Jared Bruggeman has been on the job two months, and changes in how the department operates are already becoming clear.

A revamped scholarship program, bigger emphasis on fundraising and improved communication within the department and with the community are among the more noticeable differences under Bruggeman, who succeeded Sallie Beard as the University’s director of athletics.

Bruggeman previously worked at Northern Arizona University and the University of North Dakota.

“We have several priorities,” Bruggeman said last week. “Each coach gave us a list of their priorities, and my goal is to meet as many of those priorities as I can.

“In a couple months we’ve been able to accommodate probably 20 or so different things that were on that list,” he added. “As far as what the big things we’re looking at here, we’re revamping how we do business in the athletics department. We’re trying to get out in the community a little more, have our student athletes out in the community more. We’re looking at some facility issues, certainly talking about the indoor practice facility, the football stadium, the baseball stadium on campus. There’re just a lot of things out there we’re trying to make some adjustments on.”

Scholarships

Bruggeman said the department has looked at how it allocates scholarships and how to get more scholarship dollars to make Southern’s teams more competitive with teams in the MIAA. That includes enhancing endowments and looking for additional endowments.

Southern athletes received a total of $1.18 million last year in athletically related student aid. Male athletes received $726,281, while female athletes received $455,071.

Communication

Bruggeman praised improved communication within the department.

“Quite honestly the things as a department we’re doing better than probably in the past is communicating,” he said. “I’ve stressed it. Communication is essential and we’re just trying to do a better job of knowing what everybody is doing, what everybody is saying, so that we’re all saying the same thing. The message to the community isn’t always clear if you’re not communicating to each other.”

Fundraising

There are several avenues for generating revenue for an athletics department like Southern’s. Bruggeman lists several options, including corporate sponsorships, marketing, major gifts, grants, NCAA money, ticket sales and fundraising efforts like the Lionbackers and annual campaigns.

“It (fundraising) is one of the primary responsibilities,” Bruggeman said. “We should be clear though, it’s not just going out and asking for money. It’s doing things differently internally. We’re trying to increase our revenues, and along with that, cut some expenses so that we’ll have more money to do things with.”

While having large crowds at sporting events on campus is important, ticket sales won’t generate as much money as other possible revenue streams, Bruggeman explained.

“It’s great for the atmosphere, but ticket sales generally are not your biggest income,” he said. “That usually comes from corporate sponsors and annual campaigns, or from the state in the case of a Division II and also Division I school. Large allocations come from state funding or from the institution.”

A Southern football alumnus who is in the school’s Hall of Fame has approached the department about putting on another golf tournament this spring. Southern Hall of Famer Rod Smith has hosted an annual golf tournament to raise money for the department, but Bruggeman said this is a different alumnus.

“If he wants to help us with that we’ll absolutely get the word out and do what we can to make that event successful,” Bruggeman said. “If it brings in a few thousand bucks, great. If it brings in zero, that’s okay too. The alums are back and having and good time and that’s important as well.

“It’s not just about money,” he added. “We all think it is, but it’s not. It’s about connecting with people and the greater good.”

Facilities

The University is moving forward with an indoor practice facility, and plans to break ground Oct. 24.

“We’re still short the amount of money we need to build the facility, but we’re going to get all the ground work done, the retaining ponds for the water flow and all of that,” Bruggeman said.

A new finish line for the nationally recognized cross-country course has been constructed near the intersection of Duquesne and Newman roads. Bruggeman said it provides an area for computers on a cement pad, and has two posts to mark the finish line.

“We had to revamp the cross country course because of the way the course used to be and now with the ground work that’s going to come into play we’ve had to revamp the course a little bit,” Bruggeman said.

“It (indoor practice facility) will be north of the stadium,” he added. “It’s kind of right where that cross country stuff is. It’s going to be right out there.”

Plans also continue for a new baseball stadium to be built on campus, though more money is needed to get the project rolling.

“It’s going to happen,” Bruggeman said. “Now, with that being said, there’s some discussion about maybe Joe Becker Stadium is the place to be still. Certainly some community members feel that way, but at some point we have to do what’s in the best interest of our baseball team and Missouri Southern.

“Right now they have to drive to their home games or to their own practice field,” he added. “It’s much better to have your athletes be able to walk from the locker room to the practice facility. It makes sense to have it here, on our campus.”

Bruggeman said it’s not a priority issue, but a funding issue that will determine which facilities projects are completed first.

“The baseball field is the cheaper of the ticket items so realistically that’s the one that will happen first,” he said “The other thing is we’re talking about revamping the football stadium. That could be a very large ticket item. That’s going to take some serious work and talking with some donors to come up with the money or one major gift to get the ball rolling on that. Realistically the baseball field looks like it’ll be first.”

Speck pleased with Bruggeman’s performance

University President Bruce Speck said Bruggeman has hit the ground running since arriving at Southern.

“The very first day he was here he called 60 people and made connections with people,” Speck said. “He’s been on top of it ever since so I’m very impressed with is forward movement.

“I think Sallie (Beard) did a great job, she was here for many years,” Speck said of Southern’s previous athletics director. “It’s just a fact as the academy changes, as things happen, we have to continue going in some different directions.

“I’m very pleased with Jared.”