Univ. Illinois - Champaign about to get pressure to push for B1G expansion

[btstimpy]

There are some Illinois legislators getting ready to apply pressure to add another Illinois public school to the Big Ten.

http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/news/schools/bigten-NAP-03232014:article

If this gets anywhere, look to see it in Ohio and Iowa as well. It might get things going again in the Big Ten. Or it may go nowhere.

 

[upstater]

Oh the stupidity.

If it were simply a matter of building better schools, you don't need a feasibility study to join the B1G. You need to make the decision to shell out the moolah.

 

[jostar1]

Here is a copy of the bill:

https://twitter.com/RobUhe/status/447509860179931136/photo/1

 

[pj]

This is why the B1G will keep talking about AAU as a standard. So they can more easily resist pressure to add the likes of Southern Illinois University - Edwardsville.

 

[NickyNewark]

There are some Illinois legislators getting ready to apply pressure to add another Illinois public school to the Big Ten.

http://napervillesun.suntimes.com/news/schools/bigten-NAP-03232014:article

If this gets anywhere, look to see it in Ohio and Iowa as well. It might get things going again in the Big Ten. Or it may go nowhere.

It might or it might go nowhere? Did you cover all you're bases Einstein? Geez..

 

[Lock City Husky]

Paging Frank the Tank.

 

[jostar1]

Paging Frank the Tank.

Frank the Tank ‏@frankthetank111 Mar 22
Zero. State needs higher ranked #2 public school, though RT @RobUhe what are odds of another Illinois school in B1G? pic.twitter.com/72qPAtdjsy

 

[Fishy]

I don't think the Big Ten needs to do anything to resist the pressure from the state of Illinois.

 

[BlueHen]

This is going nowhere. You can't invite yourself. Even if the two current Illinois members were on board (which I doubt) that is only two votes. A third Illinois school does nothing to help the B1G, so I don't think there will be any out of state support.

UChicago would be the only other Illinois school that would have any shot at B1G membership, primarily because it was a founding member. Right now I think there is zero interest on either side for UChicago to rejoin the B1G.

 

[SubbaBub]

They already have a second school from Illinois.

 

[dayooper]

This is going nowhere. You can't invite yourself. Even if the two current Illinois members were on board (which I doubt) that is only two votes. A third Illinois school does nothing to help the B1G, so I don't think there will be any out of state support.

UChicago would be the only other Illinois school that would have any shot at B1G membership, primarily because it was a founding member. Right now I think there is zero interest on either side for UChicago to rejoin the B1G.

UC is already part of the academic wing of The Big10 - The CiC and they are very expensive and selective. A student not getting into The University of Illinois Champagne - Urbana is not getting into The University of Chicago, or Northwestern University.

I understand the legislators' point, I just don't agree with it. He is saying he wants a 2nd public school with the prestige and ability of a Big 10 school, but at a more affordable price and lower admission standards for Illinois residents. Very hypocritical, especially since Illinois, much like many other states, is pulling back on their funding of public universities (forcing them to take more out of state students at a higher tuition rate). Michigan takes so few public money that some consider them a private like school.

 

[Fairfield_1st]

Anyone going out of state clearly thinks their other options in state are not of the right quality for them. You can be B1G like in quality if you invest without actually joining the B1G. I realize the B1G has common educational attributes, but for me when I think B1G I think sports affiliation.

 

[Adios]

This is going nowhere. You can't invite yourself. Even if the two current Illinois members were on board (which I doubt) that is only two votes. A third Illinois school does nothing to help the B1G, so I don't think there will be any out of state support.

UChicago would be the only other Illinois school that would have any shot at B1G membership, primarily because it was a founding member. Right now I think there is zero interest on either side for UChicago to rejoin the B1G.

Maybe 100 years from now, Chicago might rejoin. Maybe.

 

[UConn9604]

If Southern Illinois joins the Big Ten, I will quit sports (and maybe life).

 

[dayooper]

Anyone going out of state clearly thinks their other options in state are not of the right quality for them. You can be B1G like in quality if you invest without actually joining the B1G. I realize the B1G has common educational attributes, but for me when I think B1G I think sports affiliation.

For fans like you and me, this is spot on. Academics and University Presidents don't, though.

 

[Adios]

For fans like you and me, this is spot on. Academics and University Presidents don't, though.

Big Ten athletic culture is comparable to Ivy League athletic culture. Except the Ivies have totally stereotypical nerds in their bands and the Big Ten schools have preppy nerds in their bands.

 

[MattMang23]

Being that Northwestern is private, they'd probably join the side of the out-of-staters and tell Illinois that Illinois State can't quite cut the mustard.

Edit: Apparently the name of a certain condiment is inappropriate.

 

[HuskyHawk]

UC is already part of the academic wing of The Big10 - The CiC and they are very expensive and selective. A student not getting into The University of Illinois Champagne - Urbana is not getting into The University of Chicago, or Northwestern University.

I understand the legislators' point, I just don't agree with it. He is saying he wants a 2nd public school with the prestige and ability of a Big 10 school, but at a more affordable price and lower admission standards for Illinois residents. Very hypocritical, especially since Illinois, much like many other states, is pulling back on their funding of public universities (forcing them to take more out of state students at a higher tuition rate). Michigan takes so few public money that some consider them a private like school.

Illinois can get in line. As far as that line goes, they would curently be well behind Iowa, which has a second public school in Iowa State that is quite a but ahead of anything in Illinois, and also Ohio, which has Cinci that would be ahead of any other Illinois public as well. This is nothing.

 

[upstater]

For fans like you and me, this is spot on. Academics and University Presidents don't, though.

I seriously doubt most academics even know the name's of these college conferences, never mind put any stock in them. Not sure they care.

 

[dayooper]

I seriously doubt most academics even know the name's of these college conferences, never mind put any stock in them. Not sure they care.

Yup, but they care what schools they associate with.

 

[upstater]

Yup, but they care what schools they associate with.

If they don't know the conference, they have no idea what schools they associate with. The schools in the B1G know because they are all landgrants and share benchmarks in any metrics and assessments, but most have no clue. Even at the highest levels of academia outside the Ivy, you'd think people at schools like Carnegin-Mellon, U. Rochester, Johns Hopkins, New York U., etc., might like to know they are in the same conference, but they really have no clue. The academics wouldn't push for it in any case.

 

[brasssbonanzaa]

UChicago's lack of D1 athletics may pose a problem to their admission. But hey, they took Rutgers so there's precedent.

 

[Adios]

UChicago's lack of D1 athletics may pose a problem to their admission. But hey, they took Rutgers so there's precedent.

I am all for Maroons hockey.

 

[clmssun]

I seriously doubt most academics even know the name's of these college conferences, never mind put any stock in them. Not sure they care.

Say it ain't so, upstater! Clearly, Nicky has had influence here...

 

[btstimpy]

It might or it might go nowhere? Did you cover all you're bases Einstein? Geez..

I tried to. I can't predict how the Big Ten would react other than to assume that the Big Ten doesn't want another Illinois member. But how this political pressure develops could have influence if it is strong enough.