Total Campus Report - Efficient & valuable curated higher ed developments delivered once per week. |
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We apologize for the deviation from the norm, but we will not have conference-specific links available this week. |
Scheduling note: Total Campus Report will take next week off and return to your inbox on Sunday, December 4. Happy Thanksgiving!
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The Arkansas Board of Trustees voted unanimously in favor of removing the interim tag from Chancellor Robinson. (link); Robinson will serve a three-year term after serving as interim chancellor since August 2021. University System President Bobbitt: “Dr. Robinson has proven to be a very good steward of the university and its land-grant mission during his time as interim chancellor. He now has the opportunity to cast a broader vision for advancing the university as a leading public research university in the region and raising its status on the national stage. He has a unique ability to inspire others and to relate to the many different constituencies across the university, and I look forward to working with him to help make his tenure as chancellor a success.” (link); Bobbitt will be the first Black president to lead the system's flagship campus. (link)
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West Virginia and AD Lyons have parted ways, with VP for Strategic Initiatives Alsop stepping into the role on an interim basis. (link); TurnkeyZRG will assist the process, which is expected to be completed in the next three to four weeks. (link); CBS’ Dodd observes Lyons is chair of NCAA Council and notes it “will be interesting to see how his absence is handled. I don't know protocol right off the bat.” (link); WVU owes Lyons $3.7M, according to WV SportsNow’s Asti, who explains: “The only way for the university to avoid having to pay Lyons is if there is an undisclosed reason for the firing, meaning a violation of the law or willful misconduct. Since that does not appear to be the case, Lyons will be owed the remainder of his contract through 2026.” (link); The Athletic’s Fortuna muses: “It is fair to wonder how turned off candidates will be by Lyons’ treatment. … Lyons was by all accounts a good AD who, like most before him, was undone by a football hire that looked great at the time but turned out to be subpar. [...] West Virginia will likely be in the same boat as Georgia Tech and Auburn this fall in running searches for both an AD and a head football coach, this time on a much quicker timeline.” (link); Metro News’ Kercheval believes Lyons’ pay package was already plenty competitive within the marketplace, but wonders if President Gee can go even higher to attract his target. (link)
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The Arizona Board of Regents approved one-year extensions and pay raises for Arizona President Robbins and Arizona State President Crow. Robbins will receive a 5% bump from $754,515 to $792,241, while Crow’s 5% raise increases his salary from $771,282 to $809,846. Crow’s contract now runs through the summer of 2027 while Robbins' deal runs through summer 2025. (link)
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As chronicled in D1.ticker
Sunday, November 13
Tragic news out of Charlottesville as three people have been killed and two others wounded in a shooting late last night in Virginia's Culbreth Garage. UVa police are still searching for a man named Christopher Darnell Jones in connection with the shooting at the garage. Jones was listed on the Hoos' 2018 football roster. Classes have been cancelled for today. (link)
Monday, November 14
We offer our deepest condolences to the Virginia community following the fatal shooting of FB student-athletes Chandler, Davis Jr. and Perry. Authorities arrested former Cavaliers FB student-athlete Jones for the shooting Monday morning. The shooting happened just after 10:15 PM Sunday as a charter bus full of students returned from seeing a play in Washington, D.C. Two other students were wounded, including one who remains in critical condition. UVA President Ryan indicated authorities still do not have a “full understanding” of the motive or circumstances surrounding the shooting but remarked: “The entire university community is grieving this morning. My heart is broken for the victims and their families and for all those who knew and loved them.” The AP’s Rankin reports Jones came to the attention of the university’s threat-assessment team this fall after a person unaffiliated with the school reported a remark Jones apparently made about possessing a gun, according to UVA Police Chief Longo. (link); UVA has canceled its MBB matchup vs. Northern Iowa for tonight, and it remains to be seen whether the Hoos will play their scheduled FB matchup against Coastal Carolina this weekend. Chanticleers HC Chadwell recalls his experience recruiting Davis: “I remember him vividly. That was actually my recruiting area, and so I know he was a fantastic player, but he was an exceptional, exceptional young man and you knew he was destined for some great things. Just heartbroken for him and the family there and all of the Woodland community because I know what he meant to them and I know every spring he’d come back and talk to their team and I know they’re hurting right now.” (link)
Sports Illustrated’s Dellenger was in Charlottesville last night for the somber scenes on grounds at Virginia as mourning for the three Cavaliers FB student-athletes continues. Junior running back Hollins is one of two survivors & is in critical condition with another surgery set for tonight after suffering gunshot wounds to his abdomen. A family friend says Hollins was unable to speak yesterday, but did write a message to his mother: “The first thing he asked about was his three teammates.” As for a motive, the same family friend provides: “They had been on a field trip to see a play (in Washington D.C.) and when they came home on a bus, they pulled into the parking garage. The suspect, who apparently may not have been a part of the class but was on the trip … he was asking one of the football players about a video game. The guy answered, and at that moment, he pulled a gun and started shooting. The belief from those on board was that he was targeting football players.” (link); Dellenger’s Twitter feed has pictures from Charlottesville last night. (link)
