Crusaders Retired

[valpotx]

Again, I will be monitoring the university's public stance on various hot topics within society, as we move to the new President.  If I see a continued lean towards more of a far left university, akin to a Loyola (IL), I have no interest in providing donations to such a university.  If the university maintains its previous stance of doing good for the community, providing a quality education, and not opining into contentious political topics at a time when the country is very evenly divided on such a thing, I will consider resuming my donations. 

[usc4valpo]

If you change the mascot, change the colors. someone would need to get a life if they get upset over that.

[may know]

There's a lot of attachment to Crusaders, but I'd be surprised if there's any attachment to Brown & Gold. Brown & Gold might be the least pleasing color scheme aesthetically. May as well fix the colors as we've already gone this far.

[a3uge]

People advocating against Brown and Gold are the real monsters in this situation.

[covufan]

Dakich has some insider news

https://twitter.com/dandakich/status/1360299364044976135?s=21


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Pgmado]

I'm fascinated as to who Dakich's source is here. I'd like to think that I know of most of the "most popular alumni," and I can't come up with who is on that list that would be married to another athlete from VU. I've been trying to wrap my head around this all day and I just can't come up with it.

[a3uge]

I'm fascinated as to who Dakich's source is here. I'd like to think that I know of most of the "most popular alumni," and I can't come up with who is on that list that would be married to another athlete from VU. I've been trying to wrap my head around this all day and I just can't come up with it.

Aren't you a reporter? Why are you asking us?

[Chairback]

Why do I feel I have a call coming soon from Vu on donating to support the new mascot change.

None of my alumni networks that I talk to are liking this.  None of them. 

They are still pissed big time about the law school, the poor leadership the last few years, and now this.  It seems like bad decision after bad decision.  If this new president doesn't succeed the school is F'd long term.  A small funded overpriced college with a poor reputation will not last long

As many said, they could have imaged and defined what today's crusader is.

[covufan]

I'm fascinated as to who Dakich's source is here. I'd like to think that I know of most of the "most popular alumni," and I can't come up with who is on that list that would be married to another athlete from VU. I've been trying to wrap my head around this all day and I just can't come up with it.

I have no guesses.


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[oklahomamick]

Why do I feel I have a call coming soon from Vu on donating to support the new mascot change. ]None of my alumni networks that I talk to are liking this.  None of them. They are still pissed big time about the law school, the poor leadership the last few years, and now this.  It seems like bad decision after bad decision.  If this new president doesn't succeed the school is F'd long term.  A small funded overpriced college with a poor reputation will not last long. 

I agree with all this, but bad reputation? 

[Chairback]

I Probably should have used a different word okla. I agree with you. you are right they still have a good reputation but poor communication and transparency like this doesn't help.

Is it too soon to start a new thread on renovating the ARC..... 

[oklahomamick]

I love the fact that Valpo ranked higher than Oklahoma State University and University of Arkansas in the US Newsweek magazine.  I let my coworkers and family know on the regular.  Now, if Oklahoma University will start accurately reporting I'm sure Valpo will pass them too. 

[blackpantheruwm]

You guys should do a total fakeout and go the other way with the Christian name. You know why?

Nobody expects the Valparaiso Inquisition.

[Pgmado]

I'm fascinated as to who Dakich's source is here. I'd like to think that I know of most of the "most popular alumni," and I can't come up with who is on that list that would be married to another athlete from VU. I've been trying to wrap my head around this all day and I just can't come up with it.

Aren't you a reporter? Why are you asking us?

Oh, I've been trying to figure it out all day. Reporters look everywhere. Even message boards.

[JD24]

JD24 - how was my response offensive?

It wasn't at all. It was a joke that sounded better in my head than it read in my response 

As noted by another poster...making fun of myself.

[JD24]

I've got it!  Seriously, why not change the name to then "Golden Knights"?  Central Florida are the Black Knights I think and Rutgers also are Knights.  Nothing needs to change, we could even keep the current mascot uniform.  Could it possibly be that simple?

UCF was the Golden Knights until about 15 years ago when they dropped the Golden. Army is still the Black Knights I think.

