MBB: College Conference of Illinois and Wisconsin

[petemcb]

I waste a lot of my time thinking about the future of higher education including the enrollment and financial trends and for what it is worth, Millikin is far better off than Cabrini.

Oh, I wasn't meaning to equate the two situations - just to "justify" putting it on this board.

[WUPHF]

Understood.  I thought I would add that in case any Millikin were feeling nervous though long term, I guess we should all be nervous.

[petemcb]

Understood.  I thought I would add that in case any Millikin were feeling nervous though long term, I guess we should all be nervous.

From your vantage point and experience, what are some of the warning signs of a Higher Ed institution that's in financial trouble? Is it the cutting of academic programs, athletic programs, an increasing use of adjunct faculty, declining enrollment (which might be more of a chicken/egg issue), a disproportionate and increasing reliance on online, off-campus learning? Maybe it's all of these things and more but are there any telltale signs that you (or anyone else on the board) are aware of?

[WUPHF]

I am far from an expert so no one should overthink what I have to say, but I start with the Form 990 that every non-profit must file.  Pro Publica has a database that makes them easy to find: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/

The Form 990 can reveal a lot of things including whether an institution is running a deficit, do they suffer from administrative bloat, are they selling off assets to remain afloat, etc.

Those can be indicators though not always.

I also think about their regional and national reputation.

I look at their target markets and whether they overly reliant on any one market (e.g. adult, evening education, Chinese students, etc).

Then discount rate--the more they discount tuition, the more desperate they may be to bring in students.

Do they have programs that can sustain them through the tough times (e.g. nursing)?

I might Google the school and "lawsuit."

[Gregory Sager]

North Park is playing two exhibition games against D1 teams this season:

Nov. 2 @ DePaul
Nov. 9 @ SIU-Edwardsville

Dick Vitale is finally getting his dream matchup 43 years later.

[petemcb]

North Park is playing two exhibition games against D1 teams this season:

Nov. 2 @ DePaul
Nov. 9 @ SIU-Edwardsville

Dick Vitale is finally getting his dream matchup 43 years later.

When/if you get a time and an actual address for the DePaul game, could you post that too? I'd love to get over there and see that.

[Gregory Sager]

It'll be at Wintrust Arena, DePaul's home gym on Cermak Road south of the Loop.

[Gregory Sager]

North Park's 2023-24 roster has been posted.

[PauldingLightUP]

Carroll schedule for 2023-2024 is finally out today. Non cons vs Greenville, at Earlham, n Olivet (MI), at UW-Whitewater, vs Concordia (WI), vs Lake Forest, vs Lakeland, at MSOE.

https://gopios.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24

[Greek Tragedy]

Carroll schedule for 2023-2024 is finally out today. Non cons vs Greenville, at Earlham, n Olivet (MI), at UW-Whitewater, vs Concordia (WI), vs Lake Forest, vs Lakeland, at MSOE.

https://gopios.com/sports/mens-basketball/schedule/2023-24

Lately, Greenville has been more entertaining than Grinnell. I saw Greenville's visit to Lakeland last year and may have to make a trip to Waukesha to see them play.

[lmitzel]

NCC sharing their incoming class for this season. Six freshmen, three transfers.

NCC's roster is up, though it looks like only returning players are listed with numbers at present. I'm assuming that will update closer to season start.

Speaking of returning players... both Ethan Helwig and Brian Johnson are back.

[markerickson]

Union Institute and University (Cincinnati, OH) has canceled fall term classes amidst financial strife and shenanigans.  Enrollment has been declining for years.  Union does not pad its enrollment with athletes bc it does not have an athletics department.

[iwu70]

IWU has started some practices now . . . I attended an early Saturday morning open practice on Homecoming weekend last weekend, just to watch the talent, talk to the other yokels standing around watching. . .  IWU has lots of talent, many moving parts and pieces, and an unknown new mix to put it all together.   I have no real idea at this point how it will all come together.  We'll know more soon -- esp. after watching the exhibition games vs. ISU and NIU upcoming in a few weeks.  IWU has the exhibition with ISU on October 29th, so only 2 1/2 weeks to prepare for that.   An anniversary match-up from over 50 years ago when I was a student, IWU winning on the last second Tommy Gramkow jumper from the FT line, after a dash down court with 7 seconds remaining.

I'm guessing . . . with no real inside knowledge.  IWU will have to replace the scoring and the playing passion and fervor of Heflen and Cody Mitchell.  Not easy.  IWU has a number of guys who can play multiple positions, so I'd guess Coach Rose will have differing combinations depending on the opposition or situation.  He can "go big" or he can "go small" -- and he'll likely have a rotation of 11-12 at first.  Roper and Grant Hardy coming back from season-ending injuries.   Here's my guess:

PG -- Yoder, Williams
2 - Hakim Williams and Bazzell
3 - Roper and Sroka
4 - Sroka, Marko Anderson, Hardy
5 - Wilmson, Schneider, Boldt, Hardy

Don't know about other previous pine-sitters, long-time program guys, making a run at playing time.  Nor do I know if any of the six freshmen have a shot at an significant playing time.  We'll see in coming days, right?  It's surely Yoder 2.0 and also the ever-durable and reliable Ryan Sroka's senior year.  For IWU to compete for the CCIW championship, I'd think a number of these guys would have to make some pretty substantial jumps in contribution, consistency and quality of play in the coming season.   I'd love to see that from Bazzell, Roper and Wilmson.

I would think IWU might be ranked #3 or so in the pre-season CCIW poll.  Lots of unknowns with this group as a group, though many of the players are experienced and well-known in league play.

Time will tell.

IWU'70

[Gotberg]

NPU added a picture with the roster.  It also looks like at least 1 name has been dropped off - Brandon Swann from IMG.  I didn't look that closely to see if there are others since the roster was first posted a while back....but I think there are more removed.

https://athletics.northpark.edu/sports/mens-basketball/roster

[Gregory Sager]

I love the symmetry in the middle of Ky and Lance in their neon-orange kicks flanking team captain Shamar with the ball.