* As I told you yesterday, SIU’s president will lay out some major budget cutting proposals today. More info and context is here and here.
Meanwhile…
The fate of Southern Illinois basketball postseason has been up in the air over the state’s budget impasse, and the picture got cleared up Wednesday.
Saluki men’s basketball will not participate in a postseason tournament this season, according to a Saluki Athletics press release.
Coach Barry Hinson said there was not one single factor that led to this conclusion.
“We carefully considered a host of factors before reaching the decision to end our season,” he said. “Chief among them were the health and welfare of our players, as well as the budgetary implications of hosting games on our campus during spring break.”
After the team’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament loss to Northern Iowa, Hinson said his team would not pay to play in a postseason tournament “as people are getting ready to lose their jobs.”
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:04 am:
It looks like the Illini went ahead and saved the state some money this year. No press release necessary about Illini not playing in post-season.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:07 am:
Ok -
I brought up this happening to the Illini, I got mocked… I ate it. I ate it because the Illini were terrible.
But…
No postseason for the Salukis?
Now it’s real, isn’t it?
Welp, I guess since Dartmouth didn’t make the Tourney…
“Right? Exactly right.”
- SAP - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:11 am:
Does the basketball team have time to organize a bake sale or a car wash to raise money for post-season tourney?
- 360 Degree TurnAround - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:12 am:
Yes, it is real. It won’t become very real until the University of Illinois football season.
- Downstate GOP Faithless - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:13 am:
The amount of people who will to care is mind boggling, but SIU had a great season which deserves to be rewarded and admit it or not, they are being held hostage by the Governor. He must begin to lead, something he has failed to do thus far!
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:14 am:
===Does the basketball team have time to organize a bake sale or a car wash to raise money for post-season tourney?===
That would almost certainly be a violation of NCAA rules.
- out of touch - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:15 am:
Salukis were #Winning, but now they can’t play post-season because the Raunerites are “Winning”.
- Honeybear - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:16 am:
I am saddened by this. Those athletes worked so hard. This reminds me of a youth minister who was an Olympic weight lifter but didn’t get to go because we boycotted the Moscow Olympics. Sure it’s not life shattering like the job losses that Rauner is causing but it’s tragic nonetheless. It’s a willful destruction of dreams. It’s why all this college stuff really pisses me off.
- Groucho - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:17 am:
So. Not to sympathetic. This is an educational institution and not a sports program. These are the types of costs that should be cut all the time. Apparently the basketball team’s participation in the tournament requires funding that could be otherwise used to fund education programs at the school. I personally don’t want my tax dollars going to support college’s participation in a tournaments. College tuition is already outrageous. Anything that adds to this cost and is part of education should be slashed.
- 47th Ward - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:18 am:
They were 22-10 this year, which is pretty darn good. The NIT or the College Basketball Invitational were almost certain to invite them.
This is just wrong.
- Archiesmom - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:20 am:
I look at this story, and then the story below it. Millions of dollars are being spent on one primary in one state representative race, contrasted with a batch of kids who have worked their butts off all your long who will not have a chance to play in a basketball tournament for their school. These kids, and many others, are getting absolutely hammered by the impasse in Springfield. Is that one primary race the key to solving these problems, or is it just egos? I really wish I knew, and I really wish people were thinking about these kids when they mark their ballots.
- Fusion - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:20 am:
I was fine with developmentally disabled children and the elderly being thrown out into the street, but now this! It’s affecting postseason basketball?! This will not stand! /s
- Norseman - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:23 am:
Rauner is coming to the rescue. He’s giving them the money for postseason play. Throughout the postseason, the SIU Saluki’s will be known as the SIU Support Turnaround. Their new uniforms will have a “No to Unions” logo on them.
- SAP - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:26 am:
==I was fine with developmentally disabled children and the elderly being thrown out into the street, but now this! It’s affecting postseason basketball?! This will not stand! /s == Oh, and we’re out of coffee.
- Ray del Camino - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:30 am:
Maybe THIS will get disgruntled voters in Terri Bryant’s district to start paying attention.
- Anonymous - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:31 am:
It’s not uncommon for schools, even ones without budget issues to turn down the smaller tournaments. SIU wasn’t going to make the NCAA or NIT. They’re only option would’ve been the CBI or CIT, which are “pay to play.” And if the school wins and advances, it gets more expensive.
- University employee - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:31 am:
Good decision. Athletic departments pay a lot of money to play in the NIT and CBI tournaments. I’m sure the players would like to keep playing, but this is the right call.
- ChrisB - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:32 am:
Were they even in a position to make the post-season? With a lot of the conference champions losing their tournaments, there isn’t a lot of room for at large bids in the NIT. Obviously they aren’t dancing.
