VU Rep

[usc4valpo]

valpo64 - I am a proud Valpo grad, but if you base in on ACT or SAT  scores, Wheaton and Carleton are significantly better.

[okinawatyphoon]

The more students we have, the better. Being small in and of itself is not important -- we just need to focus on bringing in better quality students and maintaining the small school atmosphere by having a low teacher-student ratio, etc. Even though we now have 4,500 students, the academic profile of our incoming students continues to increase. I don't see the problem.

[valpo64]

Amen, Okinowa!

[T_$]

In my opinion, I think Valpo is going in the wrong direction as a school. I think part of the reason we are sliding in the rankings and on kids lists is our campus. These rising schools like Hope, Wheaton, etc having been building new facilities (dorms, classrooms, etc) for years. That gives students and families the wow factor they are looking for. We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA. So we are paying for it now, with outdated science, business and math/engineering buildings. I know we just built the edition to the engineering building but it is just lipstick on a pig. So when students look at outdated facilities, more factors come into play. Our financial aid packages are good but not great. Greek life is all but gone. So the social scene is not what we remember which leads to students that do come to transfer. Our athletic facilities are a joke including what is available for the general students.

I understand your frustration as to why we aren't mentioned in the same breathe as Butler, Georgetown, Northwestern, etc; I think it comes down to those are urban schools. 18-22 love the idea of having everything at their fingertips 24/7. I would think we compare more to Bucknell/Lehigh or Bradley/St Olaf type of school. But those schools have a lot of new construction over the past 15 yrs and the campus embraces/protects the college social scene.

Finally, I wonder if the Northwestern your friends child was considering was the Northwestern in Iowa. From my experiences, that is typically the one that would be considered with the St Olaf type of schools not the Big10 Northwestern.

[okinawatyphoon]

In my opinion, I think Valpo is going in the wrong direction as a school. I think part of the reason we are sliding in the rankings and on kids lists is our campus. These rising schools like Hope, Wheaton, etc having been building new facilities (dorms, classrooms, etc) for years. That gives students and families the wow factor they are looking for. We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA. So we are paying for it now, with outdated science, business and math/engineering buildings. I know we just built the edition to the engineering building but it is just lipstick on a pig. So when students look at outdated facilities, more factors come into play. Our financial aid packages are good but not great. Greek life is all but gone. So the social scene is not what we remember which leads to students that do come to transfer. Our athletic facilities are a joke including what is available for the general students.

I understand your frustration as to why we aren't mentioned in the same breathe as Butler, Georgetown, Northwestern, etc; I think it comes down to those are urban schools. 18-22 love the idea of having everything at their fingertips 24/7. I would think we compare more to Bucknell/Lehigh or Bradley/St Olaf type of school. But those schools have a lot of new construction over the past 15 yrs and the campus embraces/protects the college social scene.

Finally, I wonder if the Northwestern your friends child was considering was the Northwestern in Iowa. From my experiences, that is typically the one that would be considered with the St Olaf type of schools not the Big10 Northwestern.

How have we not had a lot of construction since the VUCA? Since then, we built the amazing Christopher Center library, a huge union (the most expensive project in our history), Kallay-Christopher Hall (weather department), new Arts and Sciences building, new dorm, Welcome Center, Engineering addition, new Law School building, and the German House. I don't think we have ever had more construction in our history than we've had in the last 20 years (someone correct me if I'm wrong). We are spending money, but I think it's time to focus on athletics a bit more.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

How have we not had a lot of construction since the VUCA?

Not what he said.  Read again, and contemplate anew:

We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA.

VUCA was built in 94-95.  I think it would be fairly easy to put that in a 20-year span as the only new building.

[okinawatyphoon]

How have we not had a lot of construction since the VUCA?

Not what he said.  Read again, and contemplate anew:

We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA.

VUCA was built in 94-95.  I think it would be fairly easy to put that in a 20-year span as the only new building.

Well T_$ then points out that "But those schools have a lot of new construction over the past 15 yrs and the campus embraces/protects the college social scene", making the point that VU has not had a lot of construction. He also states that basically our facilities are outdated, which I would challenge. "I know we just built the edition to the engineering building but it is just lipstick on a pig. So when students look at outdated facilities, more factors come into play."

