(07-28-2023 01:43 PM)niu16 Wrote:  While not as nice as what NIU has, ISU has now an indoor facility to call home.
https://www.redbirdfan.net/community/ind...749/page-3

Inflatable practice facilities are better than nothing, but not in the same neighborhood as NIU's. Always thought it was a cop out the EMU went that direction.

(07-28-2023 08:25 AM)Klake1987 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 08:07 AM)niu16 Wrote:  https://www.tspr.org/tspr-local/2023-07-...needed-now

Maybe it is time to reduce number of state universities. The politicians in western part of state will fight like hell

And they absolutely should.

Western’s situation is not NIU’s situation. WIU has been in a death spiral for years. Their Quad Cities campus has been a complete and total boondoggle from the start that has really hampered the university. The moline mayor was in talks with U of I to creat an engineering satellite campus, but just as that was getting done, a pro-WIU QC mayor (an academic from Augustana College) was voted into office, and the deal died. However, the community found out that only a handful of students were enrolled at the campus, and everyone was pissed off because WIU received preferential treatment for that real estate and has never made good on their promise to develop an actual student body there. The campus was supposed to have been built in three phases. They never got past the first. The on-campus dorms have been converted to regular apartments. The university’s leadership is just a complete mess, and a lot of that has to do with division among leaders regarding the QC campus. It’s just a total **** show.

NIU otoh is dealing with problems that are widely shared among regional universities across the nation. It will never get back to 25k students because of demographic shifts, but I don’t think it’s in danger of closing anytime soon. I think WIU is, though. I’d like to see all state universities close except for NIU, SIU, ISU, and both UI campuses. The others are just dead weight that are siphoning off resources from the others. At some point, you have to sacrifice the low performers in order to save the whole system.

(07-30-2023 12:49 AM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Western’s situation is not NIU’s situation. WIU has been in a death spiral for years. Their Quad Cities campus has been a complete and total boondoggle from the start that has really hampered the university. The moline mayor was in talks with U of I to creat an engineering satellite campus, but just as that was getting done, a pro-WIU QC mayor (an academic from Augustana College) was voted into office, and the deal died. However, the community found out that only a handful of students were enrolled at the campus, and everyone was pissed off because WIU received preferential treatment for that real estate and has never made good on their promise to develop an actual student body there. The campus was supposed to have been built in three phases. They never got past the first. The on-campus dorms have been converted to regular apartments. The university’s leadership is just a complete mess, and a lot of that has to do with division among leaders regarding the QC campus. It’s just a total **** show.

NIU otoh is dealing with problems that are widely shared among regional universities across the nation. It will never get back to 25k students because of demographic shifts, but I don’t think it’s in danger of closing anytime soon. I think WIU is, though. I’d like to see all state universities close except for NIU, SIU, ISU, and both UI campuses. The others are just dead weight that are siphoning off resources from the others. At some point, you have to sacrifice the low performers in order to save the whole system.

This may be something I'm misremembering or completely getting wrong, but I was under the impression the SIUe campus was doing relatively well and being situated next to St. Louis (within a high-ish population center in the Metro-East suburbs of St. Louis) is a big reason for that. Seems like closing that campus would be telling all of those kids who go there, "you might as well go to a school across the river".

(07-30-2023 08:10 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(07-30-2023 12:49 AM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Western’s situation is not NIU’s situation. WIU has been in a death spiral for years. Their Quad Cities campus has been a complete and total boondoggle from the start that has really hampered the university. The moline mayor was in talks with U of I to creat an engineering satellite campus, but just as that was getting done, a pro-WIU QC mayor (an academic from Augustana College) was voted into office, and the deal died. However, the community found out that only a handful of students were enrolled at the campus, and everyone was pissed off because WIU received preferential treatment for that real estate and has never made good on their promise to develop an actual student body there. The campus was supposed to have been built in three phases. They never got past the first. The on-campus dorms have been converted to regular apartments. The university’s leadership is just a complete mess, and a lot of that has to do with division among leaders regarding the QC campus. It’s just a total **** show.

