Damn. Between the hockey twins and Great Alaska Shootout, things went to hell once Alaska lost Governor Sarah Palin.

(07-11-2019 07:15 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  For what it's worth, it appears that UA and UAA are the only schools in the state to offer intercollegiate athletics. So if they drop them, the state will have no college sports.

That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective ... eg, a combined UA and UAA could have gymnastics, track / cross country and basketball at Anchorage and skiiing at Fairbanks, and since track / cross country are two sports, hit the 5/5 required to stay Division II. But they'd need another team sport for men and women ... hockey at Fairbanks and women's volleyball (at either) would clear that bar.

If they can't afford hockey, they'd need to add a men's team sport ... both schools are at the minimum two team sports each with MBB, WBB, hockey and women's volleyball.

(07-12-2019 02:41 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 07:15 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  For what it's worth, it appears that UA and UAA are the only schools in the state to offer intercollegiate athletics. So if they drop them, the state will have no college sports.

That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective ... eg, a combined UA and UAA could have gymnastics, track / cross country and basketball at Anchorage and skiiing at Fairbanks, and since track / cross country are two sports, hit the 5/5 required to stay Division II. But they'd need another team sport for men and women ... hockey at Fairbanks and women's volleyball (at either) would clear that bar.

I've seen that suggested, but can you actually do that? Will the NCAA allow the sharing of 10 sports across 2 different universities? For example, can the Univ. of Nebraska (main campus in Lincoln) claim the Univ Nebr. at Omaha's hockey team? Can UN-Omaha put its hockey team in the Big 10 conference because, you know, it's all the "Univ of Nebraska"?

I'm not sure that it is possible to divide the teams between 2 separate degree granting universities. If they can't, then they will need to move all the sports to Anchorage. It would be nice if the NCAA would allow it under these extreme circumstances on behalf of the "student athletes" they say that they are all about. But the NCAA has a rule book it must follow.

More on UAA and UAF

Next Step for University of Alaska: Declaration of Financial Exigency

Quote:FAIRBANKS – The University of Alaska Board of Regents will consider a declaration of financial exigency as a result of the massive $136 million, or 41 percent reduction, to the university’s state-funded operating budget.

In a joint session concluded earlier today, the Alaska Legislature failed to achieve the 45 vote supermajority required to override Governor Dunleavy’s veto of the university’s budget. The Governor’s veto was announced on June 28, just three days before the start of the fiscal year.

UA President Jim Johnsen will present the proposed declaration of financial exigency to the UA Board of Regents for consideration at its special meeting on Monday, July 15, and approval of that request is anticipated. The Board of Regents will discuss options for UA system restructuring and plan to further consider those options on July 30.

“This declaration reflects a sharp turning point,” Johnsen said “financial exigency is an action I never anticipated that this great university or its regents would need to take. But every day we delay increases the size of the cuts required.”

“As we face this action, I want to acknowledge the legislature for passing a responsible budget with a manageable $5 million cut, and recognize those legislators in Juneau who stood up for the university. To those 37, I say thank you. We appreciate your confidence in UA and your informed and inspired statements of support.”

Johnsen said the university’s budget reduction will be closer to $200 million given steps required to protect students, the costs of transition, and projected impacts on non-state revenue sources including tuition, federal grants and student fees are factored in.

In addition to the declaration of financial exigency, the Board of Regents will discuss three organizational restructuring options for moving forward:

* Create a leaner UA by assigning each university a prorated share of the budget reduction
* Eliminate one or more universities and/or community campuses
* Consolidate the university within a single accreditation with shared courses and services

Johnsen said all three approaches will require close cooperation with the Northwest Commission for Colleges and Universities (NWCCU), the group that provides UA with institutional accreditation. Maintaining accreditation for UA programs is of paramount importance, and UA leadership will continue regular conversations with NWCCU.

The Board of Regents will hold its special full board meeting Monday, July 15, 1 to 3 p.m. in Fairbanks in room 204 Butrovich Building, 2025 Yukon Drive, University of Alaska Fairbanks. Teleconference sites will be open in Anchorage, in UAA Administration Building, Room 204 and in Juneau, in UAS Administration Building, Room 204.

The meeting will be live streamed at http://www.alaska.edu/bor/live/.

The meeting agenda and documents will be available online at: https://www.alaska.edu/bor/agendas/

link to above: https://www.alaska.edu/opa/enews/2019/711/

(07-12-2019 07:00 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  

(07-12-2019 02:41 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 07:15 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  For what it's worth, it appears that UA and UAA are the only schools in the state to offer intercollegiate athletics. So if they drop them, the state will have no college sports.

That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective ... eg, a combined UA and UAA could have gymnastics, track / cross country and basketball at Anchorage and skiiing at Fairbanks, and since track / cross country are two sports, hit the 5/5 required to stay Division II. But they'd need another team sport for men and women ... hockey at Fairbanks and women's volleyball (at either) would clear that bar.

