The Athletic Department

Below is a copy of an email that I sent to Laura Strange with copies as noted. In addition to a possible letter that may be published, I would hope that all of us could sent emails, but please be polite. If we can do this in a mature manner, I feel we will be effective. Just ranting and raving allows them (athletics) to just easily dismiss us.

addresses are
Laura Strange lls15@cornell.edu
Sue Detzer sld6@cornell.edu

Thanks.

Because you responded so quickly to my last email, I'm sending you this. I have copied a posting that a hockey parent put on the eLynah forum. I think the Athletic Department has now got to realize that it is not just a few fanatics that they have pissed-off. Your (the athletic department) handling of the Web broadcasting, followed by the terrible way you stopped the HockeyCam, and now the mishandling of the section G students who were standing, leads many off us to feel that the Athletic Department does not care about the people, only the dollars.

Well, I for one am ready to put my money where our mouths are. I have gladly given to the University and to athletics since I graduated in 67. However unless you can right this situation, from this point forward I am prepared to end this relationship. I will still support the teams and the players, but will no longer be donating through the Athletic Department.

I'm sure that this series of events is not what you intended, however it seems to be that at every step of the way it was mishandled. We all know that students and alumni are often difficult to deal with, however that is part of your job.

I want to stress that I am not referring to you as an indivdual, but rather to the department as a whole.

As you can see I've sent a copy of this to Sue Detzer, in the hockey office, and to my regional director in alumni affairs, Holly Heitzman. I did that because I feel both of them are reasonable people who could constructively help to resolve this.

Thank you and by the way I was very pleased with the revised scoreboard.

Jim Hyla '67