VU has been building frantically to update facilities. We all want brand new facilities (especially athletic facilities), but I think VU should be commended for taking such an aggressive stance over the past two decades to update facilities. To say that this puts us at a disadvantage to other schools is only looking at one small part of the problem.

[okinawatyphoon]

In the 20 years preceding the VUCA, here's what we built during our "no building" years:

1979: Urschel Hall (business)
1984: ARC basketball arena
1984: Schnabel Hall (communications)
1987: Wesemann Hall (Law School)
Substantial renovation in 1995: Wehrenberg Hall (dorm)

Not exactly inspiring architecture in these facilities, but VU was still building facilities at a decent rate.

[wh]

In my opinion, I think Valpo is going in the wrong direction as a school. I think part of the reason we are sliding in the rankings and on kids lists is our campus. These rising schools like Hope, Wheaton, etc having been building new facilities (dorms, classrooms, etc) for years. That gives students and families the wow factor they are looking for. We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA. So we are paying for it now, with outdated science, business and math/engineering buildings. I know we just built the edition to the engineering building but it is just lipstick on a pig. So when students look at outdated facilities, more factors come into play. Our financial aid packages are good but not great. Greek life is all but gone. So the social scene is not what we remember which leads to students that do come to transfer. Our athletic facilities are a joke including what is available for the general students.

I understand your frustration as to why we aren't mentioned in the same breathe as Butler, Georgetown, Northwestern, etc; I think it comes down to those are urban schools. 18-22 love the idea of having everything at their fingertips 24/7. I would think we compare more to Bucknell/Lehigh or Bradley/St Olaf type of school. But those schools have a lot of new construction over the past 15 yrs and the campus embraces/protects the college social scene.

Finally, I wonder if the Northwestern your friends child was considering was the Northwestern in Iowa. From my experiences, that is typically the one that would be considered with the St Olaf type of schools not the Big10 Northwestern.

How have we not had a lot of construction since the VUCA? Since then, we built the amazing Christopher Center library, a huge union (the most expensive project in our history), Kallay-Christopher Hall (weather department), new Arts and Sciences building, new dorm, Welcome Center, Engineering addition, new Law School building, and the German House. I don't think we have ever had more construction in our history than we've had in the last 20 years (someone correct me if I'm wrong). We are spending money, but I think it's time to focus on athletics a bit more.

Add Uptown East Apartments to the list. 

As to students wanting "everything at their fingertips" it should be noted that the entire east end shopping district, including Valparaiso Market Place Shopping Center, Porter's Vale Shopping Center and Strongbow Shopping Centre, has become a venerable small town shopping meca, with ultra modern national stores and brands of every type and local and national eateries galore - essentially next door to the university and all within walking distance. Interwoven in this attractive area are 6 hotels - Hampton, Courtyard, Fairfield, Holiday Inn Express, Super 8 and Country Inn and Suites.  Four of the six have been added within the past 5-10 years with a new look and feel.

The City has added the V-Line city bus service in the past 5 years with a dedicated "Brown" line for the university.  This service has become extremely popular with VU students, adding a reliable, affordable mobility dimension that they never had before:

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/porter/valpo-adds-route-longer-hours-to-v-line-service/article_9f917f7e-c780-5192-8785-4749bf1ec1e3.html

[LaPorteAveApostle]

1979: Urschel Hall (business)
1984: ARC basketball arena
1984: Schnabel Hall (communications)
1987: Wesemann Hall (Law School)
Substantial renovation in 1995: Wehrenberg Hall (dorm)

Again,

In the 20 years preceding the VUCA, here's what we built during our "no building" years

not what he said either. 

We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA.

I don't totally agree with him, but reading comprehension fails are bothersome.  He's saying there was a big dry spell with only the VUCA to break it up.

87 was law school.  Then...what besides the VUCA?  Kade-Dooz (2000), perhaps, although I'm willing to bet a vast majority of VU students went 4 years without setting foot inside.  The Christopher Center is 2004.

So not 20+, but we have a 17-year span where (essentially) nothing but VUCA.  Since then, sure, lots of stuff (K-C etc.), but he's essentially right...we went a long time with Harre a new building to our name.

