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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 12, 2024 18:09:53 GMT -5
Without the suppression of the Jesuits in France (1761-64) partly as a consequence of their commercial enterprises in the West Indies there would be no college in Worcester named Holy Cross. These commercial enterprises produced high-value agricultural products which were shipped to France. The enterprises consisted of large plantations relying on slave labor. The number of slaves was far greater than those held by the Maryland province. (Archaeological digs at these plantations have unearthed iron neck collars.) Jesuit missionaries at the time acted as representatives of both the Holy See and the French king. They counterbalanced efforts by the English king and Protestant Britain in the exploration and conquest of North America. With the Jesuits suppressed, the French king and the Holy See turned to ordinary French priests as their replacements,. One such priest was Claude Bouchard de la Poterie, who arrived in Boston in 1788. Abbe Burchard said the first Catholic mass in Massachusetts, and perhaps in all of New England. thewestendmuseum.org/history/era/west-boston/the-west-end-hosts-the-first-catholic-service-in-boston/When Abbe Bouchard arrived in Boston, he had brought with him a relic of the True Cross. (The relic is a fraud, but that's another story.) Abbe Bouchard subsequently proceeded to establish the first Catholic church in Boston, which he named the Church of the Holy Cross, and intended that the church be a place where a relic of the True Cross could be venerated. Fenwick chose to name the College of the Holy Cross after the Church [Cathedral] of the Holy Cross.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 12, 2024 10:51:32 GMT -5
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 12, 2024 10:26:09 GMT -5
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 10, 2024 8:39:27 GMT -5
What was the thinking behind changing names? I would think Dutchmen pays homage to the founders like Friars does at Providence College but obviously there is another point of view. Mascots that are gender and ethnocentric may not reflect the current demographics of a college or university. Dutchmen at Union and Flying Dutchmen at Hofstra clearly do not reflect the current population. While Union original roots were from the Dutch Reform Church, Chartered in 1795, Union was the first non-denominational institution of higher education in the United States. Students enrolled at Union College in full-time Undergraduate programs are most commonly White Female (29.2%), followed by White Male (18.4%) and Hispanic or Latino Female (12.8%). As colleges and universities seek to attract students, mascot identity from an ethnocentric or religious standpoint is often viewed as a barrier in recruitment. For example, Elon University mascot, “The Fighting Christians” was changed to The Phoenix”, as that university decided that they should expand their student population from the southern Bible Belt to throughout the United States looking at students from Christian as well as non Christian denominations and demographics. As we have seen, there are certain exceptions to that viewpoint, namely the University of Notre Dame du Lac. The enrolled student population at University of Notre Dame is 62.5% White, 11.1% Hispanic or Latino, 4.94% Asian, 4.81% Two or More Races, 3.3% Black or African American, 0.183% American Indian or Alaska Native, and 0.114% Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islanders. At the point in the 21st Century when the demographics have changed regarding the ethnicity at Notre Dame, the mascot and iconography may be under review. Holy Cross for the class entering in the fall of 2023: 67% White 13.7% Hispanic 5.6% Black 3% Asian (Does not add to 100 percent) BC for the class entering fall of 2021 (most recent CDS available) 60.2% White 11.4% Asian BC has had more success enrolling Asians. This may be because BC admissions has focused on California for several decades.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 10, 2024 8:11:20 GMT -5
I'd like to see HC buy Rotmans and turn it into a 1)Crusader Sports Museum, and 2)some sort of football game day experience venue (haven't thought this part out). Maybe Crossports could lease some office space. A Holy Cross Sports Museum is strongly being considered and in the preliminary planning stages in the Hart Center as part of the Hall of Fame. I would expect to see it being constructed within the next five years once the money is raised. It will have exhibits as well as interactive displays featuring video such as Purple Reign and highlights of significant victories, thinking the 1988 Princeton game, etc. This is in conjunction with a renovated rink, with expanded seating?
