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

The Atlantic has been running really well done pieces on the coronavirus and allowing free access - the piece by Ed Yong today is an excellent summary. They also have run stories on the impact on colleges and universities and what it will take to reopen. I worked in academia for forty years and my own feelings are that universities have lost sight of their purpose in the last 15 - 20 years. I have a long complicated argument but won't get into it. Just to say everything has become about image building, grandiose building projects and trying to do anything to attract students. The Chronicle of Higher Ed ran a story a few years ago on the increase in square footage on campuses being added and obviously costs have soared. In Ohio the demographics and declining state support really require schools take a hard look at their mission and way to fund what is really important. I hold KSU dear - but my initial reaction to their most recent Master Plan was that it was way too much - it should be revisited!
[/quote]

When I went to Kent in the late 80s, I don't think there were any building that were less than 20 years old except for small group (now gone). In general, I agree with some of the points here (too much brick and mortar construction). Where I work, they are obsessed with new buildings, but, they also have such a s**t maintenance staff that they let older building go into full disrepair. I also think there is a lack of focus on the students (outside of attracting them to campus). Akron found out what happens when bloated departments take their eyes off the students and dropped a ton of majors (they really should just can the profs in those departments for screwing up so bad, but tenure). I'm not saying these things necessarily apply to Kent, but I think they do apply to higher ed overall and certainly to the institution I work at.

(04-30-2020 02:27 PM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  

(04-30-2020 11:39 AM)cschierh Wrote:  

(04-30-2020 09:27 AM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  

(04-29-2020 07:52 AM)burden Wrote:  

(04-28-2020 08:09 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  So one thing I think is important to think about with this virus, the results have shown that the deaths lag behind the positive tests. Obviously this makes sense because people aren't generally dying the first day or two after testing positive. But what this means is the death rate isn't actually accurate yet. For example right now there's a little more than 1 million positive tests in the US and a little more than 58k deaths. So right now the stats tell you the mortality rate is roughly 5.8%. But since the deaths lag, if all cases abruptly stopped right now we'd still see deaths for probably another week or two. I think there's still around 2k deaths per day so it's realistic to believe that if new cases stopped today the US could still reach 70k deaths meaning the true mortality rate is likely closer to 7%. If left unmitigated that's a lot of people.

Of course we probably won't know for sure what the real mortality rate since there could be significant amounts of people that had it, beat it, never showed a sign, and were never counted in that positive tests total. And of course it seems like the numbers in many other countries aren't reliable so it's tough to look at counties that have got through it to get an accurate idea of the mortality rate.

TL;DR version, the actual mortality rate vs positive tests is likely a little higher than it appears right now and I'm tired of not having sports stats to dig through.

The initial antibody testing is indicating 4% of the population (mostly in big cities so far) have had the disease. That really lowers the death rate. Personally I think the general population could care less about the %. People react much more to the total number of deaths. Listen to the politicians and news networks trying to push their agendas. See how often they quote a %. Almost never. Had we managed nursing homes and New York better I think the resistance to opening up the country would be a lot less. Then again if Whittington had not gotten sick Kent might have won 3 more games.

The Atlantic has been running really well done pieces on the coronavirus and allowing free access - the piece by Ed Yong today is an excellent summary. They also have run stories on the impact on colleges and universities and what it will take to reopen. I worked in academia for forty years and my own feelings are that universities have lost sight of their purpose in the last 15 - 20 years. I have a long complicated argument but won't get into it. Just to say everything has become about image building, grandiose building projects and trying to do anything to attract students. The Chronicle of Higher Ed ran a story a few years ago on the increase in square footage on campuses being added and obviously costs have soared. In Ohio the demographics and declining state support really require schools take a hard look at their mission and way to fund what is really important. I hold KSU dear - but my initial reaction to their most recent Master Plan was that it was way too much - it should be revisited!

