FB: New Jersey Athletic Conference

[Pat Coleman]

Here: https://www.facebook.com/watch/live/?v=282074553117094&external_log_id=8cc4e5b5942ded3d9ab862268100ef6a

It is ending live now but should be watchable as an archive.

[thewaterboy]

Good news: Wesley football will continue for this season at least. I hope that they can find a way to maintain the program in the future in their "ongoing discussions." Make no mistake about it, the football program at Wesley has been what has put the small college on the national map over the course of the past decade & a half. It's also unique in that you do not see very many programs built from the ground by 2 coaches for over 30 years. I hope that President Clark & President Allen take those things into account.

From a logistical football perspective: I imagine this now makes it a bit harder for Coach Knapp to do things like raise money & maybe recruit, unless he is more in the know than the general public. How can you sell your program to alums & recruits without knowing if you'll exist in 2021?

[Teamski]

Well, only time will tell now what happens.......

Here is the full letter to Alumni from President Clark:


"Dear Wesley College Family,

We have signed a Definitive (Acquisition) Agreement with Delaware State University that will start a year--long process culminating in us becoming part of Delaware State University, and in doing so, increase the educational opportunities afforded to our students, state, and region. By coming together to form a stronger and more diverse university system, this agreement ensures the real potential, if fully executed, for us collectively to be able to continue to provide the life-changing educational instruction to the students we serve, while also ensuring as best as possible a secure future for the many dedicated faculty and staff who have provided this oasis of educational transformation for so many years.

As I have stated throughout this process, for at least the next year we will be governed and operated as we have been in the past while we work through the details and changes that will occur for AY`22 and into the future. When we started the search over two years ago for the right partner, I had mentioned many times that mergers/acquisitions/consortiums would be the norm in the future of higher education, just as it has become for other service-oriented professions like Health Care. With the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic the future was forced upon higher education, and many small and medium size independent institutions are scrambling to find partnerships and a way to survive. We are fortunate to have already been well into this journey before our collective world was turned upside down by the unprecedented economic effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Though this is truly a great opportunity for our two institutions, as well as our state, we still have a very uncertain future resulting from the unknowns that lie ahead with the COVID-19 Pandemic. Because of these uncertainties, there are contingencies associated with the Definitive (Acquisition) Agreement, the biggest being securing external (Federal, private...etc.) funding support to assist in the transformation process. I am cautiously optimistic, and will continue to do everything possible to ensure with any eventuality that we will be able to continue the Wesley legacy of providing life-changing educational opportunities to the students we serve, while also protecting the salary and benefits of our faculty and staff for as long as possible moving forward, as we all continue to deal with the uncertainty resulting from the Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic.

Our Partnership Advisory Group (PAG), will remain the core interface group and we will bring in others as needed in our dealing with Delaware State University over the next year as we work through a myriad of issues before becoming fully integrated into their system next summer. I want to thank the members of the PAG for their unrelenting efforts, counsel, and dedication to this process, as well as each and every one of you for your patience and feedback.

I apologize for you having to read and/or hear about this through the news media vice from me first. I was hoping to be able to provide you this information before it became public, but unfortunately as our timeline for release slipped it was inevitable that various news outlets would push forward. These have been very stressful and anxious times, but we were, and continue to be, all in this together.

Over the next several weeks, as well as when we return for the Fall semester, we will have Q & A sessions to answer questions you may have. Additionally, we will continue to provide periodic updates, to include "Town Hall" meetings (virtual at first), as we have done in the past. Have a great Thursday & Go Wolverines!

All The Best

Robert E. Clark II
President of the College"

[Teamski]

You know, after watching the news conference, I do not have a warm fuzzy on Wesley's football future...at all.  When asked about keeping Wesley's identity, they didn't have any answers other than a general statement that the Wesley name would stick around which Included the mention of the possibility of a Wesley campus. Of course that was just thrown out there, but......  The DSU guy mentioned their business model that included the mention of a 1500 student growth plan and with that, that Wesley happened to have available dorm space to allow for it.  This is adding up to, IMHO, of Wesley losing it's independent status. Just me, but reading between the lines has me not being in a good place.....

-Ski

[jmcozenlaw]

You know, after watching the news conference, I do not have a warm fuzzy on Wesley's football future...at all.  When asked about keeping Wesley's identity, they didn't have any answers other than a general statement that the Wesley name would stick around which Included the mention of the possibility of a Wesley campus. Of course that was just thrown out there, but......  The DSU guy mentioned their business model that included the mention of a 1500 student growth plan and with that, that Wesley happened to have available dorm space to allow for it.  This is adding up to, IMHO, of Wesley losing it's independent status. Just me, but reading between the lines has me not being in a good place.....

