Some of those numbers are deceiving, but there is absolutely no doubt that it drives enrollment. The problem with the above is that the quote makes it sound like 17,975 FTIC students had academic credentials with an ACT 28 or so. Or that the "average UCF freshman" class had similar credentials. The reality is that only a sliver of their enrollment of first year UCF students is first time in college freshman who reside on campus in a traditional campus experience. It is less than 10 percent of the actual enrollment. Basically, they count gross applications and gross admissions from all of their online classes and branch campuses in shopping malls, as well as the students that UCF must admit by state law that dont qualify for FSU and UF, transfer students from UF and FSU who no longer academically qualify for cakewalk curriculums that they must admit by state law, and countless other students. But they cite the academic qualifications of only a thin sliver of who is actually admitted and nearly all of them are aerospace and other engineering disciplines where UCF is still a second or third choice in state. UCF's academic credentials have improved since they built the resort and shopping mall around their academic buildings, but the reality is that less than 5% of UCF students who graduate are students who are admitted with the academic credentials mentioned above. They have repeatedly been called out on it. It isnt as bad as Boise's 5% four year graduation rate for all students, but it is close.
Speaking of Boise and sticking with the thread topic ... here's some numbers since the logo change. The effect of athletics on the quality of academic applicants is undeniable and it absolutely destroys egos on campus to admit it. From a Nevada newspaper that is pissed that Nevada routinely beat BSU on the field up until the bond issue and logo change:
"Since Boise State’s first Fiesta Bowl (2007) to its last (2015), the university has exploded. Enrollment is up 18 percent, research grants and contracts are up 68 percent, foundation assets have increased 59 percent and the number of donors, not just in athletics, but the entire university has risen from 5,271 people to 12,195, a 131 percent jump. It’s unfair to credit that all to football, but it’s played a big role
“It absolutely would have been harder without the success in football,” said Hahn, adding that nothing that happens on campus can match the national buzz like a football game. “When you talk about recruiting students, kids talk about the colleges they know about. If you succeed in sports, you’re going to be one of the colleges they know. If you look at the other universities in the state, we’ve definitely grown a lot faster than they have and I don’t think that’s a coincidence. There’s a link there.”
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The New York Times on Alabama:
[Football] advanced the entire school ... the catalyst for more than $1.7 billion in fund-raising. In the last decade, enrollment has increased by more than 55 percent while the acceptance rate has fallen from 72 percent to 54 percent as the quality of applicant to the school has increased.
“Just like Nick Saban has recruited five-star athletes, the university is going after the best and brightest students,” Calvin Brown, the Alabama’s director of alumni affairs, told the Times. “We understand there are young people out there who first view us, or any other institution, through the window of athletics.” ...
When Butler basketball made it to the NCAA Tournament final in 2010 and 2011, it reportedly gained $1.2 billion in free publicity while watching applications rise by 41 percent after the first title-game appearance.
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I think most, if not all, of the trustees, faculty, and staff recognize the necessity of athletics for TU to maintain its goal of remaining a Top 50 comprehensive university. They know it is the dividing line between TU and Creighton, Drake, etc. But they are also smart and highly motivated. We wouldn't want them in their roles if they weren't. And smart and highly motivated people are usually greedy and self-interested. And when you have a limited budget like TU, they do everything they can do to protect their turf out of greed and self-interest. You have to feed that monster to maintain productive control of the university, just like you have to feed the alumni football monster, and the student good sex and free stuff monster. Boise broke out of the limited budget problem by going all chips in on a bond issue. TU needs to get innovated and do something more limited, but similar.