In an interview with the Stater/KentWired, Diacon said master plan projects may be "paused" during the financial crisis. If enrollment falls (and I'm sure it will in the short term), big chunks may never be unpaused. The "innovation center" (remodeled art building) is well under way. It will be finished. Fashion expansion should go ahead; the school is booming and already overcrowded. The new business building would be the most expensive building in KSU history but is cornerstone of the master plan. They were already having trouble raising money for it. We may not see it for a long time.

Agree with the clear needs and Fashion is a standout program - the business building was a sore point with me- thought they were trying to compete with CWRU and their Frank Ghery building -

The big thing with Presidents, and in some cases Trustees, around the country seems to be a need to leave behind some edifice to show they were there ...

But rarely does it seem to be what's needed. There are exceptions to the rule, as Carol Cartwright's plan to connect the campus to downtown with the esplanade has proven to be a bonus for both the town and the campus.

Still, I may be in the minority on this, but for the life of me I don't understand why KSU does not have an auditorium/theater of some size and quality for graduations and performances ... NOT FOR ATHLETICS... but other special events with the requisite classroom space and so on.

It seems such an obvious need that nobody talks about. Even as the need for a fashion showplace, and innovation center are needed, ... there is at least a space for them now. Not so for an auditorium/theater expandable to hold 6-7,500 people when needed.

Just my opinion.

(04-30-2020 02:27 PM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  

(04-30-2020 11:39 AM)cschierh Wrote:  

(04-30-2020 09:27 AM)OLNWFLSH Wrote:  

(04-29-2020 07:52 AM)burden Wrote:  

(04-28-2020 08:09 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  So one thing I think is important to think about with this virus, the results have shown that the deaths lag behind the positive tests. Obviously this makes sense because people aren't generally dying the first day or two after testing positive. But what this means is the death rate isn't actually accurate yet. For example right now there's a little more than 1 million positive tests in the US and a little more than 58k deaths. So right now the stats tell you the mortality rate is roughly 5.8%. But since the deaths lag, if all cases abruptly stopped right now we'd still see deaths for probably another week or two. I think there's still around 2k deaths per day so it's realistic to believe that if new cases stopped today the US could still reach 70k deaths meaning the true mortality rate is likely closer to 7%. If left unmitigated that's a lot of people.

Of course we probably won't know for sure what the real mortality rate since there could be significant amounts of people that had it, beat it, never showed a sign, and were never counted in that positive tests total. And of course it seems like the numbers in many other countries aren't reliable so it's tough to look at counties that have got through it to get an accurate idea of the mortality rate.

TL;DR version, the actual mortality rate vs positive tests is likely a little higher than it appears right now and I'm tired of not having sports stats to dig through.

The initial antibody testing is indicating 4% of the population (mostly in big cities so far) have had the disease. That really lowers the death rate. Personally I think the general population could care less about the %. People react much more to the total number of deaths. Listen to the politicians and news networks trying to push their agendas. See how often they quote a %. Almost never. Had we managed nursing homes and New York better I think the resistance to opening up the country would be a lot less. Then again if Whittington had not gotten sick Kent might have won 3 more games.

The Atlantic has been running really well done pieces on the coronavirus and allowing free access - the piece by Ed Yong today is an excellent summary. They also have run stories on the impact on colleges and universities and what it will take to reopen. I worked in academia for forty years and my own feelings are that universities have lost sight of their purpose in the last 15 - 20 years. I have a long complicated argument but won't get into it. Just to say everything has become about image building, grandiose building projects and trying to do anything to attract students. The Chronicle of Higher Ed ran a story a few years ago on the increase in square footage on campuses being added and obviously costs have soared. In Ohio the demographics and declining state support really require schools take a hard look at their mission and way to fund what is really important. I hold KSU dear - but my initial reaction to their most recent Master Plan was that it was way too much - it should be revisited!

