$200: the final straw for this Gopher alum & lifelong fan

If you ever really want to get pissed, look at the "student services fee." It's like $550+ on top of tuition. When I worked in a role that supported students, I fucking hated talking about that fee and I was always up front in my feelings on it.

The core principle of our society is making taking money above all else.
At least in terms of the student services fee and other things the kids are paying for, I fixed your sentence for you. The U isn't "making money" they are "taking money".

Making money comes from putting out a product or service people will pay for willingly. This isn't that.
 

At least in terms of the student services fee and other things the kids are paying for, I fixed your sentence for you. The U isn't "making money" they are "taking money".

Making money comes from putting out a product or service people will pay for willingly. This isn't that.
On a technicality, they are making it. No one is forcing anyone to go to the U. They’re then spending that money on athletes but the service the U is offering, people are willing to pay. We’ll see if it affects enrollment or not, but I doubt it in any real capacity that won’t be within the standard error
 

At least in terms of the student services fee and other things the kids are paying for, I fixed your sentence for you. The U isn't "making money" they are "taking money".

Making money comes from putting out a product or service people will pay for willingly. This isn't that.
Strange semantics, and by your own logic this is incorrect. The product (a degree), and the service (education) is provided to those who willingly enroll and will pay either via massive loans, subsidies, or straight cold cash.

Either way, my core sentiment is that higher ed, much like every other industry in our society, is built on wealth accumulation above all else.
 


$200 is not a lot of money for me now. When I was in college, $200 was more than I had in my bank account at the end of freshman and junior year.
Yes but it isn't like you have to write the U a check for the $200. Its a line item on an already ridiculous bill that I bet you never read while you were there. (I only did when their clerical error screwed up my financing and forced me out of school) $200 won't even register as a noticeable change when they pay the bill.

Look I find it ridiculous they are charging fees but the people getting apoplectic about it like the U is holding a gun to students and emptying their wallets is hilarious. If the U wasn't forced to be public about their fees (which make no mistake I am 100% glad they are!) no one would even make a stink cause no one would notice. That doesn't make it right, but it is not worth the vitriol it is getting either.

Plus it just seems weird to me that people seem ok with the idea of cutting non-revenue sports to support Football and Basketball but this is a bridge too far. I guess screwing over some students is ok and in their case it is for way more than $200.

It is bad enough they expect us to pay athletes through NIL...but fees like this are only the beginning. It is only going to get worse.
 


They may be paying it out of their pocket. Every penny I paid for my education came out of my own pocket, not my parents. I worked a minimum of 20 hour weeks while doing 16 plus credits per semester. I would have resented paying another kids beer money while I worked just to try attend.
And you knew every line item in the bill you paid if the bill went up a bit?
 

From whose pocket cometh loan payments?

And I don't disagree that there is horrific bloat in higher ed. I've seen statistics that show that while academic faculty suites have remained relatively static, administration growth has been almost exponential, similar to to health care, where patient care is the equivalent to static academic programs while administration has grown. If we were in the OT forum, I'd point out the common link.

Back on topic, though. I guess I don't see rampant waste as an excuse to condone any fractional part of that waste.
Its not condoning...I dont think any of us like this in any way. Its just not the problem people are making it out to be either. Where is all this discussion for the housing costs at the U for students? How about the price of books? ($200 didn't cover that in 1998) There are a much bigger fiscal issues than a fee no one would even notice if they weren't told about it.

All we hear on boards like this is that high end athletics are important to schools (to some more important than academics) well someone has to pay the tab. [sarcasm coming] Students should consider the privilege they have being able to go to a Big Ten University and be willing to sacrifice a few extra shekels for it.

(there is some irony in here that now many in the "The Academics Are Trying to Destroy College Sports" crowd now seem to care about how the U is an Academic Institution first.)
 
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At least in terms of the student services fee and other things the kids are paying for, I fixed your sentence for you. The U isn't "making money" they are "taking money".

Making money comes from putting out a product or service people will pay for willingly. This isn't that.
So college education and athletics is not a product or service people are paying for? Ooof you might want to reword that.
 

The colleges are greedy they said. The NCAA makes all the money and the athletes get none of it they said.
 




On a technicality, they are making it. No one is forcing anyone to go to the U. They’re then spending that money on athletes but the service the U is offering, people are willing to pay.
Example: (and this is just for illustration, as I am a generous tipper)

That's kinda like saying when a restaurant automatically adds in a gratuity that the wait staff "made" that money. The person eating obviously wanted to pay for the food, so the profit of selling that food made the restaurant money. And if the tip was voluntary, then the wait staff would have made that tip money.

I guess we see slight differences in the technicality. I'm not responding to just argue back, as you write good posts. I just didn't think I explained my thought well enough in my original post. But I can also agree with what you're saying, that any revenue coming in counts as earned money.