Tuesday, November 15
Virginia AD Williams and FB HC Elliott held an emotional press conference today to address the tragic shooting that occurred over the weekend. Williams explains the Cavaliers will make a decision “soon” about whether the team will play its FB game against Coastal Carolina this weekend. She adds: “Our fans have been remarkable in showing tremendous support. … It is so shocking that you just want to love on our players. That's where we have spent our energy. That's where we've spent our time." On last night’s vigil, which drew thousands of students to The Lawn, Williams remarked: “It was amazing. Remarkable to see the students supporting their classmates. It was healing." In his comments, Elliott remarked that “it’s important that we all grieve. These are outstanding young men, and we don't understand why they're gone so early. … It feels like it's been a nightmare, to be honest. I'm ready for somebody to pinch me and wake me up and say this didn't happen." Regarding the shooter’s background, Williams explained he was a walk-on for one semester in 2018, and she doesn't believe there was any overlap with any of the FB players who were shot. She’s also not sure they interacted outside of the class. More. (link, link); Cavs RB Hollins is out of his second surgery, has been removed from a ventilator and is “doing well,” a family spokesperson tells Sports Illustrated’s Dellenger. We offer our continued best wishes to Hollins and everyone affected by this tragedy. (link)
Wednesday, November 16
More on the tragic shooting in Charlottesville as Virginia announces it has canceled its Saturday game against Coastal Carolina. A decision regarding the Cavaliers’ November 26 matchup with Virginia Tech has yet to be made. (link); Chanticleers AD Hogue: “As much as we love game day and the spirit it brings, there is a time when the sanctity of life and sustaining of a community take precedence. This is one of those times. We fully support the decision and will continue offering our assistance and contribute however we can toward the healing of our friends and colleagues at UVA.” (link); USA Today’s Wolken reports the “arraignment of accused UVA shooter Christopher Jones is done. He is being held without bond, and his next court date is Dec 8 to give him time to hire legal counsel.” (link); The Washington Post’s Wan reports on details of the tragedy with testimony from a witness. (link)
Thursday, November 17
ESPN’s Schlabach reports Virginia RB Hollins, through his mom, has recounted some of the events from the tragic shooting over the weekend. Hollins says the shooter shouted at the driver to stop the bus, prompting him and two others to run out of the bus. Upon realizing no one was following him, Hollins told the two students to keep running, but he went back to the bus to help others, according to his mother, Brenda Hollins, who says: “His classmates are grateful for him because they said he saved their lives. He was the first off the bus and told two of his classmates to run, and he went back.” Upon returning, the shooter pointed a handgun at him and shot him in the back when Hollins turned to flee. Lots more. (link); Touching tribute as a slew of former Cavaliers FB ACs will wear UVa gear on the sidelines through their weekend of games. (link)
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Leaders speak out
Virginia President Ryan: “This has been an unimaginably sad day for our community. The entire University community is grieving this morning. My heart is broken for the victims and their families and for all who knew and loved them. … Please know we will do everything we can to honor their lives. And we’ll come together soon as a community to mourn these losses.” (link, link); More from Ryan: “The University of Virginia community remains in a state of shock and mourning after three members of our community were killed and another two were seriously wounded on Nov. 13. In the wake of that tragedy, our top priority has been offering students, faculty, staff, parents, and alumni the support and resources they need as they continue to grieve and process this terrible tragedy. The University’s leadership and the Board of Visitors agree that the best way forward is a rigorous external review conducted by a special counsel appointed by the Virginia Attorney General.” UVa requested the appointment of a special counsel to conduct an independent external review of the incident. (link)
Virginia Tech President Sands: “Our thoughts are with the families of the victims, the wounded, and the members of the UVA and Charlottesville community that are undergoing a traumatic experience right now.” (link)
Duke President Price: “My thoughts today are with colleagues and friends at the University of Virginia. I have expressed to President Jim Ryan my condolences to the UVA community and offered Duke’s support in the difficult hours, days, and weeks ahead.” (link) Maryland President Pines: "Our hearts are with our friends and colleagues coping with this tragedy. Praying for the lives lost and those who waited in fear to be reunited with loved ones." (link) |
Presidents & Chancellors in the News |
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In his weekly video update, Kansas Chancellor Girod hosts Jayhawks AD Goff to learn more about the department’s strategic plan, “To The Stars,” along with updates on conference realignment and support resources for KU student-athletes. (link) |
Michigan President Ono outlined his strategic vision in his inaugural Leadership Welcome, noting that his top priority includes DEI initiatives with the launch of DEI 2.0 next fall, a $300M investment in companies that follow Environment, Social and Governance procedures and an institutional commitment to fight climate change with the appointment of a sustainability leader. Additionally, the university will launch a $1M Staff Career Development Fund to provide $200K over the next five fiscal years and begin recruiting 100 new faculty members. Ono: “As we aspire to be distinctly Michigan in a perpetually disruptive world, I will look to all of you … for ideas, support, inspiration and creativity. … This institution has the ability, through the intellectual capital of the faculty, staff, students and alumni — almost like no other institution — to address the world’s most existential challenges with impact and creativity. We can do even more, and we will do that together.” (link)