I've seen that suggested, but can you actually do that? Will the NCAA allow the sharing of 10 sports across 2 different universities? For example, can the Univ. of Nebraska (main campus in Lincoln) claim the Univ Nebr. at Omaha's hockey team? Can UN-Omaha put its hockey team in the Big 10 conference because, you know, it's all the "Univ of Nebraska"?

I'm not sure that it is possible to divide the teams between 2 separate degree granting universities. If they can't, then they will need to move all the sports to Anchorage. It would be nice if the NCAA would allow it under these extreme circumstances on behalf of the "student athletes" they say that they are all about. But the NCAA has a rule book it must follow.

This is in the context of the discussion in Alaska of possibly consolidating the two Universities of Alaska into a single institution, hence "That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective" ...
... the main point of consolidation would be the imagined or hoped for cost reduction in consolidating the two universities into a single degree granting University with those as the two primary campuses.

(Though the cost reductions might not end up being as much as imagined, since it only happens if redundant administration positions are removed, and the process turns the attention of the people who are paid to come up with more excuses to hire more administrators to the task of justifying have a "Fairbanks location" and an "Anchorage location" person in each spot, plus a "University administrator" to oversee their work.)

(07-12-2019 07:57 PM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-12-2019 07:00 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  

(07-12-2019 02:41 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 07:15 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  For what it's worth, it appears that UA and UAA are the only schools in the state to offer intercollegiate athletics. So if they drop them, the state will have no college sports.

That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective ... eg, a combined UA and UAA could have gymnastics, track / cross country and basketball at Anchorage and skiiing at Fairbanks, and since track / cross country are two sports, hit the 5/5 required to stay Division II. But they'd need another team sport for men and women ... hockey at Fairbanks and women's volleyball (at either) would clear that bar.

I've seen that suggested, but can you actually do that? Will the NCAA allow the sharing of 10 sports across 2 different universities? For example, can the Univ. of Nebraska (main campus in Lincoln) claim the Univ Nebr. at Omaha's hockey team? Can UN-Omaha put its hockey team in the Big 10 conference because, you know, it's all the "Univ of Nebraska"?

I'm not sure that it is possible to divide the teams between 2 separate degree granting universities. If they can't, then they will need to move all the sports to Anchorage. It would be nice if the NCAA would allow it under these extreme circumstances on behalf of the "student athletes" they say that they are all about. But the NCAA has a rule book it must follow.

This is in the context of the discussion in Alaska of possibly consolidating the two Universities of Alaska into a single institution, hence "That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective" ...
... the main point of consolidation would be the imagined or hoped for cost reduction in consolidating the two universities into a single degree granting University with those as the two primary campuses.

(Though the cost reductions might not end up being as much as imagined, since it only happens if redundant administration positions are removed, and the process turns the attention of the people who are paid to come up with more excuses to hire more administrators to the task of justifying have a "Fairbanks location" and an "Anchorage location" person in each spot, plus a "University administrator" to oversee their work.)

3 UA schools. University of Alaska Southeast used to have sports at the D2, but dropped sports. It is a 4 year school. The only other school that offer sports, but not NAIA or NCAA is Alaska Pacific. Mainly skiing.

(07-12-2019 07:00 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  

(07-12-2019 02:41 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(07-11-2019 07:15 PM)Cyniclone Wrote:  For what it's worth, it appears that UA and UAA are the only schools in the state to offer intercollegiate athletics. So if they drop them, the state will have no college sports.

That would be the point of consolidation from an athletic program perspective ... eg, a combined UA and UAA could have gymnastics, track / cross country and basketball at Anchorage and skiiing at Fairbanks, and since track / cross country are two sports, hit the 5/5 required to stay Division II. But they'd need another team sport for men and women ... hockey at Fairbanks and women's volleyball (at either) would clear that bar.

I've seen that suggested, but can you actually do that? Will the NCAA allow the sharing of 10 sports across 2 different universities? For example, can the Univ. of Nebraska (main campus in Lincoln) claim the Univ Nebr. at Omaha's hockey team? Can UN-Omaha put its hockey team in the Big 10 conference because, you know, it's all the "Univ of Nebraska"?

I'm not sure that it is possible to divide the teams between 2 separate degree granting universities. If they can't, then they will need to move all the sports to Anchorage. It would be nice if the NCAA would allow it under these extreme circumstances on behalf of the "student athletes" they say that they are all about. But the NCAA has a rule book it must follow.

LIU are having sports at both Brooklyn and Post campuses. NCAA C-M-S is three seperate schools with sports on all three campus, plus Pomona and Pitzer are 2 schools that combined sports for facilities on both campuses. We might see Central State Ohio with Wilburforce sharing facilities. Might merged both of their sports into one school to save money.

