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Time for us to drop down to sunbelt
Posted on 2/2/26 at 1:25 pm
Posted on 2/2/26 at 1:25 pm
The trustees demanding more funds from academics may just be the last straw for me. University athletic departments are a vestigal arm of an institution created to provide our state with an educated workforce. Now we need to cut $10m from the body because one limb is out of control. Keep in mind, this new 'investment' has no guaranteed rate of return, unlike the dollars invested in higher education, which actually pay dividends to our states economy. This is asinine.
If rich people want to give a kid a lambo to go out and whiff in cover 2, that's on them. But taking funds from one of the few institutions that actually helps our poor state grow and improve to do it is dumb as sin. If we do not have enough of the first, I support right sizing the athletic department to a level of self sufficiency, including dropping sports or dropping the school down a conference or division.
If rich people want to give a kid a lambo to go out and whiff in cover 2, that's on them. But taking funds from one of the few institutions that actually helps our poor state grow and improve to do it is dumb as sin. If we do not have enough of the first, I support right sizing the athletic department to a level of self sufficiency, including dropping sports or dropping the school down a conference or division.
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Posted on 2/2/26 at 1:48 pm to Porker Face
one problem with your whole premise. If true, I have read several articles where the U of Alabama, Georgia, even Ole Miss have had much more success getting a higher level of students, more population, and better academic performance attributed to success in ... Ahem, Gulp.... FOOTBALL>
A winning football program evidently pays more than it cost to the education programs, and academia itself....
Do Not Look To LSU as proof.
A winning football program evidently pays more than it cost to the education programs, and academia itself....
Do Not Look To LSU as proof.
Posted on 2/2/26 at 2:03 pm to Razorback Reverend
How many schools have done the same thing and not seen those results, resulting in just a waste of money with nothing to show for it? If I open a social media company today does that mean I will make as much money as facebook?
For every Indiana there is are 10000 shite seasons that no one talks about. Availability heuristic
I'm fine if rich people want to use their money that way. Not sure I see it as a prudent gamble though
For every Indiana there is are 10000 shite seasons that no one talks about. Availability heuristic
I'm fine if rich people want to use their money that way. Not sure I see it as a prudent gamble though
Posted on 2/2/26 at 4:18 pm to Porker Face
At least you’re admitting it. The options are A. Invest would it takes to compete or B. Dismantle the program or like you said drop down a level. Seriously, i think you might be facetious in your statement but it’s actually true. This is changing of the times. Actually we’re already behind most places.
Posted on 2/2/26 at 5:48 pm to Hawgnsincebirth55
It has gotten to the point where if it weren't for baseball I'd fully support a move to the Big 12. With the current playoff structure the advantage of being an SEC school has been greatly diminished. We'd be much better off being one of the bigger dogs in a middling conference, but I wouldn't be able to stomach being a Big 12 baseball program.
Posted on 2/2/26 at 8:29 pm to Porker Face
Petrinos first stint directly led to record enrollment.
The majority of college graduates are employed in areas that have nothing to do with their degrees.
Stems are being passed over for H1B slave labor from India.
Most graduates are forced to leave the state for higher pay to entry level into the field of their degrees.
The funding given equates to not charging the athletic department for rent of facilities and utilities.
The athletic department has given funding to the academic side for 50 years, but a couple years pause is doing so until everything is calmed down and figured out on the athletic side is the end of higher education.
The majority of college graduates are employed in areas that have nothing to do with their degrees.
Stems are being passed over for H1B slave labor from India.
Most graduates are forced to leave the state for higher pay to entry level into the field of their degrees.
The funding given equates to not charging the athletic department for rent of facilities and utilities.
The athletic department has given funding to the academic side for 50 years, but a couple years pause is doing so until everything is calmed down and figured out on the athletic side is the end of higher education.
Posted on 2/2/26 at 8:37 pm to DaleDenton
quote:
Petrinos first stint directly led to record enrollment.