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Interim Michigan State President Woodruff will seek to “support every soul” while serving in the position, by getting to know each individual member on the Board of Trustees, engaging regularly with student organizations and leadership, increasing student resources and focusing on enabling faculty success. Woodruff: "I am focused on each day: What are the needs of the university? How can I enable the best outcomes for the largest number of individuals and how do I be present and make sure what is happening at Michigan State, which is great, is communicated in the broadest possible way? So I am really focused on the day-to-day, not focused on that future. … My goal is to not be in the office. We need to connect what we are doing administratively to what the student experience is." (link, link)
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Nebraska Chancellor Green pens on the role research institutions play in the advancement of innovation for the Omaha World-Herald, noting: “Innovation can happen anywhere, but it thrives when a critical mass of people driven by curiosity comes together in spaces with the right tools and resources. [...] Such a culture of innovation does not happen by accident. It requires a commitment to collaborate in pursuit of cutting-edge research and dogged determination to be among the best at converting innovative ideas into real-world applications.” (link)
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NC State Chancellor Woodson provided feedback on the evolving role of the university leader to the UNC System Board of Governors, as the board considers changes to the chancellor search process. Committee on Strategic Initiatives Chairman Powers: “The college chancellor has no true analogue in the private sector. The number of constituencies and stakeholders involved, the high visibility of decision-making and the need to execute on a complex, three part mission of education, research and service make for a uniquely challenging role.” Woodson: “For me, I think it helps to have experience in the public realm. Understanding public support, understanding the General Assembly and how they understand higher education, getting a sense of what are the values of the state around higher education.” (link)
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Over 400 Penn State faculty members signed a letter questioning President Bendapudi's commitment to racial justice. Bendapudi is expected to address concerns regarding her decision last month to cancel a planned Center for Racial Justice and to allow a student group to host two far-right activities on campus, including one with connection to the Proud Boys extremist group. (link); Bendapudi reaffirmed the university’s commitment to DEIB, stating her desire to “move the needle forward” through strategic actions based on a set of metrics that will be shared at a later time. DEIB-related goals include enhancing the recruitment of underrepresented students, increasing the four- and six-year graduation rates across all backgrounds and identities, further diversifying faculty and creating equitable professional development opportunities. Bendapudi: “Trust is something you build over time and through concrete actions. I look forward to building that trust because this work is important to me, and is what truly guides me and my passion for being part of a land-grant university.” (link, link)
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Purdue President Daniels joins WBAA to reflect on his decade with the Boilermakers, discuss the trend for political figures to move into higher education and talk about the economic impact Purdue continues to have on West Lafayette. Daniels: “We're out to deliver higher education at the highest proven value. And I've not found a more concise way, or I think, a more accurate way to describe what we're trying to do, or what I think higher ed, as a sector, ought to emphasize: highest proven value.” (link); Purdue will celebrate Daniels' tenure with a series of public events during the first week of December. President-elect Chiang: “There is no other university leader like Mitch Daniels. President Daniels built Purdue into the most consequential public university in the United States during the Daniels Decade. Our university hit all-time records in student access and success, in research and innovation, and in transformative growth. Mitch is also the most innovative president in America: affordability through tuition freeze, 21st century land-grant through Purdue Global, and economic growth in Indiana through entrepreneurship and Discovery Park District. No event can encompass all the impact he has had, and MitchFest is one of the many ways we will say ‘thank you’ to President Daniels.” (link); Daniels will remain as chair of the Purdue Research Foundation in an unpaid, voluntary capacity at the request of Chiang and the Board of Trustees. Key assignments for Daniels in 2023 include serving as a liaison to the state legislature, supporting the ongoing economic development pipeline and growth of Discovery Park District and optimizing the governance of PRF. (link)
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West Virginia President Gee joins the Mountaineer Insider Podcast to talk about the decision to part ways with AD Lyons and share what he’s looking for in the university’s next athletics leader. Gee: “We want to find someone who understands and values who we are as a people, as a place, as a university… who will love West Virginia as much as West Virginians will love him or her. I want someone who can navigate this new landscape, someone who believes they can surf the web and do the portal thing… who can understand this new world, who can understand the kind of student-athlete that we have and also understand the world in which we have to make sure that we have the right kinds of resources and put them in the right place. Right now the Big 12 has an immense opportunity, we just negotiated a brand new media deal, one of the best that you can possibly imagine… We've been given a lot of gifts, so we have to take advantage of those. I feel very confident that we’ll find an athletic director that will be the athletic director for this time and this place.” (link)
