Facilities

[crusader05]

I've heard that the new lights also have the ability to be shut on and off easily so we can have real starting line up introductions which should definitely help with game day atmosphere.

It may seem like lipstick on a pig but honestly if they had put more lipstick on throughout the last 40 years it probably would have helped keep it from looking and feeling so dated.

[vok22]

I also have more tolerance for minor upgrades to the arena now that we have a promise for a completely new arena in the somewhat-near future. It shows that while they are dedicating the money for future major improvements, they aren't neglecting the short term need to boost game-day atmosphere and invest in Powell right from the start.

[valpopal]

As someone who regularly measured the light intensity and color temperature on the court at the ARC during basketball games and volleyball matches, and who spoke of this irritating issue as far back as ten years ago, I am pleased to learn the problem is finally being fixed. Though it might not seem drastic to the naked eye that adjusts in the middle of a game, Valpo has long had a well-earned reputation as one of the gloomiest arenas for viewing from the stands, photographing on the floor, and broadcasting on television. Additionally, the level of lighting would annoyingly alter from moment to moment depending upon what was being shown on the overhead scoreboard, which inordinately influenced overall illumination.

[wh]

Finally, we have some tangible improvements to actually hold and feel. Congrats President Padilla and AD Small! Keep them coming!

[wh]

https://twitter.com/TVBOren/status/1664704239107559424?s=20

If a veteran bb journalist that's been to every MVC, HL, Mid Con facility and countless others calls the new lights "outstanding," I'm excited!

[valporun]

It helps when you have a University President and Athletic Director that are working on the same page for plans to improve, rather than working against each other. Yes, many parts of campus needed drastic improvement during the Heckler years, but not at the cost of "closing" campus to the general public with the closure of Chapel Dr. The VU Campus was already very walkable, even with the number of cars that might pass through during the day, but to close it off with no access to replace it, cut off too many people in the elderly portion of the VU community that called The Chapel their church home.

The ARC needed these upgrades, but again, Heckler wanted to keep focused on increasing population, so that he could generate the money for campus improvements to dorms and academics. Now, I see President Padilla wanting to improve everything that needs to be done, even if some of his means might be a little more controversial. Now that we have some ideas of what is going to happen athletically, maybe we'll see more athletics alums donating at levels that push the need for better athletic facilities coming faster, so once the ground is broken, they can start the next campaign to improve other campus buildings and access needs for the university to feel open to the community again.

[David81]

I'm guessing that Coach Powell took a good look at things at VU after receiving the offer and made certain improvements a condition of accepting the job. It's about going for a full-on return to NCAA relevance, which includes building a sense of momentum on campus that better days are ahead for the MBB team. So, if you don't yet have the bucks for a new athletic center, you spruce up what you've got. For starters, they understood that better lighting in a sports arena has a big, positive psychological impact. These guys are smart.

[VULB#62]

And.......  There are at least two more physical improvements that need to be done as a part of relevance rebuilding:  upgrading the sound system (very big) and expanding and improving concessions. 

One other in-game, non-physical experience upgrade is also essential: building a kick-@ss pep band controlled by the athletic department. Bless the cheerleaders and dancers, but it's  a band that gets the vibe throbbing. The crazier the better.

And speaking of the game experience, this is the perfect opportunity to change that. Not incrementally. Go big.  Reimagine a Valpo experience.  Get people excited just to be in the atmosphere.  Put a fast paced, lunch bucket team on the floor. Go crazy.

Oh, and win a couple of games 😊🙃

[sliman]

Unless there has been a recent change, the Pep Band is controlled by the athletics department.  The music department has wanted nothing to do with it.  Not even sure they suggest talented vocalists to sing our national anthem.  I believe the athletics department tried paying musicians to be in the band this year but attendance was still sporadic.

[VULB#62]

Then they need to develop a higher profile for the band on the department website. Certainly, they are part of the "Spirit Team" thing. But.... I understand that cheerleaders and dancers are not paid, so 5hat is anc  issue, I guess. Sheesh!

Damn, is my alma mater campus that dead?

[wh]

Unless there has been a recent change, the Pep Band is controlled by the athletics department.  The music department has wanted nothing to do with it.  Not even sure they suggest talented vocalists to sing our national anthem.  I believe the athletics department tried paying musicians to be in the band this year but attendance was still sporadic.

IMO kids aren't motivated by a little walk'in around money. As has been suggested many times before, award credit hours for pep band participation. Examples:

Providence
Members that are registered for the Pep Band course can earn 0.5 credits for their participation each semester. It is required for members to attend 80% of the games that the band plays each semester, but does adapt its schedule to avoid conflict with exams and school holidays.

