Monday, May 31, 2021
Sunday, May 30, 2021
Ken MacLean, running back on Florida State's first football team in 1947, dies at 94
Ken MacLean, running back on Florida State's first football team in 1947, dies at 94
MacLean, a running back on Florida State’s first football team in 1947 who returned in the early 1960s as an assistant under Bill Peterson, died Thursday at Capital Regional Medical Center from pneumonia, according to his family.
MacLean was 94.
After a stint in the military, he returned to Tallahassee and was a prominent student voice behind FSU’s effort to field a varsity football team. MacLean was on the Seminoles’ first team in 1947 and led the team in rushing and receiving. He also had the team’s first reception from quarterback Don Grant.
MacLean was a three-year letterman in 1947, 1948 and 1949 under coaches Ed Williamson and Don Veller.
“Everyone on campus was excited; we had school spirit and football, all of a sudden, became the heartbeat of Florida State University, a rallying point unlike anything before,” MacLean told the Democrat in a 2017 interview.
Tuesday, May 25, 2021
Blueprint likely to pull away from FSU convention center as Doak renovations request surfaces
Blueprint likely to pull away from FSU convention center as Doak renovations request surfaces
Put a pin in the proposed convention center. For now.
That's the recommendation of Blueprint Intergovernmental Agency staff as they continue to analyze, along with Florida State University, budgetary limitations, construction cost increases and a struggling post-pandemic economy.
The proposal, which has been an idea since 2012 when FSU acquired the Tucker Center from Leon County, is set to come before the IA Thursday at the same it considers a $20 million request to partially fund improvements and prime the underlying structure of Doak Campbell Stadium for renovations that will improve the fan experience.
While more people become vaccinated against the coronavirus, people still aren’t looking to travel for conventions, instead seeking outdoor activities and less crowded spaces, according to a survey. The project has also led to pushback from critics on whether such an investment of taxpayer money is appropriate.
At the same time, FSU has signaled it is working toward building a Tucker Center area hotel on its own where such a convention center could be incorporated.
“Staff is recommending that the IA discontinue negotiations to pursue a convention center at this time,” according to agenda materials.
“As 18 years remain in the Blueprint 2020 time window, there is ample time to analyze, assess, and identify new convention center project opportunities to timely act upon in the future of the current sales tax.”
In a Your Turn column published in the Tallahassee Democrat Sunday, FSU President John Thrasher said a convention center may actually be an economic risk, an about-face from last year when funding was increased just ahead of the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Repairs to Doak Campbell Stadium may be more beneficial, he said.
“In a post-COVID world, the time is not right to expand in-person meeting space for conventions and large gatherings. In fact, moving ahead with this project may create an economic risk for our local community,” Thrasher wrote. “When donor and tax dollars are on the line, we need to choose the wisest, most conservative course. To that end, we are requesting funding for an investment that has the highest degree of likelihood for giving our investors — in this case, taxpayers — the very best return on their dollars.”
The discussion surrounding the convention center has ramped up since last spring when Blueprint officials committed $40 million to building the facilitym which would have been operated by FSU. Since then, $10 million was pulled from the budget for renovations to Florida A&M University’s football stadium and another proposal to upgrade Tallahassee Community College’s athletics facilities is on the table Thursday.
TCC is seeking $1 million after pitching a proposal in February that its athletics facilities were in dire need of being upgraded. Staff is offering to pull money from the federal American Rescue Plan funding for the TCC proposal.
Both the city and county have agreed to provide almost $9 million in federal funding to Blueprint, the bulk of which, $7.5 million, slated to go toward infrastructure and another $1.3 million to the Office of Economic Vitality, where the TCC funding is recommended to be pulled from.
Rivals Rankings Turn 20: How Power Five programs have ranked in recruiting
Rivals Rankings Turn 20: How Power Five programs have ranked in recruiting
6. FLORIDA STATE (9.4)
It’s hard to believe that Florida State has never had the No. 1 recruiting class in 20 years of Rivals Rankings history but the Seminoles have been close numerous times. They finished second, third or fourth multiple times over the years and that’s why the Seminoles' average-class finish is still so high despite some lean years and struggles on the recruiting trail recently.
Second-year coach Mike Norvell is trying to turn things around but FSU has finished outside the top-15 for three-straight classes, the first time that has happened to the ‘Noles in Rivals history.
More Fan Heat Maps - 5/13/16
Great find by https://accfootballrx.blogspot.com/
Florida State Seminoles
Besides Tallahassee itself, the 'Noles have a big following in Central Florida (Tampa, Orlando, etc.). They also have followers throughout Georgia, the Eastern half of Alabama, and throughout Virginia and Maryland.
John Thrasher should be Florida State's last politician president.
John Thrasher should be Florida State's last politician president.
For a decade, Florida State University has courted the U.S. News rankings with singular focus and remarkable success. Our university has joined the big leagues, and it intends to keep moving up. That’s the job our trustees have set for FSU’s next president. What will it take?
Every single candidate for the job has the same answer: money — or, as one first round candidate put it, "money, money, money, money, money."
But where is that money to be found?
For John Thrasher and his predecessors, the answer was straightforward: the Florida Legislature. And President Thrasher successfully procured the state funding we needed to make it to our present position.
Because of our new standing, though, the answer has changed. Now that FSU is a Top 20 university, the path forward goes beyond the Capitol.
In 2018-19, FSU’s $499 million in state appropriations made up 35% of its budget. The University of Florida got a lot more money from the state — $785 million — but that was only 23% of its revenue. FSU is an outlier in this regard. On average, the top 30 schools got just 15% of their revenue from state allocations. You can see a data visualization at http://bit.ly/fsu-revenue.
