TD
Recruit
Posts: 42 
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Post by TD on Nov 1, 2008 7:16:52 GMT -5
I'm in Valpo this weekend and was reading the Torch. In an interview with President Heckler basically the Torch quotes Heckler as saying that VU can not continue to operate at it's current modus operandi and survive. President Heckler says that VU (at least the board) will need to make decisions on what Valpo wants to be in the future. He goes on to say that Valpo can not operate with as many different programs of study and Division 1 athletics and survive. Basically that VU needs to narrow it's thinking on what Valparaiso University wants to be in the future. It can not fulfill for it's students all the goals (at least in quality) that it has set up for itself to complete.
Do those in the know feel I have a grasp on what President Heckler was trying to communicate or am I way off?
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Post by okinawatyphoon on Nov 1, 2008 20:17:59 GMT -5
I read that article as well, and I think he has some good points. I don't think VU is in danger of cutting D1 anytime soon, but I just think he means that we need to really analyze where we are spending our limited resources. I for one think we should cut back on some of our educational programs to focus on others. I think Valpo would be better off focusing on a few good majors than a lot of so-so ones. As it stands now, we have so many majors and not enough professors, which leads to weaker programs overall. I have been waiting 5 semesters to take a geography class, and I still don't think I'll be able to take it. Take Davidson College, for instance. They offer far fewer, but better quality programs than Valpo (it appears). Just a though, and that is what I think President Heckler is trying to communicate.
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Post by vu72 on Nov 2, 2008 0:22:26 GMT -5
As with President Harre, the first job of a new President is to assess the current situation. Given the declining number of high school seniors, this is all the more critical.
I suggest posters take the time to send President Heckler a letter, or at least an email, explaining their position on D1 athletics and the benefits associated there with for Dear Old Valpo.
I'm going to do it shortly. Please don't underesti,ate the effect of alumni feelings on any given issue.
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Post by fwalum on Nov 2, 2008 9:47:20 GMT -5
I talked with ml about 10 days ago and he told me that he thought President Heckler was going to be very supportive of athletics. I would have to believe he has had some conversations with Heckler concerning the state of VU athletics.
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Post by blackpantheruwm on Nov 10, 2008 11:30:30 GMT -5
I would think that a school like Valpo would be perfect in D-I with better academics and maybe even a higher enrollment.
Like it was said earlier, quality over quantity. Cut the weak programs and use the money from those to attract much better faculty in the programs that are around, build dynamite research space to further attract the faculty, and academics will snowball.
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Post by rlh on Nov 10, 2008 14:44:50 GMT -5
you have to sponsor a certain number of sports to stay D1....not sure how many it is without looking it up, but I don't think VU can drop any and maintain it's level
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Post by vu72 on Nov 10, 2008 15:18:48 GMT -5
I would think that a school like Valpo would be perfect in D-I with better academics and maybe even a higher enrollment. Like it was said earlier, quality over quantity. Cut the weak programs and use the money from those to attract much better faculty in the programs that are around, build dynamite research space to further attract the faculty, and academics will snowball. Huh? Don't understand the post. First, we are already in D1 so what's up with "Valpo would be perfect in D1"? Second, "with better academics"?? Valpo ranked 3rd in the Midwest. I certainly don't think it is a bad idea to cut "the weaker programs" in favor of the ones with a bigger reputation, however, just building bigger and better facilities isn't necessarily the answer. Witness Meteorology. We have one of the top five programs in the country with brand new facilities and one of only a hand full of colleges with our own dopler. Did students signup in droves? Nope. Sometimes things are hard to figure out and, no doubt, this is why President Heckler gets the big bucks and not me. |
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Post by valpo04 on Nov 10, 2008 17:18:36 GMT -5
I would think that a school like Valpo would be perfect in D-I with better academics and maybe even a higher enrollment. Like it was said earlier, quality over quantity. Cut the weak programs and use the money from those to attract much better faculty in the programs that are around, build dynamite research space to further attract the faculty, and academics will snowball. Witness Meteorology. We have one of the top five programs in the country with brand new facilities and one of only a hand full of colleges with our own dopler. Did students signup in droves? Nope. Sometimes things are hard to figure out and, no doubt, this is why President Heckler gets the big bucks and not me. Meteorology has been growing steadily/rapidly since the early to mid 90's. The new building wasn't built to drastically increase enrollment (although, last year I was told that they are nearing capacity already in the new building, so I'm not sure what more you want). The building was built to better suite the needs of the students... and to make us that graduated in '04 and spent our years in the basement of Mueller, jealous.  The department realized that in order to stay competitive and continue to draw top talent, they needed an upgrade, and they finally got it. The building wasn't built to suddenly attract 500 new students a year. |