American
AU students have the option to register and take Pep Band for 1 or 0 credit. Additionally, AU faculty and community members are welcome to join.

Eastern Illinois
Do I receive academic credit for participating in the marching band?
Yes. Marching band is an academic class offered through the university.  All students must register for Marching Band (MUS 202 for 1 credit hour) before classes begin.

Maryville College
Students will receive academic credit for their participation, and scholarships are available for participants.

[VULB#62]

👍. Good research, WH.

[AB]

An active pep band is usually the result of having a full time associate director of band director that focuses on marching band, pep band and a concert band. Responsibilities would include, recruiting, retention, being visible at a few parades, home football half time shows, basketball games, maybe one or two road football games each year, maybe even a big marching band trip out of state every few years . If you have say 125-150 kids in a marching band, and if half spend on concessions at each game, some revenue goes back into the athletic budget. Even parents of marching members will show up, more game day ticket revenue and concession spending.  A credit should be offered per semester.
    This really comes down to the vision of the university and if they could come up with 55-70K a year to have this position.
Having a winning basketball team helps generate interest in a pep band but they weren't even supported going to MSG during the NIT run. Not like they had 40 kids in the pep band then. University can't afford or has no interest in creating an associate director of bands position. Until that occurs you'll continue to see lack luster participation in a pep band when it's student led.

[humbleopinion]

The pep band is not student led.  When I suggested to Dr. Small last year that he visit the music fraternity, he told me that the leader of the band, a staff member in IT, was going to be getting the band together. The eventual $500 stipend offered for students to play did not create a robust group full of enthusiasm.

This administration does not have a positive relationship with the music department (which can be said of many departments), and there is much can be done to improve it. Appearing to make the music department a vassal of the athletic program certainly won't help.

Do athletes ever show up for concerts?

In his first year, I saw Padilla at one event, but I haven't seen him since.

Has anyone had a respectful conversation with Dr. Doebler about the practice schedule?[/li][/list]


I recognize that cuts around the university are necessary as students academic choices have evolved and enrollment has declined. The resulting morale issues require extra sensitivity from the non-academic athletic program which is being (relatively) showered with investment.

[wh]

The pep band is not student led.  When I suggested to Dr. Small last year that he visit the music fraternity, he told me that the leader of the band, a staff member in IT, was going to be getting the band together. The eventual $500 stipend offered for students to play did not create a robust group full of enthusiasm.

This administration does not have a positive relationship with the music department (which can be said of many departments), and there is much can be done to improve it. Appearing to make the music department a vassal of the athletic program certainly won't help.

Do athletes ever show up for concerts?

In his first year, I saw Padilla at one event, but I haven't seen him since.

Has anyone had a respectful conversation with Dr. Doebler about the practice schedule?[/li][/list]


I recognize that cuts around the university are necessary as students academic choices have evolved and enrollment has declined. The resulting morale issues require extra sensitivity from the non-academic athletic program which is being (relatively) showered with investment.

"The executives who ignited the transformations from good to great did not first figure out where to drive the bus and then get people to take it there. No, they first got the right people on the bus (and the wrong people off the bus) and then figured out where to drive it. They said, in essence, "Look, I don't really know where we should take this bus. But I know this much: If we get the right people on the bus, the right people in the right seats, and the wrong people off the bus, then we'll figure out how to take it someplace great."

Good To Great:
Why Some Companies Make the Leap and Others Don't

Every good business leader has a copy of Good To Great somewhere in their collection. I would bet money on President Padilla having read it.

[crusadermoe]

Great point.  Find people who want to strive upward with a big vision.  Turf-guarders with petty grievances can't get in your way.  Love the band, orchestra, and choir.  But the TV news stations don't report their scores.

[humbleopinion]

Great point.  Find people who want to strive upward with a big vision.  Turf-guarders with petty grievances can't get in your way.  Love the band, orchestra, and choir.  But the TV news stations don't report their scores.

So the approach to recruiting a pep band should continue to be what it has been? Who are these people who want to strive upward and how are you going to find them?  To have a good pep band, the section needs to be filled with people with a particular skill set. I was suggesting ways of finding musicians that might want to contribute to the atmosphere on game nights and convincing them that its worth their time to do so. 

I support the athletic department, but I hope that the vision is a basketball team that supports the vision of the university not the other way around.

[Chairback]

If I was the band director and there was a need for music within the university I'd be all over it.  What a great way to show the success of your department in front of more people. 

Certainly when it's an easy dept to cut, I'd be front and center at everything I could. 

[Dr. T]

New lights + screens? I'll take it. Beggers can't be choosers; it's long been said. These are two much-needed improvements and a step in the right direction.

