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“New” Strategic Plan

The best part was a that there wasn’t any indication that we are going anywhere but forward.
I saw no suggestions of Patriot League football or dropping back to CAA basketball. Both fears
of some on here.
Plus, it‘s nice to know they are thinking of the future and are planning ahead.
 
Our University seems to spend a lot of resources on Steering Committees.
I‘m not sure I agree with you. For years I’ve read on here that we have no plan. A ship without a
rudder. Etc. etc.
At least this appears to have us going in a particular direction, and since most of the members are employees of
the school, or volunteers, how much could it have cost?
 
The best part was a that there wasn’t any indication that we are going anywhere but forward.
I saw no suggestions of Patriot League football or dropping back to CAA basketball. Both fears
of some on here.
Plus, it‘s nice to know they are thinking of the future and are planning ahead.
If what I read is it, there weren't any specifics at all
 
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Lots of words to say we will compete in athletics competition by competing
And have diverse student athletes competing athletically and academically with diversity and equity while being coached by diverse and inclusive coaches. All while fostering extensively inclusive diversity.
 
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Not sure I’ve ever seen a strategic plan that wasn’t a word salad full of non-specifics. This one is no different.
 
This from AD Colgate Niki Moore bio

pg 34-36 from Third Century Plan


“Under Moore’s leadership, Colgate Athletics has developed a clear vision to become an inclusive community of competitive excellence in every field and every arena. Colgate student-athletes have maintained their extraordinary level of academic achievement, boasting one of the highest graduation success rates in the nation at 97 percent. The Raiders under Moore have won six conference championships, with teams going on to compete in NCAA and IRA postseason competitions.

With Moore’s leadership, a Third Century Plan for Athletics has been developed around three primary strategies:
  • Recruit: Attract the most talented and motivated students, student-athletes and staff possible who are committed to excel in academics, athletics, and in their career and personal development.
  • Support: Provide the necessary personnel and program support to promote the optimal development, performance and experience of Colgate student-athletes, students and staff.
  • Build: Build and maintain physical spaces and an inclusive culture to inspire and undergird the pursuit of league championships and national tournament appearances, and to encourage the vigorous pursuit of health, wellness and connection among all students and staff.
Advances in DEI, Student-Athlete Support, Branding Highlight 2020
The division has supported significant Diversity, Equity and Inclusion initiatives, including the Spring 2020 opening of the Raiders of Color Connect Lounge, and the Fall 2020 launch of the Plan to Build an Inclusive Community. The Division’s Professional Development Series for all coaches and staff has offered a two-day coaching development seminar, a 13-session Positive Coaching Initiative and a 13-week Division-wide small group study of the book, Me and White Supremacy, by Lala F. Saad. New student-athlete support services and leadership programs have been implemented including Raider Refuel, the Colgate Mental Performance Program, Wellness Advocates and Career Ambassadors. Additionally a comprehensive four-year student-athlete development programming plan was launched in Fall 2020. Moore led the Division in developing a new visual identity launched in Fall 2020, and oversaw the Division’s effort to support Colgate’s nationally-recognized Covid-19 response. Additionally, new resources have been added including new endowments, six new scholarships, facility improvements and an enhanced March Mania fundraising program.”

Colgate’s material makes our presentation look like a 3rd grade POWERPOINT presentation.
 
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I’m puzzled, Colgate’s presentation deals with the entire University, and our is specifically aimed at
our athletics.
We list the participants who had direct impact. Maybe I missed it, but I don’t see any such list in Colgate’s
presentation.
Their presentation is impressive, but I’m not sure you’re comparing apples to apples.
 
I’m puzzled, Colgate’s presentation deals with the entire University, and our is specifically aimed at
our athletics.
We list the participants who had direct impact. Maybe I missed it, but I don’t see any such list in Colgate’s
presentation.
Their presentation is impressive, but I’m not sure you’re comparing apples to apples.
Go to pages 34-36 and read SLOWLY
If you are puzzled after that I can’t help ya.
 
A person that has needs to attack someone they don’t know, under the cover of anonymity, on line, obviously is
a very insecure person.
You never discuss anything without a personal attack. You might ask yourself why.
 
Sorry 32, I know it doesn't fit your bash-everything UR narrative but not reading a lot of specifics in what you linked. Pretty general stuff; (1) recruit real student/athletes; (2) support them, and (3) pursue conference titles and NCAA berths, which is another way of saying, be competitive.

A list of possible facility enhancements, with no plans at all how to pay for them, or any timetable.

Lots about inclusion, though, which should piss the newbie off.
 
You guys are absolutely correct.I am also beginning to prefer the 3rd grade POWERPOINT of nothingness which Hardt’s gang has supplied to contributing UR alumni,student athletes,interested parties.Maybe they can cut-and-paste segments of someone else’s meaningful strategic plan next time around to make me feel better.My allegiance to the Colgate presentation was totally misplaced when Niki Moore mentioned league championships and NCAA berths.How silly of me.5 Hail Marys and an Act of Contrition and 2 Rosaries for me as penance.
 
