Prioritizing athletics and the words of Jim Limbaugh

Priority I: Athletics

The wording of the objective approved by the Southeast Missouri State board of regents on Friday for inclusion as one of six Priority I objectives in the university's strategic plan:

"Evaluate and enhance the quality of all athletic programs, including providing opportunities for student participation as both student athletes and fans; strengthening and enhancing funding and facilities; enhancing the educational experience, retention and graduation rates of student athletes; and cultivating meaningful relationships with fans and benefactors."

Jim Limbaugh, Southeast board of regents member, talks about the importance of the athletics-related objective:

"Strategic plans are often times a function of momentum, and you have to make sure they're top of the mind and keep the momentum going. Otherwise, they will die on the vine. It has to stay top of the mind.

"If it's not listed as a priority, it's perceived that it isn't important."

Were you surprised athletics wasn't included as one of the original five objectives in the draft?

"Yes, and frankly, that's why we brought it up, that's why I specifically brought it up.

"If you look at the specific priorities, the strategic priorities that we have, athletics impacts funding, not only from single one-time potential gifts that are earmarked for athletics but also the recurring revenue that is a function of the [University] Foundation and is earmarked for athletics in the booster club drive. That is recurring revenue and essential to the budget of athletics.

"As I mentioned to my colleagues on the board, that is not a dotted-line correlation, that is a direct line, and it either positively or negatively impacts funding.

"Conversely, there's a communication component to the strategic plan. There can be very positive communication with regard to athletics and its success, or it can be very negative. As a priority, it has a direct correlation between the communication function of the university in terms of enhancing or detracting from the overall perception of the university.

"That's why it needs to be front and center, from my perspective.

"It was revisited and it was unanimous by my colleagues on the board that it is a priority, and that's why we did it. That's why we go through this process. The original was a draft form and drafts are adjusted and tweaked, and we made sure it was front and center. That's the beauty of a draft, that we can tweak it, it was good discussion and good dialogue."

Are you optimistic about where the process is headed?

"I have to confess, I don't — with anything — adhere to the principle that it has to get so bad to make some structural changes or system changes or personnel. You just don't have to let it get so bad.

"Having said that, I'm always optimistic.

"Am I frustrated that we had to squeeze out a win Saturday? I had to turn it off, frankly.

"But I continue to just consider the possibilities about what it could be like. I'm always optimistics about it because I know what a great enhancement it could be for the university, and the area. Just think about the possibilities, and you just keep working and plugging away for that to be created. For that to happen, we have to get everybody pulling in the same direction.

"There has to be oftentimes, a cultural shift and an ideological shift and that's where the strategic plan issue comes in. It has to have buy-in from the regents and filter down, and Ken [Dobbins, university president] has to execute it.

"All of these things happen under our watch and we have accountability to that."

— Toby Carrig