MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[Knight2Day]

The RCA vs CRC era may be coming to an end in the near future one way or another.  The RCA will not be the same as we've known it within the next couple years, so there may be uncertainty regarding Hope's affiliation.  Looking down the road several years there will probably be a similar issue in the CRC.  Will be interesting to see what course the administrations at Hope and Calvin choose to take over these next few years

Hope has in many ways been defining themselves in a more non-denominational tone for a while now. If you read through their mission, vision, core values, etc. you'll see many mentions of "Christian faith", a few mentions of "Reformed tradition", and have a very difficult time finding any mention of the RCA.

Calvin's affiliation as a member of the CRC is a different story. The CRC as a whole helps fund both Calvin Sem AND Calvin University through ministry shares. In 2020, $31.92 of every $346.48 given to the CRC through ministry shares went straight to Calvin University. To be clear, these numbers are only a small fraction of Calvin's overall operating cost. Nevertheless, it's millions of dollars annually.

Only approximately 30% of students at Calvin now come from CRC churches.  Calvin now gives a $4000 Legacy scholarship to any students from a CRC church or children of alumni.

Ministry shares is also changing so we will see what effect this has on Calvin down the road, but the number Calvin gets from ministry shares will be going down.

Tracking the trends of Calvin and its distancing from its historical traditions, I believe, is becoming a reason you see more and more CRC families going elsewhere, even to a college such as Hillsdale. From the alumni that I speak with, the "requested retirement" of some foundational staff in the last 5-10 years, as well as a change in the priorities of the college in terms of world vision and even the changing of political winds even on a campus like Calvin is now affecting students and their families choosing the school. As a longtime Calvin family myself with countless friends who are legacy families, it is now coming to the crossroads of, is it worth the big price tag to not even have the same traditions at the school? I think more and more students and their families are saying "no."

[HOPEful]

This is absolutely the trend across most denominationally affiliated schools.

Agreed.

The question then becomes whether or not the school is prepared  to (or even regonizes/feels the need to) "rebrand" themselves. I think Calvin is having difficulty maneuvering between traditional values/who they were and where they want to/have to go in 2021 and beyond. Only 30% of Calvin's student population identifies with the CRC, yet their Mission, Vision, Values, and Identity statements mention the CRC or Reformed Christian faith 3 times. This is NOT to say they need to move away from who they are, but I think every school needs to have a willingness to change their approach and adapt to the current and future generations or they will struggle.

But this goes beyond church denominations. I think every college/university is challenged to define, and often re-define, themselves in today's internet based, globalized, ever-changing world. I'm actually a little shocked there wasn't more traction in 2020 to change Hope, Alma, and Albion from the ethnic mascots of Dutch, Scots, and Britons when a growing proportion of their students do not identify with those ethnicities. Hope has already rebranded themselves away from an RCA college, to a more inclusive Christian Liberal Arts college. But I wonder how long they'll cling to being "Dutch" when almost 20% of the student population is non-white and surely a large percentage of the remaining 80% identify as something other than Dutch.

[maroonandgold]

Does anyone know why the standings part  of the  MIAA website does not reflect this year's standings?  Each time I've checked including today it has  last year's records, not this season.

Yeah, the Standings button/tab (just above the calendar) that is on the page is still not linked properly.  If you click on More + (in the black banner just above that) there is a link to Standings that is correct.  Here is a direct link to that as well:

https://www.miaa.org/sports/mbkb/2020-21/standings

Took me until now to check back, but that info was really helpful.  Thanks!

[Gregory Sager]

The RCA vs CRC era may be coming to an end in the near future one way or another.  The RCA will not be the same as we've known it within the next couple years, so there may be uncertainty regarding Hope's affiliation.  Looking down the road several years there will probably be a similar issue in the CRC.  Will be interesting to see what course the administrations at Hope and Calvin choose to take over these next few years

Hope has in many ways been defining themselves in a more non-denominational tone for a while now. If you read through their mission, vision, core values, etc. you'll see many mentions of "Christian faith", a few mentions of "Reformed tradition", and have a very difficult time finding any mention of the RCA.

Calvin's affiliation as a member of the CRC is a different story. The CRC as a whole helps fund both Calvin Sem AND Calvin University through ministry shares. In 2020, $31.92 of every $346.48 given to the CRC through ministry shares went straight to Calvin University. To be clear, these numbers are only a small fraction of Calvin's overall operating cost. Nevertheless, it's millions of dollars annually.

