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q & A : p r e s i d e n t m i t c h d a n i e l s Working The Crowd Daniels likes the part he plays with athletics BY GOLD AND BLACK STAFF sioner) Jim Delany said he wanted to come visit and that is what he was there to talk about was this network idea resident Mitch Daniels visited "Gold and Black LIVE" they had. I remember thinking that it was interesting and on Oct. 11, GoldandBlack.com's weekly webstream wishing him well, (but) I was probably a little skeptical. I show, to tackle a variety of topics. had no idea how well it would work and I am not sure that Following is an excerpt from the conversation, ques- Jim did. But it has been an unqualified success. tions posed by the Gold and Black staff "Maybe all of your viewers know and viewers. this, but I did not understand at first, Gold and Black: As Purdue's for instance if that is going to work president, you have a lot of rewhy didn't the SEC try it, who is sponsibility. Where do athletics much bigger and much more commitfall into that whole spectrum? ted to athletics maybe even than we Daniels: "It's important. I think it are? The answer is that the Big Ten has to be kept in its place. I think we uniquely has alumni all over the counhave an outstanding athletic departtry, including all of the major markets. ment with a proven track record. They If you plot out any other conference, have managed themselves very well. they may have similar numbers of We are one of seven self-supporting alumni, or at least large ones, but they athletic departments in Division I and do not live everywhere. There are not that is a point of pride it seems to me. a lot (of SEC alums) in L.A., New York "But there is also a lot of responand other places. Jim and others saw sibility. We have set up a very regular that as a strength of the Big Ten. Give system where I will meet with the them credit they came up with a winathletic director. I will meet separately ning formula." with the faculty academic representaGold and Black: The athletic detives so they have a chance to tell me partment gives some of that BTN Tom Campbell anything that is on their mind, good Purdue president Mitch Daniels admitted revenue back to the university. I'm or bad. There are a lot of dollars in- to being nervous driving his motorcycle sure the athletic department has volved so I will pay attention to it, but onto the Ross-Ade Stadium turf during its reason. What are your reasons? halftime of the Notre Dame game. we won't micromanage it. Daniels: "I think it is something "You're not going to have me down to be proud of. It is the flip side that at every practice and meddling at anything. I'll just be out we are self-sustaining. I personally don't think it is a good there rooting. I spend a lot of my time thanking the people idea to charge students more tuition. We are trying to keep who come to cheer on our athletes. It seems to me that it tuition down. I don't think it is a good idea to charge stuis something that I can contribute." dents more (to attend athletic events), because the athletGold and Black: How has the Big Ten Network ic department is spending more than its means, which is money changed things for the athletic department the case so many other places. I tell every young person, and the university? 'Don't miss the fun, come see our teams,' but I don't think Daniels: "Big time as far as I can tell. It is clearly a ma- we should tax those who decide not to come (by charging jor factor in our university's ability to be self-sufficient at a student-wide fee). If athletics are successful enough that this stage. You have to say that it was a really smart con- they can support the core mission of the university, I think cept. I can still remember in my last job (Big Ten commis- that is a point of pride. We don't have any future plans (to P f IllustrateD volume 24, issue 2 97