SFA Capital Campaign

10,626 Views | 59 Replies | Last: 2 yr ago by SFAJack_76
BigJack85
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I heard a few months back that SFA was about to initiate a significant capital campaign. Has anyone heard of this or can confirm?

Axe 'Em Jacks
BigJack85
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I heard today that a 100th anniversary fundraising campaign is being investigated. Should kick off next year.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
sfa17
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http://m.ktre.com/ktre/db_330602/contentdetail.htm?contentguid=nZPXl80L

"Today regents authorized to move forward on a $100-million campaign for SFA's 100th anniversary year in 2023. "

"The marketing budget has been reduced by $184,000. There will be fewer billboards and banners in airports next year, but website videos will remain"
BigJack85
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If the campaign is successful this will be a major boost to SFA from an academic perspective. I imagine (just a guess based on talking to few SFA folks) that the goal will be to provide additional support for math and sciences. Hopefully additional majors in the STEM fields etc. I would also like to see the business school get an endowed chair etc.

Axe 'Em Jacks
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
TallTexan
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100 million seems doable. I'd love to see if SFA could get currently unrelated(non SFA alums) major donors to consider a gift to SFA. There are tons of donations to Ivy League and state schools every year to boost education for low income students, first gen students, minority students, etc. SFA has all of those in spades. Instead of trying to help the small percentage of students who fit those categories at the more elite schools, we could take the angle of looking for donations for SFA to improve the programs since we already have the students.
TallTexan
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Do we have any updates on this?

We're two years out and I haven't heard a peep lately.
BigJack85
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TallTexan said:

Do we have any updates on this?

We're two years out and I haven't heard a peep lately.


I'm also interested. I would guess that Covid sucked the dollars out of the donation realm.
TallTexan
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My general thought is that most big donors have probably had a pretty freaking good year but I have no idea if that means we're on track or not.
.
TallTexan
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Got an email today on the SFA roadshow.

It mentions that SFA's capital campaign "SFA Elevated" will launch during homecoming week in October.

Is that the same capital campaign that we've been running for the 100th anniversary in 2023? Is this the now public phase of it?

Or is this something entirely new?
BigJack85
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TallTexan said:

Got an email today on the SFA roadshow.

It mentions that SFA's capital campaign "SFA Elevated" will launch during homecoming week in October.
Is that the same capital campaign that we've been running for the 100th anniversary in 2023? Is this the now public phase of it?

Or is this something entirely new?


Sounds like the "quiet" stage is over. This must be the formal launch.
TallTexan
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Anyone know how to accurately track SFA endowment value and growth over time?

I see some of the annual investment report numbers but am not sure which of those correspond with what we typically view as an endowment.
BigJack85
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TallTexan said:

Anyone know how to accurately track SFA endowment value and growth over time?

I see some of the annual investment report numbers but am not sure which of those correspond with what we typically view as an endowment.


Hahaha. Good luck with that. I've looked and looked and looked. Part of the problem (when I last looked, 2019 ish) , SFA has 3 separate endowments or at least that WAS the case. Additionally some of the money is listed in a quasi endowment. Last I heard the endowment totaled was about $85 million or so.
TallTexan
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Yep I was wanting to compare rates of return and also update our Wikipedia.
SFAJack_76
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Perhaps the launch of the public portion of the capital campaign? I believe at the Road Sow, Dr. Gordon said it would happen the end of October.
TallTexan
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SFA giving day raised just over 100k.
BigJack85
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TallTexan said:

SFA giving day raised just over 100k.


That's pretty solid. Imho.
TallTexan
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BigJack85 said:

TallTexan said:

SFA giving day raised just over 100k.


That's pretty solid. Imho.


Yep, hit the set goal. Good start. I wonder how many brand new donors it brought in.
Kat1990
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Will this article have affects on the SFA capital campaign?


https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/14/stephen-f-austin-budget/
BigJack85
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Doubt it.
TallTexan
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Kat1990 said:

Will this article have affects on the SFA capital campaign?


https://www.texastribune.org/2021/10/14/stephen-f-austin-budget/
It certainly doesn't help, but I don't think it'll get widespread enough distribution to really hurt.