[T_$]

Listen, I commend the college for what they have done over the last decade. The campus is vastly improved from my time in the 90's. But we are paying for the lack of vision to see what students want and we are playing catch-up. The VUCA was built during my time there and I never stepped foot in it, along with many people from my era. We could've used a new union or library then. Renovating the rest of the dorms should've happened right after the finished fixing up the 'Burg.  Or how about you ask the science and business students what its like to use outdated buildings. Did you know that most of the science building uses an actual chalkboard? So until we improve those buildings, then we still will be behind some of these other schools.

Did someone actually use the new hotels as an attraction for students? We have nothing like Broad Ripple or Rush & Division, etc. As much as we dance around it, I think the social scene is a big factor. Students like to drink. But between the campus, city and county police every weekend is an adventure. Do you that the campus safe ride is now run though the police office? They monitor pick-up and drop off locations and if there is an inordinate amount to a certain location they then pick-up the patrols to that area. Friends that have gone to Northwestern and Butler have gotten rides home from the police at night due to their inebriated state not to the city jail. Right or wrong, that is a factor when dealing with potential student-athletes who are considering Drake, Dayton and Butler.

I love Valpo and I am excited to see the future of the campus, but I'm fearful that it will be another 10 yrs for us to see all the growth pay off.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

I've stood up for you, but now I'll come down too.  (My allegiance is only to the truth, after all.)

First, you admit we've caught up a little in terms of picking up the pace.  So that's great; now, it does us no good to be fearful of the fruit of those 17 years with just the VUCA now, then, except as a lesson for future administrations.

Second, you seem to think that all students want to do is drink.  I don't think that's the case; at least I don't think it's suddenly more true than it has been for the last, say, 30 years.

If your idea of improving VU's reputation is making it easier to drink, then, man, I don't know what to tell you.  It's not like US News has a category for that sort of thing.  I'm not sure Bryce wants the kind of guys that are most interested in a college where they can binge drink without fear of repercussion, for one thing.

Then again, you complain about the "social scene" and "never stepped foot in" the VUCA, so I'm not sure we are on the same page at all.

[valpo64]

What planet did T_$ come from?  Or rather what is he on?  Some of the schools he mentioned had facilities so bad they HAD to build new and replace.  Now all of a sudden we are not keeping up  or going in the right direction?  Come on man...pay attention. 

When VU played Mercer last year in b-ball, I visited with a member of their b-ball staff at their hotel.  He mentioned what a beautiful campus we had...and their campus in Macon, GA has been voted one of the top 10 most beautiful campuses in the Country over the last number of years.  We visited their campus this Spring and were not that impressed.  It is VERY crammed together but they have a beautiful football stadium.  FYI, their campus is adjacent to I-75 if you take the thru town route in Macon.

While I wish we would get going on the ARC project, I believe we have done a good job overall in building new facilities and improving the campus for student life and academics.

Am I wrong?

[wh]

What planet did T_$ come from?  Or rather what is he on?  Some of the schools he mentioned had facilities so bad they HAD to build new and replace.  Now all of a sudden we are not keeping up  or going in the right direction?  Come on man...pay attention. 

When VU played Mercer last year in b-ball, I visited with a member of their b-ball staff at their hotel.  He mentioned what a beautiful campus we had...and their campus in Macon, GA has been voted one of the top 10 most beautiful campuses in the Country over the last number of years.  We visited their campus this Spring and were not that impressed.  It is VERY crammed together but they have a beautiful football stadium.  FYI, their campus is adjacent to I-75 if you take the thru town route in Macon.

While I wish we would get going on the ARC project, I believe we have done a good job overall in building new facilities and improving the campus for student life and academics.

Am I wrong?

In recent years Valparaiso University has gone from looking "tired" to looking modern, attractive and progressive. The seemingly never ending construction sites around campus complete with heavy equipment, materials, workers, barriers and detours give it the appearance of a happening place constantly on the move.  Every VU alum should be proud to say that Valparaiso University is "their" school.   

