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RE: Newest Conference Rumor
(07-11-2017 10:32 AM)JMUrcc06 Wrote: (07-11-2017 04:09 AM)Longhorn Wrote: (07-10-2017 11:22 PM)2Buck Wrote: (07-10-2017 05:38 PM)Longhorn Wrote: Obviously, you don't just add "some doctoral programs" in a random manner. Doctoral programs cost the Commonwealth big bucks in terms of faculty, facilities, fellowships, and program recruitment. Each faculty line alone is a commitment by the Commonwealth in the multiple millions of $$. SCHEV is another factor, and the VA state council on higher ed (who advises the General Assembly) won't approve doctoral programs that duplicate other doctoral programs unless there is a convincing market demand.
Believe it or not, the classification of "national" or "regional" isn't the issue JMU fans should be concerned about. The issue is whether the institution should be reoriented towards more research and more graduate education, or remain focused on undergraduate teaching. I personally think there is room for a more robust investment in graduate education at JMU, and to do it in a way that it compliments the undergraduate experience. JMU provides a superior undergraduate experience, and I'd hate to see that compromised in pursuit of becoming another "University of Louisiana--Monroe" with a FBS FB program.
My point (reinforced by your additional data) is that if these institutions were able to reach the national university classification there is no reason JMU couldn't have done the same by now, let along 10 or 20 years ago. And to state that those schools I listed have more resources or resolve or aptitude than JMU is bullsh1t. It's a lack of vision and leadership, nothing more. To blather about JMU being the "national" model of anything is a complete contradiction to way we've not only been stuck in the regional kiddie pool, we've slipped from an overall #1 ranking to #8.
I chose JMU over UConn, Rutgers, and Purdue, and didn't even consider schools like Maryland and Penn State on the same level. Now the admin is promoting us being tied for innovation with Kennisaw State and we'll soon be taken over by Christopher Newport and Mary Washington??? And people are just sitting around whining about how "difficult" it is to add a few more doctoral programs? We don't have tracks that could benefit from the growth and maturity graduate programs could offer? It doesn't take a medical school and I have no doubt Charlie King could find the money within the current budget if leadership made this any kind of priority. Money is a red herring, the fact that we have vast numbers of highly compensated alumni and such a huge portion go without engagement shows there's no desire to get us to a national classification. We're just a 20k+ public university in regional liberal arts college clothing.
And I agree, the fact that those schools are national universities and we're still regional is "bonkers".
Sorry for the rant guys, this cluster just pisses me off. How long til the ECU game?
Again, you've grossly oversimplified the process of elevating an institution to a different category, while simultaneously ignoring what I've pointed out is that the concern over classification is misplaced.
While you are worked up over what you characterize as slippage (from #2 to #8) you seem to forget JMU has experienced tremendous growth in the last 20 years (virtually doubling in enrollment), which none of the schools you are so concerned about (CNU and MW) have experienced. And while you can always second guess CK's and the President's decisions where money is spent (it certainly did not go to faculty salaries, reducing the teaching load in favor of promoting research, and graduate programs), the decisions by the senior admin has actually lowered and stabilized the student-teacher ratio at 16-1, provided the type and size of appropriate facilities to meet the needs of our larger enrollment (new chem, physics, nursing, etc.), supported the creation of new academic units (Engineering, the CVPA, Honors College, 8 new doctoral programs...the list could go on), the tripling of the campus grounds (from 250 acres to over 700), and actually improving the 6 year graduation rate to the highest it's ever been, to around 82%...a number that is real (as opposed to a mythical "ranking" by USNWR), and that's reported to the Feds and puts JMU in rarified territory for a "large" public.
JMU is not done growing, and I really like your zeal and passion promoting excellence for the institution. I share your ambitions, I don't share your concerns that the right decisions haven't been made over the past 2 decades (or are not being made).
CNU Enrollment in '96: 3,300
CNU Enrollment in '16: 5,100
JMU Enrollment in '96: 12,963
JMU Enrollment in '16: 21,227
virtually the same increased percentage over the same 20 year period?
Really? You see the growth as the same due to their percentage increase? I guess this is proof that numbers can be used to make an argument either way.
8000+ growth for JMU and 1800 for CNU. I believe those are the more relevant numbers.
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