Aim B1G UConn

[AZHuskiePop]

No.

They aren't. Every single bad thing that could have happened has happened. I refuse to sit here and entertain this absurd dream that Jim Delaney is coming riding into Storrs on a unicorn made of money. I choose to live in the real world, not the delusional one.


Deal with it.

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[husky10]

When we get the B1G invite I think a full page ad in the Boston Globe thanking Gene DeFilippo for blocking us from the
ACC will be necessary, maybe the Boneyard could fund the project.

I like this idea. While we are at it I might try and sue him for the 5 years off the end of my life this conference realignment situation has taken from me

 

[AZHuskiePop]

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

Self censored by AZHuskiePop. #@*%&$

Sent from my Kindle Fire using Tapatalk 2

 

[Doggie Style]

When we look back in 5 years, the Big's plan will be obvious. Rutgers/Md now, and then phase two bolsters the flanks with Ct and Kansas...

If that happens, we will all really enjoy going to NYC for a pretty stacked B1G Bball,Tourney!!

 

[Doggie Style]

When we get the B1G invite I think a full page ad in the Boston Globe thanking Gene DeFilippo for blocking us from the
ACC will be necessary, maybe the Boneyard could fund the project.

Who do I make the check out to?

 

[RS9999X]

Would UConn sell out a home slate of Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, and Wisconsin? With Nova and Virginia as appetizers? Would the demand support raising ticket prices ?

How about the Michigan UConn ratings? Anything to suggest it draws better than average Nielsen ratings?

 

[RS9999X]

Maybe if Iowa, Purdue, or Illinois were on the schedule it would sell out get ABC excited

 

[Adios]

Ticket prices would very likely rise. It's insane to see some schools charge more than NFL teams.

 

[B1GALUM]

No. They aren't. Every single bad thing that could have happened has happened. I refuse to sit here and entertain this absurd dream that Jim Delaney is coming riding into Storrs on a unicorn made of money. I choose to live in the real world, not the delusional one. Deal with it.

I agree with you. Jim Delany is not going to coming riding into Storrs on a unicorn made of money.
Instead, UConn has to create its own ride out of Storrs and steer it into one of the Power 5 conferences.
This is how I see you accomplishing this goal in particular as it relates to the B1G.

First, your leadership is going to create and optimize the University of Connecticut Academic Plan 2014 - 2020.
http://provost.uconn.edu/academic-vision/
A component of this plan, implicit if not explicit, will be to receive AAU membership.
Just compare communications from the AAU and UConn and you will see UConn is aiming for an invitation to join.

AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative
The Association of American Universities (AAU) announced on September 14, 2011, that it would undertake a five-year initiative to improve the quality of undergraduate teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at its member institutions.
http://www.aau.edu/policy/article.aspx?id=12588

Next Generation ConnecticutThis proposal represents one of the most ambitious state investments in economic development, higher education and research in the nation. With Next Generation Connecticut, key, targeted strategic investments in facilities, faculty, and students will establish UConn as a vital STEM institution, fueling Connecticut’s economy with new technologies, highly skilled graduates, new companies, patents, licenses, and high-wage STEM jobs.http://uconn.edu/nextgenct/index.php

Economic Impacts of AAU Universities
America’s research universities are complex, multi-faceted institutions that support a wide variety of research and educational activities and provide a broad array of public and institutional services. Among their many societal contributions, research universities generate significant economic activity.
http://www.aau.edu/research/article.aspx?ID=9266

Economic ImpactThe University of Connecticut contributes every day to Connecticut's economic vitality and to the quality of life of state residents through research, teaching, public service, and a broad range of programs and initiatives.http://www.uconn.edu/economic-impact.php


Second, your leadership is going to focus on increasing the endowment of your university.
As you know, the UConn Foundation has appointed a new president with a track record of fundraising success.
http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2013/07/emory-fundraiser-named-president-of-uconn-foundation/

