ZippyRulz

I will paste the full text here since it is a public post on X. I would note that this mentions fiscal cutbacks at Akron, Kent, and Central but not any proposal to shut any of them down. Ohio’s state-funded universities face an enrollment cliff, tuition is going up, and the value of a college degree is going down. We can’t ignore the problem & I’ve offered an actual solution to fix it, while my opponent @amyactonoh offers what she always does: absolutely nothing. My piece in the Columbus Dispatch this week: The race for governor of Ohio can be a positive opportunity to give voters a choice between competing policy visions for our state – and to have a healthy debate about the right way to improve Ohio. But we risk missing that opportunity in 2026: While I aim to offer clear policies to improve the lives of Ohioans, my opponent offers little more than cheap criticisms of my ideas while offering no solutions of her own. The recent debate about Ohio’s publicly funded universities continues that growing pattern. Ohio’s higher education system faces a severe enrollment cliff that threatens the future of our state-funded universities, and rising tuition costs are becoming unsustainable for Ohio families. The next governor of Ohio needs a real plan to address this growing problem, and ignoring it isn’t a solution. The facts are stark. America is aging fast, and Ohio is aging faster. The number of high school graduates in Ohio has peaked, hitting our highwater mark in 2024 with roughly 149,000 graduates. But by 2041, that number falls to about 124,000 – a 17% decline in as many years. Meanwhile, fewer Ohio students are choosing four-year universities – and understandably so. Graduate salaries aren’t keeping pace with climbing tuition and student debt. Just 47.6% of Ohio graduates in the class of 2021 enrolled in higher education within two years of graduation, down from 59% in 2015, while the total cost of attending Ohio's public universities has increased by nearly 50% over the past 15 years. Families across the state are feeling the strain. Despite these headwinds, Ohio still operates one of the most fragmented public university systems in the country, enrolling roughly 313,000 students across 14 public universities, 24 regional branch campuses and 22 community colleges. Florida, with about twice our population, only operates 12 public universities. That means Ohio is spreading its limited state dollars across too many bloated bureaucracies, and alarms are already blaring. Just last week, Lourdes University became the fifth private college to close since 2020. Meanwhile, public universities that receive hundreds of millions in taxpayer funding are feeling the impact of fewer students. In recent years, Cleveland State has cut staff and eliminated NCAA sports programs. The student count at the University of Akron inched up this past year but is at half of its 2010 enrollment level. Kent State launched a "Transformation 2028" restructuring plan last year in search of administrative efficiencies. Central State University remains on “fiscal watch.” While universities struggle to get by, other states have benefited from commonsense reforms. Consider Georgia, which adopted a sensible plan that reduced the number of state universities from 35 in 2011 to 26 by 2018. Notably, their process didn’t start with an agenda of consolidation for its own sake, or with targets set on certain universities. Instead, it began with a set of principles. Their leadership decided they wanted to expand access, reduce duplication, improve attainment and strengthen regional economic development. The results were better retention and more on-time graduation, without increasing tuition. That is what real reform looks like. Ohio should go further. As governor, I intend to lead a pragmatic reform that guides certain state-funded universities that suffer from under-enrollment to instead become “centers of excellence” – national leaders in a specific field – with the goal of offering a higher-quality education to students at a lower cost. Specialization creates distinction, and distinction attracts students. This will push our state-funded universities to work together, instead of in separate siloes. My first budget will propose to empower the Chancellor of Higher Education to conduct a statewide review, guided by clear statutory criteria, not backroom favoritism. It will identify where missions overlap, where enrollment collapse has made independence untenable, and where administrative functions can be unified without harming students. The chancellor will then return to the General Assembly with a concrete plan on a fixed timeline. Critics will say this threatens campus identity. This is an understandable concern, but it does not justify inaction. Georgia’s experience shows that campuses and local identities need not vanish, even if excess overhead costs do. A campus can keep its traditions and its local role without carrying the full cost of an outdated administrative hierarchy. The purpose of a university isn’t to sustain a legacy bureaucracy; it’s to educate students. When the structure stops serving that mission, the structure should change in a positive way. My plan will ensure that the dollars saved from administrative duplication go back to benefit students. Options abound for how to achieve this goal: Ohio could reinvest these dollars through the State Share of Instruction formula and tie that formula more directly to affordability, or improve the quality of instruction, academic experience and tuition relief in other ways. Skyrocketing tuition, cratering enrollment and declining quality of education are real problems that demand thoughtful solutions. While my opponent sneered on social media at my ideas, she offers absolutely no alternative solutions to help Ohioans. By contrast, I’m willing to start the challenging conversations we need to lead Ohio to new heights, in higher education and beyond. My plan will create a more competitive, increasingly affordable and rightsized higher education system for taxpayers and students. As other states have demonstrated, thoughtful reform can attract and retain more students, keep tuition affordable and better prepare graduates to compete for higher-paying jobs. There’s no reason Ohio can’t do even better. Either we reform our higher education system with purpose, or we watch it decline by default. 12:17 PM · Mar 28, 2026 · 84.1K Views

