FC: Univ of Alabama wants to be on par with Cal, Mich, UVA academically...
- Thread starter Richard the LIONhearted
- Start date
I want it to rain quarters
I want it to rain quarters
Not me, that would hurt and cause lots of damage to property... a tree that grew $100 bills, on the other hand, would be a great thing.
Good for them. They are taking the success of the football program and parlaying it into a academic winner. It reminds me of what that old Italian football coach did. What was his name? Pimento? At Penn State. Had those thick glasses and rolled up pants. Contributed big bucks to the library. Patrino was it? No. Remember, he had this crazy idea of some "Grant Experiment" where his football players were real students. What the heck was his name? Paterno! That's it. Joe Paterno! Some bast'ds on his BOT knew the kind of man he was, but they threw him out like a piece of trash. Damn them!
I want to have a bank account with $100.
For every $1 I spend from that bank account, I get $2. I spend $5, then I get $10. I spend $20, then I get $40.
For every $1 I spend from that bank account, I get $2. I spend $5, then I get $10. I spend $20, then I get $40.
As the president of the University of Oklahoma said back in the early 50s, ''We want to build a university our football team can be proud of''.
LINK: http://www.nytimes.com/1989/02/18/sports/sports-of-the-times-the-grapes-of-wrath-at-oklahoma.html
Ugh. No. I deal with local (muni and county level) government, and have no interest in it. In all honesty, at this level, it is different to tell the Rs from the Ds. They all want Other People's Money.
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At least Alabama is putting their money where their mouth is: basically any student that scores a 32 or better on the ACT with a 4.0 in highschool can go to Alabama for zero tuition, they only pay for housing at $7500 a year.
You can get an engineering, nursing degree for this price it is a great deal. Numerous kids in my daughters class from here near Nashville have agreed to go to Alabama, even though at the beginning of the process Alabama was no where near at the top of their list. This deal is not for instate Alabama students.
You can get an engineering, nursing degree for this price it is a great deal. Numerous kids in my daughters class from here near Nashville have agreed to go to Alabama, even though at the beginning of the process Alabama was no where near at the top of their list. This deal is not for instate Alabama students.
I used to do a ton of work in Tuscaloosa. First, they loved and admired
JOEPA.Secondly, they were both proud of their University
But embarrassed by the reputation of the state.
The guys I worked with brought Mercedes to Ala.
That was a huge beginning.
Alabama is filthy rich because of extractive industries.
Tons of billionaires. I think they are on the same tract
As the University of Texas, which went on a spending
Spree two decades ago.
Five years from now Alabama will make the top 75
And will be a destination school.
Give them credit for trying to improve academics.
JOEPA.Secondly, they were both proud of their University
But embarrassed by the reputation of the state.
The guys I worked with brought Mercedes to Ala.
That was a huge beginning.
Alabama is filthy rich because of extractive industries.
Tons of billionaires. I think they are on the same tract
As the University of Texas, which went on a spending
Spree two decades ago.
Five years from now Alabama will make the top 75
And will be a destination school.
Give them credit for trying to improve academics.
That reminds me of another Alabama beauty. A cheerleader from the Alabama Class of 77......actress Sela Ward.
Give them credit, but they are nowhere near Texas in university endowments UT has an endowment of over $24 Billion, which ranks them behind only Harvard and Yale. Alabama has an endowment of a bit over $1 Billion, which ranks them with Iowa and Tulane- it's not the same neighborhood.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_colleges_and_universities_in_the_United_States_by_endowment
Good for them. It amazes me how *some* old people can't grasp that colleges get better or worse over time
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That reminds me of another Alabama beauty. A cheerleader from the Alabama Class of 77......actress Sela Ward.
I kept unliking this just so I could like it again!
It amazes me there are people that assume old people can't comprehend that schools can get better or worse over time.
Not quite on the 'bammer topic, but I was in an establishment in Cocoa Beach (might have been a "clothing optional for certain employees" type of place), when a young lady asked where I was from. I told her "near Baltimore, MD." She said, "Oh, yeah, that's just north of Jacksonville, right?"
Considering the situation, I said, "Yes. Yes it is!"