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Wisconsin Chancellor Mnookin looks back on her first months in office during a conversation with student journalists, calling it a “whirlwind” as she navigated issues such as student belonging, campus free speech, the state’s political climate and an overall decline in research funding and support. Mnookin: “My hope is that as an institution that we can help our students, our staff, our faculty and our community develop a strong enough sense of belonging that they don't find it personally threatening or unsafe to have people somewhere else on campus saying things that they think are wildly wrong.” (link)
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University of Wisconsin System President Rothman announced the launch of a free speech survey for students, part of the system’s efforts to promote citizenship and civil dialogue. Other efforts include the creation of the Wisconsin Institute for Citizenship and Civil Dialogue, the development of peer-to-peer conversations on challenging topics and the promotion of the Wisconsin Civic Games via a $20K annual commitment. (link); Rothman: “At the University of Wisconsin System, we will seek to reverse these trends by promoting civil dialogue as a key to informed citizenship. This effort goes hand in glove with our role in providing students the education and training they need to thrive in our economy. If we are successful in moving the needle, we will have a better Wisconsin and be a model for a better nation.” (link)
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Alabama appointed an 11-member search committee tasked with identifying candidates to serve as the next School of Law dean. (link) |
Arkansas Vice Chancellor for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Murphy-Erby will step down from the position to return to a faculty role in Fulbright College’s School of Social Work, effective December 31. Associate Vice Chancellor for DEI Mosley-Motts will serve as interim vice chancellor beginning January 1. (link) |
Big 12 Commissioner Yormark “tapped into his deep set of contacts to create an advisory board that will assist the conference in shaping and developing its business strategy,” SBJ's Smith reports. Members come from the fields of entertainment, finance, technology and media, and Yormark says the board will offer insight and counsel to the league while also providing mentoring opportunities for Big 12 student-athletes. Tons of prominent names on the board include Dallas Mavericks HC Kidd, country artist Garth Brooks, Endeavor President Shapiro and Bruin Capital’s Pyne, among others. Full list. (link)
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The Action Network’s McMurphy, on Wednesday: “Big 12 commish Brett Yormark & Gonzaga AD Chris Standiford met earlier today in Austin, Texas, & there is ‘growing mutual interest’ regarding Gonzaga joining the Big 12, sources told @ActionNetworkHQ. Gonzaga played at UT in men’s basketball Wednesday night.” (link) |
Sitting Colorado Regent Montera won re-election to the board, where he will be joined by fellow election winners VanDriel, James and McNulty. (link) |
Florida Executive Assoc. AD for Administration Tealer has officially been elevated to chair of the NCAA Division I Council. (link) |
The Florida Board of Governors confirmed the appointment of Florida State alumnus Roth to FSU’s Board of Trustees, effective immediately. (link) |
Kentucky College of Education Dean Vasquez Heilig will leave the position on January 4, 2023, to serve as provost and vice president for academic affairs at Western Michigan, pending final approval by the WMU Board of Trustees. (link) |
Michigan appointed a 15-member advisory committee tasked with working with executive search firm Korn Ferry to identify candidates for the open Law School dean position. (link); the university also named a 14-member advisory committee to work with search firm Isaacson, Miller to identify candidates for UM’s next Gerald R. Ford School of Public Policy dean. (link)
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Michigan State tapped Michigan Department of Health and Human Services Senior Deputy Director for Public Health Administration Travis as assistant provost and executive director overseeing a new University Health and Wellbeing division, which brings together 11 departments dedicated to campus health and wellbeing. (link) |
Missouri removed the interim tag from Honors College Dean Rymph. (link) |
Northwestern appointed a 12-member search committee to identify the next Robert R. McCormick School of Engineering and Applied Science dean. (link) |
Northwestern Kellogg School of Management’s Frederic Esser Nemmers Distinguished Professor of Economics and Finance Karlan was sworn in as chief economist for the U.S. Agency for International Development. (link) |
The Syracuse Board of Trustees installed five new trustees, as well as a new chair in Trustee Scruggs, who will be the first person of color to serve in the role in school history. The board also voted to adopt a revised standard and process for revocation of honorary degrees. (link) |
Tennessee Senior Vice Chancellor for Finance and Administration Cimino will retire at the end of the calendar year after serving the UT System for nearly 30 years. (link) |
Texas Senior Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Bazzell will leave the position at the end of the spring semester. The university will consolidate real estate planning, development, operations and maintenance and construction under the leadership of Vice President for Business Strategies and Operations Davis. (link) |
The Texas Tech System Board of Regents selected Regents Griffin and Davis to serve two-year terms as chairman and vice chairwoman, respectively. (link) |
Senior leadership transitions at Wake Forest include the appointment of Associate Professor of Spanish Hardcastle as associate provost for academic affairs and School of Business Teaching Professor of Law and Ethics Philips as senior advisor for strategic initiatives, effective January 1, 2023. (link) |
