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Messages - judgetrainer

#1
General Division III issues / Re: Future of Division III
February 25, 2025, 01:32:38 PM
I have been away from this site for a while. I must say that this series of posts is honestly impressive. So many alumni haven't a clue how endowments work. Well done, gentlemen.

A few things come to mind. Most endowments, as stated earlier, are earmarked for specific tasks. Some things (endowing a position, for example, are sexy to donors. Others, like maintaining a building or a field, are not. Over time that deferred maintanence gets more and more expensive. Some endowments are made to start programs and schools foolishly don't require the full cost or underestimate that cost. The professionals talk about budget relieving and budget enhancing gifts. Both have their place.

The SNC situation is startling for its scope. I have to observe, however, that Stevens Point went through a similar reduction process a few years ago. It is possible that not every college can or should offer every major. Someone mentioned the enrollment cliff earlier It is real. A lot of expansion happened before that was observed. Now we see contraction. Wisconsin has seen three schools close since the pandemic: Silver Lake/Holy Name, Cardinal Stritch, and now Northland. All had very small endowments and small student bodies. That trend will continue. 

A parent asked for trends. I can only say look at the size of the endowment per student rather than the gross number. Look at the trend of the endowment. Is it growing or declining. at what rate, and so on. Look at the number of students. Is that rising or shrinking?

My wife works in the field of university finance. She is now in the private sector as a consultant. Everyone has these same concerns, and no one has certain answers. Tuition rises, but no one pays full price anymore (well, a few exceptions). Students demand more amenities or they attend elsewhere. The competition is simply nasty.     
#2
As was reported, coaches will face the same sort of problems that other college staff will have. I know my alma mater (Lawrence U) is treating coaches (at least the full timers) as if they are admissions staff and telling them to recruit, recruit, recruit.

Budgets are getting hit by the pandemic at colleges just like any other business. I fear we will see some schools not make it out of this or be terribly weakened.
#3
Does anyone have any confidence we will see winter sports this school year? I have doubts.
#4
Not shocked. It is their natural home. MWC will need to have some serious discussions about where they are headed, I think. With Beloit in trouble, Ripon sniffing around a move, the cost of trips to IC and Iowa...

Quote from: gbpuckfan on May 27, 2020, 05:21:11 PM
Bye bye, Macalester.
#5
Anyone hearing anything? Just heard that Beloit's incoming class...needs help. Not really a football post but a survival question.
#6
Region 9 women's basketball / Re: WBB: Midwest Conference
February 24, 2020, 11:55:23 AM
Bottom of the conference needs to GET better. Harder answer, but true.
#7
Region 9 men's basketball / Re: MBB: Midwest Conference
February 10, 2020, 10:04:28 AM
Ripon has bigger issues. They cut cabinet salaries 12/31 and the admissions budget by 40% in January.
#8
Region 9 women's basketball / Re: WBB: Midwest Conference
February 06, 2020, 09:48:03 AM
Quote from: gbpuckfan on February 01, 2020, 10:36:22 AM
Today's "that just doesn't seem right" stat. I believe with last nights win against Grinnell, SNC is now 39-0 all time against the Pioneers

Whoa.
#9
Region 9 men's basketball / Re: MBB: Midwest Conference
February 03, 2020, 09:34:45 AM
Why they play the games...Went to the Alex on Friday night to watch what I thought would be a Viking win over Cornell. Oy. Flat, lethargic, and disinterested resulted in a Cornell win. Women played quite well but I did not expect a win there anyway.

Ok, fine, I will go back on Saturday to support the teams. Monmouth will kill the men, and God help the women after Monmouth beat Ripon by 23 the night before. Huh. Lawrence men beat Monmouth (how does that happen?) and the women hung with Monmouth until the last few minutes.

Strange game.
#10
Yeah, when I posted I was not aware of where the first years were coming from.

Lawrence has struggled with recruiting Wisconsin athletes for a long time.
#11
Lawrence announces new coach. Rumor has it Bo Flowers will remain as DC.

http://vikings.lawrence.edu/sports/fball/2020-21/releases/20191216olkter
#13
I attended the Mac at LU game. Not a lot of great offense. Lawrence scored on a long fly sweep in the first half. Then they started throwing a lot of INT. Bunch of incomplete passes by LU. They had chances,  but just they don't have it to make that next step to middle of the division. Now we move to that portion of the schedule where you hope to be within three TDs.

Yep, moving on to basketball...
#14
As the lone LU fan on the boards, all I can say is thank God basketball season starts soon. JFC.
#15
Gentlemen (I am assuming a bit there but I have not seen a lot of women posting on the FB side), I have to say this has been a wonderful run of comments. Nice to see the MWC can have reasonable discussions on tough topics.