Board needs to get on board
The UH Board of Regents consists of some of Hawaii’s brightest and most successful citizens. There’s no doubt about their care and commitment to the state’s only public university.
But it seems every BOR meeting involves a tsk-tsk report on how the athletic department just isn’t earning enough money. Hey, I get it. I’ve been a landlord whose heard the most emotional dog-ate-my-paycheck stories from tenants. To paraphrase BBD, times are getting kinda hard on the boulevard.
Here’s a thought: Let the board help raise the money.
Except for a handful of regents — Randall Moore, David Iha, Lee Putnam and, maybe Jeff Portnoy (JOURN 365) — the board was formed from people outside of the classroom — from business, politics and, a sizable portion, engineering. If the board called for educators, Lee Cataluna and my brother would be regents. But that’s not the intent of the composition.
UH should take advantage of the regents’ success in being successful, their abilities to navigate business, political and creative worlds. Regents know the money people. Heck, some of them are the money people. Who has more fund-raising influence in the community?
At the next meeting, it should be the regents being asked: How are you helping to balance the budget?
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Quarterback Aaron Zwahlen, who left the Warriors following the Hawaii Bowl, has earned a scholarship at Southern Utah.
Zwahlen initially planned to transfer to Murray State. But the Racers renegaded on the scholarship to sign another quarterback. Zwahlen, who already had received a release from his UH scholarship, then joined Southern Utah as a walk-on. At the end of the spring semester, the Thunderbirds placed Zwahlen on scholarship.
Zwahlen and Patrick Tyler, who started 10 games last year, are the top contenders at quarterback. Last season’s opening-game quarterback, McCoy Hill, has moved to tight end.
Zwahlen remains in contact with his former UH teammates. He spent time with slotbacks John Ursua and Dylan Collie recently in Utah.
Just charge one dollar for each tourist
but give them a UH sticker for it…
Good luck Aaron, wishing you success at your new school.
GOOD MORNING, HAWAII!
I was sadden to read this morning about Ron Marciel passing.
I knew Ron and his cousin Anthony (Marciel) when they were at Maryknoll.
I guess Ron transferred to St. Louis after 8th grade.
But they used to play “football” in the Maryknoll school yard and even passed me the (tennis) ball on occasion – dropping it most of the time!
Very sad. RIP Ron.
I still don’t understand why the athletic department does not receive any state funding while the university has a $1 billion+ annual operating budget. Granted, the State’ contribution of the $1 billion is around $600 million, but of that amount, zero dollars is allocated to UH athletics. I really, really do not understand the rationale and justification for this. UH Athletics should be allocated a slice of the pie annually. And then if UH Athletics fails to balance its budget, the BOR is right in demanding an explanation from the Athletic Director and tasked to initiate programs/plans whereby the athletic department will improve its revenue generating capability. But until the equation is changed, the demand or expectation is unreasonable.
Almost every great University outside of the Ivy League has started their road to greatness through athletics. Regents take note that the first building block for making UH into the gem of the Pacific that they in vision begins with a commitment to the athletic program.
Morning Tsaikos!
Should send each regent a link to this blog.
Sad to hear about Ron Marciel. RIP, Ron. Go Crusaders!!
DLM, sending a link of this blog to the BOR won’t accomplish anything, as they are answerable to the state legislature and more importantly, to Governor Ige. Any real change starts at the top. The late and former governor John A. Burns set the standard. We have not seen another governor like him since.
Played against a Marciel coached Crusader team. They were very tough, and he was a masterful coach. Deepest sympathy to the Crusader Brotherhood and their fimiles.
Would it help to show the BOR a breakdown of the budgets from other schools similar to UH, to see how their athletics are funded?
You are right, H-Man, it would be nice to have the same kind of political leadership we had in the days of Governor Burns.
Missouri State defeated Coach Trapasso’s alma mater despite their uniforms looking like Rorschach Test-inspired blouses.
Google their unis; it’s amazingly ugly.
The walk-off home run.
Every time I see one I relive the LA Tech game(WAC Tournament) at Les Murakami Stadium.
I remember my interior dialogue verbatim: “Below sea level, below sea level, below sea level…”
Everybody in the stands knew, but we were in denial in the interim, before the ball cleared the center-right field fence.