-Ski

I kind of agree. Also, he mentioned the Penn State "model" (where none of the satellites have a football program) vs. The University of Wisconsin "model", where each of the branches do. I will never say never, but I don't see a DSU-Wesley Campus...............nor a DSU-Wesley football program and if any of the incoming student athletes read it the same way, you might very well see a bunch of them (A) making calls to other schools to transfer ASAP; (B) taking a "pandemic gap year" for the purposes of transferring OR (C) taking a "much-cheaper-tuition-a-year-from-now-at-DSU gap year". Time will tell. I wish Wesley the best.

[Teamski]

I kind of agree. Also, he mentioned the Penn State "model" (where none of the satellites have a football program) vs. The University of Wisconsin "model", where each of the branches do. I will never say never, but I don't see a DSU-Wesley Campus...............nor a DSU-Wesley football program and if any of the incoming student athletes read it the same way, you might very well see a bunch of them (A) making calls to other schools to transfer ASAP; (B) taking a "pandemic gap year" for the purposes of transferring OR (C) taking a "much-cheaper-tuition-a-year-from-now-at-DSU gap year". Time will tell. I wish Wesley the best.

It comes down to a single question that you have to ask yourself of which I don't like the answer:  Why keep a DIII program in the same town as a DI?   The UW system is geographically separated, Wesley isn't.  So, when it comes to the question of finances, I don't see a good outcome.   Lets be honest.  With the big exception to football, Wesley's athletic programs are tiny and average at best.  There is no compelling reason to keep them.  We all know about the football program, but keeping DIII status for that alone is being rather hopeful when looking at the big picture.  Yeah, I know Wesley needed this to avoid vacant buildings that lay two blocks away from my house, but I fear that the soul will vanish in a year's time.

-Ski

PS ...and DSU still has time to goof up the whole deal......

[PBR...]

I kind of agree. Also, he mentioned the Penn State "model" (where none of the satellites have a football program) vs. The University of Wisconsin "model", where each of the branches do. I will never say never, but I don't see a DSU-Wesley Campus...............nor a DSU-Wesley football program and if any of the incoming student athletes read it the same way, you might very well see a bunch of them (A) making calls to other schools to transfer ASAP; (B) taking a "pandemic gap year" for the purposes of transferring OR (C) taking a "much-cheaper-tuition-a-year-from-now-at-DSU gap year". Time will tell. I wish Wesley the best.

It comes down to a single question that you have to ask yourself of which I don't like the answer:  Why keep a DIII program in the same town as a DI?   The UW system is geographically separated, Wesley isn't.  So, when it comes to the question of finances, I don't see a good outcome.   Lets be honest.  With the big exception to football, Wesley's athletic programs are tiny and average at best.  There is no compelling reason to keep them.  We all know about the football program, but keeping DIII status for that alone is being rather hopeful when looking at the big picture.  Yeah, I know Wesley needed this to avoid vacant buildings that lay two blocks away from my house, but I fear that the soul will vanish in a year's time.

-Ski

PS ...and DSU still has time to goof up the whole deal......

I would be shocked if Wesley kept a football program and for that matter even a name other than DSU Wesley Campus. In today's world of shrinking budgets and accounting for every penny I don't see a path for Wesley to keep any sports programs. Sad to say depending on the budgetary constraints I don't disagree with them shutting Wesley sports programs down. It would not make sense financially. At most schools football pays the bills, all other sports basically lose money except for basketball on D1 level they make a little bit of money. Sad to see but reality in today's world.

[jmcozenlaw]

I kind of agree. Also, he mentioned the Penn State "model" (where none of the satellites have a football program) vs. The University of Wisconsin "model", where each of the branches do. I will never say never, but I don't see a DSU-Wesley Campus...............nor a DSU-Wesley football program and if any of the incoming student athletes read it the same way, you might very well see a bunch of them (A) making calls to other schools to transfer ASAP; (B) taking a "pandemic gap year" for the purposes of transferring OR (C) taking a "much-cheaper-tuition-a-year-from-now-at-DSU gap year". Time will tell. I wish Wesley the best.

It comes down to a single question that you have to ask yourself of which I don't like the answer:  Why keep a DIII program in the same town as a DI?   The UW system is geographically separated, Wesley isn't.  So, when it comes to the question of finances, I don't see a good outcome.   Lets be honest.  With the big exception to football, Wesley's athletic programs are tiny and average at best.  There is no compelling reason to keep them.  We all know about the football program, but keeping DIII status for that alone is being rather hopeful when looking at the big picture.  Yeah, I know Wesley needed this to avoid vacant buildings that lay two blocks away from my house, but I fear that the soul will vanish in a year's time.

-Ski

PS ...and DSU still has time to goof up the whole deal......

