The unofficial online home for fans of the Kent State University Golden Flashes. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

As many, if not all, of you know, KSU and the city of Kent are on the verge of reinventing Kent State and Kent. Do you agree with all that is going on?

For example, KSU is about to embark on $250 million dollars of renovations/additions to buildings. To pay for the cost, KSU is set to impose a $24 per credit hour fee on students to pay for costs. I love KSU as much as the rest of you, but that is an extra $2904 to graduate from Kent State at the minimum 121 credit hours needed for graduation. KSU officials say that will create 7,500 construction jobs.

Not to turn this political (but I am), this is starting to sound like the Obama Administration with regards to the stimulus package.

I'm real curious how other die hard KSU fans feel about what is going on because if I am starting to get upset, then I can only imagine how other people that don't have the emotional attachment to Kent State feels.

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/2.../100919898

I've been trying to keep up with the updates coming out of Kent on this project, so thanks for the link.
As far as my thoughts, I was a freshmen when the student body voted for the Rec Center. I voted NO, and boy did I mean "N-O!" I was enraged that that thing passed. However, as my four years of college dwindled into 8, not including grad school, I went to the Rec every day after it was finished. At band camp, we used the hot tub in the evenings to rest sore muscles. The Rec Center is a genius idea, and I reaped the benefits, despite my initial shock of the cost. Although I do still miss that corn field on Summit St. (NOT).
As far as the renovations, Kent needs to move forward as a university and as a municipality. If you go to State College this weekend, you will see what I mean. If you go to Ann Arbor, you will see what I mean. This weekend my wife and I plan to go to UNC - Chapel Hill to visit the campus. It is just a nice downtown. We have a 40k+ student college town in Kent, Ohio. When we come out of this recession, I would love to see Kent become a spotlight for NE Ohio. Hopefully, I will get to move back to Ohio by then too.
The students need something to take pride in living at. I'm sorry to say, but the city doesn't bring that anymore. A nicer downtown brings more applicants, more college tours, that lead to more trade in the city. It will pay off.

They can call it a 'fee' if they want, but to me it equates to a tax being imposed on top of tuition. I presume students had no say in this, so the only way their voice can be heard is if the transfer. I don't know that it would have caused me to leave the school but that's only because I was involved in so many activities there. Students who aren't as engaged may be more inclined to look for a cheaper alternative.

Furthermore, if there wasn't so much wasted money already in higher education, maybe it wouldn't be such a big deal. But before they pile more cost onto the students, President Lefton ought to look at how the university could come up with funds by operating more efficiently.

I'm not sure what the objection is. The purpose of the plan is not to provide economic stimulation, but to improve the university, making it more attractive to top students. That it will create jobs in NE Ohio is just a side benefit.

I think the university badly needs the renovations and additions if it is to keep moving forward as an academic institution. It looks like they have a plan to pay for it, too. Even with the additional fees, KSU tuition is still a comparative bargain.

I'm not sure how else you do pay for it if the people that most directly benefit--students--don't contribute. Note that there is also money from other sources as well. I think we have to do this if we are going to continue on our path to be one of the top state universities in Ohio.

I think it's been a long time coming and long needed. My complaint is how long it has taken to get to this point.

I may have to eat a little crow here, and if I do, it will taste good. I have been harsh on LL as I had heard that he was anti athletics, and had an air of elitism surrounding him. From what I am now seeing, elitism is something that my Alma Mater can use. We have always accepted KSU as a blue collar, for the average, rather, mundane university. Ohio has an abundance of those, so why can we not be above, or more elite, than the others? It looks to me that LL, in the face of criticism, has had a vision and master plan for us all along. I now subscribe to that vision with him. He is the first President to my knowledge, to recognize that the town is important to the university image. And, image and perception is very, very important to recruiting the best students and faculty. Sure, the investing hurts for now, but the return on investment, IMHO, is more than worth it. Also, LL had to take the issue upon himself because it is well known, that the leadership in the City has never considered image and quality of aesthetic experience as their concern. Thanks LL.

Agree with axeme 100% ( and even more if it were possible!).

To build upon thoughts in an enrollment thread, KSU is at a critical junction. The strong foundation was laid by C2- just upgrade academics all around. L2 is right to build upon it- be a destination campus in a destination community that can compete with not only the other state traditional campuses in Ohio- primarily Miami, OU and BG- but the best of the private schools such as Case. And, win more out of state students who pay more anyway.

