Had forgotten that former University of Texas (Austin) president Fenves had gone to Emory.  Probably not the first such announcement of this type we'll be hearing given the probable loss of federal research funding, increased endowment taxation for wealthy schools, reduced federal educational spending of all kinds (like Pell grants).

Quote from: Ron Boerger on March 10, 2025, 06:39:21 PMHad forgotten that former University of Texas (Austin) president Fenves had gone to Emory.  Probably not the first such announcement of this type we'll be hearing given the probable loss of federal research funding, increased endowment taxation for wealthy schools, reduced federal educational spending of all kinds (like Pell grants).

Considering that Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania imposed hiring freezes today (and Cornell, Stanford, Notre Dame, Pitt, Boston University, Vermont and many others did so as well or did so recently), you can expect this to spread like wildfire throughout higher education.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/universities-impose-hiring-freezes-face-uncertainty-federal-funding-rcna195697

Some chatter on social media about schools considering dropping down from DI, possibly to DIII

https://x.com/MattBrownEP/status/1899593506747748672

QuoteHearing from multiple industry people I trust that several D1 schools are having SERIOUS internals talks about reclassifying out of D1 before July/House. Mostly but not exclusively in the northeast. I'd be a little surprised if nobody ends up doing it.

https://bsky.app/profile/mattbrown.bsky.social/post/3lk55jtbgps2t

QuoteI know of at least three schools that are seriously considering that model at the presidential level. Another four that are considering DI, DII or DIII. Don't think anybody is looking to drop ALL sports, like St Francis Brooklyn did.

Interesting data on DIII enrollment/financial issues in the midwestern conferences

https://x.com/d3bubble/status/1899076542493315516

Ohio schools have suffered brutal drops in enrollment over the last decade.  John Carroll with a 25% drop and Wittenberg and Capital with 32% drops?

I've seen similar numbers for a lot of D3s in the northeast, which is why so many of them are suffering financial pressures and cutting programs and staff. 

In what could be a good sign for D3, though, there's this tweet:

QuoteHearing from multiple industry people I trust that several D1 schools are having SERIOUS internal talks about reclassifying out of D1 before July/House. I'd be a little surprised if nobody ends up doing it this year. Budget cuts may force some hands.

A followup says this would be D1 to either D2 or D3, not FBS to FCS.  Hartford having done this fairly recently probably helps schools consider this, but the larger number of scholarships permitted (required to compete?) by House would be a larger factor.

Here's more from Matt Brown from another message board about his tweets regarding DI schools considering reclassifying:

https://csnbbs.com/thread-1007768.html

QuoteSo, a few bits of clarity here:

1) The rationale and situation for every school is different. For some of the schools my industry people raised to me this week, the thought process around potentially reclassifying has little to do with the athletic department itself, and everything to do with budget cuts, generally. For other schools, the House settlement and increased cost structure of D1 athletics is forcing some difficult conversations. For at least one school, Trump/DOE/NIH budget cuts may be the shove off the D1 bridge. There isn't a one-size-fits-all situation here.

2) I decided not to mention the specific schools because some of them (and their peers) are still playing meaningful basketball games, and I don't want to blow up anyone's spot if the school holds the meetings and decides to stick around. That being said, St. Francis Brooklyn decided to pull the plug on athletics in March, right around when FDU beat Purdue, if I remember correctly. If decisions are made, schools are going to look to pull the band-aid quickly.

3) I have not heard directly from any industry person that I really trust that any *FBS* schools are considering getting out of D1 sports. The bulk of the schools I've heard from, but by no means exclusively, are in the Northeast. I imagine many of you could probably guess at least some of the schools...I haven't heard any names that like, deeply shocked me or anything.

4) Part of the reason I tweeted this, beyond trying to present a counternarrative to the "everybody is opting into House" stuff, is that sometimes posting a little bit of the story pushes folks to leak me other stuff...or at least, clarifying information.

There will be AD and presidential meetings this week and next to discuss some of these school-specific situations. As I get more concrete information, including any on-the-record denials, I will share it.

