Board of Education for the Madison Metropolitan School District

July 25, 2019

To: Board of Education for the Madison Metropolitan School District Jennifer Cheatham, Superintendent From: Matthew Bell, General Counsel Re: Naming an Athletic Facility-Naming Rights in Consideration - La Follette High School Gymnasium

At the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Board of Education meeting on July 29, 2019, the Board of Education will be asked to vote on a naming proposal for the La Follette High School (LHS) gymnasium. The support for this request was generated by and from the LHS school community and supporters of Mr. Pete Olson, a former District employee.

Background Over the past two years, members of the La Follette High School community have sought to name the high school’s gymnasium “The Pete Olson Athletic Center” in honor of former La Follette High School basketball coach and educator, Pete Olson. Last year, community members garnered support in the form of financial contributions to fund the project.

Relevant Board Policy Naming an area within a school is governed by BOE Policy 6701 (Proposal for Naming a Facility or Area Within a School or School Campus, Policy attached to this memo). The currently proposed naming is unique in that it is accompanied by a financial contribution (i.e. naming rights in consideration) and it would also honor a distinguished member of the La Follette community (i.e. naming rights in recognition). However, because the Policies regarding naming rights in consideration are more stringent, the committee analyzed the request for naming rights consistent with that section of the Policy. Also, in accordance with that Policy, La Follette established a committee and held a publicly noticed meeting to review the proposed naming and analyzed the questions set forth in the Policy. The committee’s responses and the recommendation are set forth below.

What is the current name of athletic facility? The gymnasium is not currently named.

What is the proposed name of athletic facility? “The Pete Olson Athletic Center.”

If the athletic facility has a name, why should it be changed? Not applicable.

What is the background of the potential donor? The potential donors are La Follette alumni and supporters of Mr. Pete Olson.

In addition to the proposed financial contribution, has the potential donor rendered a significant contribution to the school or community. Mr. Olson is not the potential donor, but would be the recipient of the honor of the naming rights.

Mr. Olson graduated from Middleton High School in 1953, excelling in football, baseball, and basketball. He graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in 1957 and obtained his Master’s Degree from the same school in 1960. From 1957 to 1959, Mr. Olson proudly served our country as First Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps, stationed in Virginia and North Carolina. Mr. Olson later became one of LHS’s most accomplished basketball coaches and an involved faculty member. Mr. Olson served as the LHS Head Basketball Coach from 1963 until his retirement from the District in 1993. As head basketball coach at LHS, Mr. Olson secured two Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) State Championships in basketball (1977 & 1982), 12 regional championships and was inducted into the Wisconsin High School Basketball Coaches Hall of Fame (1995) and the Madison Sports Hall of Fame (1997). Mr. Olson advocated for the inauguration of women’s athletics at LHS and supported the women’s basketball coaches of the women’s sports team.

In addition to his role in athletics, Mr. Olson taught biology, driver education and physical education. Mr. Olson was instrumental in developing the innovative “Lifetime and Leisure Sports” courses at LHS. For more than 30 years, these elective courses served as a recreation-oriented alternative to traditional team sports to ensure that everyone has an opportunity to be physically active.

What is the value of the proposed contribution? The proposed initial donation is in the amount of $330,000.

If the contribution is associated with a new project, addition, or other building/area modification, what percentage of the cost of the project, addition or modification is covered by the proposed donation? The overall cost/value of the gymnasium improvement project, in current dollars, is approximately $495,000. The proposal is to have approximately two-thirds, or $333,000, of these funds raised via private fundraising associated with the naming proposal.

Is naming an athletic facility after the potential donor consistent with the District’s mission and vision? The committee believes that naming an athletic facility after a well-respected and successful coach is in line with the District’s overall mission and vision to graduate well-rounded students.

Will acceptance of the proposed contribution create inequity among District schools/programs? There are numerous efforts across the District, both current and future, addressing the facilities of the District. It is clear, based upon the Long Range Facilities Plan and Board discussions, that the District is and will be expending considerable amounts to revitalize its facilities, particularly at the high school level. Consequently, the committee believes that the current donation and improvements will not create inequity. To the contrary, the efforts are consistent with initiatives throughout the District.

How long will the naming rights be in effect? The length of time that the East School gymnasium floor would be named “The Pete Olson Athletic Center” in honor of Mr. Olson has not been specified.

The fiscal condition of the District and any financial limitations of the District. While the La Follette gymnasium is dated and shows the effect of years of heavy use, it's not necessarily at the top of the MMSD maintenance priority list. However, MMSD funding for this project can be justified by the following four factors: 1) Donated funds allow MMSD to do the project for thirty-three cents on the dollar; 2) All other projects on the MMSD maintenance list move up on the list; 3) The La Follette gym is used extensively for both La Follette and community youth sports; and 4) The remaining cost of $162,000 to improve the gym is manageable within the maintenance budget.

Actions Following Board Determination If approved by the Board of Education, Policy 6701 requires that the Madison Metropolitan School District’s Legal Services Department negotiate with the donors and enter into a written agreement. The written agreement will include: the amount of the contribution, the duration of the naming rights, the transferability of the rights, the grounds and/or conditions upon which the naming rights may be rescinded and any other additional provisions deemed appropriate for the District and the La Follette High School Community.

Recommended Action It is recommended that the Board of Education approve the La Follette High School Community’s renaming proposal and direct the MMSD Legal Services Department to enter into negotiations and a written agreement with the donors and supporters to name the gymnasium the “Pete Olson Athletic Center.”