[wh]

If I was the band director and there was a need for music within the university I'd be all over it.  What a great way to show the success of your department in front of more people. 

Certainly when it's an easy dept to cut, I'd be front and center at everything I could.

To your excellent point, here's what a fully engaged music director looking to make a huge impact on his university looks like. Feel the excitement, sense the enthusiasm, the boundless commitment to the larger cause. 180 degrees from Valpo's obstinate, minimally compliant, entrenched sad sacks in "the arts." I will be putting pen to paper tomorrow about this very subject with President Padilla.

Maryville College expanding band program
July 6, 2022

"Interest in the band program has increased during the last several years, and I believe that having a presence at athletic events and other campus spirit-building activities is the next step for the program," said Dr. Eric Simpson, associate professor of music and director of bands at Maryville College. "We are excited to get started and look forward to being a part of campus life on a whole new level! Having a band back in the stands at games is really going to improve the game-day experience. We've got great athletes on the court/field competing at incredibly high levels, and our pep band is only going to serve to further engage our fans."

https://www.maryvillecollege.edu/news/2022/maryville-college-expanding-band-program/

[valpo95]

If I was the band director and there was a need for music within the university I'd be all over it.  What a great way to show the success of your department in front of more people. 

Certainly when it's an easy dept to cut, I'd be front and center at everything I could. 

If only that were true.

I was in the last year of when the marching band and Crusader Band were officially each a 0.5 credit course in 1990-91. There was a paid director (Prof. Luther Estridge (sp?)) though all of the funds came from the Athletic Department. As I have said before on this forum, the Music Department detested the "pep" band and saw it as beneath themselves - over time certain faculty members worked to downgrade it from a major ensemble to a minor ensemble, then eliminate it. They went so far as to schedule rehearsal times for other major ensembles on top of the times allocated for the courses, so a student majoring in music could not register for both. Once it was officially eliminated as a course, certain faculty took the equipment (such as the drumset, keyboard and amplifier) that had been purchased with Athletic Department funds and made it the property of the Music Department. In truth, there was little funding for equipment from the Music Department.

There have been a few attempts to pay students to participate over the years with varying success. The key is to find good student directors / leaders who want to be there and have the skills and enthusiasm to manage a student-run organization. The second key is to have enough funding (from the Athletic Department) for equipment, music and perhaps matching shirts, and maybe a modest stipend for the director(s). 

[VULB#62]

Is this when we thank the Northern Iowa (I believe) pep band for being Valpo's surrogate band at this year's Arch Madness?

Forever EMBARRASSING 😨

[vu84v2]

I agree with valpo95's points, but the other key is a winning team. A winning team generates greater attendance and game day enthusiasm - and I would think band members would want to be a part of that. Additionally, the realistic possibility to go play at NCAA tournament games would also increase potential band members' interest.

[tjjvalpo]

It is great to see that we are getting a new scoreboard and LED lights. But, to suggest that Roger Powell insisted on these improvements to agree to be hired is unlikely. I got believe it was more of case Dr Small had these as selling points to VU's commitment to MBB program. To find donors plus building the new scoreboard did not happen in couple months, but rather something that had to be worked on for awhile.

As far as the lighting, Nipsco announced in early January major rebate program that I am sure allowed Valpo to justify the upgrade for little, if not, no costs. I own a manufacturing business in NW Indiana and I was contacted shortly after the program was announced in January by contractor to upgrade to LED lights. I had already done this about 5 years ago without a rebate. My payback back then was just over a year. The savings in utility cost was huge. The improved lighting was also a big morale boost for my employees. Good for Valpo for acting quickly to take advantage of this opportunity!

[valpotx]

It is great to see that we are getting a new scoreboard and LED lights. But, to suggest that Roger Powell insisted on these improvements to agree to be hired is unlikely. I got believe it was more of case Dr Small had these as selling points to VU's commitment to MBB program. To find donors plus building the new scoreboard did not happen in couple months, but rather something that had to be worked on for awhile.

As far as the lighting, Nipsco announced in early January major rebate program that I am sure allowed Valpo to justify the upgrade for little, if not, no costs. I own a manufacturing business in NW Indiana and I was contacted shortly after the program was announced in January by contractor to upgrade to LED lights. I had already done this about 5 years ago without a rebate. My payback back then was just over a year. The savings in utility cost was huge. The improved lighting was also a big morale boost for my employees. Good for Valpo for acting quickly to take advantage of this opportunity!

If it was Titan LED, their local rep in your area is a Valpo alum.  I see him post on Facebook all of the time, around buildings they have upgraded.