Delaware First” University Announces Renovation and University Announces Largest Expansion Plans for Delaware Athletics Philanthropic Campaign Is School History

■ ** V < W 7 The University of Qela^care's indeperKf'Mtt'stsoSfit newspaper since . 5 ' * J h e '^ u d re v ie w TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 14, 2017 VOLUME 143, ISSUE 11 udreview.com W LU TENSION IN NEWARK UNCLE JOE’S KID SISTER UDRESS As the university continues to expand, local The secret behind the success of Former Vice A look into this year’s Fall Fashion Event. residents express grievances over increased President Joe Biden. competition for the city’s limited space. AZEIVS Page 3 NEWS Page 4 MOSAIC Page 9 Largest fundraising campaign in university history looks to put “Delaware First” University announces renovation and University announces largest expansion plans for Delaware Athletics philanthropic campaign is school history TEDDY GEL MAN & QUINN LUDWICKI academic pursuits. The Health Center will DAVID RUSSELL During that same meeting, a resolution Managing Sports Editor & Senior Reporter feature 10,000 square feet of strength and Staff Reporter giving Assanis the full support of the conditioning space that will accommodate Faculty Senate to procure funds for the As part of the university ’s largest-ever multiple teams at one time, as well as While being treated to cups of hot improvement of existing graduate programs engagement and fundraising campaign, enhanced athletic training space, grab- and chocolate and ice cream, students, wearing and the creation of new ones was passed. which hopes to raise 5750 million by go healthy food, sports psychology areas, their free “Delaware First” hats, gathered on The resolution also alluded to the potential June 2020, Delaware Athletics will receive x-ray machines and hydrotherapy tubs. Thursday for a festival celebrating the largest establishment of a graduate college, another several upgrades, including the renovation “We have been waiting a long time for philanthropic campaign in the university’s possible area of expense for the raised funds. of Delaware Stadium and the construction this,” 1977 university alum and season history. David Wilson of the Department of of a brand new athletic center on South Political Science and International Relations campus. took to the stage and listed off the monetary The $60 million project, “Build Our contributions dedicated to faculty and Home", to renovate the football Stadium undergraduate programs the previous year. and build an athletic center focused He also took the chance to remind anyone on student-athlete career and personal contemplating donating to the Delaware development, “will truly define what it First Festival that giving to any on-campus means to be a Blue Hen and put Delaware program counts towards the campaign. First, where we belong,” according to the In addition to academic programs, a project’s Crowdfunding page. portion of the final proceeds will be dedicated The official announcement of the to the athletics program. Athletics Director athletic renovation and expansion project Chrissi Rawak came up to speak of the role came during halftime of Satuday’s home that sports play in the relationship between football game against Albany. both the university and the state of Delaware Phase one of the athletic renovation and the impact this program will have on project will focus on the west (home) side athletics. Plans are already in the works for of the stadium. Upgrades will include the updating the Delaware stadium and adding addition of chair backs to three middle UNIVERSITY OF DELAWARE an all new state-of-the-art sporting complex. sections on the home side — C, D and E. A rendering of the proposed renovations of Delaware Stadium. “I think about philanthropy in its Plans also include a new Stadium Club truest sense your time, your talent and space, which will house a bar with food and your treasure,” Rawak said. “But there’s no drink, access to exclusive club seating, an ticket holder Kevin Reynolds said. “This will President Dennis Assanis, taking center question that treasure component absolutely enhanced press box for game production certainly help Delaware Athletics because stage at the afternoon processions, spoke is a game-changer and it creates and staff, coach viewing and media coverage a lot of the athletes come and look at the before the crowd, delivering a rundown for enables experiences and opportunities for and new restrooms and concessions. Future schools and this performance center will be the campaign’s purpose and the ways in our students, our faculty and our campus phases will begin after fundraising and one of the highlights. This is much better which donors can contribute. community.” construction are complete for phase one. for the athletes.” The name, Delaware First, was chosen to Delaware Stadium, which currently Rawak, who was hired in May of reflect the overarching theme of prioritizing has the second-highest seating capacity 2016, spoke about her appreciation of the the excellence and enhancement of the “From