NIU otoh is dealing with problems that are widely shared among regional universities across the nation. It will never get back to 25k students because of demographic shifts, but I don’t think it’s in danger of closing anytime soon. I think WIU is, though. I’d like to see all state universities close except for NIU, SIU, ISU, and both UI campuses. The others are just dead weight that are siphoning off resources from the others. At some point, you have to sacrifice the low performers in order to save the whole system.

This may be something I'm misremembering or completely getting wrong, but I was under the impression the SIUe campus was doing relatively well and being situated next to St. Louis (within a high-ish population center in the Metro-East suburbs of St. Louis) is a big reason for that. Seems like closing that campus would be telling all of those kids who go there, "you might as well go to a school across the river".

I believe that the SIU-E enrollment is larger than SIU-C.

Do not forget about Chicago State. Now that is a money pit.

(07-30-2023 11:47 AM)NIU75 Wrote:  Do not forget about Chicago State. Now that is a money pit.

So is Governors State University and Northeastern Illinois University. Although if NIU was able to merge with Northeastern it would be a big win because of its location!

(07-30-2023 12:49 AM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Western’s situation is not NIU’s situation. WIU has been in a death spiral for years. Their Quad Cities campus has been a complete and total boondoggle from the start that has really hampered the university. The moline mayor was in talks with U of I to creat an engineering satellite campus, but just as that was getting done, a pro-WIU QC mayor (an academic from Augustana College) was voted into office, and the deal died. However, the community found out that only a handful of students were enrolled at the campus, and everyone was pissed off because WIU received preferential treatment for that real estate and has never made good on their promise to develop an actual student body there. The campus was supposed to have been built in three phases. They never got past the first. The on-campus dorms have been converted to regular apartments. The university’s leadership is just a complete mess, and a lot of that has to do with division among leaders regarding the QC campus. It’s just a total **** show.

NIU otoh is dealing with problems that are widely shared among regional universities across the nation. It will never get back to 25k students because of demographic shifts, but I don’t think it’s in danger of closing anytime soon. I think WIU is, though. I’d like to see all state universities close except for NIU, SIU, ISU, and both UI campuses. The others are just dead weight that are siphoning off resources from the others. At some point, you have to sacrifice the low performers in order to save the whole system.

+100 You are completely correct about the U of I deal being derailed. Augustana College did not want the U of I in its backyard competing with it.

I believe it was mentioned in another topic that the best solution would be to create a statewide public university system, much like Wisconsin, which incorporates community/junior colleges as well as 4- year schools. This would provide economies of scale and the ability for individual schools to focus on certain things reducing overlap and costs. Alas, this isn’t about to happen in my lifetime.

(07-30-2023 07:42 PM)Prince Crossing Wrote:  I believe it was mentioned in another topic that the best solution would be to create a statewide public university system, much like Wisconsin, which incorporates community/junior colleges as well as 4- year schools. This would provide economies of scale and the ability for individual schools to focus on certain things reducing overlap and costs. Alas, this isn’t about to happen in my lifetime.

This makes to much sense and will never happen but I like your thinking.

(07-30-2023 08:10 AM)Big Red Wrote:  

(07-30-2023 12:49 AM)Rawdog10 Wrote:  Western’s situation is not NIU’s situation. WIU has been in a death spiral for years. Their Quad Cities campus has been a complete and total boondoggle from the start that has really hampered the university. The moline mayor was in talks with U of I to creat an engineering satellite campus, but just as that was getting done, a pro-WIU QC mayor (an academic from Augustana College) was voted into office, and the deal died. However, the community found out that only a handful of students were enrolled at the campus, and everyone was pissed off because WIU received preferential treatment for that real estate and has never made good on their promise to develop an actual student body there. The campus was supposed to have been built in three phases. They never got past the first. The on-campus dorms have been converted to regular apartments. The university’s leadership is just a complete mess, and a lot of that has to do with division among leaders regarding the QC campus. It’s just a total **** show.