Did Tony Soprano "earn" the money in those envelopes his underlings would bring him? Or was it extortion? ;)
 

Example: (and this is just for illustration, as I am a generous tipper)

That's kinda like saying when a restaurant automatically adds in a gratuity that the wait staff "made" that money. The person eating obviously wanted to pay for the food, so the profit of selling that food made the restaurant money. And if the tip was voluntary, then the wait staff would have made that tip money.

I guess we see slight differences in the technicality. I'm not responding to just argue back, as you write good posts. I just didn't think I explained my thought well enough in my original post. But I can also agree with what you're saying, that any revenue coming in counts as earned money.

Did Tony Soprano "earn" the money in those envelopes his underlings would bring him? Or was it extortion? ;)
oh i don't disagree you that it is highly debatable that each student is "getting $200 worth of goods" from the new fee, the same that its debatable that you're getting ~16k "worth" of education each year as a resident and is a massive part of the disconnect in rising costs of education versus return in this country.

Probably part of why they see it as the 200 is nothing and people won't change habit in large, similar to your restaurant analogy in that if there's 18% autogratuity, most people will still eat there even if they're a 15% tipper

don't think anyone loves how the U is doing this nor that they're continuing down an idiotic pathway that develops no additional "loyalty" amongst their future alumni, but they certainly love to bite themselves in the ass down the road for the sake of short term band aids
 





Given the Oak View Group and allegations surrounding the University of Texas facilities deal (surely an isolated incident) one has to wonder if students and taxpayers getting their money’s worth on their service and facilities contracts the university negotiates, or if there could be a bit of backscratching going on. Maybe just me.

Anyway, assuming the average student attends 4 years (no idea) the $800 bill at 6.8% interest over a 10-20 year repayment term is roughly 1.5 Grover Clevelands.

Sure, it’s chicken scratch for most here but if that’s the case why don’t the supporters pony up $1k per year. $1K per non-rev sport x 1K supporters equals financial nirvana for Coyle and Co.

Write it up.
 

Given the Oak View Group and allegations surrounding the University of Texas facilities deal (surely an isolated incident) one has to wonder if students and taxpayers getting their money’s worth on their service and facilities contracts the university negotiates, or if there could be a bit of backscratching going on. Maybe just me.

Anyway, assuming the average student attends 4 years (no idea) the $800 bill at 6.8% interest over a 10-20 year repayment term is roughly 1.5 Grover Clevelands.

Sure, it’s chicken scratch for most here but if that’s the case why don’t the supporters pony up $1k per year. $1K per non-rev sport x 1K supporters equals financial nirvana for Coyle and Co.

Write it up.
I just assumed Yah-e had it covered.
 


The University of Minnesota is an example of the state of our state right now. There is zero leadership from any party to fix the fraud, spending a 19 billion dollar surplus and a declining population. We will lose more public schools to to a lack of students. See demographers reports. Public education is in disarray under the leadership of an educator..

Meanwhile you have not one parking dollar for athletics going to athletics. We have hockey arenas that sit unused because our high schools cannot afford what they charge to host an event paid for by public dollars. We have a football program that is valued at more than $500 and we can’t pay assistants like a top 10 program in the BIG. And now we have a 22 million bill that’s come due because our Athleta are employees.

The programs that survive should be in the BIG and SEC. I have little faith our university leadership can design an effective solution. Watch out for St. Thomas in basketball and hockey. They will be hosting our high school games as soon as next year at a fraction of the cost and will be the first or second best option for our state’s athletes. They know how to make money, spend money and maintain an endowment.

Say and think what you want, Coyle is not the problem and may be their best leader minus he does not like to speak publicly or have a public presence. We are incredibly fortunate to have a coach like Fleck who perseveres.
 

oh i don't disagree you that it is highly debatable that each student is "getting $200 worth of goods" from the new fee, the same that its debatable that you're getting ~16k "worth" of education each year as a resident and is a massive part of the disconnect in rising costs of education versus return in this country.

Probably part of why they see it as the 200 is nothing and people won't change habit in large, similar to your restaurant analogy in that if there's 18% autogratuity, most people will still eat there even if they're a 15% tipper

don't think anyone loves how the U is doing this nor that they're continuing down an idiotic pathway that develops no additional "loyalty" amongst their future alumni, but they certainly love to bite themselves in the ass down the road for the sake of short term band aids
I dont think $200 will change anyone's mind...again I doubt anyone even remembers or notices. Its a drop in the bucket when it comes to tuition expenses and after a couple years everyone will memory hole it. (until they raise it and we get to do it all again!)

College sports on the other hand is going to have problems coming up you can just feel it. And at this point I am fine with it...the things I loved about college sports are gone which is why the only games I watch are the Gophers. But even fans like me will hit our breaking point with our loyalties.
 