[a3uge]

In my opinion, I think Valpo is going in the wrong direction as a school. I think part of the reason we are sliding in the rankings and on kids lists is our campus. These rising schools like Hope, Wheaton, etc having been building new facilities (dorms, classrooms, etc) for years. That gives students and families the wow factor they are looking for. We went something like 20+ yrs with the only new building being the VUCA. So we are paying for it now, with outdated science, business and math/engineering buildings. I know we just built the edition to the engineering building but it is just lipstick on a pig. So when students look at outdated facilities, more factors come into play. Our financial aid packages are good but not great. Greek life is all but gone. So the social scene is not what we remember which leads to students that do come to transfer. Our athletic facilities are a joke including what is available for the general students.

I understand your frustration as to why we aren't mentioned in the same breathe as Butler, Georgetown, Northwestern, etc; I think it comes down to those are urban schools. 18-22 love the idea of having everything at their fingertips 24/7. I would think we compare more to Bucknell/Lehigh or Bradley/St Olaf type of school. But those schools have a lot of new construction over the past 15 yrs and the campus embraces/protects the college social scene.

Finally, I wonder if the Northwestern your friends child was considering was the Northwestern in Iowa. From my experiences, that is typically the one that would be considered with the St Olaf type of schools not the Big10 Northwestern.

Yup we need to go back to the good ol days of when the social scene was thriving and we were listed in Playboy Magazine as one of the top party schools in the county and guys were literally getting stabbed on fraternity row.

[vu72]

Thanks for those kind words wh.  Not to sound old, but when I was a student most classes where on old campus.  Gellerson and Neils were there but the library (which was only about 5 or 6 years old when I hit the campus in '67, now has been replaced.  We studied in building built in the 1800's.  It is a common problem for any university.

Most recently Valpo had done a major overhaul of the Chapel, as the windows were literally falling out.  Now, a major addition to the Chapel is underway. So why did the University choose to renovate the Chapel and not the ARC?  Well, a nice couple, Pastor and Mrs. (also a pastor) Mark Helge donated $15 million for the Chapel project.  They were also the lead gift on the Union.  Was it their last few bucks?  Hardly.  BTW, Lutheran pastors aren't becoming millionaires, they inherited the money.  The point is that the University is wide open to accepting gifts from whomever.  If a basketball fan decided to donate $15 million for the ARC renovation, the University wouldn't insist that the money go for a new science building.  It's that simple.  Valpo grads historically have been very academically and/or spiritually oriented.  Thus the growing in fund giving for those projects versus athletics.  Remember, our athletic successes are relatively recent.  People who are in their 80's don't think of national basketball wins.  They remember the crummy academic building where they froze!

[a3uge]

Thanks for those kind words wh.  Not to sound old, but when I was a student most classes where on old campus.  Gellerson and Neils were there but the library (which was only about 5 or 6 years old when I hit the campus in '67, now has been replaced.  We studied in building built in the 1800's.  It is a common problem for any university.

Most recently Valpo had done a major overhaul of the Chapel, as the windows were literally falling out.  Now, a major addition to the Chapel is underway. So why did the University choose to renovate the Chapel and not the ARC?  Well, a nice couple, Pastor and Mrs. (also a pastor) Mark Helge donated $15 million for the Chapel project.  They were also the lead gift on the Union.  Was it their last few bucks?  Hardly.  BTW, Lutheran pastors aren't becoming millionaires, they inherited the money.  The point is that the University is wide open to accepting gifts from whomever.  If a basketball fan decided to donate $15 million for the ARC renovation, the University wouldn't insist that the money go for a new science building.  It's that simple.  Valpo grads historically have been very academically and/or spiritually oriented.  Thus the growing in fund giving for those projects versus athletics.  Remember, our athletic successes are relatively recent.  People who are in their 80's don't think of national basketball wins.  They remember the crummy academic building where they froze!

This is a good point. It would be nice to have a Valpo grad that was a hedge fund manager that loves sports, like a Chavietz or someone like that. Admittedly, this problem will go away once I sell my future headphone company for billions of dollars to Microsoft.