We'll see this month. I think they're planning to release some initial numbers near homecoming.
Kat1990
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Something going on at SHSU that could be beneficial for SFA
Due to the failed effort for SFA at the same thing I believe it was year before last
This week SH students are voting on a referendum to add 3 dollars to each credit hour taken in additional athletic fees
If passed it will add around 2.4 million per year to the Athletic budget
If it passes I would think it could be used by SFA as a point to their students on the need to pass such additional fees
TallTexan
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Kat1990 said:

Something going on at SHSU that could be beneficial for SFA
Due to the failed effort for SFA at the same thing I believe it was year before last
This week SH students are voting on a referendum to add 3 dollars to each credit hour taken in additional athletic fees
If passed it will add around 2.4 million per year to the Athletic budget
If it passes I would think it could be used by SFA as a point to their students on the need to pass such additional fees
90 bucks a year per student, give or take?

How's the on campus campaign for that going? I think it would be political self destruction for the AD or President to push it in Nac right now, but coming off a natty win? I could see it potentially working at Sam.
Kat1990
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TallTexan said:

Kat1990 said:

Something going on at SHSU that could be beneficial for SFA
Due to the failed effort for SFA at the same thing I believe it was year before last
This week SH students are voting on a referendum to add 3 dollars to each credit hour taken in additional athletic fees
If passed it will add around 2.4 million per year to the Athletic budget
If it passes I would think it could be used by SFA as a point to their students on the need to pass such additional fees
90 bucks a year per student, give or take?

How's the on campus campaign for that going? I think it would be political self destruction for the AD or President to push it in Nac right now, but coming off a natty win? I could see it potentially working at Sam.
It all of sudden busted out on twitter yesterday
Hey go vote for Homecoming King and Queen and oh btw vote yes on the referendum for additional fees
I would assume that it had been publicized on campus?
However none of the alumni I engage with who are all active seemed to know about it.
Also the projection above seems high seeing others saying more like 1.5 to 1.7 million per year still significant

I would say striking after the NC it looks like a good move and I think it has a good chance of passing
TheRevSFA
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I mean the writing is on the wall here for a FBS type move from some teams. Bowers would have to have some mad upgrades to get there and this is the start.
PurpleOut
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Staff
Kat1990 said:

TallTexan said:

Kat1990 said:

Something going on at SHSU that could be beneficial for SFA
Due to the failed effort for SFA at the same thing I believe it was year before last
This week SH students are voting on a referendum to add 3 dollars to each credit hour taken in additional athletic fees
If passed it will add around 2.4 million per year to the Athletic budget
If it passes I would think it could be used by SFA as a point to their students on the need to pass such additional fees
90 bucks a year per student, give or take?

How's the on campus campaign for that going? I think it would be political self destruction for the AD or President to push it in Nac right now, but coming off a natty win? I could see it potentially working at Sam.
It all of sudden busted out on twitter yesterday
Hey go vote for Homecoming King and Queen and oh btw vote yes on the referendum for additional fees
I would assume that it had been publicized on campus?
However none of the alumni I engage with who are all active seemed to know about it.
Also the projection above seems high seeing others saying more like 1.5 to 1.7 million per year still significant

I would say striking after the NC it looks like a good move and I think it has a good chance of passing
We'll see how it goes, but already sounds like a problem we know too well. You can't just randomly throw in a "hey we want to increase your tuition, cool?" type of vote if you don't tell them in advance of what it means. That was our problem. Even if it's a small $90 a year (ours was $150/year I believe). Kids are dumb and selfish. It's hard enough to get them to vote in the first place.

The number one reason why almost everyone said they voted against referendum, was because they felt the entire university wouldn't benefit from it. They were wrong of course, but for most of them it's not their fault for not understanding why. That's on us, and our old AD regime.

Going forward, I think what we need to do is figure out a way to add one fee that goes to both Athletics AND general University. So if it's $10/per semester credit hour, $5 goes to Athletics the other $5 to the school (or make it $20/per hour). Now we can market it from all sides together as campus improvement. You'll still have the anti-sports ball crowd that will vote no, but maybe this way you get the kids on the fence to vote yes knowing that some of their money will go towards the library, their major, etc.