Washington State Vice President and Chief Information Officer Pillay will leave the position to serve as vice president for information technology at Nevada, effective February 1, 2023. WSU appointed Associate Vice President and Deputy Chief Information Officer Opheim to serve as interim VP and CIO. (link, link)
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Wisconsin Provost Scholz will step down from the position at the end of the academic year to return to a faculty role, with his return to the Department of Economics based on the start date of a new provost. Upon his departure, Scholz will be the longest-serving provost in the Big Ten. (link) |
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UC Regents deliberations over UCLA move to the Big Ten, as chronicled in D1.ticker
From the UC Regents’ board meeting agenda: “As noted in prior meetings, UCLA exercised authority delegated from the President in executing its agreement with the Big Ten. The Board retains the authority to take action to affirm, overturn, or abstain from acting on UCLA’s decision. The considerations around the student-athlete experience, financial impacts, and legal risks vary with each of these options. Specific considerations carrying financial or litigation risk will have been discussed in the noticed closed session discussion item.” The agenda also notes several additional costs associated with UCLA’s move, including travel ($4.62M to $5.79M), nutritional support ($2.927M) and academic support ($1.036M). Full rundown, including results from a student-athlete survey. (link)
According to a survey of UCLA student-athletes, 93% said it was important or very important to remain in the same conference as USC, the Los Angeles Times’ Bolch reports, adding that just 24% of Bruins athletes said keeping UCLA and Cal in the same conference met the same level of importance. More from the survey, per Bolch: “Asked about the move to the Big Ten, 35% of respondents said it would be a good idea, 20% said they had no opinion, 38% said they would need more information and 7% said it would be a bad idea. When it came to their concerns regarding the move, with multiple answers allowed, 77% identified increased travel times, 66% said increased class time, 48% said travel and competition in colder weather, 43% said the impact on mental health and 38% said the impact on physical health. As for the benefits of the move, 77% said increased national exposure, 69% said increased resources, 59% said increased TV opportunities, 56% said greater NIL opportunities, 53% said enhanced services to student-athletes, 43% said compete at the highest level, 30% said increased attendance at all games and 28% said maintain the USC rivalry.” The UC Board of Regents meets tomorrow. (link)
An unnamed University of California regent to the New York Times’ Witz on the looming UCLA-Big Ten decision: “It’s not as if this was a priority of the board: ‘Oh, we want to get ourselves involved in national, high-stakes football programs. All the regents hope a solution falls into our lap so we don’t have to be put in a position to pull U.C.L.A.’s authority to leave or force U.C.L.A. to subsidize” Cal. Further, Witz calls the 26-member board “generally a deliberative body. And only a handful of members are conversant in the language of big-time college athletics.” (link)
The Athletic’s Mandel reports live from the California Board of Regents meeting, which started with the announcement that the board will vote on UCLA’s Big Ten membership on December 14. During the meeting itself, UCLA Chancellor Block explained the Bruins will spend roughly $10M additional per year by moving to the Big Ten. Block also argues that were it not for the Big Ten cash infusion, UCLA would have to tighten its athletic budget, which "likely" would include cutting sports. Meanwhile, Cal Chancellor Christ noted that she "decries" some of the recent changes in college sports, including pay-for-play, adding: “The consolidation of conferences… is not to the benefit of student athletes, in particular women's and Olympic sports." Regent/former Board Chair Perez after the meeting remarked that “this was a call that was made on the field and now we’re reviewing the call, seeing if there’s some substantive reason why the call should be overturned. … Regardless of whether they (UCLA) stay or go, regardless of whether Cal was impacted by the decision or not, what are our expectations for improvement of student athlete experience everywhere? Those are the questions that are still actively there." (link)
The New York Times’ Witz provides some behind-the-scenes fodder in connection to Thursday's UC Regents meeting & the UCLA-Big Ten situation: “Behind the scenes, though, there has been maneuvering. [...] …last month, the Pac-12 provided to several regents a glimpse of what its deal, which it has been negotiating for months, might look like if U.C.L.A. decided to remain: a range between $42 million and $47 million per school, with U.C.L.A. getting a little more than the remaining 10 schools in the Pac-12 once Southern California leaves for the Big Ten in 2024, according to two people familiar with the discussions who spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to publicly discuss them. [...] Then the Big 12 announced its deal with Fox and ESPN, which will be worth $31.7 million per school. That number was far enough below expectations that the Pac-12 lowered its estimates for the regents by about 10 percent. [...] The Pac-12’s willingness to sweeten the offer for U.C.L.A. also included a willingness to pay the buyout the Los Angeles school would have to fork over to break the Big Ten agreement.” (link)
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LEAD1 CEO McMillen unpacks what the midterm elections mean for college sports and tells SEC Network’s Finebaum that it’s likely a federal solution to NIL is not on the horizon. The problem, he explains, has more to do with Democrats’ desires for expanded protections, including possible employment rights and collective bargaining for student-athletes. “And that’s an impasse, and so it’s really hard to get a compromise there.” As such, McMillen asks why don't the NCAA and the conferences “come to grips with this? There are ways they can deal with some of this, but the road we’re heading down is a road towards full payola, paying athletes really without regard to their publicity rights, and I think that’s a slippery slope for college sports.” (link)
