Future of Division III

[Little Giant 89]

I don't dispute that there are plenty of jobs that can be done with a high school diploma.  My father and grandfather both raised their families without college education.

In the liberal arts arena we talk about creating a breadth of skills that extends beyond a single job opportunity; skills that give the graduate the ability to pivot and grow as the world around them changes.  Those are skills worth having IMHO

On the other half of this equation regarding a potential endowment tax.  Growing enrollment in order to avoid the tax makes sense, but as the drumbeat of postings regarding school closures makes clear, it's not at all easy.  That may be stating the obvious, but stating the obvious is what I'm good at. 

[WashingtonWiz99]

https://www.nytimes.com/2025/01/25/business/college-sports-academic-major.html

[Kuiper]

Bluffton merger with Findlay breaks down, in part over issues with maintaining separate DIII and DII athletics

FINDLAY, Ohio—University of Findlay Board of Trustees voted on Wednesday, Feb. 26, 2025, not to proceed with the joint application to the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) for merger approval and to terminate the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed on March 19, 2024. This decision comes after nearly a year of collaboration and preparation for the proposed merger.

Since signing the MOU, Findlay and Bluffton's leadership have been completing the necessary due diligence toward pursuing a merger. The institutions cite length of time to merge and merger expenses as deterrents.

"Some higher education organizations may find mergers the best path forward," said Dr. Katherine Fell, president of University of Findlay. "For us, due diligence in this case has demonstrated that partnering in key ways is a better solution."

A key element of the merger was maintaining sports teams at two different NCAA divisions. However, regulations necessitate separate processes for athletic financial aid distribution and prohibit the sharing of resources and sports facilities, resulting in fewer synergies in those areas than originally anticipated.

University of Findlay will continue to explore strategic partnerships that help fulfill its mission of equipping students for meaningful lives and productive careers.

According to Fell, the merger work has resulted in an invaluable reflective process for both campuses through the examination of strengths, areas for growth, and capacity to innovate and change within the evolving landscape of higher education. She stated, "These lessons will help each university move forward in important ways as we continue to best serve our current and future students."

[Kuiper]

Keystone College Remains Accredited and Appeal Cancelled

Keystone College has received notification from its accreditor, Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE), that, effective February 27, MSCHE has "placed the institution into the status of non-compliance show cause" which is a change from the previous status of "accreditation withdrawn under appeal." Additionally, since the College remains accredited while on show cause, this action eliminates the need for the pending appeal of the MSCHE adverse action. The appeal hearing was scheduled for March 31.

All of the conditions placed on Keystone during the appeal, including that the College could not market to, recruit, or enroll new students are no longer in effect. MSCHE has also withdrawn its previous directive that Keystone implement its teach-out plan.

A request for reconsideration to withdraw the MSCHE adverse action and the conditions set during the appeal was submitted by Keystone on February 4. That request included new financial information that was not available in writing prior to the adverse action plus the College's commitment to submit the complex substantive change for ownership given the signed merger agreement that is still in place with the Washington Institute for Education and Research (WIER). Keystone submitted the completed complex substantive change request to MSCHE on February 21.

In the February 27 action, MSCHE noted that the new financial information and the complex substantive change request were not available at the time of the November 21 Commission action. "The new financial information is significant and bears materially on the financial non-compliance identified by the Commission in the adverse action," MSCHE noted.

"This recent action by Middle States is welcome news to not only the Keystone community, but we feel the higher education community at large," stated Keystone President John F. Pullo, Sr. "The process of saving and rebuilding a college in today's higher ed landscape is very challenging and requires innovative approaches, open communication, and partnerships. We are grateful for the care, diligence, and attention that Middle States continues to show Keystone and its students as we navigate to a new future for the College."

The conditions of the non-compliance show cause status will require Keystone to remain in frequent communication with MSCHE and meet submission deadlines while maintaining regulatory compliance with the federal and state departments of education. During this time, the complex substantive change review process will continue.

[Kuiper]

More Universities Slow Spending, Admissions Over Federal Funding Chaos

An increasing number of research universities have recently announced they would be trimming their budgets, freezing new hiring, or pulling back on Ph.D. admissions because of concerns over federal funding constraints.