And the pitcher was…
Bravo ST!! Spot on commentary regarding our Regents. I’m hoping your message hits home and begins a new era and wave of Regents that puts fundraising efforts into their job description.
Don’t forget sending their expense cheques? Lot of taking…minimal giving
Good news about Aaron Zwahlen! Best of luck to him.
While I do not think that fund raising need be in the job description of regents, ST’s spotlight hits home. A few “unofficial” $$$ efforts and less verbiage from successful/influential people there would be helpful.
I was a student at St. Louis when St. Louis won the ILH Triple Crown(Championships in Football, Basketball and Baseball) in the same season with Ron Marciel as Football Coach. He had us all believing in Pride and Perfection.
May he Rest in Peace.
When I think about Ron Marcie I think about Kaipo Spencer, Gary Campbell and that powerhouse St. Louis team. It was fun going to Honolulu Stadium in those good ole days. It was good to be young and poor once upon a time.
DaveLetterMan:
Looking at your Avatar, reminds me of its creator.
In case you were not aware, The Fighting Crusader Emblem was created by my classmate in the year 1966. It started out as our Class Emblem.
Football Coach Ron Marciel asked the creator (Chester A. Vause III) if he could use the emblem for the Football Team and was given permission.
2016 marked the 50th Anniversary of the creation by Chester and he very graciously donated not one but two Bronze Plaques of the Fighting Crusader to Saint Louis School.
One I believe is in Bertram Hall and the other should be in McCabe Gym.
By the way, for the last 30 plus years Chester A. Vause III has been a Physics Professor at The University of Hawaii.
Another team with mind-blowingly ugly uniforms won.
Tennessee Tech.
The Florida State broadcast team was a classy bunch. They realized that the moment was bigger than their rooting interest. TT is a #4 seed.
Not like the three ladies who sounded depressed when Rodriguez sent Alabama home. If you watch the replay of their call, you can’t tell something exciting happened.
RIP coach Ron Marciel – I’ll always remember our dog days of football camps at St Louis gym and coach leading the team on early dawn runs around Honolulu, best memory was to Diamond Head all the way up top overlooking the city with coach Marciel telling us to take a good look at the city where the teams we must defeat in order to be ILH champions! We did win the title against very talented Punahou team! Go Saints RIP coach Ron Marcie!
Kauai and Hilo, Coach Rolovich and some of his coaches are coming to meet you.
Kauai’s event is on Thursday, June 15th. For more info:
http://www.nakoa.org/event-calendar/kauai-meet-the-coach/
Hilo’s event is on Tuesday, June 20th. For more info:
http://www.nakoa.org/event-calendar/hilo-meet-the-coach/
4. I thought the legislature allocated $ 3 million or something like that to UH Athletics beginning July 1 2017 ?
Earlier this year, AD David Matlin went to the legislature to request relief from a projected $5 million 2016 athletic department deficit. I believe the legislature granted a one-time relief of $3 million. A couple of years ago, then Senate President, Donna Mercado Kim was asked why the UH budget does not reflect an amount for UH Athletics. She replied that the legislature reviews the budget developed by UH administration. By public law, UH is granted autonomy and is allowed to determine their own budget needs. If there was no amount shown for UH Athletics, it was not for the legislature to question UH administration. Of the UH system, including the community colleges, UH Hilo and UH West Oahu, only the John A. Burns School of Medicine is treated separately by the legislature. Bottom line, UH Athletics is caught between a rock and hard place. It is a non-entity in the eyes of UH and for all that it matters, does not exist in the eyes of the legislature. UH Athletics is expected to operate from revenue that it generates; thus, the BOR has questioned the AD what he is doing to stimulate /improve greater public and private donations and ticket sales to support its programs. This is my understanding. If I am wrong, I would appreciate all of your input to put me straight.
Kapahulu, thanks for the history of our beloved fighting crusader. Have to go check out the plaques one day.
Tsai should run for governor…
21. I think Matlin said that the money will be allocated from the legislature for the following years too.
It is too bad that the minutes from the June 1 BOR meeting were not posted on their website, but hopefully in a few months it will be. https://www.hawaii.edu/offices/bor/archive/
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