This president will make it his focus to reach the $ 1 billion mark called for by your university president in her 2012 state of the university communication.On the forefront of our University fundraising efforts is our UConn Foundation. The Foundation is in the midst of a capital campaign that in fact passed its midpoint this past December, raising upwards of $300 million in private support for the University. To date, total fundraising performance is up over 40 percent from last year and, in the first half of fiscal year 2012, the Foundation achieved a fundraising record, raising more than $25.1 million in six months. This is all fantastic news. But we can always do better. I have said before that a University of our stature and size should have an endowment that illustrates its strength. Reaching the $1 billion mark with our own endowment is not beyond the realm of possibility, and is certainly in line with the endowments in place at other public universities of similar rank. Building our endowment to this level means having the capacity to offer the excellent programs and services that will best serve our current and future student body. A solid endowment allows us to support scholarships and attract renowned professors and researchers. It also gives us critical protection against the ups and downs of the economy. In essence, having a growing endowment ensures our future excellence through the long term.http://president.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/sotu20120405.pdf


AAU membership and increased endowment in hand, you are going to make a sled which will be pulled by a bunch of huskies through NYC across B1G territory to Chicago yelling B1G harder all the way.

 

[zls44]

You really can't make this up. Huskypantz writes a great post and then ...1, 2, 3, bam here comes zls44

"No.

They aren't. Every single bad thing that could have happened has happened. I refuse to sit here and entertain this absurd dream that Jim Delaney is coming riding into Storrs on a unicorn made of money. I choose to live in the real world, not the delusional one.


Deal with it."

Got to love internet message boards.

What was the George Carlin quote?

The best thing about America is anyone can be President of the United States. The worst thing about America? Anyone can be President of the United States.

It's kinda like that.

 

[jostar1]

I agree with you. Jim Delany is not going to coming riding into Storrs on a unicorn made of money.
Instead, UConn has to create its own ride out of Storrs and steer it into one of the Power 5 conferences.
This is how I see you accomplishing this goal in particular as it relates to the B1G.

First, your leadership is going to create and optimize the University of Connecticut Academic Plan 2014 - 2020.
http://provost.uconn.edu/academic-vision/
A component of this plan, implicit if not explicit, will be to receive AAU membership.
Just compare communications from the AAU and UConn and you will see UConn is aiming for an invitation to join.

AAU Undergraduate STEM Education Initiative
The Association of American Universities (AAU) announced on September 14, 2011, that it would undertake a five-year initiative to improve the quality of undergraduate teaching and learning in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields at its member institutions.
http://www.aau.edu/policy/article.aspx?id=12588

Next Generation ConnecticutThis proposal represents one of the most ambitious state investments in economic development, higher education and research in the nation. With Next Generation Connecticut, key, targeted strategic investments in facilities, faculty, and students will establish UConn as a vital STEM institution, fueling Connecticut’s economy with new technologies, highly skilled graduates, new companies, patents, licenses, and high-wage STEM jobs.http://uconn.edu/nextgenct/index.php

Economic Impacts of AAU Universities
America’s research universities are complex, multi-faceted institutions that support a wide variety of research and educational activities and provide a broad array of public and institutional services. Among their many societal contributions, research universities generate significant economic activity.
http://www.aau.edu/research/article.aspx?ID=9266

Economic ImpactThe University of Connecticut contributes every day to Connecticut's economic vitality and to the quality of life of state residents through research, teaching, public service, and a broad range of programs and initiatives.http://www.uconn.edu/economic-impact.php


Second, your leadership is going to focus on increasing the endowment of your university.
As you know, the UConn Foundation has appointed a new president with a track record of fundraising success.
http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2013/07/emory-fundraiser-named-president-of-uconn-foundation/

This president will make it his focus to reach the $ 1 billion mark called for by your university president in her 2012 state of the university communication.On the forefront of our University fundraising efforts is our UConn Foundation. The Foundation is in the midst of a capital campaign that in fact passed its midpoint this past December, raising upwards of $300 million in private support for the University. To date, total fundraising performance is up over 40 percent from last year and, in the first half of fiscal year 2012, the Foundation achieved a fundraising record, raising more than $25.1 million in six months. This is all fantastic news. But we can always do better. I have said before that a University of our stature and size should have an endowment that illustrates its strength. Reaching the $1 billion mark with our own endowment is not beyond the realm of possibility, and is certainly in line with the endowments in place at other public universities of similar rank. Building our endowment to this level means having the capacity to offer the excellent programs and services that will best serve our current and future student body. A solid endowment allows us to support scholarships and attract renowned professors and researchers. It also gives us critical protection against the ups and downs of the economy. In essence, having a growing endowment ensures our future excellence through the long term.http://president.uconn.edu/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/sotu20120405.pdf


AAU membership and increased endowment in hand, you are going to make a sled which will be pulled by a bunch of huskies through NYC across B1G territory to Chicago yelling B1G harder all the way.

