It’s My Turn By Rod Williamson
Back to School: Myth Busting 101
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ood afternoon, class. Today we are going to take a refresher course on a few common myths about Vanderbilt Athletics. We have studied most of these before, but the subject matter apparently hasn’t stuck. Myth #1: Vanderbilt has a gargantuan endowment, and if it really wanted to excel in athletics, it would dip into those billions and buy sports success. Reality: That’s a nice fantasy, but here’s the catch. Virtually every dollar in Vanderbilt’s endowment was earmarked by the donor for a specific purpose. There are gifts designated for specific scholarships, particular colleges, research, facilities and student life. Yes, the athletics department has its own endowment, aimed almost entirely for scholarship use, but that total is a fraction of that proverbial pot of gold. Understanding this will give perspective when you read that “we need your financial help;” we actually do! Myth #2: Vanderbilt cannot compete against the SEC big boys because it has problems with admissions. Reality: Of course students at a Top 20 academic institution must be able to read and write. But over the years we have developed an excellent relationship with our admissions office. Our coaches would not say that tough admission standards are holding them back from success. There are plenty of quality high school student-athletes that can compete in our classrooms and win on our fields of play. Myth #3: Not having a traditional director of athletics is a handicap. Reality: Being led by a vice chancellor who is a member of the university’s senior management team is actually an advantage, and some other major universities have since included their A.D. in senior management. Having served under both systems, it is clear that we spend far less time trying to posture and “better communicate” with university administration because David Williams IS university administration. Our athletic budget has grown 50% since Williams took control; we have a terrific retention record of head coaches in what once was a revolving door; our relationships and resulting cooperation all across campus have possibly never been better. And don’t forget that while at The Ohio State University, the athletic director and the athletic department reported to Williams. Myth #4: Those brainy Vanderbilt faculty members dislike athletics. Reality: No more and no less than any other group of several thousand adults like or dislike sports. Sure, there are some faculty members who would prefer we played intramurals, but not any bigger population than you would find at your State School U. The average fan might be surprised at how many faculty members buy tickets and/or tell us how they admire the excellent student-athletes in their classes. Myth #5: Vanderbilt doesn’t care about winning Reality: This one is so far out there that it almost seems foolish to give it credence with a retort. Of course “Vanderbilt” cares about success; the entire university is about excellence. But our university community also cares about integrity, character and fair play. Together we value winning the “right way,” but make no mistake, winning is a vital component to a quality student-athlete experience. One of our department’s 10 goals for this year involves a strong Director’s Cup finish, so winning is certainly on our minds. Myth #6: Vanderbilt doesn’t care about its sports fans Reality: This is simply not true. We have the smallest alumni base in the Southeastern Conference. As a private institution, we are not the default public favorite. We value each and every fan, and we strive to treat everyone as we would want to be treated. n
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