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EMBEZZLEMENT IN OU'S DEPARTMENT OF INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETICS

JOIN EQUITY IN ATHLETICS.ORG - GREAT LAKES CHAPTER - INCLUDES OHIO AND MICHIGAN

Link to Our Petition - Please Sign - Thank You to All Who Have Already Signed

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United Swim Parents' Letters to OU's President & Athletic Director   NCAA Takes Notice   Recent Site Updates

 

LINKS

Home
In Memoriam
What's the Buzz?
Embezzlement in Athletic Department
OU Sports Financials 2005-2006
Equity in Athletics - Great Lakes Chapter
Big Collegiate Sports vs All Other Sports
Reporting Suspected Violations
Title IX Information
AD Boeh: OU Compliant with Title IX
Unanswered Letters
Important Info for Athletes
Rallies and Other Actions
We're Organized - Join Us!
HELP US TAKE ACTION!
$277,550 Over Budget Spent In Mobile
VA Legislators Angry
The Issues
Developments
Reactions
Articles and News Reports
Who are these dropped athletes?
Class, Dignity & Competitive Spirit
Lacrosse
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Track & Field
"Vision Ohio"
Reinstatement Success Stories
Parallel Efforts at Other Universities
Resources
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Links

PETITION
 
Please sign our petition to save dropped OU sports.  Click here.  If your current circumstances or position with Ohio University do not require anonymity, we request that you sign with your name  rather than as "Anonymous" as some have.  Thank you and thanks to the Women's Lacrosse blog for setting up this petition.
MORE LINKS
 
Bobcat Attack Message Board
 
Ohio University Alumni Association
 
OU Students have an active discussion going on in FaceBook.Com.  Click here to go to FaceBook.Com and join in.
 
OU Student Newspaper "The Post Online"
 
www.EquityinAthletics.org
 
Save James Madison University Sports.org
 
Taking Inside Higher Ed to the Mat
EMAIL CONTACT FOR THIS SITE:  SaveOUSports ATgmailDOTcom
 
OU COMPLIANCE WITH ATHLETIC LAWS, RULES, AND REGULATIONS
        This is a page to present information about OU's compliance with athletic laws, rules and regulations to which it is subject.  Material will be added as appropriate.
From OU's Official Athletic Website
Compliance Corner
Dear Alumni, Fans and Friends,
As a founding member of the Ohio Bobcat Club, you are, by NCAA definition, a representative of Ohio's athletics interests. Those who actively support Ohio athletics are an integral part in the overall success of the program. Your support enables our student-athletes to train and prepare in quality facilities, compete against challenging opponents and receive superior coaching. Your level of support is vital to the outcome of contests and competitions.
We value your interest and support, but we must remind you that the NCAA has strictly limited the role you, as a Bobcat fan, may assume with regard to prospects and student-athletes. An inappropriate action on your part can jeopardize the eligibility of a student-athlete, prospect and/or the compliance of the University with Mid-American Conference and NCAA regulations.
Rules compliance is of the highest priority for our athletics program and institution. As a member of the NCAA, Ohio is responsible for the actions of its alumni, supporters and fans. Even the best-intentioned action on your part may be a violation of NCAA rules. Please contact the Compliance Office if you have any questions regarding what is permissible. Remember to "Ask Before You Act!"
Ohio appreciates its alumni and friends who strive for the highest level of ethical conduct while supporting the student-athlete's goals for both academic and athletic success.
We thank you for your support.
 Ohio Athletics

Did OU follow these requirements of Title IX during its latest fund raising drive?  We would like to know.

From the Women's Sports Foundation.Org

Title IX - Booster Clubs FAQS

  • Q1: Does Title IX apply to booster clubs and other types of (similar) support for athletic teams?
  • Q2: If the men’s baseball team receives money from outside sources (i.e., a sponsorship or booster club), is the women’s softball team entitled to receive the same benefits as were provided by the booster money used for the men’s team?
    Q1: Does Title IX apply to booster clubs and other types of (similar) support for athletic teams?
    A: Yes. If the school permits an individual or group to donate funds for the benefit of a specific gender or sport, it must also make sure that benefits and services are equivalent for both sexes.
    Q2: If the men’s baseball team receives money from outside sources (i.e., a sponsorship or booster club), is the women’s softball team entitled to receive the same benefits as were provided by the booster money used for the men’s team?
    A: Title IX applies to all institutional revenues used for athletics, including donations from “boosters” or “sponsors” that are designated for specific teams. When an institution allows a specific team to have a sponsor and the sponsor specifies that the money be used for a particular purpose or go only to the baseball team, the institution may accept the money with the restriction specified by the sponsor, but in so doing, cannot use the circumstance as justification for discrimination. It must find resources from somewhere else to make sure that the women’s sports programs have the same benefits as the men’s sports programs. These benefits do not have to match by sport (i.e., men’s baseball and women’s softball) because “equal opportunity” under Title IX is determined by looking at the men’s program as a whole vs. the women’s program as a whole (not comparing one sport for men to the same sport for women). On the whole, considering all men’s and women's sports, the school or university is obligated to distribute all of its resources (and the sponsor money is a university resource once the university accepts it) in a non-discriminatory manner.
    Click Here to order our Expert Packets