I think this one can safely be put to bed. We have record enrollment right now and we suck at football. The two are not really related
The rest of your post tells me you are not trying to hire recent graduates of UA in Northwest Arkansas
Posted on 2/3/26 at 12:02 am to DaleDenton
quote:
The athletic department has given funding to the academic side for 50 years
This. It’s the athletic department’s money is it not? They didn’t have to give anything to begin with like almost every other school. We’ll probably have to raise tuition to cover it but that’s just the reality of having a billion-dollar industry attached to your institution.
Athletics lets employees and students use their parking structures on campus even though they paid for it all too.
Posted on 2/3/26 at 1:22 am to Porker Face
Is this where we are rn
Yes, I'm drunk
Yes, I'm drunk
Posted on 2/3/26 at 11:37 am to gohogs141
quote:
It’s the athletic department’s money is it not?
Its the university's money from tuition. The leadership is now being told how to spend it
No one is talking about athletic donations. It is taking money formerly used for academics and now using it for athletics without a corresponding makeup for academics. The actual mission of the university is being compromised so we can give it to football, with no guarantee of return or results.
Its like paying $40 for a bag of doritos. Except now you get a bag mostly full of air and someone else got the extra money so they can buy whatever snack they want with it. They may share with you but probably not. Who would sign up for that
Posted on 2/3/26 at 12:16 pm to Porker Face
You said it already. You would prefer us not to partake in what modern college football has become. You are more concerned with academics which is noble of you, and would rather see us cut football or drop a level and keep the integer of college athletics what it was meant to be. But you are in the minority with that view and almost every other school in major college football has already made this move before us. What we’re doing isn’t ground breaking it’s actually behind the times.
Posted on 2/3/26 at 12:43 pm to Porker Face
quote:
institution created to provide our state with an educated workforce
Arkansas already has a public university in the sunbelt. It’s not exactly known as an academic powerhouse.
If you look at he top public universities in academic rankings almost all the them are in power 5 conferences.
Your math ain’t mathing.
Posted on 2/3/26 at 1:45 pm to Porker Face
quote:
No one is talking about athletic donations. It is taking money formerly used for academics and now using it for athletics without a corresponding makeup for academics
But I’m pretty sure athletics was donating that money to the administration before in the first place, now they just aren’t. So it never really even belonged to the academic side.
Posted on 2/3/26 at 2:38 pm to gohogs141
This is in addition to stopping the longstanding annual transfer from athletics to academics
Posted on 2/3/26 at 4:29 pm to Hawgnsincebirth55
quote:
You are more concerned with academics which is noble of you,
Right here is the red line.
Obviously you probably need a history lesson on how we "Arkansas squeaky clean" run our programs.
I think we've moved on from athletic academics for a few years now.
It's find a coach with a winning philosophy and pay some players. It's a crap shoot, see Indiana
Posted on 2/3/26 at 5:57 pm to ArHog
I'm fine with paying players. But rich people should do it by choice, not our students just trying to get an education
Posted on 2/3/26 at 5:58 pm to Porker Face
quote:but we aren’t the only schools doing it. Most schools do it. In fact, we’re late to the party
But rich people should do it by choice, not our students just trying to get an education
Posted on 2/3/26 at 7:05 pm to Poker_hog
If we were to ever "drop down" a level, you would likely see a huge drop in enrollment.
I know you know this, but not all of our students are that studious and serious about their degrees. Big time athletics/campus life is a draw for many students in addition to whatever they're studying.
I know you know this, but not all of our students are that studious and serious about their degrees. Big time athletics/campus life is a draw for many students in addition to whatever they're studying.
Posted on 2/3/26 at 8:58 pm to Hank Murphy
UCA and state are seeing rapid enrollment growth and quality gains despite not being in the SEC. They do both have major initiatives to help in-state students with major scholarships or reduced tuition. You know, lowering the costs for students instead of raising them?
Posted on 2/4/26 at 1:00 am to Porker Face
Students and student (paid) athletes fall into totally different categories
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