Conference Realignment

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,528
Why would UF move out of the SEC to the Big10? I am not big into UF sports, but I haven't seen any indication that they aren't happy in the SEC. The money would be similar. Travel would be more problematic. Does UF want to play games in Nebraska, Iowa, or Minnesota in November? I don't see any upside. It might make an interesting scenario discussion, but I don't think it is realistic.

If the ACC does disband, Miami would probably be the Big10 choice for Florida. I do think there are other factors that could result in conference realignment, or even elimination. Court rulings on players as employees. Division split of FBS. Those things could happen a lot faster than the end of the ACC GOR.
Maybe you did not read the whole posting or probably I did not say it well enough is more like it, it's about the money and the big money being a Big 10 member comes through AAU joint effort research grants according to school administrators of AAU schools, seems it is much bigger than AAU members outside of Big 10 for some reason. If you have ever run anything you will understand the person at the top is always looking for more $. That is coupled with higher education is going to be in for really big downsizing over the coming years and the institutions that are most likely to survive are the research institutions is what I have read. It is the reason, IMO, that UGA and GA Southern started Engineering schools, they know what is coming. It has been said that the Big 10 intends to have more than one school in FL and the present AAU schools in FL are U FL, Miami, S FL. In case you do not know the Big 10 has a requirement that all the schools they invite to join have to be AAU members. It's obvious one of the reasons is financial stability that comes through research grants. Financial stability for higher education will become very important going fwd IMO.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL
Maybe you did not read the whole posting or probably I did not say it well enough is more like it, it's about the money and the big money being a Big 10 member comes through AAU joint effort research grants according to school administrators of AAU schools, seems it is much bigger than AAU members outside of Big 10 for some reason. If you have ever run anything you will understand the person at the top is always looking for more $. That is coupled with higher education is going to be in for really big downsizing over the coming years and the institutions that are most likely to survive are the research institutions is what I have read. It is the reason, IMO, that UGA and GA Southern started Engineering schools, they know what is coming. It has been said that the Big 10 intends to have more than one school in FL and the present AAU schools in FL are U FL, Miami, S FL. In case you do not know the Big 10 has a requirement that all the schools they invite to join have to be AAU members. It's obvious one of the reasons is financial stability that comes through research grants. Financial stability for higher education will become very important going fwd IMO.
My understanding is that demand for engineering grads in GA outstripped Tech’s ability to supply. Rather than build additional campuses, Tech leaders focused on GTRI and international growth … thus opening the door to UGA and others.

FWIW, the Georgia model of ONE technology school was viewed as a positive. Ironic that GA is diluting the very approach that made Tech world class. The research money .. that’s Techs role now.
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,528
My understanding is that demand for engineering grads in GA outstripped Tech’s ability to supply. Rather than build additional campuses, Tech leaders focused on GTRI and international growth … thus opening the door to UGA and others.

FWIW, the Georgia model of ONE technology school was viewed as a positive. Ironic that GA is diluting the very approach that made Tech world class. The research money .. that’s Techs role now.
I don't dispute at all what you are saying because I don't know about that, but I have understood there is a downsizing coming in higher education and research institutions are the ones more likely to survive. Don't know how long the downsizing takes, I just understand it is coming.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL
I don't dispute at all what you are saying because I don't know about that, but I have understood there is a downsizing coming in higher education and research institutions are the ones more likely to survive. Don't know how long the downsizing takes, I just understand it is coming.
I have heard the same. Reports are that 25% of universities in the U.S. will close.
 

MountainBuzzMan

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,761
Location
South Forsyth
I have heard the same. Reports are that 25% of universities in the U.S. will close.
Hopefully the technically colleges (2 year tech programs) will greatly expand. The country is in desperate need of key trade skills. We dont need anymore lawyers, international studies, art or psychology degrees.

We need welders, machine programmers, electricians. tool and die makers ect...
 

Northeast Stinger

Helluva Engineer
Messages
11,178
I have heard the same. Reports are that 25% of universities in the U.S. will close.
That information has been circulating for some time now. Every school will have to find a niche, be relevant and maximize retention rates. For some this will not be an inordinate burden. For others it will mean a struggle to adapt to a new landscape or die.

A school like uga will survive, obviously. The entire state is invested in that. But the cost cutting they have already been engaged in for some time will inhibit research dollars, grants and awards. One of my best friends teaches there and uga sometimes scrambles to put together course offerings. They lack sufficient numbers of qualified faculty and their overuse of adjunct and grad assistants is starting to wear out their lower paid instructors. I know this may not be unusual in higher Ed but one wonders at what point students may realize that their love of uga football is not going to get them a decent job if their major is in a department that is not respected in academic circles.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL
That information has been circulating for some time now. Every school will have to find a niche, be relevant and maximize retention rates. For some this will not be an inordinate burden. For others it will mean a struggle to adapt to a new landscape or die.