In an interview with the Stater/KentWired, Diacon said master plan projects may be "paused" during the financial crisis. If enrollment falls (and I'm sure it will in the short term), big chunks may never be unpaused. The "innovation center" (remodeled art building) is well under way. It will be finished. Fashion expansion should go ahead; the school is booming and already overcrowded. The new business building would be the most expensive building in KSU history but is cornerstone of the master plan. They were already having trouble raising money for it. We may not see it for a long time.

Agree with the clear needs and Fashion is a standout program - the business building was a sore point with me- thought they were trying to compete with CWRU and their Frank Ghery building -

One of Kent’s problems over the years has been , who do we want to compete with? Dr Lefton often spoke of Kent becoming the “Princeton of the Midwest”. Funny. Kent should be Kent. Survive and move on.
Competing with CWRU is laughable. We don’t have the alumni in Medicine, Business, Engineering, Law. Nothing to compare. CWRU is an elite school. Kent should strive to excel in what they are good at , and not worry about the others. Business bldg won’t be built in my lifetime. Doubtful anything happens to MAC either unless one of us wins lottery.
One of these days MAC and NCAA will threaten us as they did BG about decrepit conditions. Tough decisions about leaving MAC will occur. Count on it.
Happen to think Kent needs to think long and hard about what it wants to be in the future. Critical thinking. I don’t see it in Athletics or at Admin level with this regime. Sorry to be pessimistic. Lots of followers , few leaders. Next 10 years will be very tough

S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

(05-04-2020 09:50 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

Damn!

Anyway of merging TSDTR and Kent State merging?

The Golden Zips?!

Wow I was looking at the list it is going to be rough to try to figure out what to keep and what to cut..

(05-04-2020 11:59 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 09:50 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

Damn!

Anyway of merging TSDTR and Kent State merging?

The Golden Zips?!

Bite your tongue.

Not in a million years.

F-OLr

(05-05-2020 08:26 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 11:59 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 09:50 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

Damn!

Anyway of merging TSDTR and Kent State merging?

The Golden Zips?!

Bite your tongue.

Not in a million years.

Perhaps not in a million ... but more like three to five!!!

IF .. emphasis on IF ... this were to happen, it would probably happen now. With Akron aligning with either KSU or Cleveland State w/CSU being in much the same circumstances financially as Akron.

Athletically ... the Zips might be able to survive as a -hyphen school to either KSU-CSU, but that would probably only work with BB, not FB.

But a merger ... IF ... it were to happen, certainly makes more sense now than it did a few years ago. Financially, anyways, it looks like KSU is standing on firmer ground than either Akron or CSU (likely YSU as well).

(05-05-2020 10:13 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 08:26 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 11:59 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 09:50 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

Damn!

Anyway of merging TSDTR and Kent State merging?

The Golden Zips?!

Bite your tongue.

Not in a million years.

Perhaps not in a million ... but more like three to five!!!

IF .. emphasis on IF ... this were to happen, it would probably happen now. With Akron aligning with either KSU or Cleveland State w/CSU being in much the same circumstances financially as Akron.

Athletically ... the Zips might be able to survive as a -hyphen school to either KSU-CSU, but that would probably only work with BB, not FB.

But a merger ... IF ... it were to happen, certainly makes more sense now than it did a few years ago. Financially, anyways, it looks like KSU is standing on firmer ground than either Akron or CSU (likely YSU as well).

I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

If only you could sell a football stadium.

(05-05-2020 12:27 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  If only you could sell and move a football stadium.

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 10:13 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 08:26 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 11:59 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 09:50 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

Damn!

Anyway of merging TSDTR and Kent State merging?

The Golden Zips?!

Bite your tongue.

Not in a million years.

Perhaps not in a million ... but more like three to five!!!

IF .. emphasis on IF ... this were to happen, it would probably happen now. With Akron aligning with either KSU or Cleveland State w/CSU being in much the same circumstances financially as Akron.

Athletically ... the Zips might be able to survive as a -hyphen school to either KSU-CSU, but that would probably only work with BB, not FB.

But a merger ... IF ... it were to happen, certainly makes more sense now than it did a few years ago. Financially, anyways, it looks like KSU is standing on firmer ground than either Akron or CSU (likely YSU as well).