Only approximately 30% of students at Calvin now come from CRC churches.  Calvin now gives a $4000 Legacy scholarship to any students from a CRC church or children of alumni.

Ministry shares is also changing so we will see what effect this has on Calvin down the road, but the number Calvin gets from ministry shares will be going down.

I'm guessing that there are a lot of small colleges and universities with strong ties to a parent denomination that can tell a similar tale. North Park, which is and always has been subsidized by the Evangelical Covenant Church (which owns NPU), has gone from having an undergraduate student population that was 40% Covenant in the late '80s to a current undergraduate student population that is only 13% Covenant.

This is absolutely the trend across most denominationally affiliated schools.

I take it, then, that the trend is the same with your own alma mater, Ryan. Fewer and fewer Nazarenes at ENC?

[Flying Dutch Fan]

But this goes beyond church denominations. I think every college/university is challenged to define, and often re-define, themselves in today's internet based, globalized, ever-changing world. I'm actually a little shocked there wasn't more traction in 2020 to change Hope, Alma, and Albion from the ethnic mascots of Dutch, Scots, and Britons when a growing proportion of their students do not identify with those ethnicities. Hope has already rebranded themselves away from an RCA college, to a more inclusive Christian Liberal Arts college. But I wonder how long they'll cling to being "Dutch" when almost 20% of the student population is non-white and surely a large percentage of the remaining 80% identify as something other than Dutch.

Not sure that a school's mascot is all that relevant to this conversation.  It's not like some large percentage of University of Michigan students are wolverines.  Heck, it's not like there are even any wolverines in Michigan any more.  If it were true that the mascot somehow represented the majority of the student body, I surely wouldn't look forward to meeting any UC Santa Cruz students 

[HOPEful]

But this goes beyond church denominations. I think every college/university is challenged to define, and often re-define, themselves in today's internet based, globalized, ever-changing world. I'm actually a little shocked there wasn't more traction in 2020 to change Hope, Alma, and Albion from the ethnic mascots of Dutch, Scots, and Britons when a growing proportion of their students do not identify with those ethnicities. Hope has already rebranded themselves away from an RCA college, to a more inclusive Christian Liberal Arts college. But I wonder how long they'll cling to being "Dutch" when almost 20% of the student population is non-white and surely a large percentage of the remaining 80% identify as something other than Dutch.

Not sure that a school's mascot is all that relevant to this conversation.  It's not like some large percentage of University of Michigan students are wolverines.  Heck, it's not like there are even any wolverines in Michigan any more.  If it were true that the mascot somehow represented the majority of the student body, I surely wouldn't look forward to meeting any UC Santa Cruz students 

I think changing away from ethnic mascots is very relevant in 2021. Woke culture and the Washington football team are both still very relevant. The mascot for Miami of Ohio was once the Redskins too. EMU used to be the Hurons. Chief Wazoo is being removed as a mascot for the Cleveland Indians. My guess is that most non-Dutch students at least once in their 4 years at Hope hear the phrase, "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much!" And with the shift at Hope over the past decade to being much more inclusive, I'd be shocked if there isn't an upcoming conversation to move away from Flying Dutchmen and Dutch.

[KnightSlappy]

But this goes beyond church denominations. I think every college/university is challenged to define, and often re-define, themselves in today's internet based, globalized, ever-changing world. I'm actually a little shocked there wasn't more traction in 2020 to change Hope, Alma, and Albion from the ethnic mascots of Dutch, Scots, and Britons when a growing proportion of their students do not identify with those ethnicities. Hope has already rebranded themselves away from an RCA college, to a more inclusive Christian Liberal Arts college. But I wonder how long they'll cling to being "Dutch" when almost 20% of the student population is non-white and surely a large percentage of the remaining 80% identify as something other than Dutch.

Not sure that a school's mascot is all that relevant to this conversation.  It's not like some large percentage of University of Michigan students are wolverines.  Heck, it's not like there are even any wolverines in Michigan any more.  If it were true that the mascot somehow represented the majority of the student body, I surely wouldn't look forward to meeting any UC Santa Cruz students 

I think changing away from ethnic mascots is very relevant in 2021. Woke culture and the Washington football team are both still very relevant. The mascot for Miami of Ohio was once the Redskins too. EMU used to be the Hurons. Chief Wazoo is being removed as a mascot for the Cleveland Indians. My guess is that most non-Dutch students at least once in their 4 years at Hope hear the phrase, "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much!" And with the shift at Hope over the past decade to being much more inclusive, I'd be shocked if there isn't an upcoming conversation to move away from Flying Dutchmen and Dutch.