Extra points if you can work the puppets and the time machine into that scenario.


UConn is one of only two universities in the country offering a bachelor of fine arts in puppet arts, and the only one offering master’s degrees in puppet arts. Graduates of the program perform and design for many theaters around the world. Shortly before her death earlier this month, Jane Henson, a puppeteer and original collaborator with Muppets creator Jim Henson, donated $100,000 to establish a scholarship fund for students majoring in puppet arts.

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2013/04...e-museum-of-puppetry-moving-to-storrs-center/

Ronald Lawrence "Ron" Mallett (born March 30, 1945) is an American theoretical physicist, academic, and author. He has taught physics at the University of Connecticut since 1975. He is best known for his scientific position on the possibility of time travel. For quite some time Ronald Mallett has been working on plans for a time machine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Mallett

 

[Marty Jackson]

Not arguing our desirability, just saying we aren't contiguous.

Contiguous is a negotiable term...
1. Contiguous by State borders? No
2. Contiguous by Market or DMA? Absolutely...

The debate is whether delaney et al is using definition 1 or 2. My guess is that 2 is more meaningful since its NYC they are after and they still don't have a school in that state...

 

[UConnDan97]

Contiguous is a negotiable term...
1. Contiguous by State borders? No
2. Contiguous by Market or DMA? Absolutely...

The debate is whether delaney et al is using definition 1 or 2. My guess is that 2 is more meaningful since its NYC they are after and they still don't have a school in that state...

I'll go one step further.

Where in the world does it say that the B1G is FORCED to stay contiguous?!? Are there really people on this board that think that the B1G wouldn't accept Texas "in a New York minute," simply because it doesn't "touch" their property?!? There are a lot of wing-nuts around here.

If the B1G feels that UConn is worth the money, they are not going to let an 8-mile stretch of New York stop them from acquiring us. Period.

 

[Chin Diesel]

Ticket prices would very likely rise. It's insane to see some schools charge more than NFL teams.

Keep in mind that most of the schools charging massive prices aren't competing in the same market as NFL teams.

 

[pj]

Yes, we're contiguous, because although the word 'state' is used, the definition and goal is shifting to refer to media markets rather than states. Since we actually share the NYC media market with Rutgers, we're more than contiguous, we're overlapping.

An important point: When Delany says Rutgers and Maryland added 30% to the B1G's population footprint, he's obviously counting more than Maryland and New Jersey, which combined have a population of 14.8 million. By my count, he's counting an additional 11 million people from New York (19.6 million) and New England (14.4 million) -- a 7-state region of 34 million people with no B1G schools. (Based on the populatin of the B1G states ex Rutgers and Maryland being about 80 million -- I haven't added it up -- the missing 11 million is roughly the population of greater NYC.) Since he's obviously counting NYC already as part of the B1G footprint, we are already contiguous -- indeed, our state probably lies partially within Delany's current B1G footprint; and since UConn has the same penetration into NYC that Rutgers does, if Rutgers adds NYC, so does UConn.

Now look at the 7-state northeast region with 34 million people. UConn is the only public university supporting high-level athletics in the region.

In addition to its research and athletics initiatives, UConn should offer in-state tuition to the top 3,000 academic applicants from the other New England states and New York. Get the better students thinking of UConn as another "state university" for them. Get an increased mindshare from teachers, guidance counselors, parents in those states. The great bulk of the population of those states, probably 25 million of the 34 million, lives within a 2.5 hour drive of Rentschler field. They are ready to be won as fans. The increased quality of the student body, due to skimming off some high-achieving students, will improve university metrics; the larger student body will enable the school to hire more research faculty, which will help us meet AAU metrics. Top faculty will be attracted to a university with more highly intelligent students.

With this change in policy, UConn could make a compelling case that it brings a lot to the B1G's demographic and market footprint. It's questionable that Rutgers really brought NYC, so arguably Rutgers and Maryland only increased the population footprint by 18-19%; but with UConn positioned as a regional public university, the B1G would have a creditable claim to the whole 7-state region, and the Rutgers/Maryland/UConn adds would bring in 49 million and increase the B1G population footprint by 62%.