I don't know what VR said about Akron and Kent but suspect he's talking about some kind of merger.

Interesting but probably not a 'cultural fit' at Akron(?)

Thanks for the thread rename BTW 👍

7-13 in the big east doesn't seem very 'high major'

if they have the ability to schedule a second meeting it seems they could just get the November date changed(?) Then again if Toledo leaves the MAC they could just play early season OOC.

i did indeed, thanks. I will look forward to watching some of that if I can. I guess a little creativity was needed to get them in so quickly. So are they fully eligible starting this year?

I know Butler has had some success but are they truly a high major?

Sac gets 7 MAC games instead of 8 and plays Hawaii for their last game.

Yes, the AAC is a step up from the MAC. They have a beautiful college arena. Dambrot interviewed there before leaving Akron. They will likely end up in the ACC. It would be quite a move for his family and the grass is not always greener in the heat & humidity belt.

Sounds really familiar.

Hopefully air travel sanity will return by then.

We should hereafter decline the NCAA tournament and go to the NIT which would be much more fun. We could get a high seed and host a first round game.

https://apnews.com/article/ncaa-tournament-march-madness-ff2f65e021742bab56793df8b6ad9a45?user_email=30f3922da9f7b924f97955571239e2222396782643883dfceb6dd05aa98603a9&utm_medium=Sports_wire&utm_source=Sailthru_AP&utm_campaign=Sports Wire recurring beginning Mar 18 2026 2026-03-23&utm_term=Sports HQ Cinderella has been kicked out of the dance early for the second straight season. Following a madness-promising first day of upsets, the NCAA Tournament has turned into a high-major affair. The Sweet 16 invite is for power-conference programs only. Advocates for fewer automatic qualifiers and bracket expansion will have a field day with this one. “I think parity is great for the game, but things change,” said Arizona coach Tommy Lloyd, who spent 21 seasons as an assistant at Gonzaga. The Big Ten is the big conference on the block, pushing through a league-record six teams into the Sweet 16 — three in the same region. The SEC has four Sweet 16 teams, the Big 12 three, the Big East two, the ACC one. Mid-majors: zero for the second straight season.

TT losing to bama 26-10 after 10 min..

We'll get some good replacement players but they won't be NCAAT winning players because ceiling.

On the big stage, Hardman played 21 minutes and went 0-2 with 1 rebound and 0 assists.

Those 1 vs. 19 and 2 vs. 18 seed games would be glorious.

What's clear is that Amy Acton now has a place to live rent-free.

Miami down by 20 at halftime. Alabama beats Hofstra bigly.

kind of a mixed bag i guess. we may be on the list tomorrow after Gemini gets today's results. on the plus side, Iona will be hard to catch. kind of surprised to see Boise and eku.

most ncaa appearances without a win School Appearances Last Appearance Iona 16 2023 Boise State 9 2024 Eastern Kentucky 8 2014 South Dakota State 8 2024 Colgate 7 2024 Nebraska 's win over Troy was their first ever.

That was pre NIL. The climb has become a lot steeper. One wonders what TT's budget is now(?)

Somebody had the chance to title this thread Staying Close to the Vest, and fumbled 😉 Even with the NIL money, JG has to be feeling somewhat ceilinged at Akron. He is still young enough to want another crack at a P4 IMO.

i don't watch much P4 hoops but i would certainly think TT could give Alabama a lot of trouble assuming they win their first game.