To be clear, this does not mean that FSU gets too much money from the state. It means FSU’s revenue growth must come from other sources — especially federal research funding.
Few of us follow such budget details closely. This presidential search has been eye opening for everyone. As one trustee put it, “I should have paid more attention, and I should have known, that we were lacking severely... and for that I apologize.”
We’ve learned FSU needs to increase its research budget by about $250 million. That kind of money will not come from the state Legislature, where a $10-million increase is a big win. The Legislature has to balance the interests of many worthy and deserving institutions. It will not bankrupt everyone else to boost FSU.
What does all this mean for FSU's presidential search?
The selection committee has done a great job. We have three excellent finalists, each a distinguished scientist with deep experience finding and managing hundreds of millions— even billions — in research funding. Each is an expert in exactly the work this job now requires.
The days of relying on Tallahassee connections as the most important moneymaker have come to an end. Our success is a tribute to the hard work of past presidents — and the taxpayers who support us. But the next step requires different tools and a different kind of leader.
FSU will always need great relationships at the Capitol, and we are thankful for the ongoing state support that will remain foundational to our university. But our next president will be the first with priorities beyond state appropriations.
John Thrasher was FSU's last politician president. It’s a mark of his success that he will be followed by an academic who can harness our tremendous research potential.
Barron wasn't a politician. 2 of our last 3 were. The first was TK and he did horrible on almost all levels including state funding and appropriations. In fact, he hurt FSU here, let alone improved FSU here. Thrasher has been negligible in this area.
None of the politicos helped FSU in the biggest areas with state appropriations and that is COE and COM. Schools that have their own Full Mission Med School and own COE include: FAU, FIU, UCF, UF, USF.
None of FSU's politicos helped keep FSU with the pack there, let alone gave FSU an advantage.
FSU has neither their own COE or full mission COM. This is very bad for FSU's future in research. FSU commissioned a study in early 2000s that detailed this issue for FSU. Around $230 million a year in annual research $ compared to say UF at almost $800 million. You simply can't keep up long term when these other schools have these state appropriations and FSU doesn't.
Thrasher has had some positive growth in research and jumping from $200 million in research to $233 today. Sandy saw research dollars more than double during his tenure winding up at $147 million in 2002. Both have done well, statistically, Sandy's #s easily outpaced any other president FSU has had (and he didn't have a COM during most of his tenure).
In 1994 when Sandy started, FSU's endowment was ranked #256 by NACUBO. When he left in 2002 FSU reached #128. When Thrasher took over in 2015, FSU had fallen to #157. FSU has since fallen 3 more spots in most recent rankings to #160. No FSU president has even come close to the positive impact endowment wise that Sandy has.
When TK took over, FSU had a US News rank of 108 and finished at 102. Barron at 102 to 91. Thrasher at 95 to 58. Almost all the jump was during Thrasher's tenure. Think bright futures is #1 reason why, but Thrasher deserves massive credit taking advantage and working the numbers. He did great here.
I accept that FSU will hire a politico....I get it. I even admit Thrasher did a good job in some areas. He did amazing with finally figuring out US News rankings which no other president could do. I don't get a few things that make me wonder:
*Why FSU always hires politicos and UF never does. This is just curious to me. UF gets ALL the advantages with the state (unlike FSU) and FSU rarely does
*Why do the politicos get credit for giving FSU some advantage that hasn't actually happened? Not only is FSU hamstrung with no COE of it's own and limited mission med schools, but even directional schools in this state have gotten BOTH (let alone one) while FSU's politicos didn't deliver. IF we are going to sell out, I just wish FSU would at least be able to keep up in the state appropriation of the most critical areas for research.
*Why FSU is so averse to just going with hiring the best available candidate. The inside hires, etc have hurt FSU IMHO. Univ. of Tallahassee has not been good for FSU long term. JMHO.
*Show me any state funding comparison with actual trended #s that proves FSU has been funded less with non politicos over the last 40 years vs politicos. Just doesn't exist. But this is repeated over and over. TK even hurt FSU in this area.
I do agree with you.....I have no doubt the hire was decided long ago and this is just a show, so a non issue. But I can't help correct some points that are regularly stated that just aren't true...so often presumed.
Here are FSU research numbers compared to other universities in our state during Thrasher's tenure:
Total increase in research dollars (2015-2019. Thrasher's tenure):
| FSU | $32,771,550 |
| UF | $69,400,000 |
| UCF | $58,700,000 |
| USF | $84,000,000 |
| FIU | $38,949,379 |
FSU is last in this area.
| Research Awards | Compound Growth Rate 2002-2019 | Total $ Increase 2002-2019 |
| FSU | 2.73% | $85,700,000 |
| UF | 3.43% | $339,000,000 |
| UCF | 5.66% | $116,700,000 |
| USF | 5.60% | $317,102,310 |
| FIU | 5.43% | $93,100,000 |
FSU's growing rate as well as Total $ is also dead last.
Make of those figures what you would like, but other than cheerleading, the metrics aren't what many like to claim.
The only way to judge endowment trends is by NACUBO rankings.
When Thrasher took over as president, FSU was ranked #157. Last ranking was #158.
The last president to do well in this area was Sandy. The rest did very poorly.
42,000 alumni living in Tallahassee. We have only 1,400 boosters in that group
State appropriations as share of total revenues, 2018-19
Interesting factoid out of presidential job search
State appropriations as share of total revenues, 2018-19
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