I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Could be like when their baseball team folded. I think Kent got two of their players

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Students sure, but why faculty? They already failed their institution. Look at the reasons some of the programs closed at Akron a couple of years ago. It literally said more than a few times that Kent has the same program and does it better, so why bother?

Frankly, Kent should stay far from Akron. It has failed. It will only be a millstone.

(04-28-2020 08:09 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  So one thing I think is important to think about with this virus, the results have shown that the deaths lag behind the positive tests. Obviously this makes sense because people aren't generally dying the first day or two after testing positive. But what this means is the death rate isn't actually accurate yet. For example right now there's a little more than 1 million positive tests in the US and a little more than 58k deaths. So right now the stats tell you the mortality rate is roughly 5.8%. But since the deaths lag, if all cases abruptly stopped right now we'd still see deaths for probably another week or two. I think there's still around 2k deaths per day so it's realistic to believe that if new cases stopped today the US could still reach 70k deaths meaning the true mortality rate is likely closer to 7%. If left unmitigated that's a lot of people.

Of course we probably won't know for sure what the real mortality rate since there could be significant amounts of people that had it, beat it, never showed a sign, and were never counted in that positive tests total. And of course it seems like the numbers in many other countries aren't reliable so it's tough to look at counties that have got through it to get an accurate idea of the mortality rate.

TL;DR version, the actual mortality rate vs positive tests is likely a little higher than it appears right now and I'm tired of not having sports stats to dig through.

(05-05-2020 02:09 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Students sure, but why faculty? They already failed their institution. Look at the reasons some of the programs closed at Akron a couple of years ago. It literally said more than a few times that Kent has the same program and does it better, so why bother?

Frankly, Kent should stay far from Akron. It has failed. It will only be a millstone.

Again, perhaps Kent can pick and choose like they did with the two players from their baseball team.

We're most of the players on TSDTR baseball team good enough to play for Kent.... No.

But the few they brought in fit in nicely.

(05-05-2020 02:09 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Students sure, but why faculty? They already failed their institution. Look at the reasons some of the programs closed at Akron a couple of years ago. It literally said more than a few times that Kent has the same program and does it better, so why bother?

Frankly, Kent should stay far from Akron. It has failed. It will only be a millstone.

I have a feeling Kent's not going to be in the market to expand their staff any time soon (the title of this thread leads me to this conclusion). Hopefully they're focusing on what they can do to keep current employees employed before looking to hire from Akron.

(05-05-2020 02:23 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 02:09 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Students sure, but why faculty? They already failed their institution. Look at the reasons some of the programs closed at Akron a couple of years ago. It literally said more than a few times that Kent has the same program and does it better, so why bother?

Frankly, Kent should stay far from Akron. It has failed. It will only be a millstone.

I have a feeling Kent's not going to be in the market to expand their staff any time soon (the title of this thread leads me to this conclusion). Hopefully they're focusing on what they can do to keep current employees employed before looking to hire from Akron.

And word from TN is that Groce has interviewed for the open ETSU job.

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 10:13 AM)cleveland Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 08:26 AM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 11:59 PM)thanksjim Wrote:  

(05-04-2020 09:50 PM)Lambert58 Wrote:  S+*t just got real at U of A.

https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...CuNUDmpBwk

Damn!

Anyway of merging TSDTR and Kent State merging?

The Golden Zips?!

Bite your tongue.

Not in a million years.

Perhaps not in a million ... but more like three to five!!!

IF .. emphasis on IF ... this were to happen, it would probably happen now. With Akron aligning with either KSU or Cleveland State w/CSU being in much the same circumstances financially as Akron.

Athletically ... the Zips might be able to survive as a -hyphen school to either KSU-CSU, but that would probably only work with BB, not FB.

But a merger ... IF ... it were to happen, certainly makes more sense now than it did a few years ago. Financially, anyways, it looks like KSU is standing on firmer ground than either Akron or CSU (likely YSU as well).

