St. Francis (NY) dropping athletics

[sufandu]

I agree for the most part. But when you have one building in downtown Brooklyn as your campus, and you’re a commuter school, there isn’t much to gain by having athletics.

What do you mean by much to gain?

 

[SUFan44]

What do you mean by much to gain?

If you have a singular building on campus and there's no physical footprint of a campus, there is not much 'campus life' to speak of. There are many schools in NYC and in dense metropolitan areas that have a similar situations.

 

[sufandu]

If you have a singular building on campus and there's no physical footprint of a campus, there is not much 'campus life' to speak of. There are many schools in NYC and in dense metropolitan areas that have a similar situations.

But they've offered sports for a long time, so it doesn't seem to be an issue of space. It's a monetary issue. Students of small schools can benefit from the opportunity to play sports too. It doesn't have to be D1 or nothing. Just give students a chance to compete. It actually makes sense to have it in dense metro areas with multiple schools. You can just schedule amongst those schools, minimize travel costs, and develop city rivalries.

 

[swish7]

Stuff like this is not good news. I loved the little bit of sports I played in college.

 

[IraSez]

Definitely get the feeling they won't be the last ones. Lots of smaller colleges struggling just to keep the doors open.

 

[Newhouser]

Definitely get the feeling they won't be the last ones. Lots of smaller colleges struggling just to keep the doors open.

I agree Caz college will be the first of quite a few - the whole educational system needs to have a come to Jesus in terms of costs.

 

[sufandu]

I agree Caz college will be the first of quite a few - the whole educational system needs to have a come to Jesus in terms of costs.

Students and their parents probably need that too. It's become an arms race where kids convince mom and dad to overspend for the schools that have the coolest stuff, not necessarily the best education. As long they keep writing the checks, schools will keep jacking up the price.

 

[Newhouser]

Students and their parents probably need that too. It's become an arms race where kids convince mom and dad to overspend for the schools that have the coolest stuff, not necessarily the best education. As long they keep writing the checks, schools will keep jacking up the price.

Sometimes it's the parents convincing the kid.

 

[dan7800]

I agree Caz college will be the first of quite a few - the whole educational system needs to have a come to Jesus in terms of costs.

Schools in NYS are going to be in a crunch very soon. COVID created a lot of challenges, and the lower birth rate from the 08-09 recession is going to be really hitting schools hard. These concerns are even there at bigger schools. I know that these concerns come up in discussions at even the highest level for us.

A big blow to schools in the state was also the fallout from the college admissions scandal and the rules put in place after that. These are going to cost schools large amounts of money and IMHO not benefit students.

 

[dan7800]

Students and their parents probably need that too. It's become an arms race where kids convince mom and dad to overspend for the schools that have the coolest stuff, not necessarily the best education. As long they keep writing the checks, schools will keep jacking up the price.

You can look up the precise number, but not for profit schools (the vast majority of all legit schools) can only make like 3% "profit". But I agree, kids now a days want the "cool" stuff. This includes nicer dorms, better food, etc...

 

[SUFan44]

But they've offered sports for a long time, so it doesn't seem to be an issue of space. It's a monetary issue. Students of small schools can benefit from the opportunity to play sports too. It doesn't have to be D1 or nothing. Just give students a chance to compete. It actually makes sense to have it in dense metro areas with multiple schools. You can just schedule amongst those schools, minimize travel costs, and develop city rivalries.

As I mentioned previously, the space issue is coming to a head because they sold the "campus" (building) that housed their athletic facilities earlier last year. They had a pool (water polo, swimming) and a basketball gym (volleyball, basketballs). Track & soccers were their other sports, and they rented space at area schools (or soccers went to a field right next to the water down in the pier areas in Brooklyn).

SFBK is a private school - they aren't affiliated with the CUNY which is where majority of D3's in the city are affiliated. There are a number of other private schools that compete at the D3 level (St. Joseph's of Brooklyn, Manhattanville, Yeshiva, many others), but they all have gyms.

SFBK was using Pratt Institute (another D3) to play its home games this year. They literally don't have a gym, let alone any other facilities.

In addition to this, the sale of their prior building apparently fell through - so they are paying rent for that building while also renting their new building. That may have played a role in the expedited decision. But this was likely going to happen eventually, regardless of that sale. They have nothing to call "home" in their new building - not even a locker room.

 

[sufandu]

As I mentioned previously, the space issue is coming to a head because they sold the "campus" (building) that housed their athletic facilities earlier last year. They had a pool (water polo, swimming) and a basketball gym (volleyball, basketballs). Track & soccers were their other sports, and they rented space at area schools (or soccers went to a field right next to the water down in the pier areas in Brooklyn).

SFBK is a private school - they aren't affiliated with the CUNY which is where majority of D3's in the city are affiliated. There are a number of other private schools that compete at the D3 level (St. Joseph's of Brooklyn, Manhattanville, Yeshiva, many others), but they all have gyms.

SFBK was using Pratt Institute (another D3) to play its home games this year. They literally don't have a gym, let alone any other facilities.

In addition to this, the sale of their prior building apparently fell through - so they are paying rent for that building while also renting their new building. That may have played a role in the expedited decision. But this was likely going to happen eventually, regardless of that sale. They have nothing to call "home" in their new building - not even a locker room.

Why did they sell the arhletic buildings? They needed the money. Don't hemorrhage money to be D1 and you don't have to sell the building. They planned poorly.

 

[sufandu]

You can look up the precise number, but not for profit schools (the vast majority of all legit schools) can only make like 3% "profit". But I agree, kids now a days want the "cool" stuff. This includes nicer dorms, better food, etc...

Sure. They're not profiting. They're spending on the cool stuff the same way the sports juggernauts spendmon their cool stuff. In both cases is often unnecessary dress up stuff just to impress prospects.

 

[dan7800]

Sure. They're not profiting. They're spending on the cool stuff the same way the sports juggernauts spendmon their cool stuff. In both cases is often unnecessary dress up stuff just to impress prospects.

If you don't impress, then students wont come.

 

[sufandu]

If you don't impress, then students wont come.

I guess they have no reason to complain about tuition rising, then.