Consistent with my goal for every campus program to be the best it can be, this summer I gave the athletic department permission to explore its future, including two matters which received a lot of media coverage: a possible divisional switch and adding hockey. When resources are scarce, why should we consider putting additional resources into areas outside of teaching and scholarship? The short answer is a greater possible return on investment. What we're doing right now is, in effect, a business plan to see if the rewards will outweigh the costs.
Let's talk about hockey first. For a long time, there has been community and campus interest in adding varsity hockey. Engineering studies have been commissioned by the City of Fargo with private support and non-appropriated funds from the athletic budget to see if a suitable facility could be constructed as part of a downtown redevelopment plan, on our campus, or at some other location. Hockey is a sport that traditionally supports itself. So the question is whether the cost of this program and facility makes economic sense, and if so, based on the best data available, we can make a decision on adding it to our athletic mix.
If you were around Fargo-Moorhead this summer, you may have read about the second issue facing athletics, a possible divisional switch. Let me state loudly and clearly that no decision has been made. As scholars, we recognize the importance of making decisions based on data. What is happening now is that data are being gathered before this campus makes a decision. Perhaps phrasing the issue as a
research question is appropriate: would a switch from NCAA Division II to NCAA Division IAA make sense economically and be consistent with the perspective of wanting all NDSU programs to be the best they can be?
This is a time of great uncertainty in collegiate athletics and we really don't know how schools and conferences will be positioned in the coming years. Making a change to Division IAA likely will offer the university greater national exposure, which will, in time, support our efforts in recruiting and institutional growth. But can we afford it? Let's find out, then make up our minds about these proposals. This is a matter with statewide implications and our discussions need a statewide perspective, as well.