I give Bama credit for being proactive. I have seen the success of their outreach as I have a few friends in the Philly area who have had kids recently go to Bama. Growing up I don't think you would have met anyone from the Philly area thinking about Bama.
Well, since you didn't say "some" old people, that group must include me. Now, I would very much like to grasp this "better or worse" concept, so please explain it to me, but go very slowly so I can understand, and please speak up so I can hear you. Oh wait, this isn't the telephone is it? Dang, I get all these new fangled things mixed up. OK, no need to speak up. Just TYPE IN BIG LETTERS SO I CAN SEE READ IT.
Well, since you didn't say "some" old people, that group must include me. Now, I would very much like to grasp this "better or worse" concept, so please explain it to me, but go very slowly so I can understand, and please speak up so I can hear you. Oh wait, this isn't the telephone is it? Dang, I get all these new fangled things mixed up. OK, no need to speak up. Just TYPE IN BIG LETTERS SO I CAN SEE READ IT.
Good call, fixed my post
I'm guessing the assets she was hired for didn't include her brain.
You can get a superior education at virtually any state flagship university. Each of them have an unlimited selection of fields of study with nifty electives for every niche.
Nobody, however, is going to hold your damn hand. The student either takes advantage of infinite opportunity, or not.
If University of Alabama or anybody else is trying to make themselves better, then more power to them. Isn't that the whole idea? Be the best you can be?
Nobody, however, is going to hold your damn hand. The student either takes advantage of infinite opportunity, or not.
If University of Alabama or anybody else is trying to make themselves better, then more power to them. Isn't that the whole idea? Be the best you can be?
About a year ago, we had a thread on this same topic on this very Board. A close friend of mine is the Dean of Students in Tuscaloosa, and he is heavily involved in Alabama's recruiting effort. I have hosted a couple of recruiting visits he and some of his staff people made to Northern California to recruit high school students. My sons considered Alabama before settling on PSU, in no small part because they were offering scholarship money, and it seemed clear to us that the school is gonna move up in the academic pecking order over time. Alabama succeeded in recruiting several kids from the Lamorinda (collective name for the towns of Lafayette, Moraga and Orinda) area, which feature very highly ranked schools.
I think the Alabama folks have it right in noting (somewhat apologetically) that "you have to run it like a business" in order to effect that kind of change. I think USC presents the best example of a school that used scholarships and other financial incentives to improve its academic ranking. When I was a high school senior applying for college back in the Stone Age (1975), USC had great graduate schools, but anyone with a warm body and the money to pay private school tuition could get in. Now, the situation is profoundly different. You'd better have a 4.0 GPA and a 2000 or higher SAT score if you want to get into USC. Either that, or be able to run a 4.4 forty.
Nonetheless, it takes time and a consistent vision and effort in order to accomplish a significant change in a school's ranking. Alabama is definitely making stgrides in improving its academic ranking, but I don't see Alabama challenging schools like PSU or Cal any time soon.
I think the Alabama folks have it right in noting (somewhat apologetically) that "you have to run it like a business" in order to effect that kind of change. I think USC presents the best example of a school that used scholarships and other financial incentives to improve its academic ranking. When I was a high school senior applying for college back in the Stone Age (1975), USC had great graduate schools, but anyone with a warm body and the money to pay private school tuition could get in. Now, the situation is profoundly different. You'd better have a 4.0 GPA and a 2000 or higher SAT score if you want to get into USC. Either that, or be able to run a 4.4 forty.
Nonetheless, it takes time and a consistent vision and effort in order to accomplish a significant change in a school's ranking. Alabama is definitely making stgrides in improving its academic ranking, but I don't see Alabama challenging schools like PSU or Cal any time soon.
It should be, and usually is at most places, but at Penn State the Old Guard's motto is "Be whatever the hell we want you to be."
My son wanted to go to Penn State, but it was prohibitively expensive for out of state students and they give zero financial aid. He seriously considered Alabama, South Carolina and Missouri due to their generous merit scholarships for out of state students. He ended up thinking that Alabama was "too southern" for him and he settled on Mizzou, where he is very happy (although when he found out I was going to last weekend's whiteout game he did express some remorse about not being able to go to Penn State). My point is, these sort of programs are very effective at bringing in talented students from out of state.