Finally, the state should invest in infrastructure, giving better highway access to campus. Make a spur from I-84 to the north side of campus and extend I-384 to the southwest side. Make it easier for people to visit; increase knowledge of the university just by having a big exit sign on I-84 saying "UConn Expressway" and a big sign at the I-84 / I-384 split saying "This way to the University of Connecticut". Half of New England drives by those exits 3-4 times a year at least. The cost of those extensions would be roughly equal to the cost of the stupid Hartford-New Britain busway. If the state could also invest in the highways in the southwest part of the state and around Hartford and relieve bottlenecks to people driving from NYC, that would be even better. It would benefit the economy of the state greatly.

In regard to athletic performance, they should get creative. Somebody mentioned that UConn has a puppetry program. UConn should establish an academic program, open to all, in athletic coaching, with an emphasis on football coaching. Let players take academic courses that teach them aspects of the game that under NCAA time restrictions the coaches wouldn't have time to teach, but that would help their games ("Offensive Line Coaching in Football," "Defensive Backs Coaching in Football," etc). Make these classes easy A's. If UNC can run fake classes for players and it's not a violation because the classes were technically open to all, this has to be legal. Let the UConn coaches pass material to the instructors, so that material taught is directly relevant to on-field performance.

We have about 4 years until the exit rights fee windfall from the AAC winds down. If we get these things underway, and our mindshare is rising in New England / New York (enabling us to be a stronger draw in NYC) and our performance on the field is interesting, the university could make a credible threat of executing on a plan like that in the other thread of going independent in football and gaining control of its media rights in all sports (many lesser conferences might accept UConn basketball and other sports in exchange for simply getting rights to UConn's away games -- so we could work out deals that let us control our home media rights, and do a SNY type deal with games sold on top to other cable channels in the 7-state footprint like NESN where SNY doesn't go, and whenever possible sold nationally). In this scenario, ESPN might outbid SNY for UConn's rights, rather than lose us completely.

If we can get $8 million a year from that, which Connecticut cable alone plus a few national basketball and football games could generate, we could continue to fund a high-level athletic program. The regional cable network and regional in-state tuition program would start proving that we have market share in the rest of the 7-state region. Getting in the AAU which should be easy with a 20% larger student body and 25% larger faculty. Overall, we'd have a compelling case for the B1G.

 

[CL82]

Anyone else occasionally wonder if BIGALUM is Manual?

 

[B1GALUM]

I'll go one step further.

Where in the world does it say that the B1G is FORCED to stay contiguous?!? Are there really people on this board that think that the B1G wouldn't accept Texas "in a New York minute," simply because it doesn't "touch" their property?!? There are a lot of wing-nuts around here.

If the B1G feels that UConn is worth the money, they are not going to let an 8-mile stretch of New York stop them from acquiring us. Period.

"There are no restrictions regarding expansion - potential additions are not required to be in the AAU, and they do not have to be in (or adjacent to) the eight Big Ten states," league spokesman Scott Chipman wrote in an e-mail. Removing the AAU and geographic limitations means the Big Ten can add any school from anywhere in the country.

http://www.altoonamirror.com/page/content.detail/id/525178.html?nav=742

Absolutely the B1G would take Notre Dame (non AAU) and Texas (non contiguous state).
AAU and contiguous state are desirable factors but not an absolute requirement.

 

[B1GALUM]

Wouldn't it be a real kick in the pants if BigAlum were actually Delaney...
The guy is more bullish on uconn than some of the supposed fans on this board.

Anyone else occasionally wonder if BIGALUM is Manual?

I can assure you I am not Delany or Manual but would gladly accept their paychecks!

 

[coachcap]

Yes, we're contiguous, because although the word 'state' is used, the definition and goal is shifting to refer to media markets rather than states. Since we actually share the NYC media market with Rutgers, we're more than contiguous, we're overlapping.

An important point: When Delany says Rutgers and Maryland added 30% to the B1G's population footprint, he's obviously counting more than Maryland and New Jersey, which combined have a population of 14.8 million. By my count, he's counting an additional 11 million people from New York (19.6 million) and New England (14.4 million) -- a 7-state region of 34 million people with no B1G schools. (Based on the populatin of the B1G states ex Rutgers and Maryland being about 80 million -- I haven't added it up -- the missing 11 million is roughly the population of greater NYC.) Since he's obviously counting NYC already as part of the B1G footprint, we are already contiguous -- indeed, our state probably lies partially within Delany's current B1G footprint; and since UConn has the same penetration into NYC that Rutgers does, if Rutgers adds NYC, so does UConn.