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Alabama alumnus Deshe made a $2M commitment to kick start the $4M fundraising campaign to renovate Mary Hewell Alston Hall, home of the Culverhouse College of Business. The gift includes $1.1M towards the renovation, $400K towards scholarships for first-generation students and $500K to the Bloom Hillel Student Center. (link) |
Arizona voters approved Proposition 308, which allows all in-state students, regardless of immigration status, to be eligible for in-state tuition rates and financial aid if they attended an Arizona high school or were homeschooled within the state for two years. The legislation will impact approximately 3,600 undocumented high school students in Arizona. (link)
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Cal has already removed the FTX logo from its football field after the crypto company’s epic collapse. Extra Points' purveyor Brown got a statement from the Golden Bears: “LEARFIELD’s Cal Bears Sports Properties, working in collaboration with Cal Athletics, has suspended the FTX naming rights sponsorship with Cal Athletics.” No word on if FTX still owes money (tokens/coins/whatever) on the deal. (link, link)
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Clemson alumnus Richardson and his wife made a $10M gift to support student scholarships and provide dollar-for-dollar matching funds up to $4M for gifts to university- and college-level General Scholarship Endowments. The gift establishes the Richardsons as CU Academic Cornerstone Partners and is the largest gift from a former student-athlete. (link)
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The Illinois Board of Trustees approved a $731.77M state budget request for FY24, representing an 11.7% increase over this current year’s $655.24M appropriations. (link) |
Fitch Ratings affirmed LSU’s AA-Issuer Default Rating, approximately $328M in outstanding auxiliary revenue bonds at A+ and $404M in Provident Group-Flagship Properties L.L.C. - Greenhouse District project and Nicholson Gateway project lease bonds at A. (link) |
The William A. Brookshire Foundation made a $7.575M gift to LSU for three initiatives: $6M towards the College of Engineering’s Brookshires Scholars program and S&B Engineers and Constructors Scholarship; $975K to launch the LSU Futures Scholars Pipeline, a scholarship program that will establish a pipeline for public school students in East Baton Rouge Parish; and $600K to establish the William A. Brookshire Veterans Law Clinic to expand the school’s experiential learning opportunities for active military and veterans. (link)
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The Trager family, Louisville supporters, made a $1M pledge to UofL’s Christina Lee Brown Envirome Institute to establish the Trager Micro-Forest Project. The Micro-Forest will be established as an outdoor laboratory in Founders Square via a 30-year lease with the Louisville Metro Government. (link) |
Oklahoma alumnus Turner made a $3.5M gift to the Stephenson School of Biomedical Engineering in the Gallogly College of Engineering for faculty recruitment, equipment funding and research support. (link) |
The PJ Dick and Trumbull Corporation made a $1M gift to Penn State’s College of Engineering to honor the company's past and current presidents, both PSU alumni. In recognition of the gift, PSU will name the largest classroom in West 1, a new engineering facility in University Park that is expected to open in Spring 2024, the George Mezey and Jeff Turconi Classroom. (link)
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USC and the Alfred E. Mann Foundation for Biomedical Engineering will use a preexisting endowment valued at $230M for four projects: $50M will name and endow the USC Alfred E. Mann School of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences; $35M will name and endow the Alfred E. Mann Department of Biomedical Engineering in the USC Viterbi School of Engineering; $80M will endow and support the USC Alfred E. Mann Institute; and additional funds will be used to establish several new endowed chairs at the Keck School of Medicine and USC Dornsife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences. (link)
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Over 10,500 supporters participated in Tennessee's annual Big Orange Give. (link) |
TCU Chancellor Boschini announced a 6% tuition increase, as determined by the Board of Trustees, for the 2023-24 academic year. Full-time undergraduate tuition will total $57,130 and need-based financial aid will increase by 6% to match student and family need. Boschini: “This decision follows much analysis and consideration of economic factors and rising costs. … An important role of TCU’s endowment is to expand scholarships and funds that support a wide range of talented students across many disciplines.” (link)
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West Virginia’s four-year graduation rate increased 12% while freshman retention rates and upper-class persistence rates decreased against current budget projections, creating a tuition and fee revenue shortfall of $14.5M. The university is establishing a new budget model that will take effect with the FY24 budget and factor in the state’s higher education funding formula. (link)
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West Virginia alumna Gosnell made a $1M estate pledge to support scholarships and administrative needs at the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, College of Law and Benjamin M. Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources. (link) |
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The Auburn Board of Trustees approved the construction of a 167K-sq. ft. instructional and research facility to house the College of Education. The $77M project is expected to be completed in January 2025 for occupation in April 2025. Additionally, the Board approved the $2.7M renovation for an 8K-sq. ft. tenant fit-out at the Research and Innovation Center in the Auburn Research Park for the College of Architecture, Design and Construction's Research Commons, a $2.95M, 4K-sq. ft. pavilion at the Graham Farm and Nature Center for the Alabama Cooperative Extension System and the construction of a $2.5M, 4K-sq. ft. training center for Facilities Management. (link)
