Athletic Dep't office raises cash

Athletic Director Steve Bilsky has overhauled much of the Athletic Department since taking the helm in July 1994 -- and development has been a large focus of that restructuring. The Athletic Department's development office oversees all the revenue-generating aspects of the University's athletic program, including annual funding, corporate sponsorship and capital projects. Due in large part to the reshaping of the development office, the Athletic Department has had great success in raising money. According to Director of Athletic Development and Public Affairs Decker Uhlhorn, the revenue from annual funding as of March 30 was $50,000 ahead of last year's total at the same time. The annual fund -- known as the Weightman Fund -- grossed $1,066,750 in the last fiscal year, from July 1 to June 30. "We're raising money every day and we're doing well," Bilsky said. "You hope everyday you open up a letter and in it there will be a check -- but that's not the way the business works. The way it really works is that you have to get out and meet people and sell them on what you're trying to do." As part of the restructuring, Bilsky has encouraged individual coaches to get involved with fund raising. The Weightman Fund is divided into 38 categories -- 25 for the athletic teams and 13 additional special funds. Each of the 25 teams has a fund raising goal based on the team's expenses and revenue. For example, the 1995-96 goal for football is $200,000, while the goal for men's and women's fencing is $7,000. "If you go beyond these goals, you get to keep that extra money for your program," Uhlhorn explained, adding that involving coaches more in fund raising gives them an incentive to encourage donations. "Every sport is now responsible for fund raising." Uhlhorn added that the Penn Athletic Department's fund raising "compares favorably" with that of other Ivy League schools. "I think this year will end very strong. The road ahead is very bright," Uhlhorn said. "It's definitely a team effort -- from the coaches to the president to the development office to admissions. You couldn't do it otherwise." Corporate sponsorship is another keystone of the Athletic Department's budget. Franklin Field, for instance, currently displays several advertisements. "We're one of the first Ivy League schools to get involved with sponsorship -- for example, having PNC Bank sponsor the Penn Relays," said Uhlhorn, who came to the Athletic Department in February 1995 as part of its reorganization. "We probably have almost doubled in a year the number of sponsorships -- and we're looking to do more." Capital projects are also an important part of the department's budget. Recent capital projects on campus include the renovation of the Palestra and the Ringe Courts. To ensure that the Ringe Courts met changing squash regulations, the courts' sizes needed to be modified, Uhlhorn said. Otherwise, many events could no longer be held there, resulting in a loss of money. While coaches and administrators in the Athletic Department are always looking for the numbers to stack up in the wins column, they are also seeking out large figures on the revenue side. "It's an unbelievable amount of work," Uhlhorn said. "But for us to strive for greatness, we have to have success in development."