FB: Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference

[emma17]

Last year enrollment in the 13 Wisconsin university system schools dropped 22.3%.  Enrollment has been declining since 2010 so the fact WHITEWATER was actually able to grow during that period is the exception, not the rule.  This is part due to changing demographics and a lower birth rate.  But I seriously doubt any of it is due to the administration publicly declaring a national championship as the goal.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2017/10/06/challenging-demographics-senenrollment-falls-several-uw-system-campuses-fall-challenging-demographic/734596001/

BW, One way to read your post is: Despite declining enrollment for Wisconsin Universities since 2010, UWW was the exception to the rule as they increased enrollment 7 times in 8 years prior to 2017. The period of increased enrollment for UWW happens to coincide with the years UWW athletic teams (and primarily football), were winning national championships.

My point is that to my knowledge our administration has never publicly stated the football program's goal was a national championship and I don't believe that has anything to do with the drop in enrollment. Particularly when the problem is system wide. Also our retention rate of 2016-17 freshman was a record high so they weren't fleeing because we didn't even make the playoffs let alone the Stagg Bowl.

BW- you're arguing points I'm not making. Not only that you're ignoring the statistics the article you posted presents.

I'll summarize it this way, if it's your belief general enrollment doesn't benefit from national success in athletics, we can agree to disagree. 

If your belief is enrollment doesn't benefit from an administration's public commitment to national excellence in any aspect of the university, we can agree to disagree.

I didn't say enrollment doesn't benefit from athletic excellence.  I said I don't believe it benefits from the administration publically announcing the goal is a national championship.   There's a difference.

This is the point exactly. I think athletic and academic excellence are more likely to be achieved when they are set as goals. I believe goals are more likely to be achieved when they are clearly articulated. I believe a clearly articulated goal is more likely to be achieved when an administration makes that goal known publicly.

 

[emma17]

Here's a list of the top ten factors (from most to least important) that influenced over 200 thousand college freshman in choosing their schools*

    "College has very good academic reputation"
    "This college's graduates get good jobs"
    "I was offered financial assistance"
    "The cost of attending this college"
    "A visit to this campus"
    "College has a good reputation for its social activities"
    "Wanted to go to a college about this size"
    "College's grads get into top grad/professional schools"
    "The percentage of students that graduate from this college"
    "I wanted to live near home"

*According to US News and World Report and the Princeton Review.

So?

[emma17]

Last year enrollment in the 13 Wisconsin university system schools dropped 22.3%.  Enrollment has been declining since 2010 so the fact WHITEWATER was actually able to grow during that period is the exception, not the rule.  This is part due to changing demographics and a lower birth rate.  But I seriously doubt any of it is due to the administration publicly declaring a national championship as the goal.

https://www.jsonline.com/story/news/education/2017/10/06/challenging-demographics-senenrollment-falls-several-uw-system-campuses-fall-challenging-demographic/734596001/

BW, One way to read your post is: Despite declining enrollment for Wisconsin Universities since 2010, UWW was the exception to the rule as they increased enrollment 7 times in 8 years prior to 2017. The period of increased enrollment for UWW happens to coincide with the years UWW athletic teams (and primarily football), were winning national championships.

I never thought I would believe it is possible to overstate the importance of the football program at UW-W, but... I think to suggest the attendance of a school of UW-W's enrollment would rise and fall based on Stagg Bowl victories is a huge stretch. I'm guessing virtually none of the non-football player students between 07 and 14 chose UW-W because of how many Stagg Bowls we won.

And if I had $1 billion I would bet you every last cent that your guess is 100% wrong. You Bleed, are wrong to think UWW's national football success did not lead to the enrollment of at least some non football playing students.

You are arguing against a point I am not making. I didn't say that "National football success" did not lead to the enrollment of at least some non football paying students." I said the number of Stagg Bowls we won wasn't a criteria for virtually any of the students. If it had been three instead of six, I don't believe that hurts the enrollment to the point that overall enrollment rises or falls.

I do believe UW-W's well established standard of excellence in athletics and other programs greatly enhances enrollment numbers. Specific number of Stagg Bowl wins, not so much. Disagree all you want. But don't change the argument from number of Stagg Bowl victories to "National football success" and then say I'm wrong. And going from alluding to macro shifts like overall enrollment being up or down to "at least some non-football playing students" is quite a shift also. In the context of 10,000 to 12,000 students, I stand by my statement. But my statement is different than the one you attributed to me. So knock it off.

"So knock it off"? What are you, a librarian?
I'm not trying to twist your argument and you should assume the same for me.
These are your words

I'm guessing virtually none of the non-football player students between 07 and 14 chose UW-W because of how many Stagg Bowls we won.