Now look at the 7-state northeast region with 34 million people. UConn is the only public university supporting high-level athletics in the region.

In addition to its research and athletics initiatives, UConn should offer in-state tuition to the top 3,000 academic applicants from the other New England states and New York. Get the better students thinking of UConn as another "state university" for them. Get an increased mindshare from teachers, guidance counselors, parents in those states. The great bulk of the population of those states, probably 25 million of the 34 million, lives within a 2.5 hour drive of Rentschler field. They are ready to be won as fans. The increased quality of the student body, due to skimming off some high-achieving students, will improve university metrics; the larger student body will enable the school to hire more research faculty, which will help us meet AAU metrics. Top faculty will be attracted to a university with more highly intelligent students.

With this change in policy, UConn could make a compelling case that it brings a lot to the B1G's demographic and market footprint. It's questionable that Rutgers really brought NYC, so arguably Rutgers and Maryland only increased the population footprint by 18-19%; but with UConn positioned as a regional public university, the B1G would have a creditable claim to the whole 7-state region, and the Rutgers/Maryland/UConn adds would bring in 49 million and increase the B1G population footprint by 62%.

Finally, the state should invest in infrastructure, giving better highway access to campus. Make a spur from I-84 to the north side of campus and extend I-384 to the southwest side. Make it easier for people to visit; increase knowledge of the university just by having a big exit sign on I-84 saying "UConn Expressway" and a big sign at the I-84 / I-384 split saying "This way to the University of Connecticut". Half of New England drives by those exits 3-4 times a year at least. The cost of those extensions would be roughly equal to the cost of the stupid Hartford-New Britain busway. If the state could also invest in the highways in the southwest part of the state and around Hartford and relieve bottlenecks to people driving from NYC, that would be even better. It would benefit the economy of the state greatly.

In regard to athletic performance, they should get creative. Somebody mentioned that UConn has a puppetry program. UConn should establish an academic program, open to all, in athletic coaching, with an emphasis on football coaching. Let players take academic courses that teach them aspects of the game that under NCAA time restrictions the coaches wouldn't have time to teach, but that would help their games ("Offensive Line Coaching in Football," "Defensive Backs Coaching in Football," etc). Make these classes easy A's. If UNC can run fake classes for players and it's not a violation because the classes were technically open to all, this has to be legal. Let the UConn coaches pass material to the instructors, so that material taught is directly relevant to on-field performance.

We have about 4 years until the exit rights fee windfall from the AAC winds down. If we get these things underway, and our mindshare is rising in New England / New York (enabling us to be a stronger draw in NYC) and our performance on the field is interesting, the university could make a credible threat of executing on a plan like that in the other thread of going independent in football and gaining control of its media rights in all sports (many lesser conferences might accept UConn basketball and other sports in exchange for simply getting rights to UConn's away games -- so we could work out deals that let us control our home media rights, and do a SNY type deal with games sold on top to other cable channels in the 7-state footprint like NESN where SNY doesn't go, and whenever possible sold nationally). In this scenario, ESPN might outbid SNY for UConn's rights, rather than lose us completely.

If we can get $8 million a year from that, which Connecticut cable alone plus a few national basketball and football games could generate, we could continue to fund a high-level athletic program. The regional cable network and regional in-state tuition program would start proving that we have market share in the rest of the 7-state region. Getting in the AAU which should be easy with a 20% larger student body and 25% larger faculty. Overall, we'd have a compelling case for the B1G.

1. How do you propose getting the State Legislature to allow UCONN to start charging in-state tuition to out of state residents? UCONN is currently only allowed to do this if the state universities in the 5 other New England States do not carry a major that UCONN teaches (e.g UVM & UNH do not have schools of Pharmacy) The other New England State Universities reciprocate in like fashion. I'm not liking chances of an across the board arrangement.
2. Easy A garbage courses taylored to football players needs? Don't want any part of it. Don't want to see my UCONN diploma devalued.

 

[cttxus]

Either that or an "unofficial" Delaney/B1G emissary to keep the Husky faithful's hopes alive and thinking B1G. Regardless, a lot of time, thought and positive energy behind all of the posts, which I appreciate.