QuoteIf this helps, none of the schools I've heard from are Ivy league schools or anywhere close (institutionally) to an Ivy League school. While those institutions are unquestionably political targets, they're on firm enough financial footing that even massive cuts won't push them out of big-time college sports.

Johns Hopkins plans layoffs after $800 million grant cuts

QuoteThe Trump administration has terminated $800 million in grants to Johns Hopkins University, spurring the nation's top spender on research and development to plan layoffs and cancel health projects, from breast-feeding support efforts in Baltimore to mosquito-net programs in Mozambique.

Ouch!

 

UMass Chan is pulling acceptances for next year's biomedical sciences PhD class due to this crap - though this article notes they were provisional offers.

The statement released by the school notes "UMass Chan is not the only school making these types of calls amid the uncertainty over future funding".

Why I'm Hearing More D-1 Schools are Considering Reclassifying

QuoteFirst, I stand by that tweet. I talk to all sorts of potential sources every day, from athletic directors and coaches, to agents, consultants, professors, business executives, other reporters, and more. When it comes to realignment and reclassification type stories, I've found it is important to talk to a wide variety of people. Folks in athletic departments don't always know about conversations happening at the presidential or university system level, but sometimes consultants or other industry people do.

Over the last week or so, I've begun to hear from more than one of those sources, that multiple D-I schools are having serious talks about reclassifying. Having serious conversations doesn't mean that they will reclassify. It simply means that senior university administrators are now willing to entertain options that normally wouldn't be considered. Normally, nobody ever wants to reclassify out of D-I.

Colorado College announced today they would opt into House for their two D1 sports. 

It feels like the general demographic time bomb couldn't have come along at a worse time.  As well as some D1s musing over whether D1 makes sense, I guess at the very top end, most D1s must be wondering the same.  I don't have much of a feel for D1 football or hoops, but do supporters of the best teams in those sports care so much about whether the games are under the auspices of the NCAA? Michigan v Ohio State will be big irrespective I presume.

SCIAC adds Azusa Pacific as its 10th member

Here is one school reclassifying from DII to DIII and, frankly, associating itself with much more prestigious academic schools.

QuoteThe SCIAC will add Azusa Pacific University as a 10th full-time member, the conference announced through President Strom Thacker of Pitzer College, Athletic Administrators chair Erica Perkins Jasper of Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges and Commissioner Jenn Dubow.
 
The Presidents Council unanimously supported the addition of APU, currently an NCAA Division II member, to the SCIAC following the conference's established vetting procedures. With the Division III reclassification process now able to be completed within as few as two years, APU is expected to become a full-fledged member for the 2028-29 academic year but will be integrated into conference scheduling as soon as 2026-27.
 
"We were pleased to invite Azusa Pacific University to become a member of the SCIAC," President Thacker said. "President Morris and the leadership at APU are eager to become partners in our shared vision for the Division III student-athlete experience. We look forward to continuing to provide unparalleled opportunities for our students to succeed academically and athletically in a respectful environment."
 
As part of the move, APU also has announced the return of its football program discontinued in 2020. They plan to field a team in Fall 2026 when Whittier College also reinstates its football program, bringing the conference back to eight teams.
 
"Azusa Pacific will make a fantastic addition to the SCIAC and further position us as a leading conference in Division III," Commissioner Dubow said. "Their rising academic profile, competitive excellence and commitment to the true student-athlete experience all fit well within our regularly assessed membership criteria and we were thrilled to be able to welcome them to DIII."
 
APU, whose mascot is the Cougar, has finished in the Top 20 of the DII Learfield Directors Cup standings in seven of the past eight years after winning a record eight consecutive trophies as an NAIA member until 2012. Founded in 1899, Azusa Pacific University, a top Christian higher education institution, is located 20+ miles northeast of Los Angeles and offers more than 100 degree options from bachelor's to doctorate in liberal arts and professional programs. APU currently offers 18 varsity sports with a traditional undergraduate enrollment of 2,266 students. With the addition of football, APU will expand to 19 varsity sports beginning in Fall 2026 and will consider other additions that fit the SCIAC sport sponsorship portfolio, currently at 21 sports.
 
