Southeastern NEWS
Southeastern Louisiana University
Public Information Office
SLU 10880, Hammond, LA 70402
504-549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
Date: March 13, 2001
Contact: Rene Abadie 8
SOUTHEASTERN TO EXPAND FUND RAISING CAMPAIGN
WITH FOCUS ON OVERALL ATHLETIC ENHANCEMENT
HAMMOND Southeastern Louisiana University will expand its already successful fund
raising campaign with a goal of raising an additional $5 million to support its athletic program to
include implementing its gender equity plan and the possible reinstatement of football.
"Our Commitment to Excellence Campaign has already surpassed its original $10 million
goal, reaching nearly $15 million. Those monies are now being used to fund scholarships for
students, endowed professorships and other academic and cultural activities at the university,"
said Southeastern President Sally Clausen. "We will continue to raise additional money for these
worthy academic programs."
However, she said the plan to expand the campaign focuses on raising funds to enhance the
overall athletic program which would include improving gender equity, improvements to athletic
facilities, and reinstating a football program. If the campaign is successful, she said the university
would go to the University of Louisiana Board of Supervisors to request approval to proceed.
Southeastern discontinued its football program in 1985 when limited state funding forced the
university to make significant cutbacks.
Clausen said the $5 million goal would allow the university to launch football without the use
of any state funds. If the campaign is successful, the university would be able to field a football
team in 2003. Under the plan, the university would enter in the Southland Football League in
2005.
"We believe we can do this by targeting new donors who are primarily interested in
contributing to enhance athletics in general and for some specifically to reinstate football,"
she said. "We have already reached half the goal."
In addition, she said, the Southeastern Football Players Association has agreed to participate
actively in the campaign by soliciting contributions from the association's membership, other
alumni, and the business community in the region. Southeastern Athletic Director Frank
Pergolizzi, who joined the administration in the past year, and his development staff will also
play key roles in the fund raising effort.
"The Athletics Department is excited about the challenges and opportunities of expanding the
university's Commitment to Excellence campaign," Pergolizzi said. "It provides the opportunity
to improve our entire athletics program to the level of excellence expected at Southeastern."
"We would not be embarking on this campaign if there were not a strong probability of
success," said Southeastern Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs Randy Moffett.
"Our research, aided by studies conducted by Cargill and Associates (fund raising consultants),
indicates Southeastern has the capacity to raise this amount of money from donors whose
primary interest is in athletics and the return of football. These are new donors who, in many
cases, would not ordinarily contribute to the university."
The $5 million would be allocated according to the following formula: $3.2 million for
football operations, enhancement of women's athletic scholarships and for improvements to
women's athletic facilities; $800,000 to improve other athletic facilities, primarily Strawberry
Stadium; and $1 million to serve as a "rainy day" endowment fund. Monies raised by the
endowment fund principal would be used to help support the football program.
The initiative received strong support from two area legislators, Sen. Jerry Thomas (R-LA) of
Franklinton and Rep. Henry "Tank" Powell (R-LA) of Ponchatoula.
"I endorse this initiative to raise the necessary funds from private sources to help bring
football back to Southeastern," Thomas said, "and I congratulate the university on the success of
the effort so far.
This reasoned, common sense approach brings us a step closer to making a project that is so
important to the people of the Florida Parishes a reality."
"All I can say is 'It's about time,'" said Powell, a graduate of Southeastern and former football
player for the university. "Seriously, we recognize that Southeastern had a lot of academic and
building priorities that needed to come first. Now that those are being addressed, the university
can move forward in helping its athletic activities reach the same level of excellence."
Clausen emphasized that Southeastern would continue its efforts to raise additional funds for
scholarships, endowed professorships and chairs, and other academic initiatives and cultural
activities.
"Our popular Fanfare Festival of the arts and sciences, our development of the Columbia
Theatre in downtown Hammond as the primary theatrical facility on the north shore, and our
important research projects in the Manchac Swamp that are based at Turtle Cove Environmental
Research Station in Pass Manchac still need ongoing support from public and private sources,"
she said. "These and other projects will continue to be a high priority of our development effort
and will not be neglected."
The campaign has been endorsed by the Southeastern Development Foundation, the
Southeastern Football Association, and the Southeastern Alumni Association.
"We're behind this initiative 100 percent," said Guy Recotta, president of the Alumni
Association. "We're excited about the fact that this campaign not only looks to reinstate football,
but addresses the whole athletic program, including the issues of gender equity and improvement
of athletic facilities on campus."
Southeastern's athletic program competes at the Division I level of the NCAA and as a
member of the Southland Athletic Conference. Approximately 200 student athletes compete in
15 varsity sports, including eight women's teams and seven men's teams.
-SLU-
Press release available online at www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp01.htm