Smaller, Leaner athletic program...

[ZippyRulz]

 

Redesigning The University of Akron: May 4, 2020 Update

 

Upshot - the big benefit of the 5 college model is lower admin costs and a more collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to edumacation.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by ZippyRulz

[Captain Kangaroo]

If I'm an Akron area dance studio, I'm signing up Boogie Knight as my spokesperson asap.

[RowdyZip]

Full disclosure:  Haven't read through this whole thread

 

Wondering if football using less than the maximum allotment FBS scholarships could factor into the decision of dropping football to FCS?  I would have to think this is a consideration from all of the MAC at this point.  May cause a temporary shortage in TV money, but if all colleges outside of P5 formed their own level of competition with the FCS playoff model, I'd have to think there would be a ton of interest from the general public. 

[Cykron]

1 hour ago, ZippyRulz said:

 

Redesigning The University of Akron: May 4, 2020 Update

 

Upshot - the big benefit of the 5 college model is lower admin costs and a more collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to edumacation.

 

 

 

 

Has he stated how many millions this would save?  Doesn't seem like it would be much, especially if they hire new Associate Deans to help oversee each of the 5 colleges or create new Interdisciplinary Education specialist positions.  This only works if you have a net reduction of staff.  $65 million is a lot of faculty and staff!  

 

I'll hold my breath for you guys in a week or so when he make the announcements related to athletics.  

[Spin]

6 hours ago, NWAkron said:

I just thought it was an interesting article...not the Holy Grail.

The article shows this is not just an Akron problem. And it shows some of the responses from different people. Different perspective.

[RowdyZip]

Over on the basketball board, there's rumors that Groce interviewed for the vacancy at ETSU.  If that's the case, I fear there's a real possibility that UA is contemplating cutting all sports.

[clarkwgriswold]

17 minutes ago, RowdyZip said:

Over on the basketball board, there's rumors that Groce interviewed for the vacancy at ETSU.  If that's the case, I fear there's a real possibility that UA is contemplating cutting all sports.

 

I can't fathom that they'd cut ALL sports.  There are changes ahead but the AD's charge is to cut 20% of the budget, not euthanize athletics.

[Captain Kangaroo]

7 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

I can't fathom that they'd cut ALL sports. 

Yeah, I doubt "redesigning" really means "burning to the ground." 

[NWAkron]

6 minutes ago, Captain Kangaroo said:

Yeah, I doubt "redesigning" really means "burning to the ground." 

You know.  This is NE Ohio.  We expect the worst and prepare for the worst.

[Zip-Grad '13]

7 hours ago, NWAkron said:

I just thought it was an interesting article...not the Holy Grail.

I'm bored.  Do we have anything else to do?  It wasn't a dig at you...  

[RowdyZip]

14 minutes ago, clarkwgriswold said:

 

I can't fathom that they'd cut ALL sports.  There are changes ahead but the AD's charge is to cut 20% of the budget, not euthanize athletics.

Sure...probably a worst case scenario.  But what programs can you justify keeping when education budgets are getting slashed?  Did any sport come anywhere close to being in the black?  Ever?  

[NWAkron]

3 minutes ago, Zip-Grad '13 said:

I'm bored.  Do we have anything else to do?  It wasn't a dig at you...  

Fair enough.  this is becoming toxic on here.  Time to abandon thread.  I think we will have some sense of what is going on tomorrow.  Let's get our mulch out before that chilly weather moves in.

[Zip-Grad '13]

3 hours ago, UA1987 said:

Reduce the scholarship (and the cost to the University) till fully gone for a college athlete that sells their Name/Image/likeness?     

Why?  Scholarship is the "pay" you are giving the students.  Get rid of the scholarship, now you're going to have to pay them.  Ridiculous idea.

I think it's pretty obvious this gravy-train has been maintained for the benefit of many (outside of the athletes themselves) for decades, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.  You can't have an almost zero-cost workforce who is also almost completely 100% your product, and it not be expected to go crumbling down at some point.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Zip-Grad '13

[Zip-Grad '13]

42 minutes ago, RowdyZip said:

Over on the basketball board, there's rumors that Groce interviewed for the vacancy at ETSU.  If that's the case, I fear there's a real possibility that UA is contemplating cutting all sports.

Hows that even remotely possible?  ETSU is in no-way any better financial situation than UA.  My aunt works there... and regularly talks about the ridiculous financial strain that adding football put on them as an institution.

Edited May 5, 2020 by Zip-Grad '13

[kreed5120]

Men's basketball IMO should be the safest of all the sports. It's way too expensive to try to keep up with the Joneses in football. Even when we tried to with Infocision and Stiles, we got a pretty poor return on our investment. At least with basketball we've shown we can get pretty decent value for the amount we put into it.

[clarkwgriswold]

1 hour ago, kreed5120 said:

Men's basketball IMO should be the safest of all the sports. It's way too expensive to try to keep up with the Joneses in football. Even when we tried to with Infocision and Stiles, we got a pretty poor return on our investment. At least with basketball we've shown we can get pretty decent value for the amount we put into it.

I was speaking with a friend today that is a casual Zips sports fan. I mentioned that the football program, along with the rest of the university, was facing some cuts and maybe a pairing back to FCS. His response was "that's a fine example of sports Darwinism. That football program hasn't been worth a s*** in years."