[JD24]

Dakich has some insider news https://twitter.com/dandakich/status/1360299364044976135?s=21 Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Dan Dakich could be 100% on the money here and it still wouldn't make me like him any more. The second quickest to click off for me after Dickie V.

[valpotx]

I'm fascinated as to who Dakich's source is here. I'd like to think that I know of most of the "most popular alumni," and I can't come up with who is on that list that would be married to another athlete from VU. I've been trying to wrap my head around this all day and I just can't come up with it.

Aren't you a reporter? Why are you asking us?

Oh, I've been trying to figure it out all day. Reporters look everywhere. Even message boards.

I didn't get the survey, either.  I open any email that is Valpo-tied, and wouldn't have missed such a thing.  I am curious if there were many athletes left off?

[wh]

" LaBarbera estimates that the entire rebranding could cost the university "hundreds and thousands of dollars when it's all said and done."

Rest assured those that stirred this pot won't contribute a dollar to cover the cost. Interminably offended people operate at the bottom of workplace, not the top. Typically, they don't have 2 nickels to rub together.

[rink]

Extremely disappointed and embarrassed to see the University give in to this.  This nickname change has no just cause to anyone outside the tiny fraction of population inclined to fixate on any remotely possible offense (and then those individuals who, once the idea is planted, jump on board via power of suggestion and/or fear of insensitivity).

Transparency of the survey results doesn't matter since the approach was obviously biased and had nothing to do with generating serious insights.

The fact that such a significant decision was levied a mere month after distributing the survey -- and preposterously worse, carried out by an Interim University President during a fleeting 7 month temporary stint (and just 2 weeks before officially transitioning to the President-Elect!?) -- just adds to the dirty pool and cowardice.

But overall, it's a principle thing for me.  A major action like this, done purely for political correctness, represents a critical incongruence between the institution's values/views/priorities and my own.  The writing's on the wall now more than ever.  So, I'll no longer be donating to VU.  I'm not helping pay for this nickname change and supporting the misguided leadership behind it.

[VUGrad1314]

$600K shortfall... Serious facility upgrades needed for us to even get up to speed with our peers... And NOW we need to spend hundreds of thousands of dollars on a rebrand... Even if I support the spirit behind this, this is bad and sends the wrong message about the future president's commitment to athletics.... Methinks we'd better appreciate what we had under the Drews because that's as good as it's going to be for a long time... Possibly ever... Thank God we at least got into the MVC before the bottom fell out, but too bad we're probably not going to be able to muster the institutional commitment necessary to succeed at this level. I shouldn't be surprised and truthfully I'm not but I AM disappointed that we don't have money for what we need and have needed for decades facilities wise but we're doing this right now when the department and the university at large is already hurting for cash... There is such a thing as making the right move at the wrong time... I hope this helps recruiting and attracting more students but as with any Christian school any shift away from that identity could upset and alienate as many as it attracts... I love this University and I want the best for it so I hope this works out but as I said it feels like at best the right move at the wrong time...

[humbleopinion]

None of my alumni networks that I talk to are liking this.  None of them. 

I find this interesting and an indication of how we have narrowed circles to those with whom we agree.  Every alum with whom I have talked -- spanning six decades- support the decision (including my daughter who excitedly reported the news).  It is only on this forum that I have contact with people who want to cling to the Crusader image.

BTW, if the change makes it more likely that fifteen full-pay students choose Valpo, that would cover any cost.

[usc4valpo]

Lately in business, , the word I keep hearing about but not being applyied is transparency. People are patting themselves on the back for being transparent but their actions are the opposite. It is disabling trust and that is going to backfire in the long term.

[usc4valpo]

Humbleopinion - when Stephen F. Austin State University hired a marketing company to change their logo, it cost 1.6 million dollars. After expenses, you would have to have a delta of more like 50 students going 4 years to cover on this expense.

Improve the overall quality and experience of the university and the finances, enrollment and status will improve. Changing the mascot name will have negligible impact in the near and long term.

Valparaiso is not focused on the right issues.

[a3uge]

So there's no costs associated with each additional student... It's 100% profit to the university?