Judy Rose and Ruth Shaw
Are you ready for some FOOTBALL?
By: George MacBain
    
                          
Today we had the pleasure of hearing from UNCC Director of Athletics Judy Rose and Board of Trustees Chair Ruth Shaw who got us all pumped up for football starting in 2013. Judy, a Winthrop graduate and a thirty five year employee of the University, told us how the vision will/has become a reality for the school.
 
UNCC has a rich sports tradition with forty nine conference championships in all sixteen sports and sixty one trips to various NCAA tournaments since the early 70's. Judy has been a part of most of that success having been the school's first women's basketball coach in 1975 and named Director of Athletics in 1990. Judy enjoys a great relationship with the NCAA and was the first woman named to the selection committee for the NCAA men's basketball tournament.
 
Ruth Shaw, having been the former CPCC President and Duke Power executive, is on her third tour as a Board of Trustees member at UNCC. Ruth was quick to say that as President of CPCC, she was lucky to avoid two college headaches; no dorms and no football. Now she has studied the situation and is firmly committed that the time is right for UNCC football.
 
For three years the students have completed University surveys rating their school and each year the #1 student request is for a 49er football team. Chancellor Phil Dubois, with help from Judy and Ruth, set out to see if football could ever become a reality at their University.
 
In January 2008 Chancellor Dubois initiated a feasibility study headed by Mac Everett. In September, Dubois reviewed the study and recommended to the Board of Trustees that they embrace football at UNCC. He challenged the Board of Trustees to really study this decision and come back in two months with their decision. In November they voted to move forward to have football at UNCC and field its first team in the fall of 2013. In January 2009, with the help of the Panthers and Max Muhleman, they crafted a FSL (Forty-niner Seat License) program and began selling. In December 2009, the Trustees voted to move towards an alternative way to fund the venture. They approved a private dollars/debt service/student fee plan that would finance the $45 million football field house and 15,000 seat stadium on campus. The 40,000 square foot field house would include host and guest locker rooms, strength facility, academic support rooms and meal facility.
 
The next step is for the NC University system Board of Governor's to vote on the financing plan. According to Ruth Shaw, Erskine Bowles is in full support and they should hear from them first quarter 2010. The plan would call for $5 million to be raised privately through donations and FSL sales and the $40 million paid through student annual fees of $120 each. The additional fees would still keep UNCC at $3,000 less than the average of the 16 University of NC schools. This would raise approximately $6 million annually based on a 25,000 student population (which is projected to grow to 35,000 by the year 2020).
 
Once the approval is finalized the real fun begins...hiring a coach, figuring out an initial conference affiliation for football, scheduling, budgeting and being ready to kick off in Fall of 2013. These are exciting times for our University and community and we are fortunate to have two driven women that will make the vision a reality...
   
 
Head Table: John Lassiter, Ed Kizer, John Snyder, Mike Hummer, Judy Rose, Ruth Shaw, Elly Clary;
Invocation: Henry Cantrell;
Visitors & Guests: Sandy Chambers; Health & Happiness: John Tabor; Song: Paul Wyche; Piano: Thomas Moore; Photos: Bert Voswinkel

• Haitian relief checks payable to The Rotary Foundation DAF and mailed to the Rotary office.
   
• Medical updates: Floyd Davis had hip replacement surgery on Monday and is doing well; Richard Bailey is home from last week's surgery to remove a tumor and his left kidney; John Johnson has started radiation treatments; Sylvia Van Hoy is home and Phil is delighted.
  
• Check out the February issue of Greater Charlotte Biz (John Galles) to learn about WB Moore Company (Todd Stevens). And also Elly Clary's article and interview with Tony Zeiss.
 
• Carroll Gray is serving as executive director for the Urban Land Institute, working to examine the economic potential of Lake Norman towns; Doug Bean has announced he will retire from Charlotte-Mecklenburg Utilities in March; Tod Thorne was honored by the Governor of South Carolina for his many contributions to the State by founding and co-chairing the annual "Heritage Festival." Tod was also recognized by the Local, State and National Society of the Daughters of the American Revolution with their "Excellence in Community Service Award." Peggy and Bob Culbertson are honorary chairs of the Art with Heart auction benefiting United Family Services (Mark Pierman)
 
• Roster Updates: Rich Campbell has co-founded a new firm, Cameron Carmichael, rcampbell@cameroncarmichael.com; Hunter Widener has joined Carolina Premier Bank as Chief Banking Officer, Wealth Management, hwidener@carolinapremierbank.com; Matt Ryan has joined Industrial Piping, Inc., mryan@goipi.com.
 
• WTVI (Elsie Garner) will have a 10-hour dance marathon Saturday, March 6 at the WTVI studios that will be broadcast live from 10AM to 8PM. All happy feet are welcome and there is a $1000 prize for the couple that brings in the most pledge money. Register at www.WTVI.org or call 704-371-8858.
 
• Jay Westmoreland extends a big Rotary thanks to Biz Town volunteers Tom Robertson, Devon and Jessica Dupree, Bob Webb, and Jessica Graham.
 
• Message from President John: Suggested dress code for Charlotte Rotary is business attire. Almost all of the other 14 clubs in Charlotte have gone to business casual. There are many aspects of our club that stand apart from all other area clubs. Maintaining "best dressed" status helps us to continue to be the most desired and prestigious business club in all of Charlotte…Rotary or otherwise.
   
• ROTARY DISTRICT CONFERENCE 2010 will be held in Wilmington April 23-25. All Rotarians and their families are invited to attend. Reservations can be booked at the Hilton Riverside, 910-763-5900. Prior to March 22, the rate will be $169 per night. Conference registration rates for Rotarians: $175 (by 2/23), $195 (by 3/22) or $225 (by 4/16). Guest registration: $155 (by 2/23), $175 (by 3/22), $195 (by 4/16). The registration covers 4 meals: Friday dinner, Saturday breakfast & dinner, and Sunday breakfast. Registration can be handled on the District database (www.dacdb.com) 

Should you question the eligibility of any nominee, contact the Rotary office by 2/08/2010.