Ohio Bobcat Club Reaches Goal  

[Were these donors aware that while OU was asking for "sports specific" donations, it was getting ready to cut teams?]  
[Bold type emphasis inserted by SaveOUSports.Org]
New fundraising initiative reaches $400,000 mark
Dec. 1, 2006
ATHENS, Ohio - The Ohio Bobcat Club, the fundraising arm of Ohio Athletics that was formed in May, has already surpassed its initial goal, raising more than $410,000 in support of Ohio Athletics. The total represents an 18-percent increase in annual giving from the last fiscal year and a 46-percent increase in unrestricted annual giving.
"The primary goal of the Ohio Bobcat Club is to support our student-athletes in their academic and athletic endeavors," Associate Athletic Director for Program Advancement Chris Delisio said. "I feel that the Bobcat Club members agree with this mission by helping to enhance the student-athlete experience. They also know that now is the time to capitalize on our opportunity to establish Ohio Athletics as the model athletics program in the Mid-American Conference."
All annual gifts to athletics -- Tower Club, Phillips Club, unrestricted support and sport-specific giving --now occur within the Ohio Bobcat Club. The levels of membership begin at $100 and increase up to $10,000. The program includes eight levels of membership with varying benefits and the formation of a points system that will prioritize ticket purchasing and seat location privileges for all postseason events, bowl games, away games, conference tournaments and other special contests.
"People have seen the need for this new initiative and Athletics' need for additional financial support." Delisio said. "They also appreciate the fact that we are making giving to athletics easier by having everything under one umbrella - the Ohio Bobcat Club. People are excited that there are now acknowledgement and benefits for their support of Ohio Athletics."
While the organizations' donation goal has been met, the drive to reach 1,000 members is currently underway. As of Nov. 1, the Ohio Bobcat Club had 696 members.
"It has been an exciting fall for our sports teams and our department," Director of Development Maura Murphy said, "Although we have surpassed our monetary goal, we are actively working to reach our membership goal for this year. We encourage all current members to spread the word about the success of our program and the Ohio Bobcat Club."
The men's basketball game versus Marshall on Saturday, Dec. 2 has been designated Ohio Bobcat Club Day. In appreciation of their commitment to Ohio Athletics, all current Ohio Bobcat Club members are invited to watch the game.
Current members of the Ohio Bobcat Club will receive two complimentary admission coupons to the game. Coupons may be redeemed on the day of the game outside of the athletics ticket office in the Convocation Center lobby. Additional tickets may be purchased for $12.00 at the athletics ticket office or by calling 1-800-575-CATS. It is requested that current members bring the Ohio Bobcat Club card to the event for pre-game access to the Rohr Room for a members-only reception.
A current Ohio Bobcat Club member is defined as anyone that has made a contribution of $100 or more to Ohio Athletics since May 1, 2006.
More information regarding the Ohio Bobcat Club can be found at www.ohiobobcats.com , or by calling the Ohio Bobcat Club at 740-593-1119.

Ohio Athletics Announces New Annual Giving Program

[Bold type emphasis inserted by SaveOUSports.Org]
Ohio Bobcat Club to serve as fundraising umbrella for all of Ohio Athletics
June 1, 2006
Ohio Bobcat Club Information
ATHENS, Ohio - Ohio University Athletics has announced the formation of the Ohio Bobcat Club, which will serve as the fundraising arm of Ohio Athletics. The club will supply a way for individuals to help provide Ohio student-athletes with quality educational and competitive opportunities.
"The goal of the Ohio Bobcat Club is to provide the resources enabling our 537 student-athletes to continue to pursue their academic and athletic aspirations," Director of Athletics Kirby Hocutt said. "The Ohio Bobcat Club provides a method for all Bobcats fans to support the overall student-athlete experience as we focus on establishing our athletics programs at the top of the Mid-American Conference."
All annual gifts to athletics -- Tower Club, Phillips Club, unrestricted support and sport-specific giving -- will now occur within the Ohio Bobcat Club. The levels of membership begin at $100 and increase up to $10,000. The new program includes eight levels of membership with varying benefits and the formation of a points system that will prioritize ticket purchasing and seat location privileges for all postseason events, bowl games, away games, conference tournaments and other special contests.
"Our alumni, and fans of Ohio Athletics have fully supported our new initiative, " Chris Delisio, Associate Athletic Director for Program Advancement and Executive Director of the Ohio Bobcat Club said. "We look forward to the continued growth of the Ohio Bobcat Club and its positive impact on all of Ohio Athletics.
More information regarding the Ohio Bobcat Club can be found at www.ohiobobcats.com, or by calling the Ohio Bobcat Club at 740-593-1119.
From "The Post Online" February 9, 2007