A school like uga will survive, obviously. The entire state is invested in that. But the cost cutting they have already been engaged in for some time will inhibit research dollars, grants and awards. One of my best friends teaches there and uga sometimes scrambles to put together course offerings. They lack sufficient numbers of qualified faculty and their overuse of adjunct and grad assistants is starting to wear out their lower paid instructors. I know this may not be unusual in higher Ed but one wonders at what point students may realize that their love of uga football is not going to get them a decent job if their major is in a department that is not respected in academic circles.
UGA will probably be fine. The problem is that there was a dearth of kids born in 2008, and that bubble is exp to hit by 2025-26. I know of a few second tiers universities that are broke and everyone is just waiting for the announcement. Top universities have enough demand to survive.
 

forensicbuzz

21st Century Throwback Dad
Messages
9,089
Location
North Shore, Chicago
UGA will probably be fine. The problem is that there was a dearth of kids born in 2008, and that bubble is exp to hit by 2025-26. I know of a few second tiers universities that are broke and everyone is just waiting for the announcement. Top universities have enough demand to survive.
I have 2 born in 2008. Does that mean there'll be more scholarship dollars available since there will be fewer kids in school? Those are my last two and the teat has run dry.
 

stinger 1957

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,528
I have heard the same. Reports are that 25% of universities in the U.S. will close.
I have heard 1/2 of higher education. Outside of engineering and technology so much of the rest is useless it seems. Over the years I have heard many higher Ed. grads say their degrees were useless as a practical matter, even some that came from so called good business schools have said the same thing. Looking back I would have loved to intern in the field I was interested in and taken courses that pertained to what I found I wanted to do as I interned. Today that would be easy to do with the internet. I wanted to be in the financial field which I came to discover after being at Tech for a couple years, and I switched from IE to IM and took some IE electives. I learned pretty much everything on the job and some schooling seminars that lasted a week or so.
I have heard a couple of UGA seniors say their interviews were all about the grade point, not about their degree. Looking back at my GT experience the greatest thing that turned out to be useful through life was the mental toughness the GT experience gave me and some foundation in problem solving, both useful no matter what you do IMO.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL
I have 2 born in 2008. Does that mean there'll be more scholarship dollars available since there will be fewer kids in school? Those are my last two and the teat has run dry.
I don’t know. Probably not. Undistributed funds are usually reinvested. It depends on the funding and distribution model.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL

Bogey

Helluva Engineer
Messages
1,789
I get pissed reading how Swofford supposedly screwed the ACC regarding Raycom and his son. I tend to believe there is some truth in their claim but I don't think it can be proven and if it has any bearing in their case.
 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL
I get pissed reading how Swofford supposedly screwed the ACC regarding Raycom and his son. I tend to believe there is some truth in their claim but I don't think it can be proven and if it has any bearing in their case.
This happens all the time.

ACC (Swofford): "Of course we wanted Raycom to remain viable. Everyone knew FSU was a pain in the rear end and they might do this. And if we lost our position with ESPN, we would be screwed. So, we organized it in a way that an alternative would remain available to us."

If FSU goes after ACC over this, they have to go after Notre Dame and their connections at NBC.
 

orientalnc

Helluva Engineer
Retired Staff
Messages
10,049
Location
Oriental, NC
Seems like typical Boomer doom-casting
My wife is a former college professor. She said her belief, supported by conversations with her former GSU contacts, is that the baby boom created a bubble for that generation and the next, but the trend now is for smaller families and for more ingle and married females to go childless. There are just fewer kids in school now.

 

Vespidae

Helluva Engineer
Messages
5,346
Location
Auburn, AL
Seems like typical Boomer doom-casting
Enrollment figures are available. How schools respond varies.

I will give you one "Boomer doom-casting". I was made aware of two institutions on the doom list and knew both. So I asked them. One, a private school, slashed its tuition in half and still can't get enough students to sustain itself. Campus maintenance has been suspended. Cash reserves will be depleted by the end of this year. The expectation is the campus will be closed and the real estate redeveloped. School was 150 years old.

Another is a state school. Enrollment is off 20%. Word out is to prepare to absorb the entire population of students when the announce closure.

Of course, they could just drop programs. Tulane dropped 1/3 of its programs and is a shell of what it was 30 years ago. So, sure ... it depends. But it is happening.
 
Top