So that leaves the CBI, CIT and Vegas 16, all of which the schools pay the cost in full of participating. I think it’s something like $750,000 to play in the CBI if you make the championships. I imagine the other two are similar. Most schools decline to participate in these tournaments because of this. Also, at this point in the season, the kids are dealing with a bunch of nagging injuries. Better to shut them down and take advantage of the longer recovery period. Besides, it’s a waste of time and money just to be relegated to a non-HD webfeed.
The coach of my alma mater has already said that they wouldn’t play after the conference tournament if they didn’t make the NCAA or NIT. This isn’t AYSO soccer; the kids don’t need participation awards. Let them heal up and focus on their studies.
- Federalist - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:32 am:
Any GRF state dollars going to sports should be eliminated by Fall 2016.
To the extent such programs can be self supporting they should continue.
- Diogenes in DuPage - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:33 am:
Smart, classy decision by athletic department. Sad for team. Hostage-taking will continue until #winning is winning — or 2019, whichever comes first.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:40 am:
Ugh.
Recognize that television coverage on a school’s athletic program lends to an increase to enrollment and monies needed to function other areas of the University.
You thnk most people would’ve heard of Gonzaga? After building a program, the school had jumps in enrollment. Use the google key.
I remember Shaka Smart and Virginia Commonwealth, and trying to recruit him to Illinois. Why? Check how enrollment went up during Smart’s run at VCU.
Lovie Smith, not being paid by taxpayers, if he can ressurrect Illini Football, it won’t just be seats being filled at Memorial Stadium.
Big picture.
It helps to be on TV and have strong athletics when you struggle with enrollment.
- Dr X - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:49 am:
If I’m a player, its time to transfer. If I’m a prospect, it’s time to look elsewhere - who knows when your scholarship gets cut? Same goes for grad students, students, profs, etc - look elsewhere, or retrain. But leave this state behind. Minnesota looks good but the Arduin Express doesn’t have a route there.
- Southern Dawg - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 10:58 am:
Huge Saluki fan here, it’s true we weren’t dancing in the big dance but a post-season game would have been nice. However, given the circumstances, and Rauner’s insistence that public funded anything be stopped until unions are destroyed, it was the right call to make.
Also, is it just me, or is this state still way too calm for what’s happening?? Could you imagine if Blago, or Quinn not funding Higher Ed until he got non-budgetary concessions?
I remember when Blago hinted that Higher Ed might miss some payments and everyone went nuts. What we have now is Rauner saying zero payments and all seems calm.
- 100 miles west - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:00 am:
ILSenateGOP@ILSenateGOP
Righter says it’s time to move forward and make sure GOP proposals to free up $ for higher education and MAP can be heard.
But i just heard that in Sen Exec yesterday Goldberg, Nuding, and Dillard testified against Randogno’s bill to give Rauner the power to move money around?? If this is true, we should all just give up.
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:04 am:
–After the team’s Missouri Valley Conference tournament loss to Northern Iowa, Hinson said his team would not pay to play in a postseason tournament “as people are getting ready to lose their jobs.”–
Good on the Salukis for their decency and sense of proportion.
That’s something to be proud of as this “leveraging” strategery in service of a reactionary agenda continues to tune up the citizenry.
Homeless shelters for kids got shut down last week, remember? Even though non-GRF, dedicated funds for just that purpose are gathering dust in the state Treasury.
- (Not so) Super Sports Fan - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:04 am:
Oswego Willy, you are absolutely right. Television coverage of a successful athletics program can be a huge boon to a university in terms of enrollment and donations. But, SIU isn’t turning down the NCAA tournament. That would be a very short-sighted move. The smaller, lesser-known tournaments that SIU might be invited to do not get the media attention like the Big Dance does. CBI, CIT, Vegas 16 are money pits. I’d argue there is little ROI on those tourneys.
- Bronco Bahma - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:05 am:
===Maybe THIS will get disgruntled voters in Terri Bryant’s district to start paying attention.===
Most folks around here are already referring to Rep. Bryant as, “One Term Terri.”
- Southern Dawg - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:07 am:
Why do my comments never show up? Frustrating.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Coach Henson should reach out to new Illini football coach Smith and see if he’d be willing to use that new contract to sponsor the SIU team’s postseason game.
The game could be played in Champaign, so the U of I crowd would get to see a winning team in action.
- Chicagonk - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Well they weren’t making the NCAAs or the NIT. I don’t think any public university in the state of Illinois should pay to play in the barely watched CBI or CIT.
