The announcement that Iowa State is dropping men’s baseball and men’s swimming is startling. This follows the elimination of men’s gymnastics and men’s tennis just a few years ago.

The root causes, money-wise, may be twofold successes.

First is the success and popularity of men’s and women’s basketball and men’s football.

With success comes higher pay for the coaches, which is a good idea.

However, in handing out pay raises, consideration must be given to the effects on the overall athletic budget.

Second is the success and popularity of athletic endowments and endowments in general. The purpose is to give the donators lasting memory of their names. Endowments are a very expensive method of fund raising.

The money available for programs is only the investment income each year and the principal cannot be used.

At 5 percent interest, you need to raise $100,000 now in order to provide $5,000 per year for programs over the next 10 years.

The better idea is to invest in programs and students now; they will reach dividends for us in the years to come that will be much greater than the annual income an endowment will provide.

Here is the CySuccess Blueprint:

1. Our athletes should take the initiative. Have each football player “sell” 100 new season football tickets. Have each men’s and women’s basketball player “sell” 100 new season tickets to his or her games. Have each baseball player “sell” 100 new season baseball tickets.

Maybe there isn’t enough room for 100 new fans per swimmer at swimming meets in Beyer Hall, but the swimmers can do their part, too.

Get on the phone, make the contacts, and get out to meet people.

Not every athlete may have that ability, but working together, they can encourage each other as a team and get the additional tickets sold.

2. Fund raising from alumni and friends should not be left solely to the staff and other professional fundraisers. Have alumni and friends take the initiative.

Have the alumni commit to doing the calling and personal contacts to raise $3 million in new funds. Just as athletes can do it, so can these fans.

This will be much more than a computer spitting out letters over the signature of a graduate.

3. Contact past alumni endowment-givers for permission to use part of the principal of their endowments for additional current needs, either on a temporary or permanent basis.

When all of this is done, the Cyclone community of students, alumni and friends will be a much greater family. However, it must be done within the next two months, with an immediate startup now.

Otherwise, men’s baseball and men’s swimming will be history, with these dedicated ISU athletes headed for other universities – and what sport or activity will be next?

Charles A. Gunderson

Alumnus