In the Next 5 years

[RaginPagin.com]

In the Next 5 years will Athletics or Academcis experience greater growth at UL?

[zephyr]

I hope with the removal of this spending cap we've had the past several years that this will stimulate our athletic budget along with the formation of the CAF and other fundraising organizations. Now, we just have to get everybody involved and see how many true cajun fans there are out there.

[manizzle]

i would love if our athletic program were to grow in the next 5 years, BUT if you were to ask me which one of the two is more important for our university, it would have to be academics. Everyone always says how Dr. A spent so much money on improving academics, but I still don't think we are a top school in the state. I think strictly speaking on the part of academics (please don't jump on my back everybody for what I'm about to say...) LSU is much better than we are currently. Yes, we have a better Computer science program and nursing program, and a few others that are equal to or better, but overall, we have greater disparities between our best programs and our worst programs than our public counterpart in BR. They are just more consistently good across the board. We have pockets of excellence (computer science, nursing) and pockets of misery (College of Business). Thats just my 2 cents...

[Cajun Express]

_ i would love if our athletic program were to grow in the next 5 years, BUT if you were to ask me which one of the two is more important for our university, it would have to be academics. Everyone always says how Dr. A spent so much money on improving academics, but I still don't think we are a top school in the state. I think strictly speaking on the part of academics (please don't jump on my back everybody for what I'm about to say...) LSU is much better than we are currently. Yes, we have a better Computer science program and nursing program, and a few others that are equal to or better, but overall, we have greater disparities between our best programs and our worst programs than our public counterpart in BR. They are just more consistently good across the board. We have pockets of excellence (computer science, nursing) and pockets of misery (College of Business). Thats just my 2 cents... _

Not jumping on your back, but there is a reason they are somewhat better, the state lavished them with twice the money. Jeezzus some people do not get it. And even with that it really is a toss up. You get out what you put into college. Look for the better instructors instead of those who give easy grades, well sometimes they are one in the same, and your degree anywhere will get you as far as your abilities will take you.

[Just1More]

I think this question is comparable to asking whether your heart or mind will do better in the next few years. You had better take care of both. Athletics is indefinitely more insignificant on the surface than academics, at an institution of higher learning. The issue that seemed to escape prior UL administrators is the vital link between the two. It isn't a matter of placing athletics or athletes ahead of academics or students. It is a matter of maintaining your alumni and community ties to your university. Athletics shouldn't have the huge impact on a school that they do... but they do. There is no dishonor in being intelligent, recognizing a fact, and using it to your benefit.

There should not be any lessening of effort in raising funds and focus on improving academics. There should be a completely independent increase in funding and focus on athletics. Do not fall into the trap of pitting the two against each other. There is no conflict if the administration is competent.

It is also impossible for public workers to be the primary drivers in athletic funding. They are ultimately responsible, so they have to maintain oversight. But, UL has to allow private business people to launch the athletic funding mission. The would-be contributors that are waiting in the wings, are not motivated by public workers operating the system. They completely understand their required involvement... but the HUGE involvement will not happen until they know it is being led by private enthusiasts. Bank on it.

[zephyr]

I think the point that people should try to realize is why can't BOTH get better? You don't have to sacrifice education for athletics. The state doesn't tell us that you have this amount of money but you have to use if for one or the other.

What LSU does is bring in a lot more of their own education money through research grants. Many of their departments depend on these grants. Their professors are granted tenure based on years of research and how much money they bring into the departments. UL is not nearly as much of a research based university like LSU.

[trd1282]

We need to become more selective, some of the kids in many of the curriculums are completely brain dead and its not the fault of professors. Most kids entering as freshman can't even pass 100 level math on the first or even second try. Worse, they are often allowed to continue along in their major, regardless of performance. I have come across people in my 200 level english classes that cannot type a proper paper for goodness sake. Basically what I am saying is that, I don't want to get to my first job only to find out some brain dead kid who graduated the same time as me, looked like an a--hole in his interview, so all UL grads have to wear the bulls-eye. But hey, I guess that means I have all kinds of free time to watch athletics now... right?

[rhineaux]

I voted for athletics, merely because, at this point, I think it CAN grow faster than academics, whether that growth be percieved or real. And I think it has MUCH more room to grow, or much more room for improvement, so the growth will be (or should I say could be) much more exponential than what we may or may not see in academics.

[AboveAverage]

If athletics grows faster academics will follow in step. If academics grows athletics will get left behind.

[DrumRoll]

All things held constant...If athletics show improvement, enrollment will grow...

Athletic improvement can be easily quantified and qualified, and while academics are extremely important, nothing says more about academic quality in a quantifiable way, than what your acceptance standards are...

Increasing enrollment will allow for increased or more stringent admission standards for some programs as demand rises, which sets the "playing field", pardon the pun, for a student body that can successfully matriculate in a higher academic arena...

Then you build such an arena...

[California Cajun]

I chose athletics, because without an immediate stimulus package it can't stay 1-A. It was put on hold for decades until the academic endowment of over $100 million was raised. What athletics needs to do is get to the point of self-sufficiency.

[CajunSaint]

to give dr. authement the benefit of the doubt, he made the decision to bolster academics. after all, we had much ground to make up, after the raiding of various programs that took place in the 70's and 80's when we were getting "too big for our britches" and being "uppity." his was a philosophical decision. it was a tough one. personally, i would have liked to have seen more spent on athletics, but it was his decision to make. now, to the future. i really believe the new admin. will open up a little on the athletic spending. we have made strides in academics-the $100 million endowment. plus the efforts of gerald hebert and his team should produce more visible results. i am optimistic.

[ULvictory]

_ i would love if our athletic program were to grow in the next 5 years, BUT if you were to ask me which one of the two is more important for our university, it would have to be academics. Everyone always says how Dr. A spent so much money on improving academics, but I still don't think we are a top school in the state. I think strictly speaking on the part of academics (please don't jump on my back everybody for what I'm about to say...) LSU is much better than we are currently. Yes, we have a better Computer science program and nursing program, and a few others that are equal to or better, but overall, we have greater disparities between our best programs and our worst programs than our public counterpart in BR. They are just more consistently good across the board. We have pockets of excellence (computer science, nursing) and pockets of misery (College of Business). Thats just my 2 cents... _

[angellebertrand]

I believe Drumroll hit the nail on the coffin with "If athletics show improvement, enrollment will grow". If there would be a sudden wave of sucess within our sports, that would attract students to the university. I am spreaking as a student myself and always hear from kids they may not want to go here because they say (in football) "we suck". People want to belong to a winning team, its human nature. On the other hand, studious students could care less about athletics and would want to attend a great university because of what degree programs are offered. No matter what, I can't wait to graduate but will miss going to the games for free!

[Cajun Express]

_ _

Nobody jumping your case, they get a lot more money per student and have more money for everything. So yes we need to improve all aspects of our school. It can never be an either or situation.

UL by it's mission statement will never be allowed to become a school like North Carolina, or Virginia by the state, but we can if we grow ourselves outside of the funds the state is willing to give us. It will require you young graduates to contribute to the foundation for the future to be brighter for those who follow you. You will benefit by having a degree from a school that will be better than the one you graduated from.

Athletics vs academics in public universities really do not exist for the most part. If you follow the athletics you might be willing to support the academics even as a non graduate. On the other hand if you are simply in business or have a great job without that UL degree you probably won't contribute without some sort of athletic tie. If you are a academic guy you will give to academics regardless of what is happening in football.

So IMO each can grow without hurting the other, and the athletic tie in will help the academic in the long run. We are not Princeton, Harvard, or Yale and should not confuse what our mission is.