- Norseman - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:10 am:
From Live Coverage === Sen. Murphy makes point that despite 67% tax increase, funding for universities remained flat, and has gone down since the increase expired. (emphasis added) ===
I would say no money is definitely a decrease. I’m sure the universities would love flat right now. C’mon GOP, there are GOP members whose districts will suffer serious damage if you don’t do something for these schools. Saying that money will be made available by reforms that won’t actually take effect for awhile is just ludicrous.
- Michelle Flaherty - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:10 am:
Hinson, not Henson. Lou-do boo boo.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:17 am:
- Not so) Super Sports Fan -,
I know.
It also sends a message…
“We’re, as a school, can’t afford playing postseason basketball because we can’t afford to be a working university”
The anti-enrollment warning.
Students are leaving Illinois to get quality educations at other universities that, ironically, they may only know because of Basketball and Football…
It’s the complete university package students who are forces to leave their home state. It’s the dorms, the accreditation and reputation in the field of study, the town a school is located, the athletics and alumni…
Right now, how can Western, Eastern, Southern compete when the college experience, the whole experience, is being gutted and being able to promote less?
It’s the statement of the “No”, what it represents, not what tourney that they are not going to.
With respect.
- Norseman - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:17 am:
From Live Coverage === Righter says it’s time to move forward and make sure GOP proposals to free up $ for higher education and MAP can be heard. ===
Here’s an idea. Pass a budget that allocates the resources necessary to provide State support for universities as well as other services. Right now, your support of Rauner’s impasse has resulted in spending decisions being made by the courts, continuing approp and Rauner. Bottom line, Rauner doesn’t care about your university.
- Big Joe - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:23 am:
A 22-10 record is pretty good for the SIU program that has been down lately. Too bad there is no money for them, as even playing in the NIT boosts recruiting prospects for the future.
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:34 am:
Tournaments pay the conferences for teams to participate. More depending on how they do. I guess I see the part about not hosting, but this is a bit of a head scratcher.
- Jimmy H - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:42 am:
Good decision SIUC.
First let me say that I’m no sports fan. Those that wish to eliminate athletics from a University have no argument unless they show facts that the athletics are not self-sufficient. Make sure to include money made from sports merchandise sales. Also, the loss of enrollment needs to be considered. How many times has the point been made on this forum that that athletics is “sacred”? Kids are indoctrinated into sports from grade school on with zealot like fervor. How much revenue would a University lose from the loss of enrollment?
It is a sad commentary when the U of I can garner a multi-million dollar donation for a coach at the same time kids are being put out on the streets where many will end up in the hands of predators.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:44 am:
- A Guy -
It’s not a head-scratcher.
Bruce Rauner refuses to fund Higher Education.
Please, keep up.
- The Dude Abides - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:49 am:
Besides the basketball team’s misfortune it sounds like SIU Medical School in Springfield will cut 100 jobs. I feel bad for those people and losing 100 jobs is bad for the Springfield economy. If the Democrats would just let the Governor make the Unions go away all would be well./s
- A guy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:53 am:
Willy,
Do “teams” receive or not receive money for participating? In excess of the travel expenses? I actually know a little about this first hand from experience. But, do share what you know. I’m interested.
NCAA Basketball is fun and great. I like it a lot. I’ll miss too many games while I’m out doing precinct work. But I’ll catch the teams I want to see the most. Frankly, I like every game. It’s the one time where a sports bar with dozens of TVs doesn’t addle me.
As much as I enjoy post season hoops, and I do, and I know it’s a huge part of the college experience. Can you share with the class the direct connection of it and Higher Education along with how those expenses get paid for.
I’ll wait.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:58 am:
===Can you share with the class the direct connection of it and Higher Education===
Sure…
http://espn.go.com/blog/collegebasketballnation/post/_/id/63340/study-hoops-success-begets-more-students
===with how those expenses get paid for.===
Athletic budgets, boosters, the University endowments directly funding the bands, student support groups, and the conferences through pass thru monies for teams qualifying for postseason.
Short wait…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 11:58 am:
–I guess I see the part about not hosting, but this is a bit of a head scratcher.–
Did you see the coach’s explanation about people losing their jobs?
Still scratching?
You have to win a couple of games in the NIT just to get in the black. CBI is pay-for-play.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 12:03 pm:
- A Guy -
From the article I cited;
===In 2006, a George Mason professor ran a study on the post-Final Four Patriots and found that the school had received roughly (ha) $677 million in free advertising, while its admissions inquiries increased by 350 percent. Butler saw similar benefits after its near-national title miss in 2010.===
Questions, or…
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 12:04 pm:
–NCAA Basketball is fun and great. I like it a lot.–
Then, as a big fan, you must know SIU wasn’t getting invited to the NCAA Tournament after losing in the first round of the MVC.
Did you see what the coach said about people losing their jobs?