One DIII school specifically mentioned is Case Western Reserve University

Case Western Reserve University

Concerns over federal funding shortages caused Case Western Reserve University to introduce temporary pauses in spending, including the hiring of new staff, travel and other discretionary items.

According to Cleveland.com, Case Western Executive Vice President and CFO Brian Burnett sent an email last week to faculty and staff informing them the university was looking at "all options to determine how we can best and most effectively operate." Burnett added, "I realize this information is disappointing and I sincerely hope these adjustments are shorter-term pauses. However, in this time of uncertainty, we must make thoughtful decisions to ensure our university's financial sustainability."

Although some may think this won't affect you unless you are going into the hard sciences or pursuing graduate work, the article suggests some of the ways administrators might make up for the budget shortfalls include shifting funds from other programs or from financial aid, student services and other campus programming.

Given the signals from Washington, D.C., the question is rapidly morphing from "which research universities are reining in spending" to "why aren't they all doing so." The need to tighten budget belts will become more urgent as the ramifications of federal research cutbacks ripple across institutions. For example:

    Sponsored research projects will need to be reduced in scope or ended altogether unless the university reallocates internal funds to keep them going.
    Universities might try to shore up their science programs by reapportioning support from lower-demand graduate programs in the arts and humanities
    A decrease in graduate students could result in fewer teaching assistants to help cover undergraduate classes and lab sections.
    The staffing of laboratories, libraries, animal care facilities and medical clinics might be reduced, resulting in those facilities limiting their hours or closing down.
    Post-docs and junior faculty may find their careers jeopardized. (One wonders whether the traditional six-year tenure clock might need to be reset.)
    Financial aid, student services and other campus programming could be threatened as institutions divert some of those funds to other priorities.

Washington Post has an article with similar reporting, although it's behind a paywall

Hiring Freezes, Fewer Grad Students:  Funding Uncertainty Hits Colleges

[Ron Boerger]

The WaPo article appears to be free, but you have to sign up for an account to read it.  I tried to create a gift link to share, but that option isn't available for this article, which I believe means it's free.  I can create gift links for other articles so they haven't removed that functionality. 

[Caz Bombers]

This certainly bears watching as to the future of NJCU athletics.

https://njbiz.com/njcu-kean-university-to-pursue-strategic-merger/

[Kuiper]

Farleigh-Dickinson announces discontinued programs at both New Jersey campuses

Programs Approved for Discontinuance
Programs are discontinued at both New Jersey campuses unless otherwise indicated.

Undergraduate Programs

Art*
Chemistry**
Creative Writing*
Entrepreneurship
Environmental Studies
Fine Arts*
Government and Law*
History*
Literature**
Management
Marine Biology
Mathematics at Florham only
Philosophy**
Social Studies*
Sociology*
Theater Arts*
*We are pleased to announce the creation of the following new undergraduate programs that will likely be of interest to our students:

Bachelor of Arts in Individualized Studies (BAIS) with new concentration in the Arts
BAIS with new concentrations in History and Politics, Health and Society, Hispanic Studies, and Environmental Studies (Metro only)
**We are pleased to invite students to consider these exciting options:

Students interested in Literature and Philosophy are encouraged to major in the Humanities.
Students interested in Chemistry are invited to consider the major in Biochemistry.

Graduate Programs

Accounting for Non-Accountants except Lakewood, Master's*
Chemistry, Master's
Communication, Master's
Computer Engineering, Master's
Cosmetic Science, Master's
Creative Writing, Master's
Creative Writing and Literature for Educators, Master's
Digital Marketing, Master's*
Diplomacy and International Relations, Graduate Certificate
E-Commerce, Master's
Electrical Engineering, Master's
Film, Master's
Global Transportation, Graduate Certificate
Higher Ed Administration, Master's
Learning Disabilities Teacher Consultant, Graduate Certificate
Learning Disabilities TSD Multi-Track, Master's
Political Science, Master's
Supply Chain Management, Master's*
Taxation, Master's*
Teaching English as a Second/Foreign Language (TESL/TEFL), Master's

*Students are encouraged to consider another Master's degree program in Silberman College, including Master's degree programs in Business Administration, Marketing or Accounting.

