Post by digmke on Mar 23, 2024 21:47:21 GMT -6
This is an excellent post. I posted the following below in another area on this board in order to add to the discussion.
You did a great job in articulating more $$ for Athletics. Your point about Conference is spot on. We are not Harvard but we are a better school than the other schools in our conference: UWGB, Robert Morris, IUPUI...really. A move to the MAC could be an upgrade from an academic affiliation standpoint plus give us exposure in the Chicago market with NIU and access to alumni who live in the area. Missouri Valley would be a good move as well, putting us in Chicago with UIC. Since Missouri Valley is a non football conference, we might stand a better chance.
Here is my post, found elsewhere on this Board from a few weeks ago:
Why does Marquette, a school half our size and on the whole, probably on par/slightly less academically than us, sell out Fiserv? Here is why......
Engaged Alumni who are proud graduates:
I am an alumni who has lived in Chicago since graduation. I come up for a few basketball games plus soccer. How many alumni from outside SE WI/Milwaukee are engaged with the school, go to games, etc. Probably none?!
I did my Masters at Northern Illinois University in part because of its active/engaged alumni.
Branding:
The school needs to create its own, stand alone branding, getting away from the "University of Wisconsin at......" Milwaukee will always be viewed as a step sister to Madison. Many other states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, etc) have distinct naming/branding/differentiation.
Stop being a school only for/about SE WI - I don't see any efforts to recruit kids from my area (western burbs of Chicago) and I have kids in high school!
Governance:
Milwaukee needs its own Board of Trustees and not governed by an overarching UW System. The Trustee model is governed by notable alumni/community members who are directly in tune with the school. How about the CEO of Microsoft on our Board?
Athletics MUST report into the Chancellors office!
Hard to elevate athletics when the AD reports into the same person who also oversees campus areas such as housing and the Norris Health Center. Not to put Student Affairs' down and the many vital campus areas it serves. However, almost all schools AD report in to the Chancellor/President. This reporting model makes no sense - Perhaps I will dedicate a separate post on the topic?!
Consistently good basketball program:
Bruce Pearl did wonders for the program. A good team brings everyone out.
Willing/able to spend $$
See my note about reporting into Student Affairs - Hard to spend money when the overall budget reports into the same budget dealing with campus foodservice at the Union
Doesn't view itself as a "mid major"
Milwaukee needs to create a destination approach. Marquette's head bb coach is from University of Texas! Giannis plays in Milwaukee.
You did a great job in articulating more $$ for Athletics. Your point about Conference is spot on. We are not Harvard but we are a better school than the other schools in our conference: UWGB, Robert Morris, IUPUI...really. A move to the MAC could be an upgrade from an academic affiliation standpoint plus give us exposure in the Chicago market with NIU and access to alumni who live in the area. Missouri Valley would be a good move as well, putting us in Chicago with UIC. Since Missouri Valley is a non football conference, we might stand a better chance.
Here is my post, found elsewhere on this Board from a few weeks ago:
Why does Marquette, a school half our size and on the whole, probably on par/slightly less academically than us, sell out Fiserv? Here is why......
Engaged Alumni who are proud graduates:
I am an alumni who has lived in Chicago since graduation. I come up for a few basketball games plus soccer. How many alumni from outside SE WI/Milwaukee are engaged with the school, go to games, etc. Probably none?!
I did my Masters at Northern Illinois University in part because of its active/engaged alumni.
Branding:
The school needs to create its own, stand alone branding, getting away from the "University of Wisconsin at......" Milwaukee will always be viewed as a step sister to Madison. Many other states (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, etc) have distinct naming/branding/differentiation.
Stop being a school only for/about SE WI - I don't see any efforts to recruit kids from my area (western burbs of Chicago) and I have kids in high school!
Governance:
Milwaukee needs its own Board of Trustees and not governed by an overarching UW System. The Trustee model is governed by notable alumni/community members who are directly in tune with the school. How about the CEO of Microsoft on our Board?
Athletics MUST report into the Chancellors office!
Hard to elevate athletics when the AD reports into the same person who also oversees campus areas such as housing and the Norris Health Center. Not to put Student Affairs' down and the many vital campus areas it serves. However, almost all schools AD report in to the Chancellor/President. This reporting model makes no sense - Perhaps I will dedicate a separate post on the topic?!
Consistently good basketball program:
Bruce Pearl did wonders for the program. A good team brings everyone out.
Willing/able to spend $$
See my note about reporting into Student Affairs - Hard to spend money when the overall budget reports into the same budget dealing with campus foodservice at the Union
Doesn't view itself as a "mid major"
Milwaukee needs to create a destination approach. Marquette's head bb coach is from University of Texas! Giannis plays in Milwaukee.