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The Kansas Board of Regents approved a request for an amendment to the Kansas’ FY23 capital improvements request and the program statement for the “11th and Mississippi Project,” which includes the football stadium and immediate area around it. The amendment included upping the Phase 1 cost from $220M to $335M. An economic impact study is underway and should be completed by February. Concept renderings are included and show a 600-person conference and event center that would be integrated into the north bowl of the stadium. (link, link)
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Consent items for Kansas State at the most recent Kansas Board of Regents meeting include the approval for construction of the replacement Beef Cattle Research Center commodity shed, renovations to the Beocat data center in Engineering Hall and the demolition of Edwards Hall, the Natatorium and the Gymnasium. (link) |
Maryland has raised $40M toward the Barry P. Gossett Basketball Performance Center, about which AD Evans asserts: “It’s going to include everything from practice facility to training room, to strength and conditioning to coaches' offices, to locker rooms to lounges. … It's something that's long overdue. [...] We're one of, I think, maybe two or three schools in the country that don't have it. For the rich history of this basketball program, it's something that we must have." Construction should start next season. (link)
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The Virginia Tech Board of Visitors reviewed a design preview of the 284K-sq. ft. facility to house the Kevin T. Crofton Department of Aerospace and Ocean Engineering and Center for Enhancement of Engineering Diversity on the site of the former Randolph Hall. The project is supported through a $35M gift from alumnus Mitchell and his wife. Work on the building is expected to begin Fall 2023 with a majority of the completion set for 2027. The Board also approved a resolution adopting the 2022 Student Life Village Master Plan, a supplement to the Campus Master Plan. (link, link)
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The Institute of International Education released the 2022 Open Doors report, highlighting that the total number of international students in the US increased by 4% in the 2020-21 academic year while an additional 9% are enrolled this fall. International students accounted for 4.7% of the total student population in the U.S. International graduate students increased by 17% to surpass pre-pandemic levels of growth. (link); Full report. (link)
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The latest GSR report from the NCAA shows the overall single-year rate for DI student-athletes held steady at 90%, which continues to be the highest rate recorded. Over the past 20 years, Black student-athlete graduation rates have increased from 56% to 81%, Hispanic/Latinx student-athletes graduation rates have gone from 64% to 88%, Black FBS student-athletes have experienced a 27-point increase from 54% to 81%, and Black MBB student-athletes have seen a 35-point uptick from 46% to 81%. (link - release; link - full report with tons of data)
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The Times Higher Education World Reputation Rankings 2022, based on an invitation-only opinion survey of senior academics, have been released. Stanford leads the way among Power 5 institutions at No. 3, followed by Cal (6), UCLA (16), Michigan (18), Washington (24), Illinois (30), Duke (34), Texas (38), Northwestern (42), Georgia Tech (47), Minnesota (61-70), Purdue (61-70), Wisconsin (61-70), North Carolina (71-80), Texas A&M (71-80), Maryland (81-90), Ohio State (81-90), USC (81-90) and Colorado (91-100) rounding out the top 100. Full list. (link)
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The Princeton Review released its list of the Top 50 Undergraduate Entrepreneurship programs, with Texas topping the list for the Power 5 at No. 2 followed by Michigan (5), Baylor (6), Maryland (7), Iowa State (11), Texas Tech (12), Washington (13), Georgia Tech (14), Syracuse (17), Florida State (19), NC State (20), Michigan State (21), Iowa (22), Penn State (23), Utah (24), Purdue (28), Texas A&M (36), Miami (39), Oklahoma (43), Arizona (45), Oklahoma State (49). Full list. (link)
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The Rhodes Trust released its list of Scholars-elect for 2023; Power 5 institutions with enrolled recipients include Arizona State, Duke, Georgia, Northwestern, Texas and Wake Forest. (link) |
Alabama faculty passed a referendum updating the general education core curriculum, reducing the number of required core credits to allow students to participate in experiential learning opportunities or commit more time to a double major or minor degree program. The new core will launch Fall 2025. (link) |
Approximately 48K unionized academic workers across the University of California System went on strike at 8am on Monday to demand higher wages, improved childcare benefits and free public transit passes. The strike is open-ended with no specified end date. (link, link)
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Cal and Stanford law schools will not participate in upcoming US News & World Report rankings, with additional details behind a paywall. (link) |
Faculty and staff at Kansas established the United Academics of the University of Kansas union to represent full-time and part-time tenured and non-tenured faculty as well as clinical, research, online and teaching professors, librarians, lecturers and other categories of academic staff. The union is affiliated with the American Federation of Teachers and the American Association of University Professors. (link, link)
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Mississippi State partners with the University of Mississippi Medical Center School of Nursing for a dual-degree program that includes an MSU degree in interdisciplinary studies alongside a UMMC nursing degree. (link) |
