What about our academics?

[Redding Husky]

I think I’m the only one to bring up the academic issue. My apologies if I’m wrong about that.

Our academic brand has skyrocketed the last 20-25 years. I believe that’s due to: 1) the state’s huge investment, 2) four men’s nc’s and about a dozen women’s nc’s in BB, and 3) having a credible FBS FB program.

The state has a budget crisis (I’d love to get into the politics of that, but I’ll show some restraint). The funding to UConn has slowed and this has already hurt us. The drop in funding caused us to go down in the most recent US News rankings. SMU and a half dozen other schools passed us.

And now we’ve de-emphasized football. We knowingly took our program from a borderline power conference to irrelevance.

Two of the three legs supporting academic growth have disappeared. Even if the BB program does well, that’s just 1/3 of the “success” equation. I fear the number of student applications will fall, resulting in lower incoming class SAT averages. It will begin a downward spiral leaving us roughly equivalent to the other New England flagship schools.

Try to talk me off the ledge.

 

[Waquoit]

I'm not sure you guys giving credit to FB for UConn's rise in academic standing know the difference between causation and correlation.

 

[WrenchFan69]

It'll be fine

 

[Redding Husky]

I'm not sure you guys giving credit to FB for UConn's rise in academic standing know the difference between causation and correlation.

As stated above, I believe quality students were attracted to UConn because of the state’s huge investment, BB nc’s, and a FB team that went to bowls. If those things dry up, we are the University of New Hampshire.

 

[CL82]

As stated above, I believe quality students were attracted to UConn because of the state’s huge investment, BB nc’s, and a FB team that went to bowls. If those things dry up, we are the University of New Hampshire.

So students were attracted to UConn because of football, but didn't show up at the games?

 

[Waquoit]

As stated above, I believe quality students were attracted to UConn because of the state’s huge investment, BB nc’s, and a FB team that went to bowls. If those things dry up, we are the University of New Hampshire.

If you stopped after BB nc's you would have been more accurate.

 

[AAC Guru]

Yes the basketball championships increased exposure for the school in the early 2000’s. The recent trend has less to do with athletic success in my opinion, and more to do with the trend of Young people gravitating to urban areas. Storrs is in the middle of nowhere and isn’t even a good college town. Taking away enjoyble traditions like spring weekend and having a state police presence around the school the size of an army doesn’t help either.

 

[Redding Husky]

So students were attracted to UConn because of football, but didn't show up at the games?

With a big time FB program, we’re in a conversation with Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Oregon, Missouri, etc.

By moving to the Big East, we’re in a conversation with Villanova, St. John’s, Gonzaga, Creighton, UMass, NMSU, etc.

Big difference. I think it matters.

 

[Dream Jobbed 2.0]

Someone in one of these threads mentioned "deemphasizing football puts us in line with our goal of being a Public Ivy. I didn't call them out directly but it was probably the dumbest of many dumb things said this weekend. Trying to be like an Ivy athletically is the furthest thing from being a "Public Ivy." 21/29 of these schools play in a Power 5 conference.

Pennsylvania State University (University Park) Rutgers University (New Brunswick) State University of New York at Binghamton (also known as Binghamton University) University of Connecticut (Storrs) Mid-Atlantic University of Delaware (Newark) University of Maryland (College Park) College of William & Mary (Williamsburg, Virginia) University of Virginia (Charlottesville) Southern University of Florida (Gainesville) University of Georgia (Athens) University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill University of Texas at Austin

Western University of Arizona (Tucson) University of California, Berkeley University of California, Davis University of California, Irvine University of California, Los Angeles University of California, San Diego University of California, Santa Barbara University of Colorado Boulder University of Washington (Seattle) Great Lakes & Midwest Indiana University (Bloomington) Miami University (Oxford, Ohio) Michigan State University (East Lansing) The Ohio State University (Columbus) University of Illinois (Urbana–Champaign) University of Iowa (Iowa City) University of Michigan (Ann Arbor) University of Minnesota (Minneapolis–Saint Paul) University of Wisconsin (Madison)

 

[Waquoit]

With a big time FB program, we’re in a conversation with Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Oregon, Missouri, etc.

Those teams aren't in the AAC. UConn was a Top 2 school in the AAC.

