Inlander article

[EWU98]

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/ewu-faculty-write-report-suggesting-cuts-to-athletics-budget-or-even-eliminating-it-entirely/Content?oid=19099082

Man this bummed me out.
I know football isn't the end all be all but the last thing I want is for EWU to become the next WWU.

Could be worse with financial losses ...just check out older brow down the road in Pullman.

 

[BSCfan]

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/ewu-faculty-write-report-suggesting-cuts-to-athletics-budget-or-even-eliminating-it-entirely/Content?oid=19099082

Man this bummed me out.
I know football isn't the end all be all but the last thing I want is for EWU to become the next WWU.

Could be worse with financial losses ...just check out older brow down the road in Pullman.

"no positive impact on our student enrollment, retention or recruitment."

That statement sure rubs me the wrong way, reminds me a lot of a certain Seattle City Councilman who once remarked that the Sonics offered "no significant cultural value".

 

[Obzerver]

I'll be waiting to give my 2 cents on the Eastern Washington University faculty report I just read so I have time to digest the material...seems like we've seen this before.

 

[clawman1]

The best way anyone can support Eastern athletics and your alma mater is with your pocketbook.

 

[luckyintheorder]

https://www.inlander.com/spokane/ewu-faculty-write-report-suggesting-cuts-to-athletics-budget-or-even-eliminating-it-entirely/Content?oid=19099082

Man this bummed me out.
I know football isn't the end all be all but the last thing I want is for EWU to become the next WWU.

Could be worse with financial losses ...just check out older brow down the road in Pullman.

Downsizing institutions is Mary's expertise. Time to examine closely the average work week for people like Syphers (please tell his first name isn't Luis, Louis or Louie) who are making six figure salaries and golden retirement packages.

It's OK to have a very negative reaction to the undermining of the institution by those who obviously have an agenda. Like them, "let's start the conversation" of their value to ungoing success of EWU.

 

[Obzerver]

https://www.linkedin.com/in/david-syphers-13954682

*Picked last at recess
**So did I

 

[clawman1]

It is interesting to me that our academics @ EWU are hoping for eliminating athletics when other progressive universities across the country are adding or expanding athletics.
https://www.midmajormadness.com/2020/2/12/21130771/cal-baptist-and-grand-canyon-are-taking-similar-paths-d1-basketball-transition-wac?utm_campaign=midmajormadness&utm_content=entry&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter
This is just one example, there are many more across the country. Why are our educators smarter than all the others??

 

[LDopaPDX]

I had to spend some time thinking about this... it is so out of left field. First off, any administrator who put their name on this reporting should be embarrassed. Literally, if you have that little support for your own enterprise— the enterprise being Eastern Washington University as a whole— I would think you’d be fired or at least sanctioned for insubordination. Trying to drive a wedge between one department and the rest of the university is short sighted at best, or downright ignorant at the worst.

The far better route to take here is spend some time figuring out why enrollment and budgets are dwindling in the face of one of the best economic periods in American history. There would appear to be a lesson in failed leadership to address here, but it sure isn’t athletic department leadership that is the problem.

Take a look at the number of degree programs Eastern offers. How many of them are graduating enough students to justify their existence? Why is Eastern spending money on programs that can’t maintain themselves by drawing in students? The truth is Eastern has some bloating that could be addressed, but you’d be hard pressed to tell me how one of the least funded athletic departments in the conference is the piece that’s bloated.

Yet, again, it all comes down to selling the university, and university administrators have become increasingly bad at it since Arevalo left.

 

[Rafter_Reese]

https://collegefootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2020/02/16/fcs-power-eastern-washington-not-considering-cutting-athletes-after-all/

go eags!

 

[EWU98]

Despite how dumb this article was and is....the shitty thing is it can still be used as a recruiting tool against us....

 

[Guitarguy]

I've worked in Higher Ed for 20 years and spent some time at EWU. A few thoughts from the trenches.

Generation Z is the smallest generation since the WWII generation. Contrast that with the fact that the Millenials were one of the largest in history, and that alone accounts for a dramatic drop in enrollment. Factor in Generation Z being fearful of student loan debt, the re-emergence of the trades and fewer wanting a college education, and your pool of students is even smaller. Colleges all across the USA are reeling due to this generational shift. Just last week, Concordia College in Portland announced it's closure after spring term. They have 5800 students. Granted, they were private, but it's a good example of how changing enrollments is impacting colleges.

Having said that, EWU is missing the target on something because WWU and CWU have not experienced the same per capita drop in enrollment. I think EWU is on the right track developing their niche (1st generation students and Chicano/Chicana students), but those programs will take time to develop into recruiting advantages. In the meantime, EWU seems like they aren't hitting their traditional markets as well as in the past.

As I have posted in the past, state funding of EWU is way down from what it has been historically. The lawsuit forcing the state to fund K-12 education pulled a lot of dollars away from Higher Ed since the state constitution doesn't guarantee it's funding. At one point, EWU was only receiving 54% of the historical level of state funding and they were told that it's never coming back. In essence, state schools are having to run more businesslike and find new revenue while watching costs. This isn't a bad thing, but as faculty get stretched, athletics becomes an easy target for their angst.

I love my Eagles but the business model for Higher Ed has radically changed. Athletics will need to change with it and EWU will need to refine its mission in order to thrive. It's going to be a bumpy ride for awhile.