That was tOSU when I first came to Columbus in 1978. Though we used to say "with a pulse". I know--I taught some of those kids. That's changed. A lot. And that's good to see. State schools should be places of excellence. Just not elitist.
One should laud the noble goals of Alabama, however, academic excellence is extremely difficult to achieve. Almost impossible!
To start with, the institution must invest heavily in faculty. Recruit and retain the best faculty. This is where Ivy's shine. State Universities cannot compete in this realm mostly due to cost and their mission. Berkeley is an exception to this, there are other exceptions as well.
Penn State is one of the best in its mission group. Penn State has added trillions to PA economy over time by providing top engineers, scientists, computer technologists, ... I can appreciate it based on my experiences as a professor in various schools.
In my humble opinion, Penn State should adapt Cornell model by cutting ties with state since state does not adequately fund Penn State. Most state universities cannot compete with Penn State in its academic excellence.
To start with, the institution must invest heavily in faculty. Recruit and retain the best faculty. This is where Ivy's shine. State Universities cannot compete in this realm mostly due to cost and their mission. Berkeley is an exception to this, there are other exceptions as well.
Penn State is one of the best in its mission group. Penn State has added trillions to PA economy over time by providing top engineers, scientists, computer technologists, ... I can appreciate it based on my experiences as a professor in various schools.
In my humble opinion, Penn State should adapt Cornell model by cutting ties with state since state does not adequately fund Penn State. Most state universities cannot compete with Penn State in its academic excellence.
Whether or not the State adequately funds Penn State is an open question; it is incontrovertible that Penn State needs to cut the bloat in Old Main and force a lot of empty suits to go earn an honest living. They also need to take a damn hard look at the never-ending building binge when the entire model of a residential higher education is up for debate. The hallowed halls are full of six-figure overhead that contributes ZIP to the educational mission and are comfortably cossetted on the backs of the student body.
Seriously, after JVP addressed the BOT in 1983 with his challenge to them to build a great University each College created an Academic Advisory Board. Each Board consisted of Professors and Graduate Students and I was selected to the Engineering Board. We all came to first meeting wondering what it was about. Turns out that we were being challenged to turn Penn State into the number 1 school in the country. Well, after some lively debate we decided that the goal of number 1 was a bit much, but becoming a 2nd tier school seemed achievable and we used UVA and UMich as the example of tier 2 that we could attain. We realized that MIT and CalTech were not similar in that PSU was a very large land grand public institute and could never reach those levels across the board. But tier 2 could be achieved and we started making plans. I'm sure most realized the rapid ascent of the Penn States academic reputation from 1983 until November 2011. BOT Chairman Walter Conti took JVP's challenge seriously and put it in motion. What a difference from 2011.
Those of us who lived through the growth of Penn State into a world class university know the contributions that Joe made, but many younger alums do not know them, and some older alums want to minimize them. In either case, it is good to take opportunities to reinforce the message that Joe was much more than a football coach and his efforts to make Penn State a great academic institution have borne fruit.
Yes, I read about that. He spoke before our Board several times and you couldn't help but to be impressed. He loved Penn State more than life itself. He would get VERY excited when talking about Penn State and would move around the room like a pinball on steroids.
JoePa's contribution to Penn State's ascent must be recognized. In addition to being a great coach, he was a great educator. Most importantly, he imbued the value of quality education in his players and others he came in contact with.
About lowering the overhead cost as stated above, a lot of these suits are needed for satisfying state and federal regulations. Removing state regulations will reduce overhead while federal burdensome demands will remain.
My appreciation for Penn State never diminished throughout the dark clouds. Slowly and slowly fog is lifting! There will be setbacks along the way, no doubt!!
About lowering the overhead cost as stated above, a lot of these suits are needed for satisfying state and federal regulations. Removing state regulations will reduce overhead while federal burdensome demands will remain.
My appreciation for Penn State never diminished throughout the dark clouds. Slowly and slowly fog is lifting! There will be setbacks along the way, no doubt!!