- Pawn - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 12:15 pm:
18-year-olds and parents of high school seniors are making decisions RIGHT NOW about where they are going to college next year. Rising seniors are just starting to look at the college application process. WHO in their right mind would sign on for one of our directional schools if they had ANY other options? My son is a HS junior and we are taking spring break for a college visit tour. Guess what? None of the schools are in Illinois. Guess what else? He’s a 3.8 GPA and a 31 on the ACT. All of those schools would be happy to have him. I’m a little sad about it, because other commenters here are right — kids who leave the state to go to school are more likely to stay away.
- chicagonk - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 12:42 pm:
@OW SIU wasn’t playing in the NCAA tournament or even the NIT. A third-rate tournament that no one watches is not boosting enrollment and is not free advertising.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 12:48 pm:
===SIU wasn’t playing in the NCAA tournament or even the NIT. A third-rate tournament that no one watches is not boosting enrollment and is not free advertising.===
I was answering - A Guy - as to what athletics bring to the table.
I also read what was said, and don’t you find it “odd” that citing the real costs and people losing their jobs as the reason why no postseason? Maybe that was a message of another “thing” hurt without a budget? Maybe it’s a statement to the budget impasse not to postseason basketball in this specific instance?
Maybe SIU basketball is trying to shine anothe light at what happens when Rauner refuses to fund higher ed?
I was clipping two birds with one point, but the point isn’t lost on me that SIU’s lack of a budget again takes something away, and that vehicle is used to help SIU grow…
… but not this year. No matter the forum.
- Qui Tam - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 1:07 pm:
Sports Headline: “Rauner SuperStars Eliminate SIU Salukis from Tournament.”
- Chicagonk - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 1:08 pm:
@OW Sorry - Didn’t realize you were responding to A Guy. I do agree that basketball is a big deal at SIU and the larger point of bringing attention to the budget cuts is important.
- Peter Golden - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 2:02 pm:
Rauner has been Governor for 14 months. The State had a Democratic Governor the previous 12 years, and for the previous 8 years the University president was a former (D)Congressman. Guessing the financial condition of the State and University has been in decline longer than 14 months. Maybe start with eliminating useless degree programs such as Africana Studies, Art History, Philosophy, and University Studies.
Barry Hinson looks like the Chickenhawk from the Foghorn Leghorn cartoons.
- Rich Miller - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 2:05 pm:
=== Guessing the financial condition of the State and University has been in decline longer than 14 months===
You’re just willfully blind or stupid.
The governor vetoed the higher ed appropriation bill last year. He has vetoed a MAP grant bill.
In however many years that Illinois has had public state universities, this is the first year that they have received no state funding at all.
Trouble in the past? Sure. But this isn’t trouble. This is attempted murder.
- Oswego Willy - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 2:08 pm:
- Peter Golden -
Illinois has been paying for Higher Education since 1857.
In case you’re poor at math, that’s a long time. Through a Civil War, Depressions, World Wars, higher education still got funded.
No one’s on your lawn, bud.
You’re mouth breathing is pathetic, however, especially with …
===Maybe start with eliminating useless degree programs such as Africana Studies, Art History, Philosophy, and University Studies.===
I’ll let sit and fester in in the sun a bit as many wonder…
… why “those”?
- wordslinger - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 2:30 pm:
–This is attempted murder.–
Not only of higher education, but of Downstate.
The only Illinois counties Downstate that have experienced any population growth in recent years are those anchored by state universities.
That’s a good thing, to have state institutions of higher learning spread throughout the state to provide opportunity.
Yesterday, we learned here that SIU has been shorted $150 million to date in what it expected to get this year from the state.
Do you know what that kind of money means in Little Egypt and the Metro East? The economic multiplier?
And then to get sandbagged, out of nowhere, by the guy you supported for governor? It’s surreal.
Please, everyone, read yesterday’s post about the future of SIU, today’s status quo.
Maybe we should put a little think into this before we start putting universities out of business, forever.
https://capitolfax.com/2016/03/09/siu-president-outlines-budget-cut-proposals/
- Demoralized - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 3:33 pm:
==Rauner has been Governor for 14 months==
So at what point is the Governor responsible for something? Give me a number. 18 months. 2 years. 4 years. I mean, he’s just a victim in all of this right?
- Norseman - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 4:46 pm:
Well said Demoralized.
- Phoenix - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 5:48 pm:
Elections have consequences.
- Norseman - Thursday, Mar 10, 16 @ 6:50 pm:
=== Elections have consequences. ===
Somehow I missed the Rauner pledge to stop funding higher education. I’m sure all those voters in university towns did too. Then again, I knew the guy would be a disaster from what little information he did provide.