of the average Rice student, Rice athletics currently costs $10 million per year more than it takes in. The difference comes from the general operating budget, where it competes for funds with academic and other university needs. Meanwhile, the rapidly changing national intercollegiate athletic environment virtually guarantees increasing pressure for ever-greater spending if Rice athletics is to remain competitive across the board. The Board is agreed that the deficit must be brought under control through a combination of increased revenues, cost controls and greater funding from donations. What do you favor, and would you commit to making long-term donations to reduce the deficit?
Below are links to the McKinsey report and to the comment form. To allow the Board to complete its review by the end of the month, the deadline for comments is noon, Monday, May 17. Only comments submitted during the comment period, preferably via the online form, can be assured of reaching Trustees. The Board will have no further public discussion or announcements on the issue until its resolution.
Thank you for your interest.
This report is in Adobe Acrobat, a free reader software. If you do not have Acrobat 6.0, please visit for a faster download: http://www.adobe.com/products/acrobat/readermain.html
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