Fresno State Athletics
Fresno State Streamlines Athletics Fundraising
2/1/2005 12:00:00 AM | General
Feb. 1, 2005
FRESNO, Calif. - In a move to strengthen the financial future for the Fresno State Athletics Department, President John D. Welty today announced the creation of the Athletics Development Council.
The new council is a 17-member group of community volunteers charged with the task of coordinating the work of all current athletics fund-raising organizations.
The announcement comes after a four-month study of all athletics fund-raising programs by a task force established by Welty and chaired by Bill Chaltraw, former president of the Bulldog Foundation and a current foundation trustee.
The task force was comprised of members of the Bulldog Foundation, campus and community members, the Green V Association and the Athletics Corporation. It examined the current financial state of the athletics department and all of the various revenue streams that comprise its nearly $22 million budget. The task force also reviewed the organizational structure of all the fundraising programs for athletics.
"The Athletics Development Council will make it possible to significantly improve the financial strength of Bulldog athletics, and allow us to meet the goals of our new strategic plan," said athletics director Scott Johnson. "We want to remain competitive nationally in Division I athletics, and this is a critically important step in that direction."
Greg Walaitis, Associate Athletics Director for Development, will provide principal staff support to the Athletics Development Council, which has adopted the theme of "One Team, One Plan, One Goal." The council members are: Mike Kelton, Bud Richter, Nelson Beazley, Dorothy Hunter, Lee Lockhart, Harry Gaykian, John Wallace, Chris Pacheco, Angie DiLiddo, Dennis Woods, Janice Emerzian, Vern Pletz, Hank Smith, Joe Middione, Bill Chaltraw, Peter Smits and Scott Johnson.
"Creating the Athletics Development Council now makes it possible for all our volunteers and booster groups to work together as 'one team,' all working on 'one plan' and all pulling together with 'one goal' to provide more financial support for the entire department," said Walaitis
The new plan will be implemented over the next few months, with the goal of integrating all funding raising activities by the start of the 2005-06 fiscal year. The athletics department will implement the plan immediately and will begin working with all support groups to ensure a smooth transition.
"When we all have the same goals we accomplish a lot together," Johnson said. "The bottom line is to meet the needs of all student athletes at Fresno State. With everyone working together, it will be easier to meet that goal."
Fresno State's Athletics Development Council will:
1. Serve as the principal coordinating body for all fundraising efforts supporting Fresno State athletics;
2. Ensure that there are policies and procedures which will foster the coordination of all athletic fundraising activities and booster group activities at the University;
3. Ensure that there are policies and procedures which will integrate athletics fundraising activities with overall University fundraising;
4. Provide annually to the Athletics Corporation a single, comprehensive and coordinated fundraising plan which outlines all athletics fundraising activities;
5. Review all proposed athletics fund-raising activities and determine if they are consistent with the total athletics fundraising plan;
6. Foster effective communication among all groups which are engaged in athletics fundraising;
7. Ensure that opportunities exist for volunteers to engage in meaningful and useful service to athletics and Fresno State.