The AD's new Strategic Plan appears to satisfy all of the hot buttons of the various interest groups around the University...now that the AD has gone on record as being supportive...I hope there are folks in the Robins Center working on a more tactical strategic plan.

The tactical plan should take the 50,000 foot Strategic Plan and make it real for each AD employee. Quantitative and measurable goals could be created for all of the vague Strategic Plan objectives.

Tactical goals establish individual responsibility and accountability. It's how you get people and the team focused and moving in the same direction.

Goals that are prioritized, specific and can be measured usually move the needle in the right direction.

For example, somewhere in the Strategic Plan it said in the Strategic Priorities "Richmond athletics will consistently experience championship level success."

I hope each coach is being challenged to acknowledge what this means to their sport and where their program currently stands versus "championship level." Then tactical plans can be established and the owner's be held accountable.

It's hard work and it's not always pleasant establishing specific, measurable objectives and holding people accountable, but once you get everyone on the same page the results can be outstanding.

We might have more "championship level success."

Go Spiders!
 
Among Crutcher parting statements in RTD:

“...People have criticized UR for not having a vision for its varsity athletics, that it wants to be a high academic school and still successful in sports. What is the university’s vision for sports, and is it working?


One of the reasons I came to the University of Richmond is that I was very excited about being at a Division I school that had high academic expectations of their student-athletes. Because they are student-athletes. Our grade point average for student-athletes is higher than the overall student average. This year, they had the highest grade point average in history amongst our student-athletes. Our coaches really focus on the fact that the students are student-athletes. And what that means is that every year we won’t have, perhaps, championship teams. Championships are great, but the primary goal is to provide an education to these students. There are residual benefits from being an athlete, particularly leadership benefits that accrue. I think our students get an unparalleled education while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports. That means some years you’re going to do better than others. We’ve just gone through a strategic planning process. I think John Hardt has done a great job mapping out an overall plan for our athletic programs as we move into the future...”
 
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Among Crutcher parting statements in RTD:

“...People have criticized UR for not having a vision for its varsity athletics, that it wants to be a high academic school and still successful in sports. What is the university’s vision for sports, and is it working?


One of the reasons I came to the University of Richmond is that I was very excited about being at a Division I school that had high academic expectations of their student-athletes. Because they are student-athletes. Our grade point average for student-athletes is higher than the overall student average. This year, they had the highest grade point average in history amongst our student-athletes. Our coaches really focus on the fact that the students are student-athletes. And what that means is that every year we won’t have, perhaps, championship teams. Championships are great, but the primary goal is to provide an education to these students. There are residual benefits from being an athlete, particularly leadership benefits that accrue. I think our students get an unparalleled education while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports. That means some years you’re going to do better than others. We’ve just gone through a strategic planning process. I think John Hardt has done a great job mapping out an overall plan for our athletic programs as we move into the future...”

Danny Rocco just kicked his feet up after a long day of optometry and landscaping in Newark, logged on to Spider Nation and chuckled when he read that.
 
reminds me of the statement by the President years ago after one of a series of losses, this one to W&M -- you don't really want to beat your friends anyway

I think very few serious fans want us to severely compromise our academic standing, but that sounds like as long as we look good the results don't as not real important
 
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That was such a depressing statement to read. Essentially admitting that we don't care whether our teams win or lose, as if we're the only D1 school that wants its kids to graduate and do well academically while also playing sports... How pathetic.
 
Tone def response. Gotta love that they talk about graduation rates of athletes being higher than students and using the BS excuse that adding extra sports during the lacrosse fiasco would compromise the quality of the student body.
 
That was such a depressing statement to read. Essentially admitting that we don't care whether our teams win or lose, as if we're the only D1 school that wants its kids to graduate and do well academically while also playing sports... How pathetic.

Might be the first time the admin is publicly saying what is obvious to outside observers.
 
That was such a depressing statement to read. Essentially admitting that we don't care whether our teams win or lose, as if we're the only D1 school that wants its kids to graduate and do well academically while also playing sports... How pathetic.
Actually he says no such thing.

He said: "Championships are great, but the primary goal is to provide an education to these students."

Hard to argue with that. Education is more important than winning or producing future NBA/NFL/MLB/WNBA fodder, especially since so few of our athletes are going to make a living as a professional athlete. Almost every single athlete will need the educational to get a job outside of athletics.

He did not say he didn't care if we won or lost.

"Our students get an unparalleled education while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports."

Being competitive, to me, is playing to win.
 
Actually he says no such thing.

He said: "Championships are great, but the primary goal is to provide an education to these students."

Hard to argue with that. Education is more important than winning or producing future NBA/NFL/MLB/WNBA fodder, especially since so few of our athletes are going to make a living as a professional athlete. Almost every single athlete will need the educational to get a job outside of athletics.

He did not say he didn't care if we won or lost.

"Our students get an unparalleled education while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports."

Being competitive, to me, is playing to win.
Come on Wood Hall, you’re ruining the negativity they have squeezed out of his words.
Have a Scotch, and relax. LOL
 
Actually he says no such thing.

