Weekly Update

July 5, 2020

Previous Week’s Discussion

  • Frech:
    • Collaboration between men and women is helpful no matter what path the men choose
    • If the vision is clear and unified, it makes sense to launch a joint campaign for funding
    • Investigating non-varsity admissions assistance in parallel with varsity pursuit is desired because of current competitive needs
    • Rec Sports development would provide Athletics connections but would back off if varsity is pursued since Athletics is a separate department
  • Palladino:
    • Collaboration between men and women is helpful no matter what path the men choose
    • Admissions (and all other needs) should be pursued in parallel with varsity decision/pursuit
    • Admissions likely won’t solve all team’s problems. Still other difficulties within Club Sports like facility access.
  • Lisi:
    • Donations to both teams could help the MRF’s donor pool diversity and thus their 501(c)(3) status longevity
  • Haldane:
    • Title IX hasn’t always helped men’s programs
  • Trenary:
    • A lot of things going against fringe sports like rugby. Self-financing helps maintain program agency.

Working Group Update

  • Haldane moving to bench and will re-engage for fundraising. Rose and Cunningham can connect with him in the mean time.

Project Updates

Organize working group cadence

  • Call Thursday, July 9, 8p
    • Targeting second Thursdays
    • Will likely shuffle time to accommodate schedules
  • Continuing with weekly email questions
  • Trenary will announce August call with more advanced notice. Possibly this week.
  • Will remove this project and handle on ongoing basis

Gather additional input or solicit additional working group help

  • Trenary and Bodner discussed with full team
    • General embrace and understanding
    • Some expressed desire for varsity+club scenario
    • Additional expressed desire to compete and win
  • Trenary reached out to Steve Cohen for opinions, specifically on men’s and women’s collaboration. Is currently very busy and will take time to digest and respond.
  • Trenary continuing to reach out to alumni for additional feedback and to inform significant Michigan Rugby figures
    • Likely will be adding to the Bench

Confirm stance on pursuit of varsity

  • In general, comments indicate that varsity should be pursued in so much that it offers the necessary elements for a successful program
  • In general, comments indicate that individual necessary elements will be pursued in parallel

Establish initial project timeline

  • Have received no feedback. Will check in on call and remove this project in favor of individual questions/projects.

Share initial vision thoughts with Rec Sports development

  • Seibert has a draft that Trenary and Bodner are reviewing
  • Summer check-in email actually this week (Tuesday) which will clear up bandwidth for next steps

Clarify collaboration between men’s and women’s teams

  • General Support for collaboration no matter the men’s team path
  • Trenary reached out to Steve Cohen for insight on men’s and women’s collaboration