A woman who donated her family's ranch to promote hands-on agriculture education at the University of Wyoming and Colorado State University says she's disappointed that the two schools haven't made better use of her gift as a teaching tool. Now the universities are preparing to sell the Y Cross Ranch and Amy Davis says if she had it to do all over again, she wouldn't have donated the vast property between Cheyenne and Laramie in southeast Wyoming. "I don't think they've taken advantage in the last 14 years of what this ranch opportunity should have given to the students," Davis told The Associated Press in an interview. Rising up from grassy plains into the woods and meadows of the Laramie Mountains, the Y Cross is bigger than the country of Lichtenstein — about 50,000 acres, or 78 square miles. Colorado State and the University of Wyoming have been contemplating selling the ranch between Cheyenne and Laramie for a year or more. Their option to sell under the terms of the 1997 gift agreement between the universities and Davis' Courtenay C. Davis Foundation opened up in September. The schools plan to begin marketing the ranch this spring. A sealed-bid sale could occur as soon as this fall but could be postponed another year if the property doesn't generate sufficient interest this summer, said Ben Blalock, president of the University of Wyoming Foundation...
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A sad story, but typical for those who donate their property to the government. In this case, universities raise their tuition and fees so high the average family can't afford them, so they turn around and have to subsidize the students through scholarships and other means. Government entities promise to use property for a "public good" to obtain it, but once they have it in their clutches they turn into entrepreneurs and sell it to the highest bidder. Providing a "public good" sucks hind tit to their hunger for revenue.
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Re: Article Discussion: Donor of vast ranch to UW, CSU, expresse
Postby ConcernedRancher on Today, 3:52 pm #2290665
This potential sale was perpetuated by land hungry locals that use their money and power and influence to bribe universities to sell the land. Also, these universities accepted the donation with zero intent to utilize such a great resource. Their only interest in the land was at the end of the trust term when they could cash it in. Bottom line. Those that were interviewed from the university failed to show that any effort was ever made to inform their Ag students that this valuable resource was even available. That proves their concern about utilizing it for education for their students. Shame on you CSU and UW.... And, how interesting it is that a monetary offer came before the trust term ended.... hmmmm...wonder if he's been schmoozing with the higher ups at CSU and UW....
Yep! those same arrogant academics also teach range management, ranch management, ranch economics, animal husbandry and not a darn one of them can do anything outside of the classroom. That is why they sold this ranch. A gift that would have gone on giving for years into the future in the right environment. Now the schools will spend the money giving "education" to the uneducated.
I have been affiliated with both UW and CSU for forty years both as a student and a fill in Assistant Professor.I found out about this ranch a couple of years ago by accident.Surprisingly I tried to get the ranch manager to participate in a state funded program , but was turned down. I will be watching to see who the buyer might be. I would say it fits in nicely with the old Warren Livestock company which was sold many years ago to a Cheyenne sheep rancher and now oil money might be involved since they are the owners of the old sheep ranch and are monsterous contributors to the University.Don't know for sure, just speculating.
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