If we can and do, KSU wins big and YOUR degree is worth a whole lot more in the market no matter when you got it. Better students leads to better retention rates leads to better graduation rates leads to better employer recruiting leads to better student recruiting leads to better reputation. It starts a virtuous cycle with payoffs for current students and alumni.

If KSU becomes what it can be as a result of L2's plan ( and I think it will), the return on the $2,900 extra will be handsome for our incoming students. If it doesn't, we have to compete for the dwindling numbers of HS graduates in Ohio and Midwest over the next 10 years without a clear advantage.

Agree with GF 68 100%, too.

We are surrounded by the WalMarts of higher education. Why not be the Nordstrom?

When I first saw this thread I thought it was going to be about the fight song. I was even going to write out the words to the victory march.

That said many of the improvements will be really nice. It only sucks when you have to pay for them and then you do not get to reap the benefit but that will happen every time in a situation like this. The rec center is a great example that was the best place to go after/during band camp and was worth the cost, but I am sure there are those out there who paid for the rec and never got to use it. They probably were not happy with it unless they come back later and don't let their feelings cloud their judgment since they could not use it.

(09-16-2010 11:17 AM)FlashFan Wrote:  Agree with GF 68 100%, too.

We are surrounded by the WalMarts of higher education. Why not be the Nordstrom?

Or the Coldstone Creamery in a world of Dairy Queens!

Or the Five Guys Burgers in a world of McDonalds!

(09-16-2010 12:50 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(09-16-2010 11:17 AM)FlashFan Wrote:  Agree with GF 68 100%, too.

We are surrounded by the WalMarts of higher education. Why not be the Nordstrom?

Or the Coldstone Creamery in a world of Dairy Queens!

Or the Five Guys Burgers in a world of McDonalds!

MMMMMMM foooood... Dang mid day hunger...

I may have missed it in the reading but it doesnt say how long these "fees" will be imposed. Im guessing that once in effect they will never go away. By the sounds of it though there will be a lot more professors being added so the money will go towards paying them. Is there a link anywhere to the new degrees being added?

(09-16-2010 12:49 PM)Sultan of Euphonistan Wrote:  When I first saw this thread I thought it was going to be about the fight song. I was even going to write out the words to the victory march.

We are 45 hours from kick off no reason not to start up the fight song and keep it going till the game is over.

FIGHT ON FOR KSU, FIGHT FOR THE BLUE AND GOLD...

Take it away Sultan

Ok, first, if someone has a link to download the fight song so I can put it on my ipod - please provide.

Secondly, to weigh in on the issue at hand. Is there a difference if they just raised tuition by 5-7% for all 40,000+ students and did the renovations anyway? At least they are being up front and honest about what they want to do, what the estimated costs are, and how they plan to do everything. If it improves the city and the university, it will trickle down to our athletic teams and other areas. We will then be more prideful in our Alma Mater. That may also result in more donations. I have no objections personally to anything they want to do to make OUR university more attractive to future students/athletes/alumni.

WE'RE OUT TO BEAT THE FOE, FIGHT ON BRAVE AND BOLD (OI! OI! OI!)

There is no such thing as a free lunch - if you want a world class university environment somebody has to pay for it. When I attended KSU in the 70s I used to joke that KSU was a prime example of post WW II East German architecture (All cement). Compared to the competing MAC schools like Miami and OU, KSU simply had no charm once you left the front campus. When I studied Business at one of the best undergraduate B schools in the country, one of the first things they taught us was the law of supply and demand. Judging from the latest enrollment numbers the demand is pretty good. The second thing they taught us was that you raise prices when the market allows particularly if you are going to invest the new revenues in a project where the NPV of the investment return is greater than $1. I think this project passes both tests, besides I am tired of not having any hotels in town when I come back for homecoming.

(09-16-2010 03:01 PM)dannyb73 Wrote:  Ok, first, if someone has a link to download the fight song so I can put it on my ipod - please provide.

Secondly, to weigh in on the issue at hand. Is there a difference if they just raised tuition by 5-7% for all 40,000+ students and did the renovations anyway? At least they are being up front and honest about what they want to do, what the estimated costs are, and how they plan to do everything. If it improves the city and the university, it will trickle down to our athletic teams and other areas. We will then be more prideful in our Alma Mater. That may also result in more donations. I have no objections personally to anything they want to do to make OUR university more attractive to future students/athletes/alumni.

Well the fee does raise tuition 6% but it sounds alot friendlier if you say the dollar amount then a percentage. I don'd like how the university has to involved with downtown. The city should have done this years ago instead of letting it crumb apart.
I grew up in Kent and rarely went downtown. I have been disappointed for years in the citizens of the city and the people in office. To many development plans have been scratched from people not wanting to move forward. Then letting the plazas on 43 to stay vacant for so long.

