UNLV athletic director Mike Hamrick welcomed an official e-mail notice from the NCAA on Friday morning that will save the Rebels $1,800 in the 2009-10 academic year.
More than a month ago, the governing body of collegiate sports announced that it will suspend membership dues for all of its schools for the next year.
That’s between $900 and $1,800, depending on which division a school competes. UNLV, a Division-I program, is at the upper end of that range.
“That’s three recruiting trips for our volleyball coach,” Hamrick said. “That’s uniforms for your cross-country team. That’s how I look at that.
“What that says is the NCAA is very sensitive to what its institutions are going through right now, with the economic and financial situation. And I praise the NCAA for that.”
Hamrick recently announced budget cuts, from funds UNLV receives from the state, that affected his annual budget of about $26 million.
The NCAA will save its members a total of $1.3 million. The release Hamrick received Friday morning said that the savings were part of a national effort to relieve fiscal pressure on schools during an economic downturn that is affecting all of higher education.
“The NCAA was able to cut some things and tighten their belt a little, to put that savings back to the institutions,” Hamrick said. “Even though that’s not a significant amount of money … it sends the right message. The NCAA can survive without getting that $1,800.”
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$1,800 is the expense of 3 recruiting trips for the Volleyball coach. What airline is she taking!!! And where's she going to find these recruits because that is cheap!
There has to be some limit to what is described as 'newsworthy'. Whatever that limit is, this 'news' fails to meet it!
It's the NCAA cash cow saying it can do without $1.3 million, not an insignificant sum, over the next year. It actually recognizes the tough economy and is doing something to assist its members. UNLV has been forced to keep an eye on all of its pennies. All the way around, it isn't insignificant newyorkrebel.
Absolutely insignificant.
If someone were to make the Athletic department TWICE that amount, would that be newsworthy?
In the grand scheme of things, $1,800 means nothing.
And really. If the story is that the NCAA is giving up $1.3 million due to the economy, then the story should headline that with a side not that UNLV will save $1,800. I feel like I'm reading the Onion.
In other news, a local Henderson man saved $0.25 when he used a coupon to purchase 2 rolls of Bounty Paper Towels.
Really?
I hear what your saying Rob, NCAA offloading $1.3 mill to its member institutions makes for a great gesture and impression. It's just that it becomes kind of funny that this grand gesture equates to $1,800 for UNLV. I guess that can cover book costs for 1 student this school year.
Ha ha, now that's funny ninja. It's about UNLV in relation to the NCAA. Why don't you give Mike Hamrick a ring and ask him how petty that figure is.
Yeah, SMB. I understand what you're saying. No doubt. The point is, yeah, that sure looks like a small amount. That's obvious. Hamrick says otherwise. The ways he has had to cut costs in recent months makes actually being able to save a couple grand look like a windfall.
I feel really bad for the Volleyball coach.....who only gets $600 for a recruiting trip. Break down the cost for various items in today's economy (includes taxes & surcharges):
Round Trip Airfare - West Coast ($100-$200), Midwest ($200-$300), East Coast ($300-$400)
2 Night Stay in a decent, not extravagant, hotel room - $220......$400 if you are on the East Coast or Large Midwest city.
Meals - $100 per day (remember it's hotel food)
Car Rental - $100 per day (you don't want to show up to the recruit's house in a Nissan Sentra)
Misc Tips & Other Expenses - $100
By my count, it's no less than $820 for a 2 day recruiting trip....unless you start to lower your standards on any of the above services. So for a budget of $600 for the Volleyball coach......I'll repeat.....I feel sorry for Coach Keeley.
S711
Maybe Hamrick was talking about recruiting trips to California/Arizona.
Lenny_V - Even if you take out the minimum for a round trip West Coast plane ticket $100, you still need all the other expenses....that totals $720. $600 is still pretty light compared to that!
S711
Fire Hamrick and The football coach Sanford and that would be a huge saving of money
$1800 would probably not even cover Hamrick's annual sweater-vest and Vitalis budget, let alone 3 volleyball recruiting trips. Well, unless those are trips to Foothill and Palo Verde.
ECU boosters warned us about this guy...still trying to figure out how we hire an AD who was basically ran out of his last job. Oh wait a minute, this is UNLV. Nevermind.
Giving coaches contract renewals for being perennial losers tells me all I need to know about Hamrick. Hopefully the next president cans him and brings in an AD that doesn't tolerate let alone reward losing.
have you ever worked for UNLV athletics Sinatra?
$100 per diem for food. uhhh.... no... try $75 max.
$100 a day for a rental car? I can get an SUV for $59. And if it's volleyball, who really cares if they're in a Sentra?
I really don't see $100 filed under Tips and Misc. maybe $40 or $50.
You're about right for the plane tickets and hotel rooms.
There's your $120 difference. I agree that it's a small amount to work with, but you're numbers included excess that the University can't afford during this economy.
"Nevada System of Higher Education officials signed off on the president's request for $1,017 to cover his meals for six days at the system's standard per diem rate for international travel."
That's $84.75 per diem for UNLV's president and his wife
Where can you eat on the road for $84.75 per day? The last business trip I went on in May, I spent at least that by myself. A basic egg, sausage, & toast breakfast in an average hotel restaurant can easily cost you $25++....that's just Breakfast. Dinner can easily go over $50 for 1 person....where are they going to eat? Denny's? McDonald's? Seriously.
Plus I rented a mid size car, which was a piece of crap Chevy Malibu for $80 per day after insurance, gas, etc. I might have overstated the tips a little, but it depends on where you are going.
My trip was to Dallas and it wasn't extravagant by any means. I can tell you that I spent at least $800 over 3 days.
This is a coach trying to impress a recruit to come to our school. You need to give him/her all of the tools necessary to convince the recruit that they are wanted. I would want the recruit to believe that we are willing to go all out to get them to commit.....rolling up in a Sentra doesn't quite send that message. Let's get real, these are 18 yr old kids that don't think or care about the State Budget, but a nice ride will go a long way to giving them a good 1st impression.....as shallow as that sounds, it is the truth.
S711