Sent from my Nexus 5 using Tapatalk

[T_$]

I am not the most eloquent of writers so I think some of you are missing the point of what I am trying to say. A little about me, I was a football player, a business student and in a fraternity so my Valpo experience was geared towards those things. So no, I didn't step in the VUCA, I didn't even know what it was. I went to Urshel to the ARC to the house. Yes, I talk about the social scene a lot because I think that has a lot to do with your college experience.  Whether you partake in the beverages or not, you don't want to go to a college where a lot of the students leave on the weekends to go home or visit other campuses. It makes it have a community college or commuter college feel. My wife works at a prestigious college out east; about the size of Valpo; with students on a daily basis, and she is shocked when she hears about the number of students that leave every weekend.  For the guys that went to Valpo in the 70's and 80's, how did you enjoy your time on campus? Just because you have a liberal alcohol policy, it doesn't mean that you are going to attract lesser students.  Do you think the kids at Harvard and Columbia like to partake in the beverages? Does that hurt their elite reputation or the types of students they get? I am not saying to turn into Arizona State, but I think we can make that better.

As I said, I commend where the university is going. It will take time and money but campus is changing for the better. I just hope that they keep up the improvements to position us for generations to come. VU72, I guess I have a disconnect from you and probably a lot of people on this board. I didn't think of Valpo of a place of graduating a lot of "spiritual" people. I came here for the academics and football, the religious aspect was just part of the experience. But I am starting to see that religion was a bigger factor for a lot of you so I apologize if I come across as a meathead. We all came to Valpo for different reasons, but I think we can all agree that Valpo helped us become the men and women we are.

[usc4valpo]

vu72 = I remember a great academic experience, nice people, a campus environment similar to the I Like Ike days, and Rob Harden banging the water cooler.


T_$ -  Excellent comments, I feel very similar to what you said.  I think Valpo overreacted to restricting alcohol, and I think it had little or no effect on the academic reputation.  Heck, MIT has a bar on campus grounds, the Muddy Charles, where you can relax from the intense academics for a bit.  Do you think that has a deterimental effect on academics at MIT?

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Do you think that has a deterimental effect on academics at MIT?

obviously.  they were once top 4-5, and this year, down to a tie for #7 in the country, in the dregs with Penn and Duke.

[valpotx]

I know that many seem to think that underage drinking is a part of being in college.  Looking back as someone who also did so my FR and SO years, I have absolutely no issue with the VUPD trying to teach these kids a lesson.  My friends and I did many stupid things that would have pissed off people my current age (32), and do piss me off currently when seeing them at different events.  There is a drinking age for a reason, as just about every sub-21 year old is not ready to handle the responsibility, and in most cases, still aren't for a few years after they turn 21.  It seems fun and funny at the time, but is absolutely moronic at that age, and I would punch myself if I were able to go back in time.  Luckily, I snapped out of it and ended up with a great career, but many of my friends did not...

[usc4valpo]

I don;t think there's nothing wrong with having a few pops (not constant binge drinking) now and then during your  college experience.  My issue with Valpo is that they went overboard on restricting alcohol.  What ever happened to the "work hard, play hard" philosophy?

[vu72]

For the guys that went to Valpo in the 70's and 80's, how did you enjoy your time on campus?

Things were entirely different in those days.  Mound Street had six houses and weekends were active with parties, live bands and plenty of booze.  The Phi Psi house had Wednesday night "study breaks", when students could stop by, buy a cup for a buck and drink all the beer they wanted.  No fear of police.  People didn't go home.  In those days, as it is now, students came from all over the country but even those living close by didn't generally take off.

We also had bigger weekends (homecoming etc.) when nationally recognized groups came to Valpo to perform.  I saw groups like The Temptations perform.  So why the big change?  Well, legal issues, that's what.  I remember seeing a couple of kids who had gone through windshields.  Not a pretty site.  So if your child went through a windshield after drinking too much at a Frat house with the open knowledge of the University, would you be happy?  Prone to a massive lawsuit maybe?  What if that child died?

We had a blast.  Did we do dumb stuff?  In spades.  It just won't fly in today's world and that, for the most part, is a very good thing.

[valpotx]

I also assume that liquor stores are much more likely to actually look at your ID closely nowadays.  I forget the name of the liquor store that is by the furniture place, across the street from DQ, but those workers used to look at your fake ID and say, 'woo hooo, fake X' for every state they saw, but would still sell it to you...

[wh]

Appropriately, it is called "Buz's" Valpo Liquor Store.