I would be shocked if Wesley kept a football program and for that matter even a name other than DSU Wesley Campus. In today's world of shrinking budgets and accounting for every penny I don't see a path for Wesley to keep any sports programs. Sad to say depending on the budgetary constraints I don't disagree with them shutting Wesley sports programs down. It would not make sense financially. At most schools football pays the bills, all other sports basically lose money except for basketball on D1 level they make a little bit of money. Sad to see but reality in today's world.

I agree with all of that PBR. The other reality is that between 10 -15 of Wesley's best players could make the current DSU squad, as they have been struggling for a few years. Those kids will jump at the chance to get a full or near full ride..........even less of a reason to keep the program as kids start transferring out. Wesley is also in sore need of facilities upgrades (that gym might be worse than most middle school gyms I've ever seen) and in this environment, I don't see the desire, nor resources, to plow millions into new facilities. You cannot upgrade the existing gym. It would need to become a repurposed building (and for what?) and then construction of a new facility and there is no way that is happening now.

[jmcozenlaw]

https://athletics.delval.edu/news/2020/7/10/general-middle-atlantic-conference-announces-update-on-fall-2020-sports.aspx

[MRMIKESMITH]

Wow, I thought this was a shocker. I didn't realize the whole St. Leo deal fail through. However, it's ironic how DSU will acquire Wesley. Over the year's there has always been discussion about if Wesley athletics were on par or better than DSU. I think overall, it's going to be a good thing for the city of Dover as aforementioned, no vacant buildings. Hopefully, the community continue to support DSU with this possible expansion.

[jmcozenlaw]

I'm hearing that the NJAC will shortly announce the cancellation of non-conference games. I'm assuming that all of the NJAC teams are now down to six games (losing three non-conference and TCNJ). At what point does a player, especially one needing either an extra semester or two to graduate.................or possibly looking for an extra year to work towards a Masters Degree.............on top of this pandemic mess which might further mess this season up..............take a gap year or redshirt? Thoughts?

[thewaterboy]

I'm hearing that the NJAC will shortly announce the cancellation of non-conference games. I'm assuming that all of the NJAC teams are now down to six games (losing three non-conference and TCNJ). At what point does a player, especially one needing either an extra semester or two to graduate.................or possibly looking for an extra year to work towards a Masters Degree.............on top of this pandemic mess which might further mess this season up..............take a gap year or redshirt? Thoughts?

I think as the dominoes start to fall, we wont see college football at all this year. Heck, even the Ohio State AD said the other day he wasn't optimistic for a season. If I am a player at any school, why would I want to spend a year of eligibility on a 6 game season? I wouldn't. The NJAC & conferences like it would have to fill a full schedule, even if it means playing the same teams twice. My other question is in regards to the NCAA tournament. For the schools that will only play conference games, does that mean they are opting out of the NCAA tournament?

[PBR...]

I'm hearing that the NJAC will shortly announce the cancellation of non-conference games. I'm assuming that all of the NJAC teams are now down to six games (losing three non-conference and TCNJ). At what point does a player, especially one needing either an extra semester or two to graduate.................or possibly looking for an extra year to work towards a Masters Degree.............on top of this pandemic mess which might further mess this season up..............take a gap year or redshirt? Thoughts?

I think as the dominoes start to fall, we wont see college football at all this year. Heck, even the Ohio State AD said the other day he wasn't optimistic for a season. If I am a player at any school, why would I want to spend a year of eligibility on a 6 game season? I wouldn't. The NJAC & conferences like it would have to fill a full schedule, even if it means playing the same teams twice. My other question is in regards to the NCAA tournament. For the schools that will only play conference games, does that mean they are opting out of the NCAA tournament?

They will be playing or attempt a season. Too much money at stake. These schools like PSU get $30-40 million/year from the big ten channel etc for broadcasting rights. They need the money as it pay's a lot of bills.

[gordonmann]

For the schools that will only play conference games, does that mean they are opting out of the NCAA tournament?

No, those conferences can still participate in the NCAA playoffs provided their teams play enough games to meet the now-reduced minimum number of contests for eligibility.

[jmcozenlaw]

I'm hearing that the NJAC will shortly announce the cancellation of non-conference games. I'm assuming that all of the NJAC teams are now down to six games (losing three non-conference and TCNJ). At what point does a player, especially one needing either an extra semester or two to graduate.................or possibly looking for an extra year to work towards a Masters Degree.............on top of this pandemic mess which might further mess this season up..............take a gap year or redshirt? Thoughts?

I think as the dominoes start to fall, we wont see college football at all this year. Heck, even the Ohio State AD said the other day he wasn't optimistic for a season. If I am a player at any school, why would I want to spend a year of eligibility on a 6 game season? I wouldn't. The NJAC & conferences like it would have to fill a full schedule, even if it means playing the same teams twice. My other question is in regards to the NCAA tournament. For the schools that will only play conference games, does that mean they are opting out of the NCAA tournament?

I agree with the majority of this WB.