 

[junglehusky]

With a big time FB program, we’re in a conversation with Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Oregon, Missouri, etc.

By moving to the Big East, we’re in a conversation with Villanova, St. John’s, Gonzaga, Creighton, UMass, NMSU, etc.

Big difference. I think it matters.

better than being in a conversation with Tulsa, Houston, ECU (really... East Carolina University). Temple and Tulane the only bankable academic brands in the AAC, and only Tulane in a day's drive.

 

[Redding Husky]

better than being in a conversation with Tulsa, Houston, ECU (really... East Carolina University). Temple and Tulane the only bankable academic brands in the AAC, and only Tulane in a day's drive.

SMU Is ranked ahead of UConn academically, although it’s fairly close.

 

[Redding Husky]

Those teams aren't in the AAC. UConn was a Top 2 school in the AAC.

Actually, we were #4 in the AAC behind Tulane, SMU, and Navy.

 

[Husk1881]

UConn just accepted its most talent class ever each of the last 5 years. Relax.

 

[Waquoit]

Actually, we were #4 in the AAC behind Tulane, SMU, and Navy.

We're not behind SMU and Navy, I don't care what list you are using.

 

[Point6]

My view is that the AAC was hurting our academic profile, sorry. I do not want to disparage the schools in the AAC but they are not state flagship schools like UConn.

I do agree the basketball success fueled UConn's rise in academic rank. We were at risk of losing that given our horrible performance in the AAC. I attribute that horrible performance to loss of traditional rivalries, apathy and unreasonable travel. The Big East move will do nothing but increase the chances we recover and return as a top 10 basketball brand, imo. This will only help academics not hurt. Losing to AAC schools was not helping.

 

[Redding Husky]

We're not behind SMU and Navy, I don't care what list you are using.

SMU has higher SAT scores than UConn. They're more selective in admitting students. U.S. News and many others have them ranked ahead of UConn.

 

[Redding Husky]

My view is that the AAC was hurting our academic profile, sorry. I do not want to disparage the schools in the AAC but they are not state flagship schools like UConn.

I do agree the basketball success fueled UConn's rise in academic rank. We were at risk of losing that given our horrible performance in the AAC. I attribute that horrible performance to loss of traditional rivalries, apathy and unreasonable travel. The Big East move will do nothing but increase the chances we recover and return as a top 10 basketball brand, imo. This will only help academics not hurt. Losing to AAC schools was not helping.

Are there flagships in the Big East? It seems Georgetown would be the only school clearly ahead of us in the Big East, which isn’t known for academics.

 

[Waquoit]

It seems Georgetown would be the only school clearly ahead of us in the Big East, which isn’t known for academics.

One name being bandied around as our AAC replacement is Marshall.

 

[Point6]

Are there flagships in the Big East? It seems Georgetown would be the only school clearly ahead of us in the Big East, which isn’t known for academics.

Well, you got me there. I would rather be associated with the schools in the Big East but maybe that's just my perception and a Northeast bias. I don't see any connection with the AAC and the schools you cited though: Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Oregon, Missouri. If we get an opportunity to join those schools, I am in.

 

[Slasher]

One name being bandied around as our AAC replacement is Marshall.

Marshall has a 0% chance of getting in the AAC.

 

[Waquoit]

I don't see any connection with the AAC and the schools you cited though: Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Oregon, Missouri. If we get an opportunity to join those schools, I am in.

Don't those schools play basketball?

 

[WrenchFan69]

Are there flagships in the Big East? It seems Georgetown would be the only school clearly ahead of us in the Big East, which isn’t known for academics.

Villanova is a fine school and only getting better with their recent basketball success. Marquette is top 100 per US News.

 

[Redding Husky]

One

Well, you got me there. I would rather be associated with the schools in the Big East but maybe that's just my perception and a Northeast bias. I don't see any connection with the AAC and the schools you cited though: Michigan, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Oregon, Missouri. If we get an opportunity to join those schools, I am in.

Many of those state schools are public Ivy’s.

 

[Point6]

Many of those state schools are public Ivy’s.

I don't see the connection to the AAC. I can't agree that somehow we are viewed as affiliated with those schools because we were in the AAC.