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Looks like UCA will be the last school to holding onto real grass as McNeese officials have finally found a Synthetic Turf product that combined with adequate engineering will be capable of dealing with the groundwater infiltration problems in "The Hole". This, along with Title IX has prevented us from getting in the past.

http://www.gseworld.com/geosport/geo...ect_photos.htm

The McNeese Athletic Foundation (MAF) will be kicking in to pay the entire cost of construction and material for installation of the the new playing surface, which is slated for installation as soon as the Spring "08 game is over.

The state cleared the way for the new surface on Friday.

[url]http://"http://www.regents.state.la....i06-27-07.pdf"[/url]

Last week the state approved construction of McNeese's new Field house by approving the 9.36 million dollar expenditure, which is about 2.5 million more than we originally were going to spend, but building costs and some modifications to the plans brought the cost up. Ground Breaking for the new facility will begin simultaniously along with construction of the new field turf project in April of 2008.

we're soooo old fashioned to have grass on a football field! What are we thinking.

In all seriousness, sounds like you guys are about to get things completed in the next 2 or 3 years to the football stadium.

Serious question, I've heard several schools in LA, and even some on TX talk about the red-tape involved in getting funds for these things in your respective states, how does the state decide how much it will give you guys, compared to UL-Lafayette, NW State, Nicholls, or any other school. Do those schools go back to the state and say, McNeese got xx amount so we need xx amount?

There is a certain formula the state allows each school to transfer from our overal budgets to our athletic budgets.

This year, for the first time sinse 1983, LA schools will get enough to fund 100% of our scholarships, plus enough to fund a portion of our operating budgets for salaries, insurance, retirements, and other expenses such as travel, recruiting, etc. Each school is allowed to transfer up to 3% of the overall schools budget to athletics for these purposes.

So, if a school has a $100 million dollar budget, than they are allowed to transfer up to $3,000,000 for Operating expenses. In addition to approximately $1,500,000 for scholarships for (FCS) schools, and another $250K for Title X compliance. FBS schools are allowed about $500,000 more for scholarships because they have 44 more to fund than the FCS schools. But the basic formula of 3% remains the same.

Schools are not allowed to use this funding for Capital Expenditures (CapEx). CapEx must be self funded thru self generating revenues such as ticket sales, sponsorships, and donations.

The $10 Million we are spending on our Stadium is all from self generating funding such as donations, sponsorships, and ticket sales.

Student Fees (if accessed) have, in the past, counted against that 3% cap. Beginning in July, this will no longer be the case. If students want to access themselves a fee for athletics, than it will be allowed to be added on top of the 3%. McNeese students just accessed themselves a fee to help with the field house and a couple of other things on campus. Prior to that, the students did not contribute to athletics at all.

Of course, LSU does not get any money from their school. They actually donate back to achedemic scholarships at times.

I never did (and still don't) understand all of that financial stuff!

Once I slowed down and read it, I think I understand it a little better.

You boys just dig deep in your pockets and give up some money every time they ask for it and leave the figuring to those that spend it. They don't want you to know how it is spent, they just want you to give more of it. That's all you need to know!