University of Alabama updates

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by SpawnOfVulcan

I'm just waiting for us to hit that ceiling, at which time, UA has to increase acceptance standards. Campus is, and is being, built for a capacity of some 45,000 to 50,000. I don't know what that ceiling number is, but I'd darn sure hope we hit it sooner rather than later.

Is there any doubt that Tuscaloosa developers are lobbying to keep the enrollment growing? I think UA is insulated more than most schools, to a student loan bubble, but still, it is a dangerous strategy to keep basing success on growth. We need growth only if it comes with higher quality.

[ttownfeen]

Originally Posted by MdtwnATL

That it will be! However, it will really be focused on university performances since there is not a large capacity venue included in its design. I wish the city would built a 1,200 - 1,800-seat PAC near the river and amphitheater to lure even more acts and traveling theater performances. It would definitely be well-received by the city.

How big will the main auditorium be?

[atlanta68]

https://twitter.com/TJAltimore/statu...201173105?s=20

http://https://pbs.twimg.com/media/G...png&name=large


Only two SEC schools have a higher acceptance rate than UA. This is the main reason UA has fallen so much in the annual rankings. Not acceptable!

[chadinhsv]

[QUOTE


Only two SEC schools have a higher acceptance rate than UA. This is the main reason UA has fallen so much in the annual rankings. Not acceptable![/QUOTE]

Ole Miss was last place with practically 100% yet they moved up ahead of us in the latest rankings. So this has little to do with annual rankings. Make it make sense. I think the problem is UA has a really hard time convincing students from this state to apply and enroll at UA that we had to lower our standards and create incentives; therefore, our acceptance rate went higher. Honestly, I still don't give a crap! I see the quality of students we have up close as our companies hire them. What I would like to see is an increase in the emphasis of STEM degrees. Once Dean Karr left our recruiting for engineering students took a freefall. We need to get those numbers back up.

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

[QUOTE


Only two SEC schools have a higher acceptance rate than UA. This is the main reason UA has fallen so much in the annual rankings. Not acceptable!

Ole Miss was last place with practically 100% yet they moved up ahead of us in the latest rankings. So this has little to do with annual rankings. Make it make sense. I think the problem is UA has a really hard time convincing students from this state to apply and enroll at UA that we had to lower our standards and create incentives; therefore, our acceptance rate went higher. Honestly, I still don't give a crap! I see the quality of students we have up close as our companies hire them. What I would like to see is an increase in the emphasis of STEM degrees. Once Dean Karr left our recruiting for engineering students took a freefall. We need to get those numbers back up.[/QUOTE]


I have already shown in a past post how the high acceptance rate is directly related to the falling ranking. I never said it was the only factor. But when you have a very low lower tier of student quality, relative to most other SEC schools, your graduation rate, your student indebtedness, and your peer score are going to take a big hit. Those are just three of the main factors that affect the ranking criteria. Ole Miss is not ranked much higher than UA by the way.

[chadinhsv]

[QUOTE=I have already shown in a past post how the high acceptance rate is directly related to the falling ranking. I never said it was the only factor. But when you have a very low lower tier of student quality, relative to most other SEC schools, your graduation rate, your student indebtedness, and your peer score are going to take a big hit. Those are just three of the main factors that affect the ranking criteria. Ole Miss is not ranked much higher than UA by the way.[/QUOTE]

You know it gets to a point where you need to just say "Who cares?" I mean if it was negatively affecting the graduating students from getting jobs I would be concerned. But I can guarantee you that for almost all jobs the hiring manager doesn't give one care in the world whether you graduated from Bama, Ole Miss, Auburn, or Tennessee. It really only matters when it comes to the public Ivy's verses the rest that may make a difference. What matters to me is networking. The University graduates, in my opinion, could do a better job of hiring fellow UA grads once our graduates are in the position to hire people. I know several UA grads that are in that position but do not seem to hire within the "family" like other places do.

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

You know it gets to a point where you need to just say "Who cares?" I mean if it was negatively affecting the graduating students from getting jobs I would be concerned. But I can guarantee you that for almost all jobs the hiring manager doesn't give one care in the world whether you graduated from Bama, Ole Miss, Auburn, or Tennessee. It really only matters when it comes to the public Ivy's verses the rest that may make a difference. What matters to me is networking. The University graduates, in my opinion, could do a better job of hiring fellow UA grads once our graduates are in the position to hire people. I know several UA grads that are in that position but do not seem to hire within the "family" like other places do.

