(08-09-2016 04:36 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  If they were to combine schools to make a flagship University, combining Akron and Kent makes the most sense. YSU and CSU are far enough away to be a logistical nightmare. Also, it would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to have a 100k campus in NEO and build credibility as a prestigious University.

Kent has 9 campuses across NEO so adding 3 more wouldn't affect them too much on the day to day operations. I personally think it would be too much when it comes to enrollment to have nearly 100k students. I'm not advocating for it and actually hope it never happens.

(08-09-2016 12:25 AM)The Colonel Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 09:25 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  Out of 128 FBS schools Kent St is ranked 120th in lifetime winning %. Of the 8 teams ranked below Kent St 4 of them have been in FBS for less than 5yrs and could dramatically change their winning % quickly. The only team ranked below Kent St that has been in FBS nearly as long is Idaho and they are moving down to FCS in 2018.

All the more amazing to consider that a few years ago, KSU was a 2OT MACC loss away from playing in the Orange Bowl...

Kent overall has a bad win percentage but it has had some ranked teams over the years (such as back in the 70s when you had to be in the top 20 to be ranked apparently) and has done some things that not all FBS teams can claim (heck none of the current Sun Belt and I think even some MAC teams have been ranked in their history while in FBS so that should count for something).

(08-09-2016 07:58 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  

(08-09-2016 04:36 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  If they were to combine schools to make a flagship University, combining Akron and Kent makes the most sense. YSU and CSU are far enough away to be a logistical nightmare. Also, it would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to have a 100k campus in NEO and build credibility as a prestigious University.

Kent has 9 campuses across NEO so adding 3 more wouldn't affect them too much on the day to day operations. I personally think it would be too much when it comes to enrollment to have nearly 100k students. I'm not advocating for it and actually hope it never happens.

The University of California has 238,700 students and multiple major campuses including six with 20k or more students (Berkley, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, and Irvine).

California State University is even bigger, with 460,200 students. San Diego State, San Jose State, and Fresno State are a part of it, and all compete in the Mountain West.

The University of Texas system has UT Austin, UTEP, UTSA, UT Arlington, and others.

More relevant to the MAC is the SUNY system.

The benefits of letting campuses specialize which programs each offers while limiting competition far outweighs the logistical problems that might arise. You don't need to have a single huge flagship campus, and each campus can maintain their brand identity and athletics as each one sees fit.

Ohio has no public university system, which has led to massive cannibalization of resources by state universities all trying to compete with each other. The NE Ohio universities shouldn't wait for the Board of Regents to get off their asses and fix the issue (they're quite happy with letting OSU get whatever it wants and leaving the rest to fight for scraps).

(08-08-2016 09:25 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  The challenge for Kent St is that historically they have one of the worst football programs in FBS, there are no glory days for the Golden Flashes to harken back to and inspire hope for a brighter tomorrow.

How could you forget about the glory days of the 1950 something Refrigerator Bowl?!?! Those were the days!!! (sarcasm by the way )

(08-09-2016 08:28 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  

(08-09-2016 07:58 PM)ilovegymnast Wrote:  

(08-09-2016 04:36 PM)kreed5120 Wrote:  If they were to combine schools to make a flagship University, combining Akron and Kent makes the most sense. YSU and CSU are far enough away to be a logistical nightmare. Also, it would be extremely challenging, if not impossible, to have a 100k campus in NEO and build credibility as a prestigious University.

Kent has 9 campuses across NEO so adding 3 more wouldn't affect them too much on the day to day operations. I personally think it would be too much when it comes to enrollment to have nearly 100k students. I'm not advocating for it and actually hope it never happens.

The University of California has 238,700 students and multiple major campuses including six with 20k or more students (Berkley, Santa Barbara, Los Angeles, San Diego, Davis, and Irvine).

California State University is even bigger, with 460,200 students. San Diego State, San Jose State, and Fresno State are a part of it, and all compete in the Mountain West.

The University of Texas system has UT Austin, UTEP, UTSA, UT Arlington, and others.

More relevant to the MAC is the SUNY system.

The benefits of letting campuses specialize which programs each offers while limiting competition far outweighs the logistical problems that might arise. You don't need to have a single huge flagship campus, and each campus can maintain their brand identity and athletics as each one sees fit.