[Little Giant 89]

For Pity's Sake, what are we teaching at F-D now?

[Kuiper]

This certainly bears watching as to the future of NJCU athletics.

https://njbiz.com/njcu-kean-university-to-pursue-strategic-merger/

According to the Kean-NJCU merger proposal, they are contemplating a unified athletics program.  So, no sports cut, but lots of teams combined and a loss of roster spots between the combined student bodies.  For DIII generally, it basically operates as if one of these schools eliminated their athletic program.

https://www.kean.edu/media/kean-jersey-city-proposal#page=41

The merger brings together two vibrant athletic traditions
under the umbrella of Kean University Athletics & Recreation.
• Unified Entity
• Combines 23 NCAA athletics programs with expanded
club sports and intramural activities
• Headquarters and Campus Reach
• Union campus as the central hub for athletics
• Recreational, intramural and club sports offerings on
the Jersey City campus tailored to student needs
• Program Expansion
• Inclusion of NJCU's Men's and Women's Wrestling,
Women's Cross Country and eSports
• Introduction of new activities like Women's Flag
Football and Pickleball

[Caz Bombers]

I don't think you're reading that correctly. Unified athletics program means 1 department instead of 2. There won't be NJCU Gothic Knights teams anymore when this goes through, but I imagine it will take a little while. Probably at least one more school year for NJCU.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

From what we understand, there's no merger agreement.  NJCU's board has voted to start negotiations.  The only thing we know from the Kean FAQs are what Kean wants to have happen.

[Gray Fox]

I don't think you're reading that correctly. Unified athletics program means 1 department instead of 2. There won't be NJCU Gothic Knights teams anymore when this goes through, but I imagine it will take a little while. Probably at least one more school year for NJCU.

In the SCIAC we have :  CMS  (Claremont-Mudd-Scripps)
                  and  PP  (Pomona-Pitzer)

  Five colleges; two teams.

[Kuiper]

Regent Approved for DIII Provisional Membership and will compete in the Coast-to-Coast Conference starting next season

Regent University's division III provisional membership application has been approved by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and is set to begin September 1, 2025.

"We are beyond excited to receive this news and celebrate another historical step in the history of our university. We are proud to share the NCAA philosophy and values of teamwork, discipline, perseverance, and leadership," said Michael W. Allen, Director of Athletics at Regent. "This God-ordained path is a significant step forward for our athletic program. Regent is called to pursue excellence. Therefore, we remain committed to educating and developing the whole student-athlete, as we take our program to the next level and strive to complete the vision of our late founder, Dr. Pat Robertson, of pursuing excellence in the athletic arena."

Regent is currently in the midst of completing its exploratory year. Once Regent begins its three-year provisional stage of Division III membership, the university will be required to comply with all NCAA policies, procedures and legislation, while meeting all NCAA benchmarks for new members.

The NCAA is using the following 5-year timeline for Division III membership:

    2024-25: Regent's exploratory year in NCAA Division III
    2025-26: Year 1 of Provisional Membership
    2026-27: Year 2 of Provisional Membership
    2027-28: Year 3 of Provisional Membership
    2028-29: Regent will become a full member of NCAA Division III.

During the provisional stage, Regent University will not compete in Division III postseason tournaments. The university will continue competing in the National Christian College Athletic Association (NCCAA) and will begin competing in the Coast-To-Coast Conference next season.

[Kuiper]

After the Regent News, back to our usual doom and gloom posts on this thread . . .

Emory instituting hiring freeze and pause on raises

 

Citing the "many directives, policy changes and legislative proposals from the federal government" in recent weeks, Emory University announced a hiring freeze and limits to faculty hiring, as well as a freeze on changes to compensation.

Emory University President Gregory L. Fenves sent a letter to the Emory community Wednesday morning detailing the situation.

According to Fenves' letter, the current policy directives and legislative proposals in Washington "have serious implications for Emory," and that while there is "still tremendous uncertainty," the institution will be taking measures to prepare for what it says could be big disruptions to their finances.

Fenves said there will be significant reductions in operating expenditures, saying a possible increase in the federal tax on university endowments could present an impact on budgeting.