He was the perfect example of what a modern OU president can get away with as the role doesn't require the leadership personality of years past.

The simple fact of the matter is supply and demand is and has always hurt the university. The Fine Arts program averages a 3.94 GPA because there are less places to go for that. When the programs are distinctive and OU has a corner on the market in-state or nationally the tend to thrive.

To offset the university could build a student pipeline to Nashville, Atlanta or Florida I suppose. But on a basic level there isn't much Ohio can do about its positioning which is why I don't believe the presidential choice matters as much as some on here think it does. Particularly when a president can now go 5 years without approving a construction improvement or a signficant partnership with everything explored.

He did not "get away" with anything. He got shit-canned.

My point on the construction projects is everything that was planned to be built aside from a new pool at Ping and the basketball practice facility at The Convo is either finished or obligated ($200 million dorm renovation project). The steady stream of new construction on campus the past 30 years is wrapping up.

What is the president going to do then if the campus is built out, the faculty pay model defined and the scholarship models defined? Federal research funding peaked in 2004 and has gone downhill because of losing young faculty to other institutions that pay better. We think athletics has lost its soul because of money but its a problem in academia too. There isn't anything OU can do about it that it hasn't already. Build programs with distinction in the Fine Arts example but that has reoptimized a few times already. Market to attract the Jack and Jill high school graduate that doesn't have a major focus they have it set up to do that too.

No doubt there are problems with the university but the potential isn't there to move to the AAU or move back into the Top 100 of the USNWR which is what a lot of alums want to see happen. Be a school that you go to just for the label like Miami. There is a shot of passing Miami by in the rankings as they continue to slide and passing UC again but the potential is limited.

Nellis said he was going to step down a year earlier but stayed on longer than he wanted in part because of the pandemic.

I don't recall a no confidence vote from the board.

He quit because he was old and never really wanted it.

In an overbuilt system, what is Ohio's angle? OSU is OSU, and as soon as they were allowed to move to selective admissions, the current scenario was all but inevitable. That being said, I believe Miami is on the downswing propped up only by their being a safety school for preppy kids from the Chicago suburbs. OTOH, Cincinnati seems to be on the upswing and is now competing with Ohio for kids.

I would love for the incoming President to openly and frankly address these things. McDavis fed everyone the fresh meat they wanted to hear and talked about surpassing OSU. I want the new President to come in and realistically tell us where were are and where she's going to take us and how she's going to take us there.

And to my earlier point, the Ohio job is incredibly complex and difficult right now. I hope we've made the right choice.

"The Fine Arts program averages a 3.94 GPA"

Coming out of HS?

Recently there was an alumni survey. I metioned the drop in the rankings and that OU is now below Cincinnati in the rankings.

I also said they should push for more research funding in the State of Ohio around the Carneige R1 designation. Bonus 20 million for R1 institutions over those who aren't to help maintain their status. A little extra money will help but also the stature. Act like a normal state and designate research universities.

If only there was an interview process to screen for little things like this....

https://pge.post-gazette.com/.pf/showstory/202304040119/3

New Pitt Chancellor salary is 950k plus other perks.

the medical center is a teaching partnership, and not actually part of the University of Pittsburgh, it has its own governance and is legally separate from the University.

I don't know the specifics about how things are governed at Pitt. What I do know is that they have an endowment closing in on $6B and did almost $700M in research funding in the last year. They're AAU and an NIH designated Comprehensive Cancer Center. They're going to attract a different level of President than Ohio. Even if we offered the President of Minnesota 950K, she's not coming here. I believe that Ohio shouldn't "settle." I also believe in being realistic about what end of the pool we're swimming in. Ivy League provosts and Big Ten Presidents aren't leaving for the Ohio job, regardless of what we're paying.

https://www.utimes.pitt.edu/news/university-shines-severa... ).

The state system is what it is but there is some room to grow within the system as its structure today. For the doctoral set aside 25% is based on FTE degree completions. Another 25% is determined on current National Science Foundation research levels with grants going to Health and Human Services weighted at 50%. The state is incentivizing a growth in biomedical PhDs and research which is exactly what the university is directing towards with its new biomedical buildings to provide space for growth.

https://highered.ohio.gov/static/files/uploads/financial/...

Other funding components include money for in-state students and at-risk students both of which Ohio has a focus area in. Today's higher education funding model for the state runs contrary to Miami's Chicago area student recruitment and educational model. Advantage of those historically higher admissions are fading as the USNWR downgrades them annually each year.

Another nice surplus for OU (39 million) on the back of a large freshman class. The university keeps over deliverying on freshman class target that would be another 50-55 million per yer to put into research to help solidify the R1 ranking. Structural pandemic downsizing was a good move.