STrib: MIAC rivals plot ouster of St. Thomas

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STrib: Augsburg president 'reluctantly supports' removing St. Thomas from MIAC

Augsburg President Paul Pribbenow believes a consensus has formed among MIAC schools to remove St. Thomas from the conference and "reluctantly supports" that decision, according to e-mails obtained by the Star Tribune.

In an exchange with an Augsburg supporter, Pribbenow wrote that several schools have threatened to leave the MIAC in recent years. He said he wants "the MIAC to remain as whole as is possible," even if it means St. Thomas must be expelled.

"My sense is that we have reached a consensus that will keep 12 schools together in the MIAC and that we will support St. Thomas's efforts to find a new conference home," Pribbenow replied to the Augsburg supporter, who wrote to express his opposition to removing St. Thomas. "I can assure you that if we had not reached this *consensus, the MIAC would have imploded, leaving all of us in a far less attractive position."

The Star Tribune reported last month that some MIAC presidents were moving to oust St. Thomas from the league it helped found 99 years ago. At an April 18 meeting, the presidents of the MIAC's 13 member schools deferred any decision on the Tommies' future in the conference, saying they would continue discussions at future meetings.

Pribbenow's assistant said he was out of town and referred a request for further comment to a college spokesperson, who did not respond to an e-mail. A phone call and e-mail to Carleton President Steven Poskanzer were answered by athletic department spokesman Dave Pape, who said his school would not be commenting publicly.

The presidents at other MIAC schools, including St. Thomas, St. Olaf, Hamline and Gustavus, did not respond to e-mails and phone calls requesting comment.

http://www.startribune.com/augsburg...ists-to-remove-st-thomas-from-miac/509752432/

Go Gophers!!
 

Born out of jealousy? Who cares if Saint Thomas wins more Durenberger Allsports Trophies? I don't think the average MIAC fan cares.

It is the college presidents that do. I don't think the football coaches are happy about removing Saint Thomas. I have a feeling Saint Johns and Saint Bens aren't happy about this decision.

The MIAC will have a different feeling. My concern is that this opens the door for other colleges to leave the MIAC after Saint Thomas anyway. The very thing they wanted to prevent by kicking Saint Thomas out will be the ultimate outcome - a decision they will regret down the line. What is the Saint Olaf president thinking about ousting a hundred years of college traditions among the different colleges?
 

I have the following schools currently will NOT vote to remove UST:
St Johns
St Thomas
Bethel
Concordia
St Kate’s


My sources are mediocre, but a couple of those are fairly consistently rumored to be against booting them. If St Kate’s and Concordia want them to stay, it’s hard to get to 9 votes.
 

Some guy said:
I have the following schools currently will NOT vote to remove UST:
St Johns
St Thomas
Bethel
Concordia
St Kate’s


My sources are mediocre, but a couple of those are fairly consistently rumored to be against booting them. If St Kate’s and Concordia want them to stay, it’s hard to get to 9 votes.
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What about St. Ben's?
 



Some guy said:
I have the following schools currently will NOT vote to remove UST:
St Johns
St Thomas
Bethel
Concordia
St Kate’s


My sources are mediocre, but a couple of those are fairly consistently rumored to be against booting them. If St Kate’s and Concordia want them to stay, it’s hard to get to 9 votes.
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Interesting. The schools that actually give a shiite about athletics want them to stay and the schools that don’t want them out. Geezus, what a world.
 

Again, until proven otherwise, I will go with Pat Reusse, who has been following this story before anyone else. He says they have the votes needed to change the by-laws and expel St. Thomas. And Reusse has been getting inside information from some MIAC coaches, so no offense, but I'll go with his version before people guessing on the internet.
 




short ornery norwegian said:
Again, until proven otherwise, I will go with Pat Reusse, who has been following this story before anyone else. He says they have the votes needed to change the by-laws and expel St. Thomas. And Reusse has been getting inside information from some MIAC coaches, so no offense, but I'll go with his version before people guessing on the internet.
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For sure. People guessing in real life are more reliable than people guessing on the internet
 

In theory, I don’t see why St Bens would vote differently than St Johns, especially nor would I see any reason that St bens would feel differently than St Johns about saving ToJo.

Then again, removing ST possibly puts St Bens in a better position to win the conference more often.


St Kate isn’t affiliated with ST though, like SB is with SJ. I see zero reason why SK would buck the larger group voting them out.


The schools that make sense as wanting to keep them in are Concordia, Bethel, for sure St Johns, and probable/maybe(?) St Bens. That’s it.
 
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Gophers_4life said:
In theory, I don’t see why St Bens would vote differently than St Johns, especially nor would I see any reason that St bens would feel differently than St Johns about saving ToJo.

Then again, removing ST possibly puts St Bens in a better position to win the conference more often.


St Kate isn’t affiliated with ST though, like SB is with SJ. I see zero reason why SK would buck the larger group voting them out.


The schools that make sense as wanting to keep them in are Concordia, Bethel, for sure St Johns, and probable/maybe(?) St Bens. That’s it.
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St Kate’s and st Thomas were essentially the same relationship as St. John’s st bens until st Thomas went coed.

St Kate’s and st Thomas still share some courses and both schools have students who will take classes on the others’ campus. This is about more than sports.
 

Some guy said:
St Kate’s and st Thomas were essentially the same relationship as St. John’s st bens until st Thomas went coed.

St Kate’s and st Thomas still share some courses and both schools have students who will take classes on the others’ campus. This is about more than sports.
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It’s between 0-5% the same as the relationship between SB and SJ.

