(09-18-2019 07:43 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(09-17-2019 10:26 PM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  Arkansas has too many universities for a state its size. As an Arkansas resident, I really don't get it. We're not exactly swimming in money, even up here in NW Ark. We need to do what Georgia did and downsize and merge institutions to reduce overhead and take advantage of economies of scale.

UA-Fort Smith and UA-Monticello should be branch campuses of UA-Fayetteville and not separate 4 year accredited institutions. UA for the Medical Sciences should also be merged into Fayetteville.

Then we need to wonder what Henderson State, Southern Arkansas, and Central Arkansas are doing that couldn't be served by UA-F, UALR, and ASU branch campuses, the community colleges, and the UArk online program. I'd probably merge Arkansas Tech into ASU too, but I can see an argument for it staying independent.

Arkansas Politics would never allow this to happen. I’m sure being from NWA a lot of these small towns literally hate the neighboring town. Getting everyone into two systems requires everyone to get along, and that simply doesn’t happen here.

Hell Henderson State grads are pushing back against incorporating into ASU, and they are so screwed up the school literally almost went bankrupt

Yeah, it's more of a theoretical exercise. Georgia was able to do it because an unelected board was in charge with all the power.

I think what I'd do is this:

UA-Fayetteville would absorb UAMS and UAFS.
UALR would absorb UCA and Henderson (becoming the de facto university serving Little Rock and the center of the state)
ASU would absorb Southern, Tech, UAPB, and UAM.
And Community colleges would all go into their own system.

Three systems: UA, ASU, and CCs. UA focused on research, doctoral programs, and such; ASU focused on tech, workforce, and community needs.

Pretty much matches the set up in California, Pennsylvania, Minnesota, and a few other states.

All sorts of political problems. Would even get objections from Fayetteville by enlarging and empowering ASU too much. But if I was a consultant, pretty sure that's what I'd come up with. Just a theoretical exercise though.

Interesting but distressing answers. It appears that Arkansas is ahead of the curve of this expected Nationwide decline in student population.

(09-18-2019 11:22 AM)_x_ Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:22 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  the general population decline

Population decline?

Decline in growth is the better way to put it. We are starting to resemble a lot of other developed nations who are not having kids at much of a rate at all. Couple it with fewer international students and a general hostility to our traditional allies and foreign nations and you get a recipe for enrollment decline.

(09-18-2019 11:22 AM)_x_ Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:22 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  the general population decline

Population decline?

People just aint making babies like they used too...

(09-19-2019 03:52 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 11:22 AM)_x_ Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:22 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  the general population decline

Population decline?

Decline in growth is the better way to put it. We are starting to resemble a lot of other developed nations who are not having kids at much of a rate at all. Couple it with fewer international students and a general hostility to our traditional allies and foreign nations and you get a recipe for enrollment decline.

I also think there's a decline in college attendance that's either happening or going to happen. People are really beginning to accept how crushing student debt is and that it may not be worth it relative to a trade school or other options. It's going to hit the non-prestigious private colleges the hardest. I think this trend that we're beginning to see of small private colleges closing is going to accelerate.

But that's also why I think public school consolidation is vital. We need to keep costs as low as possible so that tuition can stay as low as possible.

(09-19-2019 08:07 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 11:22 AM)_x_ Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:22 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  the general population decline

Population decline?

People just aint making babies like they used too...

The way is the same, just not as frequently.

(09-19-2019 08:07 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 11:22 AM)_x_ Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:22 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  the general population decline

Population decline?

People just aint making babies like they used too...

I had my 3rd 6 months ago. I'm doing my part. But you are correct. Very rare that families are having the 5+ children.

(09-20-2019 10:37 AM)CitrusUCF Wrote:  

(09-19-2019 03:52 PM)Crump1 Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 11:22 AM)_x_ Wrote:  

(09-18-2019 09:22 AM)Crump1 Wrote:  the general population decline

Population decline?

Decline in growth is the better way to put it. We are starting to resemble a lot of other developed nations who are not having kids at much of a rate at all. Couple it with fewer international students and a general hostility to our traditional allies and foreign nations and you get a recipe for enrollment decline.

I also think there's a decline in college attendance that's either happening or going to happen. People are really beginning to accept how crushing student debt is and that it may not be worth it relative to a trade school or other options. It's going to hit the non-prestigious private colleges the hardest. I think this trend that we're beginning to see of small private colleges closing is going to accelerate.

But that's also why I think public school consolidation is vital. We need to keep costs as low as possible so that tuition can stay as low as possible.

Recessions historically inflate enrollment, especially in graduate programs.