[DannyHoke]

The University of Akron will not be eliminating colleges as much as merging existing programs into 5, efficient models. Administrative positions will be streamlined and mirror positions within each remaining "college" will be channeled through a central management structure.  Early retirement offers will be going out by the end of the month with an expected high conversion rate.

 

Athletics will be cutting multiple sports and administrative positions that are open, or that come open in the near future, which mirror other university functions, will be eliminated. Athletics will be treated just like any other unit, not protected or spared the hurt. As of yesterday Football is being treated like a sacred cow by the Director of Athletics, as well as Baseball, due to donor involvement.  Soccer, Track and Field and Swimming are all seriously in play to be eliminated.  

 

The MAC will be eliminating multiple sport championships, leaving only Football, Volleyball, and Men's Basketball + Women's Basketball.  That means the championships being cut include men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, golf, swimming.  The MAC men's & women's basketball tournaments are also going to be reduced to where you have to earn your way into the tournament - various models being discussed but the leader as of yesterday was only 8 teams making the event.

 

 

Edited May 5, 2020 by DannyHoke

[zippy5]

Link?

[Lee Adams]

Think a lot of folks who take personal affronts to other posters here are trying to convince themselves that things may not change materially with athletics. You may post 'ad hominem' attacks to make yourselves feel better,that has been going on here for years by those who won't wrap their heads around change. Those are the folks who talk around the opinions they don't like. Most of us hope that the University can come up with a solution that doesn't decimate Akron athletics. Raise your hand now if you know the definitive answer and please name your sources.

Me..I am hoping to watch Akron play NMSTU in Las Cruces and attend the Hatch Chile Festival. Look us up if you make it.

[NWAkron]

1 hour ago, DannyHoke said:

 

 

The MAC will be eliminating multiple sport championships, leaving only Football, Volleyball, and Men's Basketball + Women's Basketball.  That means the championships being cut include men's and women's soccer, baseball, softball, tennis, golf, swimming.  The MAC men's & women's basketball tournaments are also going to be reduced to where you have to earn your way into the tournament - various models being discussed but the leader as of yesterday was only 8 teams making the event.

 

 

You already have to EARN your way into the basketball tournament.  It's called the play-in game which I doubt cost anything other than gas $ to transport a team from Miami to Kalamazoo.  Ending Akron soccer?  You speak with such sincerity about this.  Those who know don't talk.  Those who talk don't know.

[zippy5]

To be fair he didn't say anything about ending Akron soccer

[NWAkron]

15 minutes ago, zippy5 said:

To be fair he didn't say anything about ending Akron soccer

Did I misread this sentence?

 

"Athletics will be treated just like any other unit, not protected or spared the hurt. As of yesterday Football is being treated like a sacred cow by the Director of Athletics, as well as Baseball, due to donor involvement.  Soccer, Track and Field and Swimming are all seriously in play to be eliminated. "   

 

Also, I'm sure whoever he is getting this "intel" from appreciates that he is leaking it on Zipsnation.

 

Edited May 6, 2020 by NWAkron

[UA1987]

3 hours ago, Zip-Grad '13 said:

Why?  Scholarship is the "pay" you are giving the students.  Get rid of the scholarship, now you're going to have to pay them.  Ridiculous idea.

I think it's pretty obvious this gravy-train has been maintained for the benefit of many (outside of the athletes themselves) for decades, and now the chickens are coming home to roost.  You can't have an almost zero-cost workforce who is also almost completely 100% your product, and it not be expected to go crumbling down at some point.

When banter turns toxic it means the death for innovation.... Try think about all the costs that go into supporting university athletics and how ridiculous it is for athletes to want to earn something more for their participation beyond their tuition, room and, board, without paying back the institutions that got them in that position. If these same athletes can earn something for their likeness, so be it, then they should payback their benefactor by returning tuition, room, and board and then keep the rest. You must have supported the knuckelhead that used to walk around the Rubber bowl and the Info with a hand painted 6th grade sign saying the University exploits athletes. Benefit of many - debatable. Zero cost - please...                            

Edited May 6, 2020 by UA1987

[LZIp]

7 minutes ago, UA1987 said:

When banter turns toxic it means the death for innovation.... Try think about all the costs that go into supporting university athletics and how ridiculous it is for athletes to want to earn something more for their participation beyond their tuition, room and, board, without paying back the institutions that got them in that position. If these same athletes can earn something for their likeness, so be it, then they should payback their benefactor by returning tuition, room, and board and then keep the rest. You must have supported the knuckelhead that used to walk around the Rubber bowl and the Info with a hand painted 6th grade sign saying the University exploits athletes. Benefit of many - debatable. Zero cost please.                            

Clarification. The sign said Akron exploits black athletes. Apparently the whit or brown ones weren't/aren't "exploited".

Edited May 6, 2020 by LZIp

[zippy5]

1 hour ago, NWAkron said:

Did I misread this sentence?

 

"Athletics will be treated just like any other unit, not protected or spared the hurt. As of yesterday Football is being treated like a sacred cow by the Director of Athletics, as well as Baseball, due to donor involvement.  Soccer, Track and Field and Swimming are all seriously in play to be eliminated. "   

 

Also, I'm sure whoever he is getting this "intel" from appreciates that he is leaking it on Zipsnation.

 

Ah my bad. I just read the paragraph you quoted. Soccer ain't going anywhere