ST going coed, along the path to being a large, comprehensive university, just again shows that they no longer belong in the MIAC.


Also LOL at “your sources”. Anyone who has to post on internet message boards to be heard, and to get info, is self-evidently a nobody. I’m happy to admit that goes for myself as well.
 



Nobody's of the World, Unite!!! [emoji41]
 

Gophers_4life said:
It’s between 0-5% the same as the relationship between SB and SJ.

ST going coed, along the path to being a large, comprehensive university, just again shows that they no longer belong in the MIAC.


Also LOL at “your sources”. Anyone who has to post on internet message boards to be heard, and to get info, is self-evidently a nobody. I’m happy to admit that goes for myself as well.
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Lol at some guy's "sources". This is the same guy who said the issue was dead in April.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
 

I’d have to think St. Ben’s and St. John’s will vote together.
 


Ski U Mah Gopher said:
From Randball today:

Petition to keep St. Thomas in the MIAC comes from a St. John's student
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“We believe that membership in the MIAC should be based off a school’s commitment to private, liberal arts education, not their enrollment size. If a school is able to provide this type of higher education experience to their undergraduate students, no matter the amount, they should always have a home in the MIAC if they choose,” Klein writes.
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Tough to take this guy seriously when his own argument doesn’t even support St Thomas.

As I’ve said, it’s the only school in the metro besides the U where you can get a bachelor’s degree in engineering. That’s not a liberal arts college. That’s a comprehensive university. And that’s DII.
 

“We believe that membership in the MIAC should be based off a school’s commitment to private, liberal arts education, not their enrollment size. If a school is able to provide this type of higher education experience to their undergraduate students, no matter the amount, they should always have a home in the MIAC if they choose,” Klein writes.
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Gophers_4life said:
Tough to take this guy seriously when his own argument doesn’t even support St Thomas.

As I’ve said, it’s the only school in the metro besides the U where you can get a bachelor’s degree in engineering. That’s not a liberal arts college. That’s a comprehensive university. And that’s DII.
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That was my issue with the petition/article too. At least get the facts straight for your argument. Kids are dumb sometimes (including me at that age).
 

AO54 said:
Lol at some guy's "sources". This is the same guy who said the issue was dead in April.

Sent from my SM-G930T using Tapatalk
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I said there wasn’t going to be a vote in April. Guess what, there wasnt
 

Gophers_4life said:
It’s between 0-5% the same as the relationship between SB and SJ.

ST going coed, along the path to being a large, comprehensive university, just again shows that they no longer belong in the MIAC.


Also LOL at “your sources”. Anyone who has to post on internet message boards to be heard, and to get info, is self-evidently a nobody. I’m happy to admit that goes for myself as well.
Click to expand...

For sure. They’re definitely going d2
 

Gophers_4life said:
Tough to take this guy seriously when his own argument doesn’t even support St Thomas.

As I’ve said, it’s the only school in the metro besides the U where you can get a bachelor’s degree in engineering. That’s not a liberal arts college. That’s a comprehensive university. And that’s DII.
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Do you know if MIT has an engineering school?

You made up a rule to fit your opinion. You can argue that St. Thomas doesn't fit the mold of the MIAC schools, but it certainly isn't unique in D3 schools.


MIT, RPI, Johns Hopkins, Case Western. . . all D3. . . all fantastic engineering schools.
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Do you know if MIT has an engineering school?

You made up a rule to fit your opinion. You can argue that St. Thomas doesn't fit the mold of the MIAC schools, but it certainly isn't unique in D3 schools.


MIT, RPI, Johns Hopkins, Case Western. . . all D3. . . all fantastic engineering schools.
Click to expand...

Caltech...
 

Bob_Loblaw said:
Do you know if MIT has an engineering school?

You made up a rule to fit your opinion. You can argue that St. Thomas doesn't fit the mold of the MIAC schools, but it certainly isn't unique in D3 schools.


MIT, RPI, Johns Hopkins, Case Western. . . all D3. . . all fantastic engineering schools.
Click to expand...

BYLAWS OF THE MINNESOTA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP
Members of the MIAC shall be selected from private liberal arts collegiate institutions within the state of Minnesota that offer four-year courses
of study leading to attainment of a baccalaureate degree.
 

Panthadad2 said:
BYLAWS OF THE MINNESOTA INTERCOLLEGIATE ATHLETIC CONFERENCE

ARTICLE IV. MEMBERSHIP
Members of the MIAC shall be selected from private liberal arts collegiate institutions within the state of Minnesota that offer four-year courses
of study leading to attainment of a baccalaureate degree.
Click to expand...


Yeah, as I said, it "it doesn't fit the mold of the MIAC", but the idea that every school with an engineering school is D3 is stupid.

Also, what's your definition of a liberal arts collegiate institution?
 
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Bethel University is in the MIAC and offers A BS IN electrical and computer engineering. They consider themselves a liberal arts university. They also offer degrees in business, nursing, athletic training...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 


Bob_Loblaw said:
Do you know if MIT has an engineering school?

You made up a rule to fit your opinion. You can argue that St. Thomas doesn't fit the mold of the MIAC schools, but it certainly isn't unique in D3 schools.


MIT, RPI, Johns Hopkins, Case Western. . . all D3. . . all fantastic engineering schools.
Click to expand...

Yep. You nailed it!!!

MIT, Caltech, Johns Hopkins, Carnegie Mellon .... and St Thomas. Birds of a feather, am I right?!?

Couldn’t possibly be any more different than if you were comparing Central Florida and St Scholastica. But don’t let that get in your way.
 


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