Univ Houston Has Eyes on Joining AAU, Raises $1 Billion

[LoyalFanCT]

The Univ. of Houston just reached its $1 Billion fundraising goal, several months ahead of schedule. According to the Houston Chronicle, one goal from the donations is to gain a spot among the nation’s top research institutions in the Association of American Universities. If admitted, UH would be one step closer to rivaling the academic prestige of other top Texas universities such as the University of Texas at Austin, a frequent competitor for the University... It would also make it more competitive for joining the B10 since AAU membership is a likely requirement. Maybe UConn can push the same kind of fundraising drive?

"We Always Dream Big." Another Public University Blows Past a Bold Fundraising Goal

 

[Rufus]

What university doesn't have eyes on joining the AAU? Of those, how many actually get invitations? Few and far between.

 

[UConnJim]

Fundraising has never been UConn's strength and the goals are relatively modest. They raise $82 million in 2018 and think it's a major success. UConn should set some stretch goals like $1 billion endowment in 4 years. Or, announce a $1 billion fundraising effort.

 

[Guapo]

Real: UConn should do better with fundraising

Fake: AAU being the be all end all

 

[Palatine]

Fundraising has never been UConn's strength and the goals are relatively modest. They raise $82 million in 2018 and think it's a major success. UConn should set some stretch goals like $1 billion endowment in 4 years. Or, announce a $1 billion fundraising effort.

In 2018 the endowment reached $447 million. It should approach half a billion this year and be over it by 2020.

The problem is that the endowment was ignored for decades when the state provided funding. In 1995, the endowment was just $40 million dollars.

Another national championship would accelerate it's climb.

 

[FDNY99]

$1 billion raised in fundraising, AAU membership...it doesn't matter what Uconn does...if Edsall doesn't start to win and fill Rentschler to sellout crowds again Uconn isn't going anywhere during the next round of CR if it EVER even happens again. Its taken me a LONG time to be able to write that...but then again trekking to the Rent game after game the past few years will make reality hit you square in the face VERY quickly!

 

[CL82]

$1 billion raised in fundraising, AAU membership...it doesn't matter what Uconn does...if Edsall doesn't start to win and fill Rentschler to sellout crowds again Uconn isn't going anywhere during the next round of CR if it EVER even happens again. Its taken me a LONG time to be able to write that...but then again trekking to the Rent game after game the past few years will make reality hit you square in the face VERY quickly!

Those are traditionally important metrics to be sure But the history of CR has been that the last rounds metrics are necessarily what is important in the next round. Yep, we push to meet all the key metrics we can, but that isn't a guarantee of getting in, or, as you point out, that there will actually be further expansion.

Took me a while to come to that realization as well.

 

[UConnJim]

In 2018 the endowment reached $447 million. It should approach half a billion this year and be over it by 2020.

The problem is that the endowment was ignored for decades when the state provided funding. In 1995, the endowment was just $40 million dollars.

Another national championship would accelerate it's climb.

This is the type of thinking that worries me. Who cares if UConn got a late start on fundraising and the endowment was only $40 million in 1995. We need to raise more money for both academics and athletics and we need to raise the bar considerably.

In 2007, the endowment was $338 million and in 12 years, it has only grown to $447 million for a growth rate of 3.2% per year over that time. The S&P 500 compounded at 8.9% during the time period and we only managed to grow the endowment by 3.2% per year? Yes, UConn takes income out of the endowment each year which impacts the growth of the endowment, but UConn is also raising money each year, so something is not working.

Look at UMass. The endowment was ~$250 million in 2007 and it is now ~$850 million. So UMass went from almost $100 million behind UConn to ~$400 million ahead in 12 years! Why can't UConn do that?

Hopefully, the new president will hire a top fundraising team and commit to an aggressive fundraising goal.

 

[Slasher]

Reaching AAU status is much more than fundraising. It's about high quality research activity more than anything.

 

[CL82]

Reaching AAU status is much more than fundraising. It's about high quality research activity more than anything.

It's about getting Federal research money more than anything. Show an established ability to do that at high level and you have a good shot.

 

[Slasher]

It's about getting Federal research money more than anything. Show an established ability to that at high level and you have a good shot.

Yep that's the point I was making. Doing high quality research that gets you federal research money.