NIU otoh is dealing with problems that are widely shared among regional universities across the nation. It will never get back to 25k students because of demographic shifts, but I don’t think it’s in danger of closing anytime soon. I think WIU is, though. I’d like to see all state universities close except for NIU, SIU, ISU, and both UI campuses. The others are just dead weight that are siphoning off resources from the others. At some point, you have to sacrifice the low performers in order to save the whole system.

This may be something I'm misremembering or completely getting wrong, but I was under the impression the SIUe campus was doing relatively well and being situated next to St. Louis (within a high-ish population center in the Metro-East suburbs of St. Louis) is a big reason for that. Seems like closing that campus would be telling all of those kids who go there, "you might as well go to a school across the river".

You’re correct, but I consider SIU-E to be part of SIU.

I always thought either EIU or WIU would be the first major Illinois university to close, after a few smaller colleges fell by the wayside, given the direction of education and population. I assumed that EIU would be the most targeted simply because it is so close to U of Illness, while WIU kind of supports it's own area of the state.

Think of how strong the rest of the state universities would be if you closed the weakest 5 or 6 Illinois colleges and universities, and pushed students and $ to the remaining institutions. The politics behind this would be nuts, guessing some if it will happen over time naturally, but makes perfect sense.

Eventually the overall financial health if Illinois will force closures or require state income tax to go up to pay for underfunded pensions etc

(07-28-2023 01:36 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 01:14 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 12:14 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The Illinois State University raised more than $34M dollars in private support in the past fiscal year.
Citing a relationship with UNITE, a training, consulting, and technology company, the University increased business engagement and collaboration.
…
the University’s endowment fund grew during the past year to over $204M…. Over the past year, donors established 76 new scholarships.


Illinois State Raised more than $34 million.

ISU has been running circles around NIU for a decade now. I understand that NIU is on the verge of launching a substantial fundraiser but classic case of NIU leadership once again being asleep at the wheel while the school was in decline. They should have been hitting the pavement to raise private dollars over a decade ago when the decline first started. Once you lose momentum and start to fall behind, it is that much tougher to narrow the gap and get back in race. NIU has a lot of work to do but at least they seem to know it and are going to attempt to do something about it. If the school does nothing it will be NIU instead of WIU showing up in these articles.

Same with NIU Athletics. When NIU football was firing on all cylinders, going to the Orange Bowl, making the MAC Championship game every season, had a QB go to the Heisman ceremony, and had multiple 10+ win seasons in a row they should have been fundraising for Huskie Stadium. What a wasted opportunity while NIU was getting tons of national publicity.

For years I maintained NIU dropped the ball after Orange Bowl. Didn't capitalize. While they didn't capitalize, I am not sure about dropping the ball any more.

NIU is relatively young as to D1 and leaving the teaching institution tag behind. Add the that winning with any regularity.

I don't know why there wasn't any big time $ dropped. I fail to believe no one tried. I do believe perhaps the direction wasn't there.

We know the commuter school tag. Demographics of enrollment. That most never go back. Same can be said on ISU I am sure. But there are things that separate NIU from ISU and even other schools.

NIU isn't taking a Chicago market. NEVER were without a fee BCS bowls or stepping up a class. It's close to Chicago but not close enough to be a Chicago school. Heck when I was there I thought it was more about Rockford in coverage. Bloomington-Normal is 160k. DeKalb-Sycamore what, 65k? They have their own news. It is a small metro area where people live, work even go to from surrounding areas. People aren't going to DeKalb, rather leaving for entertainment.

Also, would be interesting to see who donates. Corporations in B-N? Individuals with money and nothing to spend it on? White collar vs. farmers? And to ISUs credit, they raised that much money with I-UC in their back yard! Simply put people have more options for their buck in and around DeKalb. And as I have said before, I could not get one person out of a core of maybe 8 alumni I know to donate a buck. One is even retired now young and would be the 1st to say not spending $ on things like NIU is the reason why. (Sarcasm and true)

(07-31-2023 11:50 AM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 01:36 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 01:14 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 12:14 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The Illinois State University raised more than $34M dollars in private support in the past fiscal year.
Citing a relationship with UNITE, a training, consulting, and technology company, the University increased business engagement and collaboration.
…
the University’s endowment fund grew during the past year to over $204M…. Over the past year, donors established 76 new scholarships.