As I understand this statement, you are saying no "non-football" playing students chose UWW because of the number of Stagg Bowls won in the stretch between 07-14.
If my understanding of your point is correct, I disagree wholeheartedly. There absolutely were students that enrolled in UWW because of their Stagg Bowl victories . If UWW had won only in 2007, I don't think the enrollment of non-football playing students would have been impacted much. Because UWW won as often as it did, I think UWW's brand benefited greatly. I think it's highly likely some number of households with future college kids added UWW to their list of "maybes" in part because the brand name was spreading. How many Stagg Bowl victories were needed to create the brand? I don't know, but more than one.

Now, you have since added the word "criteria". I'm not saying prospective students were adding "must have won X number of Stagg Bowls" to their list of criteria for college selection. I am absolutely saying the UWW brand was greatly enhanced by multiple Stagg Bowl championships and as such, more prospective students added UWW to their list to visit/consider. In a numbers game, if UWW is added to the list of more potential students, UWW is likely to gain some percentage of those students.
 

[retagent]

OK. I've had enough/ It's Christmas season. Stop fighting kids.

Here's the final (gosh, I hope) thought. The fact that UWW has won multiple challenges means that it's profile has been raised. More people have heard of it outside the local area. That means more people will look at it as a viable option. Some of those same people, who, without the raised profile, would never have considered it, will choose to attend. Ergo, National Championships = National profile raised = more students.

[WW]

This must be the part where Skipper chases Gilligan around and beats him with his hat

[bleedpurple]

This must be the part where Skipper chases Gilligan around and beats him with his hat

"The mate was a mighty sailing man, the skipper brave and sure..."

[WW]

This must be the part where Skipper chases Gilligan around and beats him with his hat

"The mate was a mighty sailing man, the skipper brave and sure..."

And here I thought this might be the episode where they get off the island

[bleedpurple]

This must be the part where Skipper chases Gilligan around and beats him with his hat

"The mate was a mighty sailing man, the skipper brave and sure..."

And here I thought this might be the episode where they get off the island

Mmmm...we just got into the off-season. I'm afraid this tour is just getting started. And, like the original gang, our tour will last MUCH LONGER than three hours!

[bleedpurple]

"So knock it off"? What are you, a librarian?

SSSShhhhhhhhhhhhh

(Like Costanza and his admiration of architects: "I always wanted to pretend to be a librarian!" )

[OzJohnnie]

On the MIAC board we have Johnnies v Tommies (v everyone else).  And we really don't care too much about much of anything.

Here you have UWW v UWW.  And here you care about nothings a whole lot.

Must be the cheap beer yo mammas raised you on.

[badgerwarhawk]

Hey you Wisconsin cheese guys (and gals, if applicable)

Several years ago, there was an international contest to judge Swiss cheese. There was a little over 1900 entrants from all over the world. The winner - Guggisberg Cheese, located in Millersburg, Ohio, in Holmes County, in the heart of Amish country. If you don't know, the Amish forego modern conveniences. Horse and buggy, no electricity, etc.
They make quality products, notably furniture and cheese, because of their work ethic. So maybe, for potential students from Ohio, Wisconsin cheese offerings could, I say "could", make them look elsewhere.
Now, I have lots of friends on this board but, hey gang, face reality. Yes, we still think of Wisconsin as the "cheese state", but.................
Hope all you cheese heads, and football fanatics, have a very Merry Christmas. Enjoy family and all loved ones!   

Thank you and I hope the season is merry and the new year prosperous for you and yours as well. 

[bleedpurple]

On the MIAC board we have Johnnies v Tommies (v everyone else).  And we really don't care too much about much of anything.

Here you have UWW v UWW.  And here you care about nothings a whole lot.

Must be the cheap beer yo mammas raised you on.

That pretty much sums it up.

[bleedpurple]

I'm sure many of you have seen this, but it never gets old. Merry Christmas, everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1pbuyGlQ0

[MUC57]

I'm sure many of you have seen this, but it never gets old. Merry Christmas, everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1pbuyGlQ0

r

Bleed

Never saw this one before. Thanks for sharing. It brought a tear to these 82 year old eyes.
Hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas. Delight in the joy of the season. This is a very special time of year. Peace be with you. ✝

[bleedpurple]

I'm sure many of you have seen this, but it never gets old. Merry Christmas, everyone!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pW1pbuyGlQ0

r

Bleed

Never saw this one before. Thanks for sharing. It brought a tear to these 82 year old eyes.
Hope you and yours have a Merry Christmas. Delight in the joy of the season. This is a very special time of year. Peace be with you. ✝

Thank you MUC57! God bless you as you celebrate the reason for the season! Merry Christmas!