Alumni Association Home > Minnesota Magazine > Past Issues > 2007 > July-August 2007	Print View

This is my final column as national president of the 57,000-member University of Minnesota Alumni Association. While my wife, Pam, threatened to get me a dorm room on campus for all the meetings and events I attended this past year, we have had a sensational time. I have held many prestigious titles during my career—brigadier general in the Air Force, commodore of the Minneapolis Aquatennial, alderman in Minneapolis, president or chair of numerous organizations and boards—but none have meant more to me than being national president of the UMAA. The University of Minnesota has played such a crucial role in my career and is so important for the quality of life in our state that working with other alumni to advocate the goals of the U is an honor.

At our memorable Annual Celebration in May, we heard from two of our graduates who went on to earn fame in their respective careers. Tony Dungy (B.S. ’78) not only won the Super Bowl as a player but this year as a head coach, and Time magazine recently named him one of the “100 men and women whose power, talent or moral example is transforming the world.” Stan Freese (B.A. ’67), tuba player extraordinaire, is director of casting and booking for the Walt Disney Company, where he has enjoyed a remarkable 35-year career. Both credit their experiences at the U of M for their incredible success.

The comments by Tony and Stan brought to mind the importance of athletics and bands on campus. Many would say a university exists only to educate students and conduct research. While these are clearly a university’s primary purposes, the excitement generated by athletic teams and bands is priceless. They enrich students’ college experience and promote pride throughout the state. When the Gophers in any sport face an opponent, spectators visit campus and cheer for the University of Minnesota. When the band plays, the audience sings for our university. When students wear maroon and gold, they show pride in their university. Future students, top faculty members, prospective donors, and legislators all feel the enthusiasm generated by Gopher athletics and bands.

Many of us fondly remember marching down University Avenue behind the Minnesota Marching Band before home football games. When the team again plays on campus, in their new stadium starting in fall 2009, that tradition will be revived. Our bands boost the enthusiasm of the crowd for all Gopher sports programs. And alumni have good reason to be enthusiastic about Gopher athletics.

I have the privilege of serving as a member of the Athletic Director’s Executive Advisory Board and have been the chair of the Athletic Development Committee. As a lifelong Gopher sports fan, I have always felt well-informed about the intercollegiate programs. Lately, however, I’ve learned to appreciate the complexity of this department.

While the costs of running the entire department boggle the mind, just three programs—football and men’s basketball and hockey—generate revenue. But athletics director Joel Maturi accomplished the two nearly impossible tasks of combining the men’s and women’s programs into one unified department and balancing the budget.

As I write this column, the U.S. Sports Academy Directors’ Cup, which ranks institutions based on the success of 10 men’s and 10 women’s sports, ranked the U of M at seventh in the nation—above powerhouses Michigan, Ohio State, and USC. Our athletics department is one of the strongest in the country due partly to its uncompromising ethical standards.

It’s been an honor to serve as the national president of the UMAA. Every student, alum, and citizen can be proud of our university and our academic, research, music, and athletic accomplishments. Go, Gophers!