I think what is being proposed is the "dissolving" of the Univ. Alaska-Fairbanks, and it becoming the "research campus" of the newly created "Univ. of Alaska" based in Anchorage. Then some of the sports of the university in Anchorage would be permanently hosted at the "research campus" in Fairbanks. Can anyone think of a similar situation in any other state? But the teams playing in Fairbanks wouldn't be the "Nanooks" anymore wearing blue & gold. They would now be the Univ of Alaska Seawolves wearing green & gold.

I wouldn't mind it if this could be pulled off (especially for the folks in Fairbanks- it would be devastating to lose all their teams all at once). It just seems like a far stretch to me. I suspect this good idea will trip up over all the legal red tape and NCAA bylaws. But I hope I'm wrong.

(07-12-2019 09:20 PM)DavidSt Wrote:  LIU are having sports at both Brooklyn and Post campuses.

That's a good example. (I guess you posted while I was still pondering the question.)

from their unification webpage: http://athletics.liu.edu/
Teams that will compete in Brooklyn are: Basketball (Men’s and Women’s), Bowling (Women’s), Fencing (Women’s), Ice Hockey (Women’s), Softball, Swimming (Women’s), Track & Field (Men’s and Women’s), Volleyball (Women’s), and Water Polo (Women’s).

Teams that will compete at Post are: Baseball, Cross Country (Men’s and Women’s), Equestrian, Field Hockey, Football, Golf (Men’s and Women’s), Lacrosse (Men’s and Women’s), Rowing (Women’s), Rugby (Women’s), Soccer (Men’s and Women’s), Tennis (Women’s), and Wrestling.

(07-12-2019 09:47 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  But the teams playing in Fairbanks wouldn't be the "Nanooks" anymore wearing blue & gold. They would now be the Univ of Alaska Seawolves wearing green & gold.

That would be a mistake. "Nanooks" is a fine nickname.

(07-15-2019 08:33 AM)Schadenfreude Wrote:  

(07-12-2019 09:47 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  But the teams playing in Fairbanks wouldn't be the "Nanooks" anymore wearing blue & gold. They would now be the Univ of Alaska Seawolves wearing green & gold.

That would be a mistake. "Nanooks" is a fine nickname.

There's other wolves, but there is no other "Nanook". It fits Fairbanks perfectly.

They have some great hockey intro videos. Here's my favorite:

Read up on the move to campus for both hockey programs.
Fairbanks has a 1300 seat arena Anchorage 700.
The Fairbanks hockey program has better attendance.
According fans the campus rink could easily double in size .
Sounds like seating on one side is the current set up.

A future larger single university with an on campus hockey rink.
Might be a WAC candidate and work out fine like UTRG has.
A leaner athletic program per student.

https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legi...testimony/

Quote:As the Alaska Legislature’s special-session impasse entered a second week, members of the House Finance Committee introduced new draft legislation to reverse Gov. Mike Dunleavy’s budget cuts, fix problems with the state capital budget and pay a “surplus” Permanent Fund dividend of about $929 per person.

Members of the coalition House majority envision the legislation as a means to solve the state’s budget impasse, but Rep. Neal Foster, D-Nome and co-chairman of the House Finance Committee, said it is more of a “starting point” than a final proposal. Members of the Republican House minority opposed the introduction of the new legislation and questioned its legality.

...



House Bill 2001, as the proposal is known, pays a dividend equivalent to the amount left over in the state’s budget once services are paid for. Without the governor’s vetoes, the state’s budget is balanced if the dividend is about $900. With the vetoes, the budget is balanced under a dividend slightly smaller than $1,500.

Paying a traditional dividend of $3,000 would require further cuts, breaking the Permanent Fund spending limits approved last year, or spending from state savings accounts, such as the Constitutional Budget Reserve.

Which leads to...

https://www.adn.com/politics/alaska-legi...emergency/

Quote:The University of Alaska governing board voted on Monday to delay a decision on whether to declare “financial exigency" — a rare and drastic step that would have allowed UA officials to more quickly end academic programs and remove tenured faculty as they grapple with a 41 percent cut to state funding.

In a 10-1 vote, the UA Board of Regents approved to delay a decision until July 30, with Regent Mary Hughes casting the dissenting vote after about 90 minutes of discussion. Questions remain about whether state lawmakers will reach some sort of deal this month, inserting funding for UA back into another bill.

It sounds like they have the money to keep things going as is, but it'd involve paring back the dividend. Also, there's going to be a petition to recall the governor starting in August.
What a tire fire.

It is delusional to blame these schools for dumping Huntsville and two Alaska schools. They are way out of the footprint, and travel costs must be crazy.

Very wise move.

