Topic: Cleveland: Cleveland State University News & Info

[ClevelandOhio]

Well trust me in that changing the name isn't going to have an impact on high school seniors. What cleveland state has done by building the new student center and dorms and education buildings has had a huge impact though. I know that since all of the new buzz, cleveland state has become one of high school seniors, in northeast ohio, top options for schools that they would like to attend and live at.

How can you say that with such certainty?

I do agree that the building spree on campus has done wonders to change it's image and put it at least on the list of possible schools for a lot of high school seniors.  This apparent change in the culture of CSU would be a good time to change the name... that's all I'm saying.  I'd be fine if they kept the CSU name, but I would prefer the University of Cleveland.  Just a personal preference.

And Cleveland State University is a better name because it relates to the other schools that kids around here are thinking about going to like Ohio State, Kent State,  and BGSU.

University of Akron, University of Toledo, University of Cincinnati, University of Dayton... totally irrelevant point.

Most high school seniors in northeast ohio aren't planning on attending any of the schools you listed (besides University of Akron) or have even ever looked into them. And i know it wouldn't have an impact because Cleveland State University has more of a real college feel to it and i think University of Cleveland would actually make it seem more like a community college. And i know several high school seniors that are either going to or looked into cleveland state and i know for a FACT that Cleveland State has already built their image greatly amongst high school seniors and that several more seniors in 2010 have either committed to or considered Cleveland State than in 2009 or any year before that.

[shs96]

I don't think the name means a whole lot either....it's the environment the school presents.  Ohio State, when I was graduating high school, wasn't any different in terms of perception than the other higher regarded schools in Ohio.  Today it has changed, and that's due to the environment OSU has created (and brand it has developed).

When CSU shifts to a campus where there are a high % of students living there, it's perception will change.  I know a lot of kids from my high school who liked things about CSU (cost, close to home) but ultimately chose Kent or Akron because those schools had a campus with student life.

Personally, I don't believe schools become "better" academically.  They become more in demand - for whatever reason - and thus can be more selective about who they admit.  CSU has that opportunity to become more in demand, IMO, b/c if they can provide a campus with student life, Downtown Cleveland presents an attractive campus that might draw students who would otherwise go elsewhere.

[Hootenany]

^^If Cleveland State is only drawing from Northeast Ohio then that is problem #1.

Cleveland State has done a good job in recent years of marketing themselves.  I would be fine if CSU kept the name and started an aggressive marketing campaign across the Great Lakes Region highlighting it's academics and urban campus living.  CSU has/had an image of being a sub-par college and that can be a tough perception to shake from people.  A name change might help... that's all I'm trying to say.

Not sure what to make of your comment that most Northeast Ohio seniors have never looked into the University of Toledo, Cincinnati, or Dayton.  Very odd.  About 20% of my engineering class at UD were from Northeast Ohio.  Two of my sisters roommates (out of three) at UC are from Cleveland.  I don't think Northeast Ohio is any different from any other region in the amount of students it retains in local colleges and loses to others.

[jam40jeff]

Most high school seniors in northeast ohio aren't planning on attending any of the schools you listed (besides University of Akron) or have even ever looked into them.

How can you say that with any certainty?  I applied to three schools: University of Toledo, Ohio State University, and CWRU.  My brother's wife went to UT.  A good friend growing up went to UT.  All were from NEO.  I actually know more people that went to or considered UT than KSU.

[Htsguy]

Don't quite understand the factually basis of your post ClevelandOhio...NE Ohio is a huge feeder school for Dayton, especially kids from Catholic high schools.  I also know many people who went to Toledo from the Cleveland area.

[Pugu]

And Cleveland State University is a better name because it relates to the other schools that kids around here are thinking about going to like Ohio State, Kent State, and BGSU.

You saying people in NE Ohio are a little dim that they have to see the word "State" in a college name in order to think its a place where they should apply?

The school should be aiming high. If it can get students from all over the country and world all the better for all the students who attend there. Not only would be a more culturally diverse student body, but it would be more competitive, meaning it would go up in national rankings and it would attract even more students.

Names matter. Of course, other things do as well (like quality of education, dorms/campus life, etc.), but the name is not trivial by any means. When people start a company or have a kid, many agonize and fight over what the name should be--why would it be different for this institution?