The far better route to take here is spend some time figuring out why enrollment and budgets are dwindling in the face of one of the best economic periods in American history. There would appear to be a lesson in failed leadership to address here, but it sure isn’t athletic department leadership that is the problem.

Take a look at the number of degree programs Eastern offers. How many of them are graduating enough students to justify their existence? Why is Eastern spending money on programs that can’t maintain themselves by drawing in students? The truth is Eastern has some bloating that could be addressed, but you’d be hard pressed to tell me how one of the least funded athletic departments in the conference is the piece that’s bloated.

Yet, again, it all comes down to selling the university, and university administrators have become increasingly bad at it since Arevalo left.

 

[clawman1]

As you mentioned and many agree, learning a trade is more important than a degree for many. The workforce is in great need of welders, plumbers, electricians, etc. etc. With the changing times would it ever happen that mid sized universities like Eastern would offer those trades as degrees? Currently the Eastern dental school offers a degree in dental hygiene. I believe Eastern also offers a masters in physical rehab.

 

[clawman1]

The reality is athletics is a cost of doing business in the world of higher education. The question should be should athletics be competitive with their peer institutions?

 

[clawman1]

From Dave Cook;

EWUAthleticsGeneralReleaseBackground

The following statement was issued during the full meeting of the board's regular opening meeting Friday afternoon. It was read by Vice Chair Kim Pearman-Gillman on behalf of Chair Vicki Wilson:

As always, all of us are committed to asking questions and hearing feedback from all areas and groups to understand and guide our university's future. At this time, President Cullinan and the Board of Trustees will not be moving forward with an independent review of EWU Athletics. We believe the athletics organization is moving forward in a positive way with their budget alignment and plan the BOT approved two years ago, and we believe under Lynn Hickey's leadership it will continue to do so. The Board of Trustees is obliged by law to continuously review the athletics budget, and we take that obligation very seriously. This is why we review the athletic financials at every board meeting and will continue to do so, and will continue to ask questions. Over the coming months the Board of Trustees is looking forward to hearing from the President's newly established Student Success Academic Committee, and all the new and innovative ideas that the faculty have in helping and ensuring success for our students today and in the future.

 

[HeavyIsTheCrown]

The reality is athletics is a cost of doing business in the world of higher education. The question should be should athletics be competitive with their peer institutions?

:clap: I’m glad I’m not the only one that feels this way.

Also, “what should we do to make athletics, primarily football and men’s basketball, more profitable?”

A stadium refresh that gives EWU a legit place where fans want to come and watch a game. Also, make EWU’s stadium equivalent, or at least competitive, to its Big Sky & FCS peers; specifically Montana, MSU, Weber State & CPSLO in conference, and SIU, Jax St, SDSU, & UTC in the FCS.

 

[LDopaPDX]

Glad to see Eatsrn’s admin shut this down quickly. I would have done so with much more prejudice, because I think it’s an affront that any Eastern employee would release statements to the media related to trying to dissolve a university department. I guess I’m hardline, but dirty laundry should never be aired publicly, especially through the media,

 

[BSCfan]

Glad to see Eatsrn’s admin shut this down quickly. I would have done so with much more prejudice, because I think it’s an affront that any Eastern employee would release statements to the media related to trying to dissolve a university department. I guess I’m hardline, but dirty laundry should never be aired publicly, especially through the media,

Hear hear!!! (And that Syphers fella looked almost exactly like I figured he would. He reminds me of the kid who got put out first playing dodgeball so it's his goal to get back at those mean old jocks!)

 

[EdubAlum]

Glad to see Eatsrn’s admin shut this down quickly. I would have done so with much more prejudice, because I think it’s an affront that any Eastern employee would release statements to the media related to trying to dissolve a university department. I guess I’m hardline, but dirty laundry should never be aired publicly, especially through the media,

Hear hear!!! (And that Syphers fella looked almost exactly like I figured he would. He reminds me of the kid who got put out first playing dodgeball so it's his goal to get back at those mean old jocks!)

Did any of you listen to the podcast he put out https://theintercollegiate.com/episode/episode-14-heretics-in-the-temple-eastern-washington-edition? He was unable to answer some basic questions about our program (ie what is our average attendance etc) and did a fair amount of sh*t talking the university president as well. When people challenge him on his assertions he gets straight up defiant. Classic narcissist...his biggest fear is probably being told that he's stupid.

 

[BSCfan]

Glad to see Eatsrn’s admin shut this down quickly. I would have done so with much more prejudice, because I think it’s an affront that any Eastern employee would release statements to the media related to trying to dissolve a university department. I guess I’m hardline, but dirty laundry should never be aired publicly, especially through the media,

Hear hear!!! (And that Syphers fella looked almost exactly like I figured he would. He reminds me of the kid who got put out first playing dodgeball so it's his goal to get back at those mean old jocks!)

Did any of you listen to the podcast he put out https://theintercollegiate.com/episode/episode-14-heretics-in-the-temple-eastern-washington-edition? He was unable to answer some basic questions about our program (ie what is our average attendance etc) and did a fair amount of sh*t talking the university president as well. When people challenge him on his assertions he gets straight up defiant. Classic narcissist...his biggest fear is probably being told that he's stupid.

Nope, but since you posted a link for it I'm definitely giving it a listen!