Illinois State Raised more than $34 million.

ISU has been running circles around NIU for a decade now. I understand that NIU is on the verge of launching a substantial fundraiser but classic case of NIU leadership once again being asleep at the wheel while the school was in decline. They should have been hitting the pavement to raise private dollars over a decade ago when the decline first started. Once you lose momentum and start to fall behind, it is that much tougher to narrow the gap and get back in race. NIU has a lot of work to do but at least they seem to know it and are going to attempt to do something about it. If the school does nothing it will be NIU instead of WIU showing up in these articles.

Same with NIU Athletics. When NIU football was firing on all cylinders, going to the Orange Bowl, making the MAC Championship game every season, had a QB go to the Heisman ceremony, and had multiple 10+ win seasons in a row they should have been fundraising for Huskie Stadium. What a wasted opportunity while NIU was getting tons of national publicity.

For years I maintained NIU dropped the ball after Orange Bowl. Didn't capitalize. While they didn't capitalize, I am not sure about dropping the ball any more.

NIU is relatively young as to D1 and leaving the teaching institution tag behind. Add the that winning with any regularity.

I don't know why there wasn't any big time $ dropped. I fail to believe no one tried. I do believe perhaps the direction wasn't there.

We know the commuter school tag. Demographics of enrollment. That most never go back. Same can be said on ISU I am sure. But there are things that separate NIU from ISU and even other schools.

NIU isn't taking a Chicago market. NEVER were without a fee BCS bowls or stepping up a class. It's close to Chicago but not close enough to be a Chicago school. Heck when I was there I thought it was more about Rockford in coverage. Bloomington-Normal is 160k. DeKalb-Sycamore what, 65k? They have their own news. It is a small metro area where people live, work even go to from surrounding areas. People aren't going to DeKalb, rather leaving for entertainment.

Also, would be interesting to see who donates. Corporations in B-N? Individuals with money and nothing to spend it on? White collar vs. farmers? And to ISUs credit, they raised that much money with I-UC in their back yard! Simply put people have more options for their buck in and around DeKalb. And as I have said before, I could not get one person out of a core of maybe 8 alumni I know to donate a buck. One is even retired now young and would be the 1st to say not spending $ on things like NIU is the reason why. (Sarcasm and true)

https://maps.illinoisstate.edu/locations/business/

State Farm and Country financial have backed this project.

(07-31-2023 12:59 PM)niu16 Wrote:  

(07-31-2023 11:50 AM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 01:36 PM)epasnoopy Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 01:14 PM)HuskieTap22 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 12:14 PM)Dog Fan Wrote:  The Illinois State University raised more than $34M dollars in private support in the past fiscal year.
Citing a relationship with UNITE, a training, consulting, and technology company, the University increased business engagement and collaboration.
…
the University’s endowment fund grew during the past year to over $204M…. Over the past year, donors established 76 new scholarships.


Illinois State Raised more than $34 million.

ISU has been running circles around NIU for a decade now. I understand that NIU is on the verge of launching a substantial fundraiser but classic case of NIU leadership once again being asleep at the wheel while the school was in decline. They should have been hitting the pavement to raise private dollars over a decade ago when the decline first started. Once you lose momentum and start to fall behind, it is that much tougher to narrow the gap and get back in race. NIU has a lot of work to do but at least they seem to know it and are going to attempt to do something about it. If the school does nothing it will be NIU instead of WIU showing up in these articles.

Same with NIU Athletics. When NIU football was firing on all cylinders, going to the Orange Bowl, making the MAC Championship game every season, had a QB go to the Heisman ceremony, and had multiple 10+ win seasons in a row they should have been fundraising for Huskie Stadium. What a wasted opportunity while NIU was getting tons of national publicity.

