Quote from: Flying Dutch Fan on August 09, 2024, 07:26:52 AMOne has to wonder if what is happening or may soon be happening at Wittenberg contributed to this:

https://www.wittenbergtigers.com/sports/mbkb/2024-25/releases/CrociResigns

Flying Dutch Fan, thank you very much for the link!

First and foremost, I respect the wonderful job that Matt Croci has done at Wittenberg; his departure, particularly this close to the start of the school year, creates a huge challenge for Wittenberg.  Best of the luck to the Tigers as they deal with this sudden move.

The position of Athletics Director is a step up for successful coaches, particularly at the D3 level.  Unfortunately for Wittenberg, the AD position at Wilmington came open in late June.

The AD position at Wilmington could be a very exciting challenge.  The OAC is a very competitive conference and its members have to work hard and commit the necessary resources to keep pace.  I know that Croci will work hard.  I hope that Wilmington will commit the resources needed for its athletic program to be successful.

The relatively modest distance from Springfield to Wilmington will undoubtedly ease the transition for Croci and his family.

Finally, I agree with Flying Dutch Fan that the situation at Wittenberg contributed to Croci's move.  But I suspect other factors, including those I mentioned above, also contributed to this change.

I'm surprised that Wittenberg's fundraising efforts are falling short of filling the gap.

They completed a campaign in 2023 - raised over $100 million. Which seems light for a private liberal arts college with their academic reputation. For context, when I worked at Wabash, we raised over $135 million in a campaign ending in 2006.

Of that only $20 million were for academic support and scholarship with $40 million for buildings and grounds (I guess) and $40 million for current needs support.(That's reading what the press release says).

It's tough for a private, admissions driven college or university. Yet I had no idea Wittenberg waws among that group.

Smed, thanks for the information regarding the Witt fundraising campaign.  Below I provide a link to the campaign's website.
 
Smed, I too am amazed at the timing of the events at Wittenberg.   The proposed transformational budget cuts less than a year after completing a successful ($113 M and 34% alumni participation) campaign must be giving the students, faculty, staff, and alumni a bad case of whiplash. It makes me wonder if there are some unusual financial stressors at Wittenberg.

One may be the relatively modest endowment at Wittenberg.  College Raptor reports that Wittenberg's current endowment (~$110M) ranks #8 in the NCAC.  For a school like DePauw (~$720M endowment- #3 in NCAC) or Kenyon (~$520M endowment - #4 in NCAC), a one-time $17 M budget deficit (which is what Wittenberg experienced in 2022-23) can be covered by a heavier draw from the endowment.  I think Wittenberg's endowment would be hard pressed to absorb one hit of that size, let alone recurring hits.

As for the size of Witt's recent campaign vis-a-vis the size of Wabash's fundraising campaigns, I will remind Smed that one of the common cheers heard at Wabash Football games when we were students bragged about Wabash's endowment. NSFW anymore! 

Links:
https://havinglight.wittenberg.edu

https://www.collegeraptor.com/college-rankings/details/Endowment/Conference/North-Coast-Athletic-Conference/

Watching some highlights of NFL Preseason games.  Not D3 football but it will do.

In case you were wondering (WDE is too modest), back when the Wabash endowment per student was #3 nationally, we had shirts that read:

"The Few,
The Proud,
The Well Endowed!"

Now I'm getting nostalgic about some old gameday cheers:

"Albion, Albion ..."
Oh, never mind.

I don't have any idea what Wittenberg will do. I saw a tweet on X this morning that some professors and some alumni are saying rather than taking massive cuts maybe now is the time to close. I am not saying it's going to happen. I would rather speculate about the future of the North Coast Conference. Although John Carroll is joining next year Hiram is leaving. Wittenberg could possibly be next if things do not improve in Springfield. Now there are 2 possibilities for the NCAC. Shrink and stay at 8 or fewer schools or give in and look for non-Ohio membership. Just wondering what my fellow and more in touch posters think. My speculation is based on an over-active imagination and nothing else.

This is only a guess.  The Wittenberg announcement that the upcoming plan will go as high as 60% layoffs and terminations is probably an overstatement.  It gives Wit the luxury of announcing a lower number and making it appear that the situation is not so bad.  Tune in to August 15 when the announcement will be public.  So close to the beginning of school so as not to drive away students???

I don't want to see the NCAC shrink to 8 or fewer schools.  That requires too many out of conference football games.  On the other hand, what schools might be willing to jump from their current conference to the NCAC?  Does the NCAC have any appeal? 

I doubt Witt will close. I do think they will need a President and an infrastructure that's all about fundraising sooner rather than later.

What time should we expect the decision to be announced?

Are you ready for some football?

They are practicing at Little Giant Stadium!

Quote from: The Third Division on August 14, 2024, 11:02:12 AMWhat time should we expect the decision to be announced?

They announced the plan yesterday.  Wittenberg will cut 30 faculty and 45 staff.

Wittenberg has been engaged in a strategic planning process that makes no mention of belt-tightening.  Wittenberg just completed a fund-raising campaign that was focused on program development and expansion. 

So, I fail to understand how the proposed cuts are the FIRST meaningful response to what apparently has been an ongoing budget crisis.  Frandsen has been president since 2017. So, he has been at Wittenberg long enough to anticipate and recognize the problem.  A majority of the members of the Board of Trustees have joined this group since 2017.  So, Frandsen is at least partially responsible if the Board was uncooperative. 

I could be wrong, but this feels like a failure of leadership.  I couldn't help but notice that Frandsen is serving as the president of the NCAC for the 2024-25 and 2025-26 school years.  Sounds like Frandsen needs to relinquish that role so that he can focus on the crisis at Wittenberg.

Links:
Wittenberg leaders approve major cuts
Wittenberg strategic plan
Wittenberg president
Wittenberg Board of Directors
NCAC leadership

Most importantly, I feel so sorry for the faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of Wittenberg University.  They have been blindsided by this decision!

Witt was engaged in program cuts back in June of '20.

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/local-education/wittenberg-university-cuts-academic-programs-positions/3hyCwLZbsXYeen302wzQFI/

Quote from: Little Giant 89 on August 16, 2024, 12:55:56 PMWitt was engaged in program cuts back in June of '20.

https://www.springfieldnewssun.com/news/local-education/wittenberg-university-cuts-academic-programs-positions/3hyCwLZbsXYeen302wzQFI/

Many thanks to LG89 for the link.  It's obvious that those cuts, the subsequent fund-raising campaign, and the subsequent strategic planning activities failed to adequately address the problems.

But the problems go back even further.  In 2017, Wittenberg began implementing a strategic plan to expand total student enrollment to 2100 by Fall 2022.  Wittenberg planned to reach this goal by increasing student recruitment, expanding sports and co-curricular offerings, offering new high-demand academic programs, and improving retention and graduation rates.  Obviously, these tactics didn't work.

Link: Wittenberg Strategic Plan 2017