scholarships and in the CAA at 22,000, opened in 1952 and university’s commitment to athletics — one university. The fundraising campaign has fellowships for students to underwent several seating expansions of the main areas of focus for Assanis. set a goal of $750 million. More than $500 between 1964 and 1975. Permanent lighting “I feel incredibly grateful and fortunate million, however, have already been raised endowed professorships, to was added in 2000 and a high-definition that athletics is a priority in this campaign in the first day alone, a fact substantiated developing new academic video board was added in 2008. However, as well as all the other really special by both Assanis and James Dicker, the due to the addition of the new chair- initiatives that we’re raising money for,” vice president of development and alumni programs to developing back seats, stadium capacity will slightly Rawak said Thursday afternoon. relations. better facilities where we decrease. Athletics will be made a priority in this “We expect to launch a number of can actually have wonderful As the football program stalled in project through the “Presidential Matching projects to enhance our education,” Assanis recent years, collecting a combined record Initiative,” the university’s promise to said. “From scholarships and fellowships classrooms and laboratories.” of 26-31 from 2012-2016 — the worst match any donation between $50,000 for students to endowed professorships, -Dennis Assanis five-year stretch for the program since the and $1 million. According to Rawak, the to developing new academic programs to 1960s — fan frustration mounted not only university has already pledged to give $25 developing better facilities where we can Abby Hidalgo, a senior and cognitive science from team performance, but also as a result million to the athletics department. The actually have wonderful classrooms and major, is a member of Student Alumni of the old and outdated facility. Although campaign will also rely on major donors. laboratories.” Ambassadors, a group that is aiding the other university athletic facilities, like the At the tail end of former head football The exact ways in which the money university by encouraging involvement in Bob Carpenter Center, the Delaware Field coach K.C. Keeler’s time with Delaware, earned will be spent remain broad and Delaware First. She stressed the importance House and the Carpenter Sports Building, the university had similarly announced open-ended, but renovations to existing of philanthropy by citing the dependency have grown and improved in recent years, renovation plans for Delaware football — facilities and funding student programs and of events such as 1743 Welcome Days on Delaware Stadium has not. plans that never came to fruition. scholarships are among them. donations, and the fact that only 43 percent Delaware’s most consistent and “There is no room for failure for this Concerns surrounding the influence that of operating costs are covered by tuition. competitive rival, James Madison project,” Rawak said. “It’s too important to corporate sponsorship could potentially “It’s important for our students to be University, renovated its football stadium this university, our student athletes and the have on shaping these programs had been engaged now because it’s like ‘paying it from 2009-2011. Bridgeforth Stadium, community.” vocalized during the last Faculty Senate forward,”’ Hidalgo said. “We all have these which had less than 16,000 seats in 2010, Rawak added that they’re currently 80 meeting prior to the Delaware First Festival. experiences here at UD that are possible now has a capacity of 24,877, the largest percent to goal and construction won’t start Notable donors include J.P. Morgan Chase, because a donor out there belie\es in us as in the C AA and the 13 th largest in the FCS. until they have 100 percent of the funds according to Dicker, but Assanis maintains students. So somebody out there’s believing As of fall 2017, JMU’s total enrollment was raised, the full 60 million. They’re starting contributions such as these make up a small in us and we can flourish as students, 22,667, while Delaware’s total enrollment the design process now and the hope is component of the campaign. anything we can imagine.” was 23,009. for the fundraising process to conclude by Renderings for the Athletic Center the end of the 2018 football season with indicate that it will be built between the construction starting shortly thereafter. Delaware Fieldhouse and the Bob Carpenter The grandstand seating plus the upper Center, just in front of the home side of sections of the building, which will include Delaware Stadium. the club suites and press box area are The Athletic Center will contain both planned to be completed by the start of the a “Student Success Center” and a “Health 2019 football season. The academic center, & Well-being Center”. The Student Success on the other hand, should be finished in Center will provide academic support, career time for the 2020 season.

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