Hard to se how this doesnt eventually filter down to massive athletic budget changes.

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.


https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...demic.html

The 11 colleges:

1. Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
2. College of Applied Science and Technology
3. College of Business Administration
4. College of Engineering
5. College of Health Professions
6. College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering
7. Graduate School
8. School of Law
9. LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education
10. Williams Honors College
11. Wayne College campus in Orrville
    

My guesses:

Eliminated
Graduate School (doesn't need to be its own college)
Williams Honors College (ditto)
Wayne College campus in Orrville (baggage)
School of Law (Not something Akron excels in -- this is Case Western Reserve territory)

Down to 7.

Merged
College of Polymer Science and Polymer Engineering -> College of Engineering (Vital to Akron's rubber and tire industry -- why do you think Akron's famous stadium was named The Rubber Bowl?)

Split
College of Applied Science and Technology -> Buchtel College of Arts & Sciences
College of Applied Science and Technology -> College of Engineering

1. Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
2. College of Business Administration
3. College of Engineering
4. College of Health Professions
5. LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education
   

(05-05-2020 10:08 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Hard to se how this doesnt eventually filter down to massive athletic budget changes.

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.


https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...demic.html

The article says the plan is to reduce the athletic budget by 20%. Akron already has a very small budget-- more to come in the next few weeks.

Eliminates over paid administrators by consolidating.

If the pandemic were metaphorically a really hot day, I'd say we're dangerously close to hyponatremia trying to prevent dehydration.

Not surprising at all since in 2018 they cut 80 degree programs (19% overall) and in 2019 offered 47% of their faculty and administrators voluntary early retirement.

Well, you have to think of future donations. Lawyers make money. Grad studies and honors can go back to individual colleges. Tech can be split between Arts and Sciences and Engineering.

Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business Administration
College of Engineering
College of Health Professions
School of Law
LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education

The move to FBS and the MAC was thiry years too late.

(05-05-2020 12:03 PM)MU88 Wrote:  Well, you have to think of future donations. Lawyers make money. Grad studies and honors can go back to individual colleges. Tech can be split between Arts and Sciences and Engineering.

Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business Administration
College of Engineering
College of Health Professions
School of Law
LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education

Yeah - that seems like how it would break down. I highly doubt that they’d eliminate the School of Law since that would entail getting rid of JD degrees entirely as opposed to eliminating administrative bloat.

It’s hard for me to see how they can merge any of the 6 colleges that you listed above into one another. There’s likely no way that you can eliminate a named college (as LeBron has with the College of Education) without having to return some or all of the donation. The other colleges also seem to make sense in terms of being separated, so I’m not sure which other college they could realistically eliminate here. Health, education, engineering, law and business all require pretty specific administrators and personnel, so they don’t lend themselves to being easily eliminated as, say, the Graduate College or Honors College.

(05-05-2020 12:03 PM)MU88 Wrote:  Well, you have to think of future donations. Lawyers make money. Grad studies and honors can go back to individual colleges. Tech can be split between Arts and Sciences and Engineering.

Buchtel College of Arts and Sciences
College of Business Administration
College of Engineering
College of Health Professions
School of Law
LeBron James Family Foundation College of Education

That's what I'd consider most likely. Law schools are profit centers, even if they're not very good. Although we could surely do with fewer law schools nationwide, so I won't be upset if it does close.

Honestly if it was not for the LeBron James connection the college of education would be one I would have considered only because that is one of the colleges that directly competes against Kent State. Kent State started as a normal college and so having Akron trying to compete against that is probably a mistake at this point.

(05-05-2020 10:31 AM)CliftonAve Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 10:08 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Hard to se how this doesnt eventually filter down to massive athletic budget changes.

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.


https://www.cleveland.com/education/2020...demic.html

The article says the plan is to reduce the athletic budget by 20%. Akron already has a very small budget-- more to come in the next few weeks.

Right---but they cut the number of colleges by over 50%. I just have a sneaking suspicion it may end up being well over 20%. That said---20% is a lot for G5 schools who are all already trying to do more with less.

(05-05-2020 11:27 AM)Renandpat Wrote:  Not surprising at all since in 2018 they cut 80 degree programs (19% overall) and in 2019 offered 47% of their faculty and administrators voluntary early retirement.

Yeah, totally not surprised with this one. Well, they extended an olive branch before swinging the axe.

Keeping athletics at FBS level is going to be a very difficult sell. And amongst the low hanging fruit impacted faculty and staff will have to criticize.

(05-05-2020 01:24 PM)Sultan of Euphonistan Wrote:  Honestly if it was not for the LeBron James connection the college of education would be one I would have considered only because that is one of the colleges that directly competes against Kent State. Kent State started as a normal college and so having Akron trying to compete against that is probably a mistake at this point.

Agreed... LeBron's contribution has probably saved UAs education department. Ironic how it has upstaged the in state historical normal schools programs.

(05-05-2020 10:08 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Hard to se how this doesnt eventually filter down to massive athletic budget changes.

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.

Believe it when it happens. This could just be a "cry for help" to supporters and the state legislature.

(05-06-2020 10:27 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 10:08 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Hard to se how this doesnt eventually filter down to massive athletic budget changes.

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.

Believe it when it happens. This could just be a "cry for help" to supporters and the state legislature.

They have no status in the state legislature.

Ohio might be able to pull it off as they did in the 70's plea for help that resulted in getting a medical school. Its always been a favorite pet of the state for a variety of reasons.

(05-06-2020 11:23 AM)Kit-Cat Wrote:  

(05-06-2020 10:27 AM)quo vadis Wrote:  

(05-05-2020 10:08 AM)Attackcoog Wrote:  Hard to se how this doesnt eventually filter down to massive athletic budget changes.

AKRON, Ohio – University of Akron President Gary Miller said in a video message Monday that the university’s plan to offset $65 to $70 million in decreased revenue due to the coronavirus pandemic includes cutting six of its 11 colleges.

Believe it when it happens. This could just be a "cry for help" to supporters and the state legislature.

They have no status in the state legislature.

Ohio might be able to pull it off as they did in the 70's plea for help that resulted in getting a medical school. Its always been a favorite pet of the state for a variety of reasons.

Cant really speak to that---but I can say what Ive seen in Texas is political sway within a state often hinges on a single position being held by a key individual. If a key guy leaves or dies---that can often change the entire political landscape on any given issue in a state legislature.

States are running huge deficits. NY is $13.6B, Minnesota went from $1.6B surplus to $2.4B deficit, California from potentially $24B surplus to $35B deficit. Ohio is relatively small $1B projected. California is asking the Feds to loan them $6B for UI payments, as they have run out of funds.

I suspect that many of these budget deficits are going to get worse before the end of the year, much worse. California's tax revenue stream is titled heavily, so suffers wilder swings than other states. For scale the California budget is $156B. So almost a 25% deficit.

I think we are only seeing the start of cuts to education and state government employees in general. That will be a coming surge of unemployed.

Akron was losing students. Attendance dropped 7% before this. It's a pattern throughout the Midwest for directional schools.

Removing Akron does create a nice JMU/Marshall sized hole in the MAC.