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Alabama and Auburn launched pilot programs to provide feminine hygiene products in on-campus bathrooms and student centers this academic year. The movement is being led by Period, a student-led nonprofit organization. (link) |
Arizona will partner with UArizona Hillel to establish a University/Hillel Advisory Council on Jewish Life and Antisemitism to advance the university's commitment to an inclusive campus community, which includes initiatives to adopt an antisemitism training program for administrators and the UAPD, and strengthen the relationship between Jewish students and other marginalized communities on campus. (link)
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Colorado's Center for Inclusion and Social Change will shift from the Office of Diversity. Equity and Community Engagement to the Division of Student Affairs beginning January 1, 2023, in an effort to better magnify CISC's campus-wide efforts. (link) |
Our deepest condolences to the NC State community on the passing of a fourth student via by suicide this semester. (link) |
The University of Texas System Board of Regents adopted the Chicago Statement to express its commitment to preserving free speech on campus. Per the statement, the Board “guarantees all members of the UT System the broadest possible latitude to speak, write, listen, challenge, and learn. … debate or deliberation may not be suppressed because the ideas put forth are thought by some or even by most individual members of the UT System community to be offensive, unwise, immoral, or wrong-headed.” (link)
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The 2022 Staff Climate Survey at Wisconsin indicated that 77% of staff feel welcome in the workplace “very often” or “extremely often,” while 90% of respondents reported they feel safe in their workplace, 65% feel valued and 66% feel like they belong. (link); the Campus Climate Survey Task Force submitted a set of recommendations based on the survey that fall into six categories: ensuring an inclusive learning environment, increase campus safety, improve institutional response to hate or bias incidents, increase the number of faculty, staff and students from underrepresented groups, promote shared DEI values and increase the capacity for the campus community to respond to harassing behavior. (link)
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A U.S. Appeals Court imposed a preliminary injunction halting President Biden’s student loan forgiveness plan. The ruling came days after a Texas federal judge blocked the program on the basis that it “usurped” Congressional authority to make laws. (link, link)
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Law360 continues to follow the Gee v NCAA trial: Last week, the jury heard "deposition testimony Thursday from a former assistant athletic trainer at USC, who said he didn't recall Gee suffering any concussions or head injuries." (link); On Monday, jurors heard testimony from a neuropathology expert who said Gee’s brain damage was from “natural aging.” (link); “USC football team doctors closely monitored players for concussions and offered ‘constant follow-up’ for medical issues, a former member of their ranks told a California jury” yesterday. (link); A gastroenterologist testified Wednesday, saying Gee’s health issues were caused by his “drinking-fueled liver disease, not brain trauma, and that there’s no link between the two.” (link); A sports neurologist testified Thursday that Gee’s mental health issues weren’t from CTE or football, but from his own medical noncompliance, yearslong substance abuse, ADHD and other conditions. (link); As always, more behind the paywall.
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Ohio State will pay $875,689 to settle allegations that it failed to disclose a professor’s affiliations with a foreign government in connection with federal funding via Army, NASA and NSF grants and research support agreements. (link) |
Former Washington State FB HC Rolovich filed a lawsuit against WSU, Washington Governor Inslee and Cougars AD Chun, seeking damages over his dismissal for refusing to get vaccinated. Rolovich previously filed a claim against the university, a prerequisite for suing a state agency, and asserts in the suit that WSU is guilty of breach of contract, discrimination against religion, wrongful withholding of wages and violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, as well as the First and 14th Amendments. Rolovich’s original claim specified he was seeking $25M in damages, and, while the suit does not state a figure, it does request damages to include the loss of past and future income, liquidated damages from his employment, punitive damages and other costs related to bringing the lawsuit. A WSU spokesperson says the university “will provide further comment once our attorneys have had an opportunity to assess the claims made in the suit." (link)
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Deals, Partnerships & Collaborations |
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Arizona State will lead a multiyear Arizona Water Innovation Initiative to provide actionable solutions to ensure a secure water supply for the state. The initiative will have the support of a $40M investment from the state and include industrial, agricultural, tribal, municipal and international partners. (link) |
Florida, Georgia, Pittsburgh and Vanderbilt are the latest programs to partner with the NFL on a $60M concussion study which utilizes data from mouthguard sensors worn by players who voluntarily participate. (link) |
Indiana becomes the 20th Power 5 department to use LEARFIELD Amplify for ticket sales & servicing. (link) |
Maryland signed an MOU with the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv to establish collaborative academic and research opportunities including student and faculty exchanges, academic meetings and joint access to libraries and academic resources. (link) |
Minnesota will partner with the state on a $34.5M commitment into early-stage, venture-backed businesses focused on life sciences, food tech, agriculture, climate tech and advanced manufacturing. (link) |
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