The problem is we don't really know if the dramatically falling ranking has hurt our graduates' hiring potential cause the dramatic fall has happened only recently, over about three years. We had been dropping gradually from the mid 2010s till the late 2010s, then dropped from 64 to the 90s among publics in just one year, from Fall 22 to Fall 23. It seems pretty risky to me to just assume employers will not care if UA continues to build the rep of being the Wal Mart of Higher Ed.

UA does not need to take this lower admission standards route. We have the prettiest campus, already have a very large number of top students, the best traditions. We can grow by emphasizing growth with quality.

I agree that UA can do better with networking. I guarantee you that Auburn employers consider their grads superior on avg. And they may be right, and that hurts our grads who are equal to or better than Auburn grads.

[chadinhsv]

[QUOTE=
I agree that UA can do better with networking. I guarantee you that Auburn employers consider their grads superior on avg. And they may be right, and that hurts our grads who are equal to or better than Auburn grads.[/QUOTE]

You are 100% right in that they do and I just saw yet another large/impressive company locally that has a cohort with AU engineering program. Radiance Technologies and now PeopleTec both have a partnership with Auburn where they carve a path for their graduate program for their employees. The company I recently worked for that was started by Ron Gray, who is a board of Trustees member for the University does not have something similar in line with the University of Alabama. Why in the HELL does someone that is connected that high up and owns a fantastic company NOT have something similar set up?

I attend alumni networking events when they come into town and have brought this up on several occasions and I get the same "Let me talk with someone at the University higher up than myself and get back to you" Do they ever get back to me you ask? NO they DO NOT! I've sent emails with nothing in return. If anyone has had any success in any dialogue with this university please let me know. I only want what's best for the university and losing hope seeing all the talent from this state go to a rival school while we are just sitting on our hands.

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

You are 100% right in that they do and I just saw yet another large/impressive company locally that has a cohort with AU engineering program. Radiance Technologies and now PeopleTec both have a partnership with Auburn where they carve a path for their graduate program for their employees. The company I recently worked for that was started by Ron Gray, who is a board of Trustees member for the University does not have something similar in line with the University of Alabama. Why in the HELL does someone that is connected that high up and owns a fantastic company NOT have something similar set up?

I attend alumni networking events when they come into town and have brought this up on several occasions and I get the same "Let me talk with someone at the University higher up than myself and get back to you" Do they ever get back to me you ask? NO they DO NOT! I've sent emails with nothing in return. If anyone has had any success in any dialogue with this university please let me know. I only want what's best for the university and losing hope seeing all the talent from this state go to a rival school while we are just sitting on our hands.

This is the exact problem I have experienced. We have a self-satisfied board that cares far more about attending football games, living high on the hog at those games, and being national champions in football, than about having a highly ranked academic reputation. Our Chancellor Finus St. John is an elitist snob way over his head. Their latest biggest motivation seems to be to avoid being called racist at all costs.

Too few of us speak up, so the Board never feels significant pressure to change anything. For some reason, most UA alumni worry that criticism equals lack of support for our alma mater. And of course, few of the alumni events or meetings focus on anything but football. I once attended alumni events in Atlanta, one with Dr. Witt and one with Dr. Karr. Academics was the focus at those meetings, but since those, I have not seen any invited speakers other than sports related ones.

If an alumnus really cares about UA, he or she WILL criticize its leaders when they are clearly not doing a good job of managing the school and its reputation.


I truly wish the board had chosen Chuck Karr to be the school president. Bell is just weak. Can you imagine Chuck Karr passing up a chance to promote the university as Bell did when Trump asked him if he wanted to say a few words when the team visited the WH?

[chadinhsv]

Interesting article that came out of the Wall Street Journal today concerning Auburn's pricey tuition. I'm' glad our University hasn't increased the tuition for in-state students in quite a few years. I think that may benefit us as a more affordable option

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/educatio...d=hp_lead_pos2

[Packer16]

It seems atlanta is scared of the TRUTH and gets posts that shine a light on the cochroach deleted. LOL. What a Joke!!! What a snowflake.