The University of Minnesota is an example of the state of our state right now. There is zero leadership from any party to fix the fraud, spending a 19 billion dollar surplus and a declining population. We will lose more public schools to to a lack of students. See demographers reports. Public education is in disarray under the leadership of an educator..

Meanwhile you have not one parking dollar for athletics going to athletics. We have hockey arenas that sit unused because our high schools cannot afford what they charge to host an event paid for by public dollars. We have a football program that is valued at more than $500 and we can’t pay assistants like a top 10 program in the BIG. And now we have a 22 million bill that’s come due because our Athleta are employees.

The programs that survive should be in the BIG and SEC. I have little faith our university leadership can design an effective solution. Watch out for St. Thomas in basketball and hockey. They will be hosting our high school games as soon as next year at a fraction of the cost and will be the first or second best option for our state’s athletes. They know how to make money, spend money and maintain an endowment.

Say and think what you want, Coyle is not the problem and may be their best leader minus he does not like to speak publicly or have a public presence. We are incredibly fortunate to have a coach like Fleck who perseveres.
So much about this post is incorrect I am literally unable to process...
 


Not really. Especially his first paragraph. Look at the income migration trends out of Minnesota. Replacing high income high tax folks with people that need more and more support from the taxpayers that will be forced to pay more and more. Look at the demographics and test scores of the elementary and middle schoolers and realize it's only going to get worse. Yikes.
 

We have a football program that is valued at more than $500
Valued at more than $500?!?!?! No way!!!!

Watch out for St. Thomas in basketball and hockey. They will be hosting our high school games as soon as next year at a fraction of the cost and will be the first or second best option for our state’s athletes. They know how to make money, spend money and maintain an endowment.
Yes, St. Thomas is a model exemplar in all things. After all, they have an unbelievable endowment of ~$700M and raised ~$125M last year. Meanwhile, our comparatively paltry numbers are a ~$6B endowment (4th largest in the Big Ten) and we only raised the meager sum of $392M last year. We really have a lot to learn from them.

Keep pushing that agenda, though.
 

Valued at more than $500?!?!?! No way!!!!


Yes, St. Thomas is a model exemplar in all things. After all, they have an unbelievable endowment of ~$700M and raised ~$125M last year. Meanwhile, our comparatively paltry numbers are a ~$6B endowment (4th largest in the Big Ten) and we only raised the meager sum of $392M last year. We really have a lot to learn from them.

Keep pushing that agenda, though.
Don't forget all the hockey arenas sitting empty in spite of them all being used from 6am to midnight.
 


The University of Minnesota is an example of the state of our state right now. There is zero leadership from any party to fix the fraud, spending a 19 billion dollar surplus and a declining population. We will lose more public schools to to a lack of students. See demographers reports. Public education is in disarray under the leadership of an educator..

Boy, posts like this would have you believe MN isn't one of the best states in the country to live in.... have you been South recently, or the Appalachias?
 

I dont think $200 will change anyone's mind...again I doubt anyone even remembers or notices. Its a drop in the bucket when it comes to tuition expenses and after a couple years everyone will memory hole it. (until they raise it and we get to do it all again!)

College sports on the other hand is going to have problems coming up you can just feel it. And at this point I am fine with it...the things I loved about college sports are gone which is why the only games I watch are the Gophers. But even fans like me will hit our breaking point with our loyalties.
$500 million. A big word to miss!
 

Boy, posts like this would have you believe MN isn't one of the best states in the country to live in.... have you been South recently, or the Appalachias?
It’s partially what prompted reply. Having spent 20 days between Tennessee and Georgia, I was shocked how wrong I have been. (Call it Mn bias). Traffic in Atlanta is brutal brutal but their ability to support what they they have for public school facilities with Georgia Tech, Georgia, Georgia State and Kennesaw State so close to each other amazed me. Especially their athletic facilities. Lake Point area 23 miles north near Marietta, amazing youth facilities like we do not have.

Lake Linear. Amazing. (Comparative to Lake Minnetonka including the cost unfortunately)

Tennessee is more where I’d live with the number of lakes and taxes.

My opinion of how superior we have it has changed.
 

Valued at more than $500?!?!?! No way!!!!


Yes, St. Thomas is a model exemplar in all things. After all, they have an unbelievable endowment of ~$700M and raised ~$125M last year. Meanwhile, our comparatively paltry numbers are a ~$6B endowment (4th largest in the Big Ten) and we only raised the meager sum of $392M last year. We really have a lot to learn from them.

Keep pushing that agenda, though.
And the U is out of money, hasn’t paid for its most recent athletic facilities. Il’l never be a fan of STU but they have the Anderson’s a plan are using athletics to get them there as opposed to viewing athletics as a necessary evil.
 

Brueggers day old bagels. $1.05 for six. That was college in 1991. Kim sor in the dinkydome 2.99 for a meal. That was as good as it got.
I always tried to convince a girlfriend to get a waitress job. Or bartender. Anything that could get me free food/drinks.
 




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