Ask the Athletic Director

Q. With the explosion of sites such as Facebook and MySpace, there are tremendous opportunities for current students and alumni to post Bison-related layouts to their personal sites. Is there any discussion on getting folks from the marketing side to put together Bison layout options for us to select as our page backgrounds?

A. That might be something we can look into. As for our student-athletes, we encourage them not to have these types of accounts, as most often there is personal information available, and several issues have been centered around these sites with inappropriate photos and messages nationally.

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Q. Why are there no night football games? Can we expect to have only day games on future home schedules? Does attendance differ between day and night games at Howard? Does revenue differ between day and night games at HU? Who determines the day/night home schedule?

A. We attempt to standardize all our game times to make it uniform. With a limited home schedule, it makes it tough. Homecoming is always a day game, that time is when it is getting to the area where it might be a little cold at night, and certainly the last game on the season we would like to play in the daylight for the warmth.

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Q. Shouldn't all student-athletes be required to take basic economics and investing classes as a freshman? Particularly basketball and football players.

A. Well, the University itself sets specific standards on required classes. We have a "Life Skills" program that is led by Mrs. Adria Washington, and we certainly cover these type of everyday issues, but I would agree that your suggestions would pay off for all our student-athletes, as well as all incoming freshmen.

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Q. Is there any chance of Howard moving up to Division I-A (Bowl Division) for Football in the foreseeable future? Any long range plan?

A. I don't believe this is on anyone's radar in the immediate future. The costs would be so exorbitant that the University would have to make a financial commitment to assist us, and I don't think that climate is favorable right now. In addition to the extra money needed for travel and scholarships (football would need another 22), we would also need to add at least 22 women's scholarships, which means creation of more women's sports or a reduction in current men's sports, which I am not prepared to do. Also, we would need a conference to compete in.