"As a proud member of SCIAC, APU is thrilled to join other top Southern California universities that share our commitment to providing a well-rounded educational experience, where students can excel in the classroom and in athletics," President Adam J. Morris, PhD, said. "We are confident that our transition to Division III will allow us to maintain this balance while continuing our athletic excellence in all sports."
 
"The move to the SCIAC will extend APU Athletics' culture of excellence, where student-athletes are empowered to reach their given potential academically, athletically and spiritually," Gary Pine, APU Director of Athletics, said. "In the days we all competed in the NAIA, some of the most memorable games in Cougar sports history were played against longtime SCIAC foes and we are excited to be a part of those renewed rivalries again."
 
The addition of APU will mark the third expansion of the SCIAC in the past 35 years. The conference most recently expanded from eight to nine members with the addition of former DIII independent Chapman University in 2011. The Panthers had reclassified from DII in 1994 and committed to add four sports with their move to the SCIAC. California Lutheran University joined the conference in 1991, reclassifying directly from DII.
 
"We are excited to welcome APU into the SCIAC as our 10th member," Erica Perkins Jasper, Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Director of Athletics and current chair of the SCIAC Athletic Administrators, said. "They are committed to the holistic student-athlete model and will further elevate the conference competitively. It also allows us to keep our tight footprint which is a significant drawing point for recruits as they do not have to spend a single night away from campus for conference competition."
 
The SCIAC continues to be a leader in Division III in the classroom and in competition. Academically, the SCIAC garnered College Sports Communicators All-America honors with two team members of the year, seven First Team, eight Second Team and six Third team recipients in 2023-24 in addition to 363 student-athletes receiving Academic All-District honors. Member institutions captured five team and four individual national titles in 2023-24. Overall, the conference has won national titles in 11 team sports across six different institutions and eight of nine SCIAC institutions have won an NCAA team or individual title since 2013.

Founded in 1915, the SCIAC still retains its five original members in Caltech, Occidental College, Pomona College, University of Redlands and Whittier College. The University of La Verne first joined in 1926 before departing with UCSB in 1938, but then rejoined in 1971. Claremont McKenna and Harvey Mudd Colleges combined to form the remaining athletic program, now also associated with Scripps College, in 1958. The rich tradition of the conference also includes three current DI institutions among its former members: San Diego State (Teachers College at the time), the University of California Santa Barbara and UCLA (then known as the Southern Branch of the University of California).

That's a good pickup for the SCIAC. Should ease scheduling. I'd love to see DIII pick up a D2 conference in the southeast and fill in some holes. Something like D2's SIAC moving to D3 would really help with scheduling for the the southeastern D3s. And I still struggle to see the benefits of D2 for smaller private schools.

Everytime I hear about an E&H or a Ferrum I just shake my head. I get it, they are trying to stand out in a crowded D3 environment, but I find it hard to believe it makes economic sense.

Good job picking up Azusa Pacific. They were a D2 orphan, so it makes sense.

Quote from: jknezek on Yesterday at 03:41:31 PMThat's a good pickup for the SCIAC. Should ease scheduling. I'd love to see DIII pick up a D2 conference in the southeast and fill in some holes. Something like D2's SIAC moving to D3 would really help with scheduling for the the southeastern D3s. And I still struggle to see the benefits of D2 for smaller private schools.

Everytime I hear about an E&H or a Ferrum I just shake my head. I get it, they are trying to stand out in a crowded D3 environment, but I find it hard to believe it makes economic sense.

Good job picking up Azusa Pacific. They were a D2 orphan, so it makes sense.

So many of those SIAC athletic departments are so underfunded. I don't know that they'd do any better in D-III.

We might have a better chance of getting Big South members to come to D-III. Would love to have them fill in our map.

Quote from: Pat Coleman on Yesterday at 04:03:57 PMWe might have a better chance of getting Big South members to come to D-III. Would love to have them fill in our map.

Interesting