For years I maintained NIU dropped the ball after Orange Bowl. Didn't capitalize. While they didn't capitalize, I am not sure about dropping the ball any more.

NIU is relatively young as to D1 and leaving the teaching institution tag behind. Add the that winning with any regularity.

I don't know why there wasn't any big time $ dropped. I fail to believe no one tried. I do believe perhaps the direction wasn't there.

We know the commuter school tag. Demographics of enrollment. That most never go back. Same can be said on ISU I am sure. But there are things that separate NIU from ISU and even other schools.

NIU isn't taking a Chicago market. NEVER were without a fee BCS bowls or stepping up a class. It's close to Chicago but not close enough to be a Chicago school. Heck when I was there I thought it was more about Rockford in coverage. Bloomington-Normal is 160k. DeKalb-Sycamore what, 65k? They have their own news. It is a small metro area where people live, work even go to from surrounding areas. People aren't going to DeKalb, rather leaving for entertainment.

Also, would be interesting to see who donates. Corporations in B-N? Individuals with money and nothing to spend it on? White collar vs. farmers? And to ISUs credit, they raised that much money with I-UC in their back yard! Simply put people have more options for their buck in and around DeKalb. And as I have said before, I could not get one person out of a core of maybe 8 alumni I know to donate a buck. One is even retired now young and would be the 1st to say not spending $ on things like NIU is the reason why. (Sarcasm and true)

https://maps.illinoisstate.edu/locations/business/

State Farm and Country financial have backed this project.

And both are headquartered in Bloomington as opposed to having a distribution center or a computer server location.

(07-28-2023 02:33 PM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 09:46 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  NIU is doing the same things as WIU. They eliminated standardized tests and then admitted students that have no shot at actually completing any type of rigorous college curriculum. NIU gets a lot more outside financial aid help to provide the scholarships that are being cut at WIU. I am not sure it is a fair case to say EIU and WIU should close without including NIU in the equation to be honest. It may turn out that this should be the case, but the entire system NIU included needs to be revamped. My daughter goes to FSU and her Tuition bill is cut in half after Merit based Florida Promise program. You need grades, test scores, and community service hours to qualify. Seems like a big win for both parties based on their 95% retention rate.

Ivy League schools no longer require SAT or ACT scores. Just saying. Why don’t you just say what what is on your mind?

They don't require them but most applicants take the SAT.

(07-31-2023 07:04 PM)brandsxb Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 02:33 PM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 09:46 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  NIU is doing the same things as WIU. They eliminated standardized tests and then admitted students that have no shot at actually completing any type of rigorous college curriculum. NIU gets a lot more outside financial aid help to provide the scholarships that are being cut at WIU. I am not sure it is a fair case to say EIU and WIU should close without including NIU in the equation to be honest. It may turn out that this should be the case, but the entire system NIU included needs to be revamped. My daughter goes to FSU and her Tuition bill is cut in half after Merit based Florida Promise program. You need grades, test scores, and community service hours to qualify. Seems like a big win for both parties based on their 95% retention rate.

Ivy League schools no longer require SAT or ACT scores. Just saying. Why don’t you just say what what is on your mind?

They don't require them but most applicants take the SAT.

Simply put, kids are going to school in other states. Used to be Iowa, Purdue, WMU, IU and the likes. Yes, the UI rejections who wanted a better education than NIU and could afford to pay more.

Now its a better education than NIU, at worst even. But now it's Nebraska, UCF, Bama and numerous other schools. Same kids, many whose parent hate Illinois and want to get out. And for many, now they have a reason to visit their kids, some more than parents visit NIU LOL.

I still blame the fact that Illinois never had a public school a notch below UI. Now kids take all these testing classes and get score up. I know parents with kids with avg grades testing in the 28...30 range, probably 3-4 points than w/o. That gets them into better schools, AND scholarships even! Meanwhile NIU is letting anyone in and giving aid.