 

[pj]

1. How do you propose getting the State Legislature to allow UCONN to start charging in-state tuition to out of state residents? UCONN is currently only allowed to do this if the state universities in the 5 other New England States do not carry a major that UCONN teaches (e.g UVM & UNH do not have schools of Pharmacy) The other New England State Universities reciprocate in like fashion. I'm not liking chances of an across the board arrangement.
2. Easy A garbage courses taylored to football players needs? Don't want any part of it. Don't want to see my UCONN diploma devalued.

1. I'm saying the state legislature should change the policy. I'm talking 3,000 high academic performers, so that limit on number of students caps the cost. Out of state tuition $28,204 and instate is $9,256 (NE regional program tuition is $16,198, http://bursar.uconn.edu/tuit_ugr_current.html). So the maximum cost is $19k * 3,000 per year = $57 million per year. The state budget is $40.5 billion per year. So we're talking 0.1% of the budget. Maybe it's politically impossible but it would have a big impact on the university.

2. Alright, forget the easy A's part. Grade it like any other class. Many universities have physical education programs with concentrations in coaching and athletic training. Indiana University has a highly rated program. Just add courses relevant to on-field performance, which is a perfectly reasonable thing to do. This adds as much value to the university as a puppetry program. If UConn becomes the preferred destination nationally for people who want to coach, say, high school football, this would open a lot of recruiting channels over time. Why not strive to be the nation's destination school for this? UConn already has a good education program.

 

[B1GALUM]

Either that or an "unofficial" Delaney/B1G emissary to keep the Husky faithful's hopes alive and thinking B1G. Regardless, a lot of time, thought and positive energy behind all of the posts, which I appreciate.

You're welcome. A variation on a prior post of mine to share my perspective. I believe I share a common interest with you: UConn to the B1G. The initial expansion of the B1G to include Penn State and then Nebraska made sense to me given their status as football brands. After the announcement that Maryland and Rutgers were invited, my initial reaction was similar to that of a number of my fellow B1G alums: why? However, as I came to understand the rationale, my perspective changed. This B1G expansion is now about developing academic collaboration with universities and penetrating markets on the East coast to be a bi-regional conference. Since I did not know much about Maryland or Rutgers and thought expansion was not over, I made a decision to learn more about other East coast universities that might be future B1G members. I wanted to post to let you know that there are some of us in the B1G who have made an effort to learn more about UConn and after doing so see your value and let you know that we appreciate you seeing value in becoming a B1G member.

 

[RS9999X]

I agree on the media rights. If nothing changes then UConn should start their own Channel and sell games back to the AAC for distribution out of market. Malloy should mandate it at $1 a month on all state distributors including Satellite. SNY should be the partner. National games should be sold separately. Connecticut should host a Bowl and Tourney.

 

[NEforceUConn]

Would UConn sell out a home slate of Indiana, Rutgers, Maryland, Purdue, and Wisconsin? With Nova and Virginia as appetizers? Would the demand support raising ticket prices ?

How about the Michigan UConn ratings? Anything to suggest it draws better than average Nielsen ratings?

With that schedule UConn will be posting 8-4 records and we will fill the house.

As a precursor of this when we go into that Michigan game undefeated that game experience will be OFF THE CHARTS!!!

 

[hthusky74]

Extra points if you can work the puppets and the time machine into that scenario.


UConn is one of only two universities in the country offering a bachelor of fine arts in puppet arts, and the only one offering master’s degrees in puppet arts. Graduates of the program perform and design for many theaters around the world. Shortly before her death earlier this month, Jane Henson, a puppeteer and original collaborator with Muppets creator Jim Henson, donated $100,000 to establish a scholarship fund for students majoring in puppet arts.

http://today.uconn.edu/blog/2013/04...e-museum-of-puppetry-moving-to-storrs-center/

Ronald Lawrence "Ron" Mallett (born March 30, 1945) is an American theoretical physicist, academic, and author. He has taught physics at the University of Connecticut since 1975. He is best known for his scientific position on the possibility of time travel. For quite some time Ronald Mallett has been working on plans for a time machine.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ronald_Mallett

Maybe Professor Mallett can tell us what conference we will end up in and when, so we can quit agonizing over it!