[Whipjacka]

they should call it 'the really good university'. tRGU should get people to go there.  Forgive me if this has already been answered, but is there much precedent for a major university changing its name within the last twenty years?  I just feel like a name change could be seen as cheesy, but this is coming from someone who goes to Kent STATE University and went there without even having considered that the name of the school was indicative of the quality

[Hootenany]

they should call it 'the really good university'. tRGU should get people to go there.  Forgive me if this has already been answered, but is there much precedent for a major university changing its name within the last twenty years?  I just feel like a name change could be seen as cheesy, but this is coming from someone who goes to Kent STATE University and went there without even having considered that the name of the school was indicative of the quality

Yes.  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_university_and_college_name_changes_in_the_United_States

Notable on that list is Troy University who changed it's name in 2004 from Troy State University.  Seems very similar to what CSU is considering.  The trustees stated that, "they believe the name change allows the university system to reflect its quality, funding sources and global mission better."

[Whipjacka]

i revise my stance.  I poked around the net a little bit and it seems that, at least from a fund raising stand point, schools greatly benefit from dropping 'state' from their name; though i can't tell if it is directly caused from the name change or if it is because names are usually changed in times that the school is revamping its facilities/standards.  Either way, it would probably behoove CSU to do it.
the idea that a name would affect reputation still doesn't make sense to me, but it appears to make a difference.

[jam40jeff]

Tri-State University rebranded itself as Trine University a couple years ago.

http://www.trine.edu/wearetrine/index.cfm

[ClevelandOhio]

Im sorry if i offended anybody but all i was trying to get across is that I don't believe that Cleveland State University will benefit by simply dropping the word State. Tons of popular schools have the word State in them and i think that the University of Cleveland sounds a bit funny. Its a public school and will always be one so changing the name to pretend its not just seems a little bit funny to me.

[Hootenany]

^I don't think anyones aim is to make people believe it's a private university.  I see it as a simple rebranding.  A lot of people have an image of of CSU that is very inaccurate due to all the construction and changes of late.  Rebranding to University of Cleveland or something else gives them an opportunity to associate the new name with something more positive than what was previously associated with CSU for a lot of people.  If CSU wants to move into the next "tier" of University than a fresh, new name might be appropriate.

[Clevelander17]

The one that I remember most is "Memphis State University" changing to "University of Memphis."

Sheesh, I never expected my suggestion (which has been made before by others here) to start such a firestorm!

[ClevelandOhio]

Well there is no point to continue arguing because it's not doing any good so we should just move on and get this back on topic!

[Pugu]

The football team concept for CSU is still out there. Personally, I think its a good idea, as it will add more activity downtown and make CSU more a campus and less of a commuter school (complimenting the dorms, etc.).

"Twenty-six colleges and universities nationwide are adding football between now and 2013, according to USA Today......The latest update was that CSU would be taking its options to students, and they'd be voting; students' fees would be hiked at least a little to help pay for the cost of starting a team...."

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100811/BLOGS04/100819963

[ogibbigo]

I thought this already went to vote and the overall response was IN FAVOR of a football team?

[Loretto]

Yes, but they're also in favor of not having tuition raised because of it.

[Pugu]

Students entered the school assuming their fees/tuition would be one thing, so if its a big change, it would be unfair to them to make them pay more. Future students--starting, say Fall 2011, should carry the costs, perhaps (yet start the process now)...

[ClevelandOhio]

just charge 15,000 people a $100 fee and then you get $1,500,000

[Clevelander17]

just charge 15,000 people a $100 fee and then you get $1,500,000

 

Easy for you to say, but the students voted against adding another fee.

[Pugu]

what happened to the posts about the football team? they seemed to have disappeared. in any event, crains, today posted the survey results:

"In the spring, CSU took to the student body with a survey about its feelings. The results:

# Are you interested in having Cleveland State University add a Division I non-scholarship football team (e.g. University of Dayton, Butler University) to its intercollegiate athletic program? Yes: 1,214 (68.7%); No: 553

# Are you willing to pay a fee for Division 1 non-scholarship football in addition to any potential, future tuition increases that may be instituted by the University? Yes: 780; No: 987 (55.6%)...."

There are four questions total--Asked differently, for Question #2 above, more said they WOULD pay, then wouldn't....

http://www.crainscleveland.com/article/20100812/BLOGS04/100819933

[MuRrAy HiLL]

A nice little article on President Berkman:

“Our students are a greater multiplier for this community than LeBron James.” --Dr. Ronald Berkman

http://www.clevelandjewishnews.com/articles/2010/07/30/news/local/doc4c51f4bf9a553653700106.txt

[MuRrAy HiLL]

The International School is OPEN:

Cleveland school district, Cleveland State University team up to open new school
Published: Thursday, August 19, 2010, 7:00 PM
 Thomas Ott, The Plain Dealer


A new Cleveland school opened Thursday, easing its first students into a program that will supplement the basics with Mandarin Chinese.