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Post by vuweathernerd on Nov 10, 2008 19:38:59 GMT -5
Witness Meteorology. We have one of the top five programs in the country with brand new facilities and one of only a hand full of colleges with our own dopler. Did students signup in droves? Nope. Sometimes things are hard to figure out and, no doubt, this is why President Heckler gets the big bucks and not me. Meteorology has been growing steadily/rapidly since the early to mid 90's. The new building wasn't built to drastically increase enrollment (although, last year I was told that they are nearing capacity already in the new building, so I'm not sure what more you want). The building was built to better suite the needs of the students... and to make us that graduated in '04 and spent our years in the basement of Mueller, jealous. The department realized that in order to stay competitive and continue to draw top talent, they needed an upgrade, and they finally got it. The building wasn't built to suddenly attract 500 new students a year. this is my kind of topic. i love our met program, if you couldn't tell. the facilities are top of the line, and our department faculty are awesome. we happen to have the most advanced radar anywhere in the country outside of norman, ok. our enrollment has gone up since kch was opened, but it was never expected to soar through the roof. academics will always supercede athletics in importance though. without the academics, we won't have athletic teams. the programs that vu has are quality programs. quality over quantity anytime. |
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Post by beaner on Nov 10, 2008 19:46:58 GMT -5
vuweatherned,
Is there somewhere on the internet you can see the doppler radar from VU? I have never been able to locate it. If so, what is the website. Thanks
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Post by vu72 on Nov 10, 2008 20:46:14 GMT -5
Meteorology has been growing steadily/rapidly since the early to mid 90's. The new building wasn't built to drastically increase enrollment (although, last year I was told that they are nearing capacity already in the new building, so I'm not sure what more you want). The building was built to better suite the needs of the students... and to make us that graduated in '04 and spent our years in the basement of Mueller, jealous. The department realized that in order to stay competitive and continue to draw top talent, they needed an upgrade, and they finally got it. The building wasn't built to suddenly attract 500 new students a year. Well, I may have had bad information, which I recieved from one of the development directors. My information was that the enrollment in meteorology was not what was expected. I'm glad to hear that that is wrong and hope like heck it continues to grow. Clearly it is one of Valpo's top programs and all you grads/students should indeed be proud! |
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Post by vuweathernerd on Nov 11, 2008 0:56:21 GMT -5
vuweatherned, Is there somewhere on the internet you can see the doppler radar from VU? I have never been able to locate it. If so, what is the website. Thanks very basic, but it displays the data. if it looks the same for long periods, don't be surprised. they take it down a lot for maintenance. if there's real active weather around the area, then it should be on. 72-while enrollment has been down across the undergrad spectrum at vu, met is one program that been holding steady. for the last three years, we've had at least 50 newcomers to the program. at one point, the class of 2010 was the largest met class the department had ever had. and we're attracting better quality students as well. |
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Post by valpotx on Nov 11, 2008 1:24:55 GMT -5
Good lord, please don't tell me the new guy is going to get rid of athletics?! Athletics brings more name recognition to the school than he apparently knows of, and if this is the case, why did we hire him? I would figure that the board would have made sure athletics was a priority in our new president...
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Post by vuweathernerd on Nov 11, 2008 1:25:35 GMT -5
that's not at all what he's about. our athletics aren't going anywhere.
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Post by fwalum on Nov 11, 2008 9:03:08 GMT -5
Good lord, please don't tell me the new guy is going to get rid of athletics?! Athletics brings more name recognition to the school than he apparently knows of, and if this is the case, why did we hire him? I would figure that the board would have made sure athletics was a priority in our new president... As I stated earlier in this thread, I talked with AD Mark LaBarbera and he told me he believed President Heckler would be very supportive of athletics and that he really looked forward to working with him. There was no hesitation in his endorsement that I could perceive so I have to take what he said as a positive for VU athletics. |
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