The Eastern Michigan University Board of Regents met Thursday, Feb. 7 to review the Athletic Affairs Committee at Welch Hall. Here are some of the highlights of the meeting.
The Championship Building Plan: On Dec. 15, 2017, the Board of Regents approved the building of a new state-of-the-art sports facility to be built at the northern corner of Rynearson Stadium. The Athletic Affairs Committee has reported that the concrete has been poured and that the northern wall is being erected along with the first floor being modeled. Inquiries are being made into pricing for equipment and furniture.
Student-athlete GPAs have been impressive for the athletic program in general, with the football program resting at a 3.0 GPA for the whole team. The highest GPA for women’s sports is 3.607, while the highest men’s sport is baseball with 3.498.
The football team sought out to make a positive impact in Montgomery, Ala. when they decided to help the community through volunteer work. The team was split into two teams; one was sent to Chisholm Elementary School, where team members read books to children and helped them with homework. The other team helped prepare meals for the local elderly at the Montgomery Area Council on Aging. On the Friday night before the bowl game, the team decided to have an impromptu pep rally for the seniors, even furnishing caps and gowns for the graduating members and honoring the family members who had made the trip down.
The Athletic Affairs committee also reported the ticket revenue had an increase of 52 percent from the 2017-2018 season, as well as marketing numbers that were generated from the football team’s bowl appearance in the Camellia Bowl. Eastern got media coverage exposure valued at $8,821,409 and a total brand impression of $236,014,173 through social and digital media.