The Campus International School, a joint venture between the school district and Cleveland State University, welcomed 60 first- and second-graders a week before most other city students resume classes. Sixty kindergartners will arrive Wednesday, bringing the school to capacity.

About a fourth of the students come from the suburbs.

Campus International, the latest addition to the district's "innovation" portfolio, will grow by a grade each year until it extends through high school. It's in leased classrooms at the former First United Methodist Church, on Euclid Avenue at East 30th Street, but officials hope to move eventually to a building at the neighboring university.

http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/08/cleveland_school_district_clev.html

[ClevelandOhio]

The Student Center is having "The Big Reveal" on september 8th with a day full of events and free stuff and fireworks at night

http://www.csuohio.edu/events/bigreveal/

[ClevelandOhio]

Could CSU build a stadium for the football team and share it with a MLS team since the thing that stopped us from getting a team in the past is that we dont have a stadium the right size for the MLS.

[Clevelander17]

Could CSU build a stadium for the football team and share it with a MLS team since the thing that stopped us from getting a team in the past is that we dont have a stadium the right size for the MLS.

Probably not.  Northern Summit County was very close to building a soccer-specific stadium for an MLS expansion team, but voters turned down a tax increase to pay for it.

[X]

But what does that have to do with CSU's ability to build the stadium?

[Clevelander17]

But what does that have to do with CSU's ability to build the stadium?

I just don't see where the University funding or space would come from, let alone the commitment to putting together a football program that can justify a 15,000-20,000 seat stadium (which is the bare minimum necessary to  host an MLS team).  And although there was a strong movement for an MLS team in Cleveland/Akron in the mid-2000s, I think all of that momentum has been lost.  We had a very good chance at a team that would have played in Macedonia (I believe), but the voters said no, and we lost out.  We've been lapped by other candidate cities for expansion.

[tedders55]

Regarding the MLS expansion, that is really a non starter.  In the next few years they will have 19 teams (expansion in Portland, Vancouver, and Montreal) with focus on the 20th team being in NYC.  I think once they get to that point they will hold off on expansion (or at least should), which has occurred very rapidly. 

Anyway this is off topic, but its not going to happen in the next 3-4 years. Now, in my opinion, if CSU football gets going and creates some momentum to the point that they could feasibly build a 15-20K stadium and fill it, which would likely be 10 years down the line, then it could be an option.

[msa1092]

How about using the Browns stadium fora few years....? The thing gets used for actual football games what? ten times a year?

[Htsguy]

^Because they will draw between 3-5 thousand per game and that will look pathetic in Browns Stadium, and people will comment on that over and over.  Not good for school or team morale.

[MuRrAy HiLL]

I've always thought CWRU Field would make a great temporary solution.

It currently holds about 2500 people, but could hold 4000-5000 if additional bleachers were engineered correctly (hold a competition between CWRU and CSU engineers to make it work!)  The walls of the stadium are brick student dorms if you've never seen it before....very cool.

Plus, they could have some "double header" type Saturday games.  CWRU vs .... @ 1 pm.  CSU vs... @ 8 pm.

Although it may become over-crowded (hopefully!) rather quickly, it would produce a quick, easy, and cheap fix to the problem, and create a unique and intimate setting for both schools.  Not to mention, it would be VERY urban...

[Hootenany]

^Because they will draw between 3-5 thousand per game and that will look pathetic in Browns Stadium, and people will comment on that over and over.  Not good for school or team morale.

Just because you think it looks bad isn't reason enough to build a brand new stadium for a brand new team.  Let them play in CBS and draw whatever they draw.  How are you going to properly size a stadium if you don't know what the team will draw anyway?  Give them 3 years minimum at CBS before any further stadium plans are made.

You know, if CSU draws really well they could much more easily make the jump to Division 1A football if they wanted to.  How impressive would it be if a little Division 1AA non-scholarship school was drawing 30,000+?  You never know... this is a football town.

[StrapHanger]

As this diverges from CSU-specific news, may I suggest that any MLS talk go here: http://www.urbanohio.com/forum2/index.php/topic,7469.300.html ...where this same debate was ongoing once upon a time...

[Htsguy]

^^I was being generous suggesting 3-5 thousand.