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by Packer16

It seems atlanta is scared of the TRUTH and gets posts that shine a light on the cochroach deleted. LOL. What a Joke!!! What a snowflake.

Dude, you need help.

I am just going to ignore you. I know things about you but refuse to take this to a personal level.

I was about to post the piece about Auburn here, but saw it had already been posted by Chad. I have shared in the past that Auburn also has issues, from lower mean ACT scores (not quite as far of a decline as at UA), to higher non-current liabilities than those of UA, to falling USNWR ranking (again, though not as far as Bama's drop), to anti White racism among the Auburn Black SGA.

[atlanta68]

Originally Posted by chadinhsv

Interesting article that came out of the Wall Street Journal today concerning Auburn's pricey tuition. I'm' glad our University hasn't increased the tuition for in-state students in quite a few years. I think that may benefit us as a more affordable option

https://www.wsj.com/us-news/educatio...d=hp_lead_pos2

Things are definitely not ok at Auburn, but it is telling that despite the higher tuition, and far less generous scholarships, it still enrolls more in state Alabamians than UA. In 2023, Auburn had 15,444 undergrads from Alabama, while UA only had around 13.500. I got this data from both school's OIRA pages.

We need to fix this. UA has so many advantages over Auburn. The only thing UA lags relative to Auburn, is academic reputation, but that can be fixed fairly quickly if our Board would just tighten academic standards.

It is strange that a school as popular as UA has been, is not following basic market principles. When there is higher demand, the cost should go up. Cost does not have to mean tuition, it can mean higher academic standards.

[atlanta68]

With Saban retiring, how should UA honor his legacy and continue his presence on campus? I say a multidisciplinary Saban Center of Excellence near the middle of campus. Saban's commitment to excellence is a philosophy that can be applied to academics, research and teaching as well. He can be on the Center's board and help guide its mission and activities.

What do you think?

[Packer16]

The new welcome center opened in the east wing of the newly renovated Bryce administration building a couple of weeks ago. I wish I had the computer savvy to link some video because the photos in this article don't even do justice to how impressive it is. RTR

https://news.ua.edu/2024/01/new-rand...ma-experience/

Also, for Chad, updated 2024 Aerospace Engineering rankings. Don't know why we slipped to #27, Nationally, but, still #1 in Alabama. RTR

https://aerospace-schools.com/aerospace-engineering

Some outstanding news to come. I'll post when it's ready.

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by atlanta68

With Saban retiring, how should UA honor his legacy and continue his presence on campus? I say a multidisciplinary Saban Center of Excellence near the middle of campus. Saban's commitment to excellence is a philosophy that can be applied to academics, research and teaching as well. He can be on the Center's board and help guide its mission and activities.

What do you think?

I'm sure his name will be plastered all over the University even moreso than it is now. How the University does that? I have no clue, but the man definitely had a hand in how the school is the way it is now.

[chadinhsv]

Originally Posted by Packer16

The new welcome center opened in the east wing of the newly renovated Bryce administration building a couple of weeks ago. I wish I had the computer savvy to link some video because the photos in this article don't even do justice to how impressive it is. RTR

https://news.ua.edu/2024/01/new-rand...ma-experience/

Also, for Chad, updated 2024 Aerospace Engineering rankings. Don't know why we slipped to #27, Nationally, but, still #1 in Alabama. RTR

https://aerospace-schools.com/aerospace-engineering

Some outstanding news to come. I'll post when it's ready.

Yes the Randall Welcome Center looks incredible! I doubt any other school has something like this and I am amazed at how that came together. Thanks Packer for the link for the Aerospace Engineering school ranking. Feels funny to be ranked ahead of both AU and UAH for that but I will take it.

Can you give any hints about the future news you are alluding to? I understand if you can't though

[Packer16]

Here is a hint. More developments to come. RTR

https://www.techstars.com/newsroom/t...bama-techstars

A lot of work is being done to make Tuscaloosa a true, "Tech City".

[SpawnOfVulcan]

There are some great pictures of the new welcome center in Bryce Main on the Tuscaloosa News website!

[ttownfeen]

I am more concerned with what happens when / if the football program craters and the full OOS tuition paying daddy’s boys/girls from Texas go elsewhere.