Falcon Football - UTPB

Copyright 2014 KRTS-FM. To see more, visit http://www.marfapublicradio.org/ . Listen here:  http://wfae.org/post/energy-boom-helps-texas-commuter-school-launch-football-program Transcript RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: And there's a bit of a boom in college football this year. A dozen colleges have added football programs that are now competing in the NCAA - a record number of new teams. And now as Tom Michael of West Texas Public Radio reports, even commuter colleges, satellite campuses of bigger universities, are getting into the game. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) W. DAVID WATTS: I am privileged and honored to make an announcement about football at UTPB. Yes, you may applaud. (APPLAUSE) TOM MICHAEL, BYLINE: That's the president of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin earlier this fall, announcing the launch of the school's new football team. (SOUNDBITE OF ARCHIVED RECORDING) UNIDENTIFIED MAN: (Singing) Fight'n Falcons, mighty falcons. MICHAEL: The schoo

Give us an F-A-L-C-O-N-S — what’s that spell? Falcons! And better yet, it spells football and school spirit. Both are soon to arrive on the campus of the University of Texas of the Permian Basin. In fact, the sport will be on the gridiron by the 2016 season with Ratliff Stadium as the home field. The big announcement came this week from UTPB officials and fundraisers who scored a big TD by securing the $9.5 million needed to cover the first five years of football. Odessa oilman Kirk Edwards helped spearhead the effort and deserves a big cheer of his own for helping raise the funds. UTPB also turned to its students, who voted in April to repurpose a $35 student union fee toward the football program. That fee will add an estimated $1.9 million to the first-five-years budget. “This is a big day for all of us,” Edwards told a crowd at the Wednesday announcement. “The great thing about West Texas right now is that so many people are doing well and they want to give back to the community.”

By Joshua Weaver jweaver@oaoa.com 432-333-7791 Posted 4 hours ago UTPB President David Watts had the answer to the question he said he’s heard over and over again during his 14-year tenure. And he got to deliver the news with balloons. Watts announced that the university reached its initial fundraising goal of $9.5 million through private and commercial donations and received final approval to field a NCAA Division II football team, which will begin play in September of 2016. http://www.oaoa.com/sports/high_school/article_845e0d26-54be-11e4-b225-001a4bcf6878.html?mode=jqm

The business plan for football called for an approximately $2.2 million facility for the program, Watts said. State money can’t support the construction or operation of athletics, but athletics and academics can share facilities, he said. UTPB has until the end of the year to secure $9.5 million in funding for the football program. Watts said the fundraising is “close, but not quite there” yet, but he’s “very confident” the university will meet the deadline. Earlier this week the Odessa City Council approved $1 million over five years from the hotel/motel tax to support the program. Read more: UT regents approve 2 UTPB TRB requests for new construction - MRT.com: Education http://www.mrt.com/news/education/article_1a6acabe-0890-11e4-925d-0019bb2963f4.html#ixzz39dH2rHtG Under Creative Commons License: Attribution UT regents approve 2 UTPB TRB requests for new construction - MRT.com: Education : 'via Blog this'

UTPB Closer to Developing Football Program - KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | : KWES NewsWest 9 / Midland, Odessa, Big Spring, TX: newswest9.com | 'via Blog this'

UTPB Students Vote In Favor To Add A Division II Football Team - Permian Basin 360 : 'via Blog this'

A football program at The University of Texas of the Permian Basin has moved one step closer to becoming a reality following approval of a Football Initiative Business Plan by the UT System Board of Regents. The recommendation, approved at the Regents' meeting on Thursday, is the first of three steps needed to expand the UTPB athletic program to include football. To fund this venture the school will raise $9.5 million by the end of 2014 to cover the cost of operations for the first five years. While there will be no additional student fees associated with the football program, a student referendum allowing students to vote on re-purposing the existing fee for the Student Union will be held. Kirk Edwards, chairman of the Community Advisory Committee, will provide guidance and focus for community fundraising. Athletics is key to the transformation of UTPB from a commuter institution to a more traditional campus. Currently, student athletes and student participants involved in athleti