A collaborative donation from 13 of the University’s athletic head coaches and private donor Dave Petrone has brought in $50,000 for technology advances in University libraries.
The “Coaches Fund” drew 100 percent participation from University head coaches asked – along with Athletic Director Pat Kilkenny and a few other assistants and administrators – to collect $25,000. That amount was then matched by Petrone.
Members of both the academic and athletic community celebrated the donation Wednesday with a luncheon in the Knight Library, where each praised the effort.
“This relentless change (in technology) has produced relentless pressure for us,” Dean of Libraries Deb Carver said at the gathering. “We are first very proud, and second very grateful.”
Carver said the money would be used to provide the library with new plasma screens, a public scanning station and a SMART board, an “interactive whiteboard” that allows users to project and update content through a computer. The goal, she said, is to focus the money toward newer technologies that students are just starting to use.
Coaches at the luncheon also praised the program as a chance to reach out to the academic community. That’s what drew alumnus Petrone and his wife Nancy to contribute to the fund, he said, being able to bring the two parts of the University together.
Lisa Manotti, director of library development with UO Libraries, said in an interview that the Coaches Fund could debunk the perception that there is a rift between the two sides.
“We’ve had some tensions on campus at times,” Manotti said. “We were looking at ways to build bridges between academics and athletics.”
The program was largely inspired by a 2002 donation from head football coach Mike Bellotti that created a $75,000 endowment fund for UO Libraries, Manotti said. When Manotti and coordinators began approaching coaches about the idea, they received an overwhelmingly positive response, she said.
“When Lisa approached me with the concept, I thought it was a great concept,” said George Horton, who was hired as head baseball coach last summer. Since his arrival in Eugene, Horton said he’s been impressed with the positive environment created by other coaches and staff.
“One of the things that drew me away from a good situation at Cal State Fullerton was the family atmosphere in the athletic department,” he said.
Library staff were hopeful that the Coaches Fund could become a regular fundraiser, but nothing official has been planned. Carver said this year’s donations were made in cash, meaning no official endowment fund was created. But that doesn’t mean it was strictly a one-time donation, she said.
“Judging by the positive response that we got today and some of the comments that were made, I wouldn’t be surprised if some of the coaches, if not many of the coaches, decided to give again in the future,” Carver said.
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