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

[HOPEful]

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

Agreed. There's obviously a difference too between a racial slur and a genuine attempt to honor a people group.

[sac]

Hope College Fighting Grey Squirrels

[knights2000]

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

Agreed. There's obviously a difference too between a racial slur and a genuine attempt to honor a people group.

Obviously a different situation regarding public/private institutions... but for what it's worth, Holland High School is considering moving away from the Dutch mascot for some of the same reasons.

https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/news/local/2020/12/09/holland-public-schools-mulls-firm-facilitating-mascot-future/43263359/

[WUPHF]

I think there will always be a market for a Calvin and a market for a Hillsdale and I would not be surprised to see it grow as colleges and universities move further left of 2008-2016 era Obama leftism. 

The growth of the classical school movement signals that this may be the case.

[oldknight]

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

Agreed. There's obviously a difference too between a racial slur and a genuine attempt to honor a people group.

Agreed. And while one might argue that in today's world, using a Native American name as a mascot is tone-deaf, it's not intended as a slur, since the point of a school's mascot is to have one that is celebratory and honored. That's why Red Mesa HS in Teec Nos Pos, AZ uses it, sporting a logo that is virtually identical to the one formerly used by the Washington Redskins, uh, Football Team:  https://www.facebook.com/redmesahighschool/  (FYI: The school population is almost entirely Navajo).

[HOPEful]

I think there will always be a market for a Calvin and a market for a Hillsdale and I would not be surprised to see it grow as colleges and universities move further left of 2008-2016 era Obama leftism. 

The growth of the classical school movement signals that this may be the case.

For sure, there will always be a market for a Conservative Christian education, but changing with the demands of today's generation doesn't necessarily mean becoming more liberal in thought or identity.

[Knight2Day]

But this goes beyond church denominations. I think every college/university is challenged to define, and often re-define, themselves in today's internet based, globalized, ever-changing world. I'm actually a little shocked there wasn't more traction in 2020 to change Hope, Alma, and Albion from the ethnic mascots of Dutch, Scots, and Britons when a growing proportion of their students do not identify with those ethnicities. Hope has already rebranded themselves away from an RCA college, to a more inclusive Christian Liberal Arts college. But I wonder how long they'll cling to being "Dutch" when almost 20% of the student population is non-white and surely a large percentage of the remaining 80% identify as something other than Dutch.

Not sure that a school's mascot is all that relevant to this conversation.  It's not like some large percentage of University of Michigan students are wolverines.  Heck, it's not like there are even any wolverines in Michigan any more.  If it were true that the mascot somehow represented the majority of the student body, I surely wouldn't look forward to meeting any UC Santa Cruz students 

I think changing away from ethnic mascots is very relevant in 2021. Woke culture and the Washington football team are both still very relevant. The mascot for Miami of Ohio was once the Redskins too. EMU used to be the Hurons. Chief Wazoo is being removed as a mascot for the Cleveland Indians. My guess is that most non-Dutch students at least once in their 4 years at Hope hear the phrase, "If you ain't Dutch, you ain't much!" And with the shift at Hope over the past decade to being much more inclusive, I'd be shocked if there isn't an upcoming conversation to move away from Flying Dutchmen and Dutch.

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

The only people who were bothered by names like  "Indians" "Redskins" "Seminoles" are white college kids. There's countless interviews and studies that show that the overwhelming majority of native Americans actually view those names with a source of pride because it acknowledges the place of native Americans in society.

[Dutchman17]

I think there will always be a market for a Calvin and a market for a Hillsdale and I would not be surprised to see it grow as colleges and universities move further left of 2008-2016 era Obama leftism. 

The growth of the classical school movement signals that this may be the case.

For sure, there will always be a market for a Conservative Christian education, but changing with the demands of today's generation doesn't necessarily mean becoming more liberal in thought or identity.

With how wide the gap is becoming around the philosophies of teaching and preaching many topics, like gender and sexuality, it gives more reason for traditional CRC and RCA families to look elsewhere.  Hope and Calvin may be considered more "conservative" in the college landscape comparatively, but they have definitely shifted noticeably left and liberal in the last decade.