If there is anyone to blame for UAH, UAA, and UAF being left behind it’s the Big Ten and NCHA for orphaning them with D2 schools who can’t sustain the conference travel

Paging Davidst. could the Alaska schools join a Canadian league?

(07-15-2019 08:27 PM)gosports1 Wrote:  Paging Davidst. could the Alaska schools join a Canadian league?

Such a move would first have to be approved by USports, the governing body of University Sports in Canada (the Canadian equivalent of the NCAA), and that would be no easy feat, given the still large (jet) distances between Canadian Universities and Alaska.

The biggest structural differences is college sports between Canada and the USA is that USports schools offer only limited athletic scholarships. These scholarships can cover a student's tuition and compulsory fees in all provinces except for Ontario, which has a cap of $4,500 awarded. To be eligible, all athletes need at least an 80-per-cent average for first year enrolment. In subsequent years, the minimum average drops to 70 per cent in Ontario and 65 per cent in the rest of Canada. Canadian University hockey is run on a fraction of NCAA budgets. It would be comparable to comparing the budget of an NCAA D-I program to an ACHA Club Hockey program.

The next biggest difference is that Canadian USports has five full years of playing eligibility while the NCAA allows 5 years to fit a four year maximum career of play.

In college hockey, the biggest difference is that USports allows former Canadian Major Junior (OHL, WHL and QMJHL) and former pro players to play, while the NCAA does not allow those players, considering them to be professionals. The Major Junior teams do pay a year's worth of Canadian University tuition for each year a player played major junior hockey (up to three years), but those payments don't not cover room, board and books.

In Canada, Major Junior players join USSports schools at age 19 or 20 when they are not signed by a pro league (NHL, AHL or ECHL) or if they do sign and eventually wash out of those pro leagues. The NCAA does not allow former pros to play college hockey.

In short, I don't see it happening.

The University of Alaska decided to kick the can down the road until July 30th in the hope they are bailed out from financial exigency.

Some background: In the history of the Permanent Fund there has never been a $3000 payout, and only a few greater than $2000. Last few years have been between $1000 and $1200. Point is, both sides are exaggerating the Permanent fund. The vote seems to be 37-23, with 22 of the 23 "no" voters refusing to show up. 45 votes are needed for an override. So the proposal put forward of $900 and change wont work.

My read of the big picture, not the immediate crisis, is that the legislature has been dipping into the Permanent Fund Dividend since the beginning, and has come to rely upon it to fill budget holes. On average over 60% of the Dividend never makes its past the legislature's spending to go out to the intended recipients the Alaskan citizens. The governor and no voters got fed up and put the breaks on it, and in the process targeted the primary constituency that has been lobbying for no Fund payout and instead directing the money to themselves, the University of Alaska employees.

There is an obvious compromise to resolve this, where the governor restore most of the funding in exchange for the legislature to pass a bill (also require 3/4ths override) to guarantee $50 more per person in the fund payout each year from the prior year until it actually reaches the $3000 it was supposed to give out. This would require legislative budgeting to stop using the fund as a piggy bank they can raid, but in a slow process ri wean the State spending from it without massively disrupting things. But I do not think either side will budge on this.

So I expect financial exigency to be declared July 30th and deep cuts to come. I suspect Fairbanks may not have any athletics.

(07-12-2019 09:47 PM)MidWestMidMajor Wrote:  I think what is being proposed is the "dissolving" of the Univ. Alaska-Fairbanks, and it becoming the "research campus" of the newly created "Univ. of Alaska" based in Anchorage. Then some of the sports of the university in Anchorage would be permanently hosted at the "research campus" in Fairbanks. Can anyone think of a similar situation in any other state? But the teams playing in Fairbanks wouldn't be the "Nanooks" anymore wearing blue & gold. They would now be the Univ of Alaska Seawolves wearing green & gold.

I wouldn't mind it if this could be pulled off (especially for the folks in Fairbanks- it would be devastating to lose all their teams all at once). It just seems like a far stretch to me. I suspect this good idea will trip up over all the legal red tape and NCAA bylaws. But I hope I'm wrong.

As long as there is no distinction in enrollment between the two campuses, so that students are all "University of Alaska" students, I think this is one area where the NCAA bylaws help rather than hurt ... all of the "home game" rules are flexible on where those "home games" are actually PLAYED, because of the wide range of arrangements that different schools have. After all, UMass was allowed to have it's primary FB home ground be in Foxborough, until they changed their mind and decided to have their home ground be on campus.

Also note that there are no NCAA rules about a University's athletic nickname, nor colors, so the skiing and ice hockey teams could continue to compete as Nanooks if the people of Alaska wanted it that way.

And the NCAA has a history of accommodating the special needs of the Alaska schools ... perhaps because they have a Population:Senator ratio of under 400K:1.

Majority of the people they do serve are Nanooks and other natives. They could be considered a university that serves Native Americans.