GSUperTiger,
Commitment
Planning (Organization)
Leadership
Simply put. No there is not a commitment to winning in terms of athletics at Prairie View A & M University from the top down. Our past presidents did not financially support athletics, they did not fight with the State of Texas legislatures in terms of athletics (some will say they were fight on other issues regarding funding).
Our president, Dr Wright understands that athletics is the window into the university, but he will not release money (or at least none other than what it takes to balance the budget year end budget to reconcile) for athletics. While, this is really across the board for many of our HBCU programs, from my research it is even more evident, a deeper financial divide, and a deeper problem at Prairie View. There are various dynamics at play, but most of it is monetary.
I had an opportunity to sit down with him when he laid out his view of athletics. Again, he is just the standard university president, really sensitive regarding budgets and is an academic first type and believes athletics is the burden of the alums and student athletic fees (that is cap for Prairie View by the state legislature).
Unfortunately, we just do not have an effective alumni base in terms of athletic funding strong enough to force the issue whether that is with him or whether that is through donating enough money for athletics in and of itself. Once you have been as far down as we have for as long as we have it is a continuous process to change the mindset and the financial hurdle that exist.
Fortunately, we have tireless group of faculty and administrators as well as small strong group of booster alums that have made a vested interest along with some coaches lately, but without the financial resources, that I am aware of, it is really amazing that we are able to do the things we are doing in all sports, considering. It is frustrating. But, I will continue to fight the good fight. I have no other choice, it is what I am suppose to do.