And now back to the fight song..

FIGHT ON FOR VICTORY, DON'T STOP UNTIL WE'RE THROUGH

I will be heading off to college next year and have applied to schools already. In absolutly no way am I putting a ksu education down, but kent is a place where the people from my school and neighboring schools go to party, the types of kids who don't really care about school. Don't get me wrong I love kent as much as anybody I spent a lot of time on campus when I was younger because my grandma was a sorority mom and thats why I am such a fan. Now I may love the sports and overall place, and I wanted to go to kent for a lonnnggggg time, other schools offer so much more. The schools I am favoring are osu, Penn state, purdue, and illlinois. Once going to these schools I realized Kent was far behind other schools. While these schools have more funding, I also went to ball states campus and it's beautiful there, everything looks new and well kept. I just don't see that as much at kent. The city is lacking, half of the student population doesn't care about anything except alcohal (I know 50+ people at kent so I'm not just guessing), and much is out dated. I know this project will improve the campus and surrounding area greatly which surely will help get more students, but unless some standards are raised with the majority of the students there, ksu won't develop into a higher end school. All people ever see on the news or newspapers in northeast Ohio about kent is riots or parties and things like that. Improve the perception of the school along with the school pride, and making it look nicer, and I'm a golden flash.

Yea we "riot" people hold it against us all the time. Other schools go nuts and burn couches every weekend and they are civilized. You are right of course naeskent77 there is little local involvement though it is improving.

WE'RE ALL TOGETHER LET'S GO FORWARD, K (OI) S (OI) U(OI OI).

Kent State University Victory March

FIGHT FOR KSU, BRING VICTORY HOME FOR GOLD AND BLUE!

Can anybody finish it? Very few people know this song so you will get a cookie for finishing it (once I figure out how to give cookies on this site).

(09-17-2010 12:49 AM)Sultan of Euphonistan Wrote:  Yea we "riot" people hold it against us all the time. Other schools go nuts and burn couches every weekend and they are civilized. You are right of course naeskent77 there is little local involvement though it is improving.

WE'RE ALL TOGETHER LET'S GO FORWARD, K (OI) S (OI) U(OI OI).

Kent State University Victory March

FIGHT FOR KSU, BRING VICTORY HOME FOR GOLD AND BLUE!

Can anybody finish it? Very few people know this song so you will get a cookie for finishing it (once I figure out how to give cookies on this site).

I appreciate the passion, but I want to put the fight song on my ipod! Help a brotha out.

(09-16-2010 11:12 PM)naeskent77 Wrote:  I will be heading off to college next year and have applied to schools already. In absolutly no way am I putting a ksu education down, but kent is a place where the people from my school and neighboring schools go to party, the types of kids who don't really care about school. Don't get me wrong I love kent as much as anybody I spent a lot of time on campus when I was younger because my grandma was a sorority mom and thats why I am such a fan. Now I may love the sports and overall place, and I wanted to go to kent for a lonnnggggg time, other schools offer so much more. The schools I am favoring are osu, Penn state, purdue, and illlinois. Once going to these schools I realized Kent was far behind other schools. While these schools have more funding, I also went to ball states campus and it's beautiful there, everything looks new and well kept. I just don't see that as much at kent. The city is lacking, half of the student population doesn't care about anything except alcohal (I know 50+ people at kent so I'm not just guessing), and much is out dated. I know this project will improve the campus and surrounding area greatly which surely will help get more students, but unless some standards are raised with the majority of the students there, ksu won't develop into a higher end school. All people ever see on the news or newspapers in northeast Ohio about kent is riots or parties and things like that. Improve the perception of the school along with the school pride, and making it look nicer, and I'm a golden flash.

If half the student population at Kent State only cares about alcohol, 74.3% at OSU only cares about alcohol. That is the pot calling the kettle black. And while PSU has a GREAT academic reputation, there is a reason it too is known as a "party" school. I cannot educationally comment on PU and Illinois.

(09-17-2010 01:54 AM)dannyb73 Wrote:  I appreciate the passion, but I want to put the fight song on my ipod! Help a brotha out.

Ask and you shall receive.

http://www.ksualumni.org/s/401/index.asp...1&pgid=273

Just go down the page until you see "listen to the fight song" right click and save the file to your computer. No singing though.

HOLY CRAP the victory march words are there and there is a second verse! Who knew?

EDIT: And there is a hymn? Why did I not know this. Must play on my piano must learn every school song ever...