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MaximumBobcat
November 12th, 2009, 03:59 PM
The University of New Orleans announced it is exploring reclassification from Division I to Division III, effective with the 2010-11 academic year. The school cited budgetary concerns as its primary reason for considering the switch and committed to a decision by May 15, 2010.

“We had to reduce funding for athletics in the previous round of budget cuts, and since then the financial picture of the university and the athletics program has not improved,” said Chancellor Tim Ryan.

Students at the 11,724-student school last spring defeated a referendum that would have raised student fees to help pay for the athletics program. At that time, officials indicated the athletics program could not survive without additional funding. The school’s enrollment for 2009 is nearly 32 percent less than its pre-Katrina 2005 enrollment.


New Orleans officials said the school is looking at several options for its athletics program, and views reclassification to Division III as a viable choice.

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/ncaa?key=/ncaa/ncaa/ncaa+news/ncaa+news+online/2009/division+i/new+orleans+looks+to+reclassify_11_12_09_ncaa_news
bonarae
November 13th, 2009, 06:58 AM
Well, oh well, Fullerton only faced this opponent just once in 1990 (in baseball, of course). Division III is dominated by Northern schools, but I think the administration made the right decision due to financial problems and it's IMHO bad for its baseball program due to the reputation it gained in the world of Division I college baseball over the years :(. UNO needs some time to adjust to the Division III experience (and I hope with the change in the atmosphere, the baseball program may win National Championships at last, but no longer at Rosenblatt). But still, it's xsmhx for Tulane and LSU (since they still have remaining series with Privateer baseball).

Tulane and LSU need to look West and North to find a suitable replacement for UNO if this move pushes through, and I hope they'll pick Fullerton in UNO's place.
GeauxColonels
November 14th, 2009, 05:42 PM
Not just Tulane and LSU, but Nicholls State, Southeastern and all of the other DI schools in the state. They ALL played UNO often.


How big are typical DIII schools? UNO seems like it would be one of the bigger schools in the division. But it could mean an actual school-sponsored football program again.
roberb7
November 15th, 2009, 08:07 PM
Is Loyola-New Orleans looking at DIII? Just curious.
onbison09
November 15th, 2009, 09:14 PM
Sucks for the Sun Belt too.
GeauxLions94
November 15th, 2009, 09:26 PM
Is Loyola-New Orleans looking at DIII? Just curious.

Loyola is NAIA and is getting out of the Gulf Coast Conference with a bunch of other schools.
bonarae
November 16th, 2009, 03:53 AM
Not just Tulane and LSU, but Nicholls State, Southeastern and all of the other DI schools in the state. They ALL played UNO often.


How big are typical DIII schools? UNO seems like it would be one of the bigger schools in the division. But it could mean an actual school-sponsored football program again.

First paragraph: Tulane and LSU, along with UNO, are the top DI baseball programs in Louisiana. But I am only familiar with the two teams' series with UNO, with the two virtually winning all of their series with the Privateers.

Second paragraph: The average Division III enrollment is 2100. UNO's figures (Fall 2009) show 8746 (undergraduate students only). Source (http://www.dmar.uno.edu/enroll.htm)

NYU is the largest Division III school in terms of enrollment and also the largest school to not currently have a football program.

IMHO Division III for UNO probably means that football will be upgraded from club to varsity level given the budget will be allotted for it.