He said: "Championships are great, but the primary goal is to provide an education to these students."

Hard to argue with that. Education is more important than winning or producing future NBA/NFL/MLB/WNBA fodder, especially since so few of our athletes are going to make a living as a professional athlete. Almost every single athlete will need the educational to get a job outside of athletics.

He did not say he didn't care if we won or lost.

"Our students get an unparalleled education while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports."

Being competitive, to me, is playing to win.
The lack of interest in providing all the tools necessary to consistently win is pretty obvious from his words. The goal is to be "competitive in their sports". If we stumble upon a championship, fine. If not, fine.

It is the "vision" thing again. Administration does not recognize the synergy in excelling at academics AND sports. He admitted as much in his statement.
 
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Here's the way I read his answer. We want student athletes (agreed), that have a high GPA ( great), in fact higher than the non-student athletes (is that a requirement? Why are we admitting so many non-athletes that cannot be AS successful as our athletes when they have less demands on their time? do our athletes have to shine on the field AND lead in the classroom or the administration feels they have failed?). Coaches focus on the fact that our athletes are student athletes (I would hope so, most coaches at our level realize only a very few will earn a paycheck professionally). Every year we will not have championship teams (of course not). Championships are great (of course). Primary goal is to provide an education for our student athletes (of course, this is not a professional minor league). residual benefits from being an athlete, particularly leadership benefits that accrue (this has been argued by most college sports fans for years, glad he accepts it) I think our students get an unparalleled education (this should be our goal for all students, athletes and non-athletes) while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports (I am proud of our facilities, but competitive to me means not getting embarrassed, the other team does have to play their starters most of the game to win, competing for championships means most years you will at least be in the mix towards the end of the season, as fans are often heard to say, there is a big difference) That means some years you’re going to do better than others (of course) We’ve just gone through a strategic planning process. I think John Hardt has done a great job mapping out an overall plan for our athletic programs (what I read seemed to be in lock step with this statement)
 
Actually he says no such thing.

He said: "Championships are great, but the primary goal is to provide an education to these students."

Hard to argue with that. Education is more important than winning or producing future NBA/NFL/MLB/WNBA fodder, especially since so few of our athletes are going to make a living as a professional athlete. Almost every single athlete will need the educational to get a job outside of athletics.

He did not say he didn't care if we won or lost.

"Our students get an unparalleled education while also having the support and excellent coaching and facilities necessary to be competitive in their sports."

Being competitive, to me, is playing to win.
I hope it goes without saying that anyone who comes to school at UR should receive an excellent education. This is allegedly a strategic plan ABOUT SPORTS. But you have to wait until the fourth strategic priority to see the goal of experiencing "championship-level success," and honestly it feels like lip service and an afterthought there because it's vague in how it's expressed. What is "championship-level success" anyway? Winning championships, or playing at a level that theoretically COULD sometimes maybe possibly result in championships but doesn't? Who the hell knows.

The three objectives under "Competitive Excellence" don't mention anything about winning.
 
Some other Crutcher comments in that interview were interesting (or perhaps uninteresting) too. He did double or triple down on the building renaming, essentially saying that he was a supporter of NOT removing the names. Has said it before. Yet he seems to skirt by on that issue without any criticism at all by UR alumni base at large. It all goes to Queally. I get it on some level, after the fact Queally made it a lot worse and he's easily unlikable. Crutcher who admittedly is only UR President since b4 Heilman I've never met, but he sure seems like a very nice guy, personality wise perhaps opposite of Queally, so that's probably why. But for his likeability, his tenure did not seem remarkable, except of course for the huge ongoing PR gaffe he's leaving under, never a good thing. & I think there's more responsibility on him that is ignored by others, granted Crutcher himself isn't backtracking at least.
 
I've only hand one very brief conversation with Dr. Crutcher. He had been on the job about 6 months when our paths crossed. I welcomed him on board, told him I had heard a number of good comments from fellow alums and was looking forward to seeing his vision for the University. A few more casual comments and then I stated I was a former T&F athlete and asked if there was any way men's T&F could be reinstated, his response was title IX will not let that happen and turned and walked away without even excusing himself. Not a strong impression.
 
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I believe Dr. Kevin F. Hallock officially becomes President of the University on Saturday, or Sunday...

Anyone have any insight into how he feels about athletics?

Go Spiders!
 
He was a HS baseball player and speaks highly of the experience, he has stated he is a fan of UR athletics. None of that is a guarantee of course.
 
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I believe Dr. Kevin F. Hallock officially becomes President of the University on Saturday, or Sunday...

Anyone have any insight into how he feels about athletics?

Go Spiders!

No but imo he looks & sounds like Fred Armisen.
 
The three objectives under "Competitive Excellence" don't mention anything about winning.

I think this covers winning.

ex·cel·lence
/ˈeks(ə)ləns/
Learn to pronounce

noun
  1. the quality of being outstanding or extremely good.
 
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