Ohio has no public university system, which has led to massive cannibalization of resources by state universities all trying to compete with each other. The NE Ohio universities shouldn't wait for the Board of Regents to get off their asses and fix the issue (they're quite happy with letting OSU get whatever it wants and leaving the rest to fight for scraps).

Those states that you mention have populations of 39 million, 27.5 million, and 19.8 million with Universities spread throughout the entire state. This proposed University would have nearly 100k students in a region that represents less than 4 million Ohio residents. Ohio as a state could easily have a system of 200k+ with 4 flagships OSU, Cincy, Akron/Kent, and Toledo/BG.

NEO as a whole would have to raise admission standards if it wanted to become a respected flagship. These would need to be applied acrossed the board as you wouldn't want a degree from 1 school devaluing a degree from another. This will lead to decreased enrollment not making it economically viable to support 4 campuses of that size. Not to mention it would leave some people no option of attending a school in NEO as they wouldn't be accepted.

TL;DR: I feel a roughly 50k enrollment research institution is about what NEO could support. Akron can focus on science, engineering, and law while Kent does liberal arts etc. Limit the programs offered at both Universities. CSU and YSU meanwhile remain at their current admission standard rates and are those Universities you went to because you couldn't get into Kent/Akron.

(08-08-2016 04:10 PM)uakronkid Wrote:  A complete merger into a mega-university doesn't make much sense. Putting Akron, KSU, CSU, YSU, and NEOMED together under the umbrella of a Northeast Ohio University System makes tons of sense. Each campus gets to retain its individuality (and sports teams), but the universities share their resources and each campus could specialize further than they do now which saves money and creates more attractive specialty programs.

Maybe it's just semantics, but I like the System idea better.

I agree with allowing each campus to keep its name/identity but why wouldn't you merge athletic departments to raise the profile while saving costs? There would be no need for multiple football, baseball and mens/womens soccer teams. Basketball, maybe.

The state already recognizes KSU as the NE Ohio regional university. They aren't merging with anyone.

Akron, CSU, and YSU are urban/city universities. There has long been talk of them merging in some way or another but I don't see a lot of impetus for it to happen.

(08-09-2016 08:38 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 09:25 PM)perimeterpost Wrote:  The challenge for Kent St is that historically they have one of the worst football programs in FBS, there are no glory days for the Golden Flashes to harken back to and inspire hope for a brighter tomorrow.

How could you forget about the glory days of the 1950 something Refrigerator Bowl?!?! Those were the days!!! (sarcasm by the way )

Hey - we had glory days in football!!! From September 19th, 2012 to November 23rd 2012. That's 64 days. We went 10-0 over that stretch with a win over #15 Rutgers.

Of course that led into a 5-game FBS losing streak.

(08-08-2016 11:33 AM)axeme Wrote:  Silliness. Emphasizing basketball does not equate to dropping football any more than emphasizing football equates to dropping basketball.

Using that logic one might conclude that Miami is dropping both given their recent history.

Yeah ... Akron and Kent State should merge.

???

Kent State and Akron merging make about as much sense as MiamiU and OhioU merging, or Toledo and Bowling Green merging.

The Redhawks could keep Hockey, the Bobcats could keep Football, Basketball, and then go down the list.

Or we could start in the P5 and look for mergers of Bama and Auburn, UNC and NC State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, to name a few.

I've heard some silly notions on internet sports forums over the years, but that one ranks right up there.

(08-15-2016 11:12 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(08-08-2016 11:33 AM)axeme Wrote:  Silliness. Emphasizing basketball does not equate to dropping football any more than emphasizing football equates to dropping basketball.

Using that logic one might conclude that Miami is dropping both given their recent history.

Yeah ... Akron and Kent State should merge.

???

Kent State and Akron merging make about as much sense as MiamiU and OhioU merging, or Toledo and Bowling Green merging.

The Redhawks could keep Hockey, the Bobcats could keep Football, Basketball, and then go down the list.

Or we could start in the P5 and look for mergers of Bama and Auburn, UNC and NC State, Oklahoma and Oklahoma State, to name a few.

I've heard some silly notions on internet sports forums over the years, but that one ranks right up there.

Just as silly as suggesting that sports programs could be a reason for educational institutions merging. 99% of the activity in any school is not sports related.