40% of our campus voted in 2016, if less than 1,000 voted the other way...it would have passed. There has to be a way to turn it around.
PurpleOut
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Staff
Heard it has NOT gone well for our Bearkat friends.

Sad but not surprising.
BigJack85
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$45 million in bonds approved for campus improvements. Sounds like largely construction projects. Maybe we will get some reorganizing on the east side of campus. Dorm 14/16.
TallTexan
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BigJack85 said:

$45 million in bonds approved for campus improvements. Sounds like largely construction projects. Maybe we will get some reorganizing on the east side of campus. Dorm 14/16.
Was that from the last state session?

The whole East Side of campus is a weird use of space and ripe for some redevelopment.
TallTexan
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PurpleOut said:

Kat1990 said:

TallTexan said:

Kat1990 said:

Something going on at SHSU that could be beneficial for SFA
Due to the failed effort for SFA at the same thing I believe it was year before last
This week SH students are voting on a referendum to add 3 dollars to each credit hour taken in additional athletic fees
If passed it will add around 2.4 million per year to the Athletic budget
If it passes I would think it could be used by SFA as a point to their students on the need to pass such additional fees
90 bucks a year per student, give or take?

How's the on campus campaign for that going? I think it would be political self destruction for the AD or President to push it in Nac right now, but coming off a natty win? I could see it potentially working at Sam.
It all of sudden busted out on twitter yesterday
Hey go vote for Homecoming King and Queen and oh btw vote yes on the referendum for additional fees
I would assume that it had been publicized on campus?
However none of the alumni I engage with who are all active seemed to know about it.
Also the projection above seems high seeing others saying more like 1.5 to 1.7 million per year still significant

I would say striking after the NC it looks like a good move and I think it has a good chance of passing
We'll see how it goes, but already sounds like a problem we know too well. You can't just randomly throw in a "hey we want to increase your tuition, cool?" type of vote if you don't tell them in advance of what it means. That was our problem. Even if it's a small $90 a year (ours was $150/year I believe). Kids are dumb and selfish. It's hard enough to get them to vote in the first place.

The number one reason why almost everyone said they voted against referendum, was because they felt the entire university wouldn't benefit from it. They were wrong of course, but for most of them it's not their fault for not understanding why. That's on us, and our old AD regime.

Going forward, I think what we need to do is figure out a way to add one fee that goes to both Athletics AND general University. So if it's $10/per semester credit hour, $5 goes to Athletics the other $5 to the school (or make it $20/per hour). Now we can market it from all sides together as campus improvement. You'll still have the anti-sports ball crowd that will vote no, but maybe this way you get the kids on the fence to vote yes knowing that some of their money will go towards the library, their major, etc.

40% of our campus voted in 2016, if less than 1,000 voted the other way...it would have passed. There has to be a way to turn it around.
Half to athletics, half to closing the achievement gap. A win win for the entire campus.
BigJack85
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TallTexan said:

BigJack85 said:

$45 million in bonds approved for campus improvements. Sounds like largely construction projects. Maybe we will get some reorganizing on the east side of campus. Dorm 14/16.
Was that from the last state session?

The whole East Side of campus is a weird use of space and ripe for some redevelopment.


Just saw the article in the Daily Sentinel.
TallTexan
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Sam's athletic fee increase failed.

Kat1990
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Talking with students this weekend many did not vote and did not know about the proposal
It was not publicized and discussed with students
Admin is going to need to go back to the drawing board and attempt this again with a different approach
SFAJack_76
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Kat1990 said:

Talking with students this weekend many did not vote and did not know about the proposal
It was not publicized and discussed with students
Admin is going to need to go back to the drawing board and attempt this again with a different approach
Disappointing. Sounds too familiar.
SFA Jack Fanatic
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Kat1990 said:

Talking with students this weekend many did not vote and did not know about the proposal
It was not publicized and discussed with students
Admin is going to need to go back to the drawing board and attempt this again with a different approach


Sounds exactly what happened here 3-4 years ago. The students that did know about it got an earfull from their athletics-hating professors and voted that way.
SFAJack_76
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