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 9, 2024 8:28:59 GMT -5
Below is the full text of an opinion article in today's Dealbook, a NY Times newsletter on business and finance. Authored by Joe Nocera. Bolding mine.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 8, 2024 14:32:30 GMT -5
Since Larry Lucchino ceased being a majority owner in December when the WooSox were sold, the new owners, a NY company, may not be much interested in the trouble and expense of hosting one football game a year. And with Luuchino out of the picture, there no longer is an association with HC, and the EBW Classic.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Mar 4, 2024 9:24:46 GMT -5
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 29, 2024 20:39:25 GMT -5
The NY Times some months ago was calculating economic equity, and used endowment $ per undergraduate. Which is wrong. Why? I'm not following... Endowment per student is measured against total student enrollment. An endowment is for the entirety of a university, including graduate schools and professional schools. Georgetown, for example, has about 20,000 students total, of whom 7,000 are undergraduates. In the case of HC and most other LACs, endowment per student = endowment per undergraduate student because there are no graduate students. University of Richmond, for example, would be an exception, as it has a law school. Washington & Lee also has a law school.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 29, 2024 14:41:56 GMT -5
There are, however, a number of non-Ivies with impressive endowments (e.g. Rice at 7.8 B and Pomona at 2.8 B). This is the company we want to keep--colleges with the highest endowments per student. One site has HC ranked #82 In endowment per student The NY Times some months ago was calculating economic equity, and used endowment $ per undergraduate. Which is wrong.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 29, 2024 12:51:16 GMT -5
The two malfunctioning cams have disappeared from the inventory. The Hoval and O'Kane cams remain. When there were four cams, they were described as North, South, East, West views. That nomenclature has also disappeared from the descriptors.
Phreek will inquire.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 28, 2024 11:43:36 GMT -5
Is tuition free an achievable goal? Of course room & board would be excluded but financial aid would be provided for those who need it. This would be accompanied with a return to SAT?ACT as one factor in the admissions process. Expenses would need strict oversight & control. Overall are athletics a net positive or negative for the school budget? I realize it's difficult to ascertain given increased alum giving due to sports competition. Heard a late HC Pres state the obvious "It's easier to raise money when the football team is 10-0." Would tuition free alums be more likely to donate as a give back to HC for the fine tuition free education they received at HC? Will HC continue to be the shining"city" on the hill? If one goes tuition-free for all, then the endowment has reached a financial state that alums may ask, 'Why do I need to give?' The richest of universities have not gone tuition free. What they have done is increase financial aid (including room and board) to very generous levels for many. Harvard for example, has increased aid to the point that an applicant with a family income of $150,000 will pay no more than 10 percent of the cost of attendance. (<<From memory.) And what these colleges also are increasingly doing is awarding fellowships and study grants over the summer for travel, research, internships, so that the student on financial aid does not need to work at a Wal-Mart for the family income contribution.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 28, 2024 7:45:34 GMT -5
It would be less.
In 2023, HC net revenue from tuition and fees was $116 million. (Net revenue from room and board was $40 million.)
$2.5 billion in endowment value at a 4.75% annual distribution would provide an appropriation of $118.7 million, and HC would be tuition and fees free. But most would still pay for room and board
In financial aid, there are often external sources of aid, e.g., Pell grants, which is included in the aid total.
By my calculus, it would take about $275 million in increased endowment value (at a 4.75 percent distribution) to end the current loan component of HC financial aid.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 26, 2024 18:12:34 GMT -5
That brings the MAC to 13 football members.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 26, 2024 12:57:55 GMT -5
Now we're talking real money. It has been announced that Dr. Ruth Gottesman is making a $1billion donation to the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx. The money is earmarked for free tuition. She is Chairman of the Board of Trustees of Einstein. Absolutely breathtaking. I'm sure there are a relatively small group of heavy hitters who could come close to making a similar donation to HC. Maybe make our case to some disaffected Harvard/Yale alums. This would be in addition to the campaign. HC needs to up its finances for it to successfully compete and provide an even better learning experience. Either move forward or slide back. Standing still is not an option. Imagine big! She is a physician. Her late husband was a financier associated with the Wizard of Omaha.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 24, 2024 8:35:01 GMT -5
The Fauci integrated science complex involves multiple buildings, so that could qualify. This is what VR said to the editors of The Spire This occurred over semester break, so very few students on campus.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 24, 2024 8:21:54 GMT -5
Any indication when that is kicking off and the target? Later this year is my guess. Rule of thumb is that you have raised half the campaign $ goal at the time you go public with the campaign. BC announced its new campaign a few months ago, but announced it had already raised $1.15 billion. This is less than a third of the campaign goal. BC also does not have intercollegiate athletics as a campaign funding priority. Also can't find an end date for the BC campaign.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2024 22:37:09 GMT -5
