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So what is the root cause of the need for change? An expected loss of revenue (budget gap) due to "declining" enrollment. What caused the declining enrollment, it wasn't because of the changes and beautification of campus. The decline in enrollment was specifically due to a desire to do two things....1) increase the graduation rate...2) make the university more prestigious by increasing the metrics of incoming freshmen. So now because of the change to being an "open enrollment" university the new president is stuck with an image problem. The University of Akron, despite what the alumni and students know, is viewed as a commuter school, a last choice school. That is not an ideal image when you want to improve the type of student you want to attract. Now I disagree with some of the decisions, lower the cost of intro credits and raising fees on 300-400 level classes. That is counter productive to goal number of increasing the graduation rate. It promotes dropping out or transferring to other schools. Quite frankly it's a car sales technique that has no place in public education. Outside of that, the re-branding concept seems great. Establish an identity that as been lacking. People with knowledge pigeon holed UA as an engineering school even though it has many strong programs. The problem with the re-branding is that people "understand" polytechnic as "tech" and you put yourself at the disadvantage of having to educate people on what a polytechnic school is. Also the lack of transparency (though necessary as to avoid other schools from stealing the idea) created fear of a name change. Growing pains are rough, I remember when Proenza first took over, the increase in fees to pay for buildings that no one would see or use for 4 years hit a lot of people the wrong way, and enrollment dropped (below 25,000 at one point). But it eventually grew again. As Akron positions itself as a school of first choice, there are going to be some growing pains, but I think we will see improvement more quickly.

People also make mistakes as the old saying goes..."live and learn". Those who are smart enough to not hold grudges tend to lead more pleasant lives. Plenty of mistakes were made, but there is no reason to dwell on them. I believe both LeBron and Dan are focussed on the same goal of bringing an NBA championship to Ohio. Both are smart businessmen and both are benefitting. While I couldn't have predicted how this is playing out, I always thought that LeBron wouldn't find winning championships as satisfying in Miami as he may have thought. Once you have a ring or two, does it really matter how many more you obtain. No matter anyone's opinion. LeBron has proven how great a player he is. I believe that continuing to support his hometown and bringing even just 1 championship to Cleveland would leave him a greater legacy than he could garner anywhere else. However I felt about the way he left, I no longer care nor even think about it. I'm happy he returned, and I hope he and the Cavaliers win a championship ... not for me, but for LeBron. I want him to have that legacy.

My head is about to explode over the criticism of UA faculty. What did you guys seriously expect the faculty to suggest? The faculty is made up of a lot of people, including your researchers. Several of the people blasting the faculty on this thread, praise Scarborough for being the "adult" and making difficult choices. It's a little hypocritical IMO. Why wouldn't it be responsible for the Faculty to recommend this, so it can be discussed, debated and throughly investigated. The university faced a $60million defecit. Shouldn't everything be on the table at that point? I'm a supporter of football. I desperately want to see UA succeed in everything. But seriously, we as a community need to stop cannibalizing ourselves and villainizing some part of our, seemingly very small, community. It's rather depressing.

Nah, I saw those numbers a few days ago. The ABJ article was fairly predictable: Personally, I think it's fair to ask that it be considered. I recently posted some football budget numbers from a few years ago that showed some FCS schools spending as much or more than UA. Let them study in detail what dropping a level would cost and report it out. I think they might be surprised that there are not huge cost savings unless you have a gutted FCS program that will likely not be more of a winner than what Coach Bowden is developing at the Zips' current level.

This would be an embarrassment. I have no interest watching pointless FCS football. People don't go to the games because the team sucks. It's that simple. Dropping to the minor leagues is basically giving up on the football program.

Balsy, I was just reading through some of your comments and positions on some of the more recent “hot” topics; · Corp of Cadets has huge bust potential · Don’t like the presidents house being remodeled · You are a protester on the rebranding · The whole rebranding idea is absolutely asinine · Don’t believe Dr. Scarborough has done any due diligence · Dr. Scarborough has shown disregard for the UA community · Dr. Scarborough has no fundraising ability · He has made zero effort to be engaged with students, faculty and staff · Don’t agree with the cutting of some of the 200 undergrad degrees · Education is not a business. It should not be a business. It should not operate as a business. It does not work on the same principal of a business. · Bill Gates and Mark Cuban know nothing about education · Don’t like MOOC courses · Complain that decisions are being made without research and then when you find out money was spent on research you complain · You complained there is no transparency with Dr. SS administration when feedback is that it is much better than the previous administration · Oh, and you started the A-Roo being eliminated thread when TW’s response to you clearly said we were simply moving to the Z, NOT eliminating the A-Roo. Someone said, “We need a critic as UA president”. Balsy, I think you should apply.

"The Legislature made a mistake by not addressing fees as well as tuition, Johnson said." So the state continually reduces financial support of the universities, then makes them freeze tuition, and when they make ends meet however they can, blames them for a mistake made by the state. Now that's embarrassing.

Just heard some great news: Noah Robotham has been spotted back on campus. Will be interesting to learn in the coming weeks exactly how far along he is in recovering from his surgery and how early in the season he might be ready to play serious minutes.

Just looking at that graphic on athletic department spending, I wonder how much money could be saved through a Can't merger. Combined budgets are over 50M and if all the savings lowered the subsidy (about 40M combined), the school could possibly have an AD the size of UC but with less subsidies. Clearly, the saving would come from merging redundant programs rather than making cuts.

Dr. Proenza didn't get it all right. Dr. Scarborough isn't getting it all right. Jim Tressel wouldn't have gotten it all right. The only folks who get it all right are the critics. What we really need is a critic for UA President.

This. I support Akron, I am Joe Akron. I did not attend the school. I'm a rare breed of being a younger fan that dislikes Columbus but these schedules that Akron produces are a bare to deal with. There is zero excitement, outside of rooting for an upset in a pre-season tournament. I played college basketball and when this team plays schools I have never heard of or am not familiar with, I cannot imagine what the average fan to somebody that doesn't support the school thinks. How can Akron expect to get people in the seats with the teams they play? Regular fans don't want to see it, clearly Joe Akron won't care. I know...it's beating a dead horse. But I don't buy that Akron can't get some lower BCS name teams and higher mid majors than what they do. I feel they like their "20 game win" tag line.