Louisville's 4 year graduation rate is 22%

[Rumrunner]

That ought to leave a few jaws on the floor in ACC boardrooms.

Its 6 year grad rate only improves to 51%.

Their president, an affable guy named Ramsey, was on Louisville radio this am extolling the virtues of Louisville's academics.

As for the BCS schools ranked below Louisville in US News (currently #160), there is only one, Texas Tech.

Is it a school of higher learning with an athletic program, or an athletic program masquerading as a school?

 

[Jimmy Serrano]

As a comparison, what is our's?

 

[Rumrunner]

4 year rate for UConn is 69%
6 year rate is 83%
Freshmen retention is 92%

As an example,
Clemson's are 50% and 80%, retention of 90%
UNC 75%, 89%, retention of 97%
UVA 87%, 94% retention 97%
Pitt 61%, 79% retention 90%
BC 4 yr 88%
Duke 4 yr 89%

 

[Palatine]

UNC players don't even go to class.

 

[Rumrunner]

Not about the players and their performance. That's a debate for another day.

This is about the essence of the institution, its students and its mission.

 

[BG79]

In all seriousness, what do academics matter when it comes to conferences? I get the feeling that people here tend to put a higher emphasis on them than the people running these conferences. It would seem to me that the football program is the most important factor with the market the team is in the second most when a conference is shopping for a new member. I honestly couldn't tell you the graduation rates or whatever of any school because frankly I don't give a crap about them. So obviously my perspective is that they do not matter so tell me why they do and why they would impact the decision making of a perspective conference.

 

[Rumrunner]

Academics matter more to some conferences than others. It is the Presidents of the universities that make realignment decisions, not athletic directors, and certainly not coaches.

 

[BG79]

Academics matter more to some conferences than others. It is the Presidents of the universities that make realignment decisions, not athletic directors, and certainly not coaches.

The realignment decisions appear to be almost entirely based on money. Football is the biggest money generator and the TV contracts which generate the money for the contracts are almost entirely driven by the appeal of the football programs. How in any way does academics factor at all in the money generating process of a conference and thus why on earth would a school's academics matter when it comes to who to invite to a conference? The logical decision would be to invite the school who can increase the revenue generation the most, not which school graduates a higher percentage. Presidents of Universities have a balance sheet and I don't see how having a low academic but high yield dollar wise football school in the conference is anything but a plus as it largely is used like the football programs of the schools to subsidize other ventures that would ordinarily lack the funding otherwise.

 

[RedSoloCup]

In all seriousness, what do academics matter when it comes to conferences? I get the feeling that people here tend to put a higher emphasis on them than the people running these conferences. It would seem to me that the football program is the most important factor with the market the team is in the second most when a conference is shopping for a new member. I honestly couldn't tell you the graduation rates or whatever of any school because frankly I don't give a crap about them. So obviously my perspective is that they do not matter so tell me why they do and why they would impact the decision making of a perspective conference.

it makes the sandwich smell better when they pass it out...

 

[ASweet3781]

In all seriousness, what do academics matter when it comes to conferences? I get the feeling that people here tend to put a higher emphasis on them than the people running these conferences. It would seem to me that the football program is the most important factor with the market the team is in the second most when a conference is shopping for a new member. I honestly couldn't tell you the graduation rates or whatever of any school because frankly I don't give a crap about them. So obviously my perspective is that they do not matter so tell me why they do and why they would impact the decision making of a perspective conference.

Why the heck are you dumping all over one of the biggest edges UConn has over Louisville? Why? I would love to play some of you in poker. You'd give away your advantage all the time.

 

[BG79]

Why the heck are you dumping all over one of the biggest edges UConn has over Louisville? Why? I would love to play some of you in poker. You'd give away your advantage all the time.

Because I don't even see it as an edge. Money matters and that comes from the football department. This compounds the problem with have with this awful coaching staff that is running the program into the ground at probably the worst possible moment.

 

[huskymedic]

Because I don't even see it as an edge. Money matters and that comes from the football department. This compounds the problem with have with this awful coaching staff that is running the program into the ground at probably the worst possible moment.

If it's not remotely important than why does the Louisville President make it a point to keep saying their academics are improving?

 

[whaler11]

If the ACC didn't care about academics then Louisville would have joined over Pitt and Syracuse last year. So clearly they care.

 

[BG79]

If the ACC didn't care about academics then Louisville would have joined over Pitt and Syracuse last year. So clearly they care.

Could it be TV markets, recruiting grounds and overall university prestige which aids in upping the value of their tv product? Just blindly assuming that it's academics when money has always been the driving factor just doesnt answer it for me. I need to see more evidence before I will hitch my horse to that cart.

If Academics are of such an importance why is Rice toiling in the CUSA?

 

[whaler11]

Could it be TV markets, recruiting grounds and overall university prestige which aids in upping the value of their tv product? Just blindly assuming that it's academics when money has always been the driving factor just doesnt answer it for me. I need to see more evidence before I will hitch my horse to that cart.

If Academics are of such an importance why is Rice toiling in the CUSA?

Syracuse TV markets. Syracuse recruiting grounds?

No one is blindly saying academics drives anything. But to be considered you need a minimum academic level for the Big 10 or ACC. Big East and Big 12 not so much.

 

[huskymedic]

Could it be TV markets, recruiting grounds and overall university prestige which aids in upping the value of their tv product? Just blindly assuming that it's academics when money has always been the driving factor just doesnt answer it for me. I need to see more evidence before I will hitch my horse to that cart.

If Academics are of such an importance why is Rice toiling in the CUSA?

Because Rice is happy in Conference USA?

 

[whaler11]

Rice has 3,000 undergrads it's hardly a mystery why they aren't in a major conference.

 

[BG79]

Syracuse TV markets. Syracuse recruiting grounds?

No one is blindly saying academics drives anything. But to be considered you need a minimum academic level for the Big 10 or ACC. Big East and Big 12 not so much.

I was mainly talking about Pitt for the market and recruiting grounds.

 

[whaler11]

I was mainly talking about Pitt for the market and recruiting grounds.

But they took Syracuse before Pitt and took Pitt over UConn to appease BC. They wanted Syracuse in the first raid but they didn't want to go.

 

[BG79]

But they took Syracuse before Pitt and took Pitt over UConn to appease BC. They wanted Syracuse in the first raid but they didn't want to go.

I thought they were trying to expand their territory into the NY market werent they?

 

[CL82]

Because I don't even see it as an edge. Money matters and that comes from the football department. This compounds the problem with have with this awful coaching staff that is running the program into the ground at probably the worst possible moment.

Football dollars benefit the school not the conference. TV demographics benefit the conference.

So if the ACC takes the high road and emphasizes academics, it invites Connecticut.
If the ACC takes the low road and emphasizes revenue, it invites Connecticut.
Game, set, match.

 

[Johnny Mac]

Rice has 3,000 undergrads it's hardly a mystery why they aren't in a major conference.

Isn't that the approximate size of Wake Forest?