I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Case Tech merged with Western Reserve many years ago. I was there and you should have heard the alumni (especially the Case Tech ones)! Money can cause some strange things to happen.

(05-05-2020 04:14 PM)axeme Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 02:23 PM)anti-zip Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 02:09 PM)bopol Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 11:46 AM)axeme Wrote:  I could see KSU absorbing some faculty, students, athletes and maybe folding some programs into the KSU curriculum. I cannot see any blending of name/branding/mascot etc. Why would anyone want to link itself in that way to a horribly mismanaged university that collapsed? Maybe an Akron-CSU merger is feasible for both? For sure, Akron’s hefty student activity subsidy is going to have to be slashed which further exacerbates their athletics financial crisis.

Students sure, but why faculty? They already failed their institution. Look at the reasons some of the programs closed at Akron a couple of years ago. It literally said more than a few times that Kent has the same program and does it better, so why bother?

Frankly, Kent should stay far from Akron. It has failed. It will only be a millstone.

I have a feeling Kent's not going to be in the market to expand their staff any time soon (the title of this thread leads me to this conclusion). Hopefully they're focusing on what they can do to keep current employees employed before looking to hire from Akron.

And word from TN is that Groce has interviewed for the open ETSU job.

It will be interesting to see what happens with players who's major gets cut by this downsizing. I assume the NCAA will have to give them a hardship waiver. It would be absurd if they didn't.

KSU cuts $30 million from budget(Record-Courier link)

Quote:
Kent State University on Wednesday finalized more than $30 million in cuts for the next fiscal year to make up for losses associated with the coronavirus pandemic.

Those cuts will come in the form of a salary adjustment model for non-represented employees, pay freezes for both tenure track and non-tenure track faculty, and a voluntary buyout package. The cuts will help the university decrease its budget by 20% to make up a shortfall from a reduction in state support as well as a decline in enrollment.

“Our ongoing commitment is to plan responsibly a budget that reflects our best understanding of the impact of the pandemic,” Kent State President Todd Diacon said. “We think it best that we plan for 20% budget cut, and with a 20% budget cut, we can only reach this reduction by lowering payroll costs.”

On Tuesday, Gov. Mike DeWine announced that $110 million would be cut from the state’s higher education institutions. Kent State will lose about $6.1 million of its $160 million appropriation.

The university has about 2,200 non-represented, full-time employees, who will each be affected differently by the salary adjustment model based on their salaries. The entire model will save the university $5.7 million.

Diacon is taking a 12.5% cut to his $475,000 annual salary while members of his cabinet, deans and those with salaries of $200,000 or greater will see a salary adjustment of 10%.

As salaries decrease, so do the percentage cuts, with those earning between $38,000 and $49,999 seeing a 2% decrease, and employees earning less than $38,000 seeing no reduction.

Those whose salaries are being adjusted will be granted leave days that may be used in lieu of, or in addition to, vacation days to be taken during fiscal year 2021. Staff with salaries of $50,000 or more will receive 10 leave days, and those with salaries of between $38,000 and $49,999 will receive five leave days...

...The modified collective bargaining agreements will affect more than 770 full-time, tenure-track faculty and more than 530 full-time, non-tenure track faculty who are represented by the Kent State Chapter of the American Association of University Professors. The union will extend its agreements by one year and defer raises for the upcoming year, saving the university about $2.5 million in FY 2021...

...Generally, the package includes a cash incentive based on salary, the retention of the tuition waiver benefit for four years and continued health care for a limited period of time. Polatajko said that based on a “reasonable yet conservative participation estimate,” the university expects $23 million in overall savings after considering the one-year program costs at the beginning of the buyout...

To my eye, it looks like a fairly balanced approach to the cuts that keeps the university in pretty good shape considering the severity of the financial problems all schools are facing. Looks to me like we are in a much better position than many are.

Of course, I ain’t no accountant. I are a English major.