Obviously cheapening the education (yes, they are, sorry) without a flashy campus and cheaper to go elsewhere. Now tell me why a kid with any money, can go to school for same price, nicer campus, free elsewhere even considers NIU? Other than close to home.

(07-31-2023 10:18 PM)randyfensfanclub1 Wrote:  

(07-31-2023 07:04 PM)brandsxb Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 02:33 PM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 09:46 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  NIU is doing the same things as WIU. They eliminated standardized tests and then admitted students that have no shot at actually completing any type of rigorous college curriculum. NIU gets a lot more outside financial aid help to provide the scholarships that are being cut at WIU. I am not sure it is a fair case to say EIU and WIU should close without including NIU in the equation to be honest. It may turn out that this should be the case, but the entire system NIU included needs to be revamped. My daughter goes to FSU and her Tuition bill is cut in half after Merit based Florida Promise program. You need grades, test scores, and community service hours to qualify. Seems like a big win for both parties based on their 95% retention rate.

Ivy League schools no longer require SAT or ACT scores. Just saying. Why don’t you just say what what is on your mind?

They don't require them but most applicants take the SAT.

Simply put, kids are going to school in other states. Used to be Iowa, Purdue, WMU, IU and the likes. Yes, the UI rejections who wanted a better education than NIU and could afford to pay more.

Now its a better education than NIU, at worst even. But now it's Nebraska, UCF, Bama and numerous other schools. Same kids, many whose parent hate Illinois and want to get out. And for many, now they have a reason to visit their kids, some more than parents visit NIU LOL.

I still blame the fact that Illinois never had a public school a notch below UI. Now kids take all these testing classes and get score up. I know parents with kids with avg grades testing in the 28...30 range, probably 3-4 points than w/o. That gets them into better schools, AND scholarships even! Meanwhile NIU is letting anyone in and giving aid.

Obviously cheapening the education (yes, they are, sorry) without a flashy campus and cheaper to go elsewhere. Now tell me why a kid with any money, can go to school for same price, nicer campus, free elsewhere even considers NIU? Other than close to home.

The University of Alabama has actively targeted kids from Illinois. I read an article on it and wasn't entire sure why Illinois specifically but it was a thing.

Actually, I think they targeted Illinois specifically because of our high schools (specifically the HSs in Chicago and the suburbs) having a track record of producing highly qualified candidates.

Here's a link to the article...(Trib)

(07-31-2023 07:04 PM)brandsxb Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 02:33 PM)niu1980 Wrote:  

(07-28-2023 09:46 AM)HuskieJ Wrote:  NIU is doing the same things as WIU. They eliminated standardized tests and then admitted students that have no shot at actually completing any type of rigorous college curriculum. NIU gets a lot more outside financial aid help to provide the scholarships that are being cut at WIU. I am not sure it is a fair case to say EIU and WIU should close without including NIU in the equation to be honest. It may turn out that this should be the case, but the entire system NIU included needs to be revamped. My daughter goes to FSU and her Tuition bill is cut in half after Merit based Florida Promise program. You need grades, test scores, and community service hours to qualify. Seems like a big win for both parties based on their 95% retention rate.

Ivy League schools no longer require SAT or ACT scores. Just saying. Why don’t you just say what what is on your mind?

They don't require them but most applicants take the SAT.

Ok. I'll bite. NIU has taken and continues to take inferior students that are not prepared for a rigorous college curriculum. This is not a racist statement as you try to portray it. It is just a fact. Bringing in unprepared students with free tuition was never going to be a winning strategy. NIU leadership has been embarrassingly bad the last 10 years, which had accelerated the decline. If your strategy is to bring in students that are not even meeting HS standards, how about making the first year at school just English, math, and science nothing else to help them along. Instead you just push them through to mostly useless majors and collect state money based on trying to get your enrollment higher. You are not doing your students or brand much good with the model you are building.

All Florida schools require ACT or SAT. UCF is swarming with Illinois kids the past few years. Even a lot at FGCU, which I never thought would be a better school than NIU. But alas, this is not the NIU from 15-20 years ago.