 

[hoopsfan22]

The same people (schools) that control the P5 also control who gets an invite to the AAU, and they let schools in to that less frequently than they do their athletic conferences.

 

[Vowelguy]

. If admitted, UH would be one step closer to rivaling the academic prestige of other top Texas universities such as the University of Texas at Austin, a frequent competitor for the University...

Bwahahahaha.
Sure, one step closer to UT ... if the staircase is up the Empire State Building.

 

[Palatine]

This is the type of thinking that worries me. Who cares if UConn got a late start on fundraising and the endowment was only $40 million in 1995. We need to raise more money for both academics and athletics and we need to raise the bar considerably.

In 2007, the endowment was $338 million and in 12 years, it has only grown to $447 million for a growth rate of 3.2% per year over that time. The S&P 500 compounded at 8.9% during the time period and we only managed to grow the endowment by 3.2% per year? Yes, UConn takes income out of the endowment each year which impacts the growth of the endowment, but UConn is also raising money each year, so something is not working.

Look at UMass. The endowment was ~$250 million in 2007 and it is now ~$850 million. So UMass went from almost $100 million behind UConn to ~$400 million ahead in 12 years! Why can't UConn do that?

Hopefully, the new president will hire a top fundraising team and commit to an aggressive fundraising goal.

Facts are facts. They matter. Wishful thinking doesn't get you anything. We were very late to the party and are paying a price for it.

BTW, I think that the endowment of UMass Amherst is less than 400 million. UMass medical School is 222 million. UMass Lowell is 92 mil. UMass Boston is 85 mil. UMass Dartmouth is 56 mil. So the way they do it is apples and oranges. Plus UMass Amherest has 30,000 students. The other campuses add another 40,000 students. Just saying.

UConn raised 80+ million last year and only raised the endowment by about 25 million. Simply put UConn needs to produce more billionaires.

 

[goskis2018]

Facts are facts. They matter. Wishful thinking doesn't get you anything. We were very late to the party and are paying a price for it.

BTW, I think that the endowment of UMass Amherst is less than 400 million. UMass medical School is 222 million. UMass Lowell is 92 mil. UMass Boston is 85 mil. UMass Dartmouth is 56 mil. So the way they do it is apples and oranges. Plus UMass Amherest has 30,000 students. The other campuses add another 40,000 students. Just saying.

UConn raised 80+ million last year and only raised the endowment by about 25 million. Simply put UConn needs to produce more billionaires.

Don't worry, I'm working on it!

 

[Fishy]

Reaching AAU status is much more than fundraising. It's about high quality research activity more than anything.

It's about being invited into a group that is not remotely inclined to invite anyone else.

 

[whaler11]

It's about being invited into a group that is not remotely inclined to invite anyone else.

The University of Houston would be invited to the NFL before they get invited to the AAU.

Two NFL teams in Houston WHO ARENT THE OILERS is more likely.

 

[Slick]

Fundraising has never been UConn's strength and the goals are relatively modest. They raise $82 million in 2018 and think it's a major success. UConn should set some stretch goals like $1 billion endowment in 4 years. Or, announce a $1 billion fundraising effort.

Hmm maybe 250 million in 4 years. New englanders are very frugal. I know someone who’s wife earns over 6 million a year and he loves UConn. He thinks it’s big that he donates 2500.per year

 

[Excalibur]

You want to account for the difference? Just look at the numbers of alumni . . .

 

[MrSheldrake]

$1 billion raised in fundraising, AAU membership...it doesn't matter what Uconn does...if Edsall doesn't start to win and fill Rentschler to sellout crowds again Uconn isn't going anywhere during the next round of CR if it EVER even happens again. Its taken me a LONG time to be able to write that...but then again trekking to the Rent game after game the past few years will make reality hit you square in the face VERY quickly!

When the Power 5 invite a team and bring them into the P5 fold, football is not always the main reason. They look at a lot of different factors, including athletic success across all sports, as well as academic success. Ask Rutgers how they got in. Lol

 

[Drew]

 

[whaler11]

If Houston wanted a Med school I’ve got one they could be gifted. It’s in Farmington CT - once you take the dead 6 figure employees off the payroll it only loses 8 figures a year.