OU to absorb post-season costs

[Bold type emphasis inserted by SaveOUSports.Org]
Katie Carrera / Sports Editor / kc207604@ohiou.edu
The Ohio football team’s first trip to a bowl game in 38 years wasn’t planned, nor was it budgeted for.
After reimbursement payments from the Mid-American Conference and ticket revenue are factored in, Ohio University will pick up the remaining $277,550 tab from the Bobcats’ appearance in the MAC Championship and GMAC Bowl, paying for it out of institutional general reserves, said William Decatur, vice president for finance and administration.
“It’s one-time money,” he explained, adding that the same reserves were used to comply with the minimum wage increase. “It’s an opportunity that wasn’t anticipated or budgeted for in the athletic department, but certainly something the university is proud of and, there was no question about us attending those games.”
For winning the MAC East Division, coach Frank Solich received the 5 percent bonus — $12,484 — stipulated in his contract, which will come out of the athletic department’s salary budget, said Kirby Hocutt, director of athletics. Solich’s base salary is $249,672.
There are no contractual bonuses for assistant football coaches, but Hocutt said the athletic department received private donations amounting in $40,000 that is being used “to reward our football coaches for a great season.”
Ohio’s participation in the MAC Championship game in Detroit on Nov. 30, for which the conference doesn’t offer any reimbursement, makes up $95,000 of that total. That includes travel and lodging costs, along with the expense of housing the team while they practiced in Athens during winter break.
Total expenses to send the football team and its staff, cheerleaders, dance team and university officials to Mobile, Ala., for the GMAC Bowl on Jan. 7 came to $531,105. That number includes transportation ($237,644) and meals and lodging per diem ($198,001) for all 261 people who participated in the weeklong bowl-game festivities.
Some other GMAC Bowl expenses include entertainment ($7,124), equipment and supplies ($26,671), awards ($37,223) and promotion expenditures ($12,495).
Those expenditures are offset by the $300,000 reimbursement Ohio will receive from the MAC for its participation, and the revenue from 1,097 tickets sold, or $48,555.
Although Ohio did not make enough money to cover all bowl expenses, Hocutt said the national attention from post-season games is well worth the cost.
“I think you have to look at the intangibles that are associated with it,” Hocutt said. “We’ve been in USA Today every day with the bowl lineups, we’ve been on the scroll of ESPN every night in (December.) We’re exposing Ohio University to the entire country.” 

From the National Association of Compliance Coordinators

 An affiliate organization of the National Association of Collegiate Directors of Athletics, an organization to which OU belongs.  

Did OU avail itself of this organization's services?

It is located nearby in Cleveland:
Location
Cleveland, OH
Founded / Joined NACDA
1998 / 1998
Colors
Hunter Green and White [That's interesting]
President
Travis Feezell
Director of Athletics
Macalester College
National Office Contact
Jason Galaska
440/892-4000

Compliance-Related Services

The Compliance Group, Inc.
Contact Information:
Charles E. Smrt
President
8889 Bourgade Street, Lenexa, Kansas 66219
P: 913/599-3210
F: 913/599-1568
csmrt@tcgathletics.com
tcgathletics.com
Description of Services
  • Enforcement Consulting and Investigation
  • Reviewing issues concerning international prospective and enrolled student-athletes
  • Reviewing preliminary information about possible violations and developing a strategy to address it
  • Interviewing individuals and preparing a report
  • Developing a report on whether a potential violation is secondary or major
  • Petitioning for reinstatement of student-athlete's eligibility
  • Conferring with NCAA enforcement and student-athlete reinstatement staffs about various issues
  • Interpreting NCAA enforcement process and procedures
  • Reviewing sports wagering-related information
  • Reviewing agent-related information
  • Preparing annual probationary reports
  • Counseling the institution for an appearance before the Committee on Infractions
  • Appearing before the Committee on Infractions
    Compliance
  • Conducting general compliance reviews of major areas such as recruiting and initial-eligibility
  • Conducting specialized compliance reviews in areas such as academic support services, non-scholastic participation, long-distance learning courses, student-athlete employment, booster club policies and procedures, etc.
  • Assessing sports wagering compliance and monitoring activities
  • Assessing agent compliance and monitoring activities
  • Developing specialized procedure manuals for booster groups and other entities
  • Developing compliance worksheets and educational handouts
  • Reviewing Bylaw 6.2.3.1 annual financial audits with recommendations on compliance-related changes
  • Conducting background reviews on coaching staff members with the NCAA national office
    Associated Costs:
    TCG staff are retained on a hourly or project basis that is very competitive for the industry

DROPPED TEAMS

 

wpe25.jpg (36227 bytes)

2006 Women's Lacrosse Team

 

 Women's Save Ohio Lacrosse Blog

 

LaxPower.com message board discussion on OU LAX

 

Women's Lacrosse web page at OU website

 

Swim Dive Team.jpg (90284 bytes)

Swimming and Diving

 

Save Ohio Swimming and Diving

and

Save Ohio Swimming

 

Swimming and Diving web page at OU website

 

Save Ohio University Swimming Discussion Forum

2005-2006 Track.jpg (20602 bytes)

Track and Field

 

Bringing Back Ohio Track Blog

 

Track and Field web page at OU website

 

YouTube video put together for the Track and Field Team

 

 

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SaveOUsports.org is a non-profit group devoted to action that will reinstate discontinued varsity sports at Ohio University.