Might be doable if UMass could join football only, but the state legislature is never going to subsidize the cost of an all-sports affiliation. Athletic departments are very good at working the numbers, such as.... 1. CUSA media rights are about $500K more than the A-10. That helps cover the cost of travel to scenic places like Las Cruces, Huntsville, and Murfreesboro. 2. Only 12 of UMass' 21 sports are sponsored by CUSA so they could federate the others closer to home. 3. UMass already travels a lot for football, the marginal gain in travel costs would be limited. None of these on its own makes the case, but legislators tend to gloss over the details anyway. Once upon a time, I flew non-stop on B-727s into Huntsville. Some of these locations would require charter flights, and if one didn't go charter, I think, for example, to fly to Huntsville, you would need to change planes in Atlanta. Early practice for when you're headed to heaven or hell. Direct flights to Huntsville tend to be high-priced, because most travelers (not originating in Atlanta) are people working for Uncle Sam or defense/aerospace contractors. www.recorder.com/UMass-athletic-director-Ryan-Bamford-says-finding-a-conference-for-football-program-remains-a-priority-53283340^^^ It's all about football.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2024 19:38:14 GMT -5
A scale tests for who is the heaviest and lightest, the SAT tests for who has the best aptitude for college and the Achievement Exams (do they still have those?) test who has learned the most in high school (or from parents who might be history buffs or other learning opportunities) in a particular subject. It's not rocket science, although the Math SAT would help select good candidates to study that in college. Back in the day, IIRC, HC required pre-med applicants to take the SAT IIs in biology and chemistry. And scores in these tests were a significant factor when it came to admission. The AP exams have replaced the SAT IIs. apstudents.collegeboard.org/course-index-page
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2024 19:24:48 GMT -5
Might be doable if UMass could join football only, but the state legislature is never going to subsidize the cost of an all-sports affiliation.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2024 19:13:39 GMT -5
A week or so before the threat, the Libs of Tiktok account started posting about Professor Isaacs and his videos. The reaction was what you'd expect, so Id at least guess the threat was directed towards him. VR said that they had to sweep several buildings on campus. For Isaacs, you would only need to sweep one: Fauci., as his labs, office, and classrooms are there. My thought was another professor who presence on campus is more widely-spread, and who has a tangential association to an individual unaffiliated with HC who is front and center in present-day, volatile headlines. I am not going to name him, because I don't know which buildings were swept. My assumption is that these were in different areas of the campus. For example, how many buildings would you need to sweep if it was a Jesuit member of the teaching faculty?
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2024 13:07:42 GMT -5
PS will the master plan EVER be released? I’ve almost given up. I wonder if the mysterious west side of College St activity either needs to be kept low profile for PR/community relations purposes and/or the activity, acquisitions etc are just not complete yet. It’s interesting that Brooks is relabeled Loyola in the master plan image from the video. I wonder what then becomes of Loyola? And does that mean Brooks bldg stays? Would seem incongruous with all new upper campus housing. I really hope Hogan gets more than a face lift. It’s a substandard facility IMO and subjectively unattractive. Our peer set far outpaces us with campus centers/commons. Yes, you can tell I wanted to be an architect (still do!) at one point. VR said they started making some changes to Hogan over semester break, and more changes will be undertaken over the summer. I inferred from his comments that they have started making changes in O'Kane, now that theater / performance arts has moved to Prior. I expect much more of the master plan will be made public in the context of the upcoming capital campaign.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 23, 2024 13:01:24 GMT -5
VR, in his Feb interview with the editors of The Spire, said the threat was directed at a specific faculty member. The faculty member was quickly taken to a safe area. The WPD and WFD then began sweeps of various buildings. So, a targeted threat. not a generic threat against the College, writ large.
VR also said the incident was a valuable learning experience, including identifying areas/steps where changes need to be made in the response to future, similar threats.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 22, 2024 14:40:27 GMT -5
I like balancing FBS gamesm have a non P4 game like a Buffalo or Northern Illinois followed by BC then back to a non P4 and back to someone like a Syracuse, Pitt, UVA. I like the idea of academic FBS schools like Vandy, UVA, Duke, Rice, Tulane, California, Stanford (who visited for women's lax- how did we pull that schedule off?) IIRC, Stanford had another game scheduled in the Boston area.. They didn't fly east just to play HC.
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Post by Pakachoag Phreek on Feb 22, 2024 7:30:51 GMT -5
You’re right - it’s a great peer list. Good mix of LACs and Unis, good geographic diversity and types of schools too. That is a list you want to be on. Good company. Surprised Georgetown missing. Questbridge was a hard "no" at Georgetown. The key selling point to schools with Crossbridge is a curated group of high-achieving first-generation kids that may not be aware of some schools otherwise and the tradeoff is a four year full ride. Georgetown gets a lot of first-gen kids on its own, so recruitment is not the problem. But as Georgetown requires an EFC (expected family contribution) and doesn't offer a full four year ride to anyone, the requirements for a Questbridge match would not be met without it. I suspect the latter also holds true at Harvard. Re: Harvard Harvard was not sued for 'price-fixing' financial aid. Neither was Princeton. www.washingtonpost.com/education/2024/01/24/colleges-price-fixing-financial-aid-settlement/#:~:text=Nearly%20a%20half%2Ddozen%20of,to%20a%20Tuesday%20court%20filing Harvard with respect to parent contribution (and full ride)
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