MBB: Old Dominion Athletic Conference

[thescottharris]

Lynchburg must be going thru tough times financially, the President just sent out an email to alumni - they are shutting down a bunch of academic programs, laying off a bunch of people, and doing quite a lot of restructuring for cost efficiencies

https://sites.google.com/lynchburg.edu/transformation/home?authuser=0

[Macon]

^^^ Didn't read the release, but I would not assume that it's a bad thing.  Universities and colleges are in constant change, especially in today's environment.  I remember Guilford and Bridgewater having similar issues a few years ago.  Colleges have added many programs and majors over the years to help increase revenue.  Reviewing those that have not worked out is a good thing.  Not doing this type of review is worse than executing corrective actions.  I think that small colleges will be challenged going forward, and some will fail.  Don't think Lynchburg will be one of them.

[Ryan Scott (Hoops Fan)]

95% of students are in 21 majors when they offer 51.  I'd say this is pretty necessary restructuring.

[thescottharris]

And Lynchburg did one of the most callous and inhumane layoff executions I have ever seen in my life.

They hosted an all-campus meeting to address the employees about it.

They said the layoffs were effective by end of the day and they had until 5 pm to collect their belongings and turn in their ID and keys

And how did they elect to notify each individual who was getting laid off? By reading off all their names from a list in front of everyone at the meeting.

[CNU85]

Here is a local news report. It states that a letter was sent and they indeed had until 5pm yesterday to remove their belongings or they would be removed for them. And the report says that the letter notified them that health benefits end today.

Lynchburg

[Macon]

And Lynchburg did one of the most callous and inhumane layoff executions I have ever seen in my life.

They hosted an all-campus meeting to address the employees about it.

They said the layoffs were effective by end of the day and they had until 5 pm to collect their belongings and turn in their ID and keys

And how did they elect to notify each individual who was getting laid off? By reading off all their names from a list in front of everyone at the meeting.

That's cold.  Says a lot about Lynchburg.  Even if I was not laid off, I'd start looking elsewhere.

[y_jack_lok]

I read most of what was on the LU website about the decision-making process and the goals, objectives and plans moving forward. It all sounded reasonable, well thought out and considerate. Then they turn around and dump on people. Has the smell of advice from external consultants, which the info online said they used. Would not surprise me to see LU facing one or more lawsuits over this.

[Macon]

How Lynchburg handled their issues may become more troublesome than the issues themselves.  Can't imagine anyone could think that how layoffs were handled was the right thing to do.

Just got an email from the Town of Ashland that RMC has issues as well.  RMC has requested the construction of temporary housing as they are short 120 beds for the fall.  I'm assuming they have a much larger freshman class than anticipated.

[y_jack_lok]

How Lynchburg handled their issues may become more troublesome than the issues themselves.  Can't imagine anyone could think that how layoffs were handled was the right thing to do.

Just got an email from the Town of Ashland that RMC has issues as well.  RMC has requested the construction of temporary housing as they are short 120 beds for the fall.  I'm assuming they have a much larger freshman class than anticipated.

At least that's a good problem to have. President Lindgren has been SO good for the college. He'll be a very tough act to follow for whoever they get to succeed him.

[thescottharris]

I read most of what was on the LU website about the decision-making process and the goals, objectives and plans moving forward. It all sounded reasonable, well thought out and considerate. Then they turn around and dump on people. Has the smell of advice from external consultants, which the info online said they used. Would not surprise me to see LU facing one or more lawsuits over this.

And to get severance people have to waive their right to sue for claims. 

[thescottharris]

And Lynchburg did one of the most callous and inhumane layoff executions I have ever seen in my life.

They hosted an all-campus meeting to address the employees about it.

They said the layoffs were effective by end of the day and they had until 5 pm to collect their belongings and turn in their ID and keys

And how did they elect to notify each individual who was getting laid off? By reading off all their names from a list in front of everyone at the meeting.

That's cold.  Says a lot about Lynchburg.  Even if I was not laid off, I'd start looking elsewhere.

Agreed. I had tried numerous times to get on over there in a non-athletics job after I left H-SC. And I know at least one of the jobs I applied for saw the person in it get laid off. 

In hindsight, glad I never got hired there, and now I have no intention of even considering applying there unless I'm unemployed.

They tried to claim a little over a week ago on their social media that they love all their staff. That's one hell of an interesting love language they have!

[Macon]

^^^  Their kind of love sounds like a much younger me espousing  'love' for my own personal gain.  I greatly digress!!

[Tigerfan]

It is the offseason, please expound.

[Macon]

It was a joke that obviously didn't land.

[Seatfiller]

Matt and Zac Snyder, who do the D3 Datacast, reviewed the strength of the conferences after the '23-'24 season and put them into five tiers. They ranked the ten conferences they included in Tier #1 and concluded that the ODAC was the #1 conference this past season. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NnCr-L1OSSU

Should be "every season".  Seriously our teams who just miss the tourney each year have the potential to go deep in the NCAA tourney every year.