New Colgate President, Herbst, Announcement Sans Athletics

[ngineer]

The Patriot League weekly newsletter announced the appointment of Jeffrey Herbst, provost for past five years at Miami Univiersity, Ohio. While spending a lot of space on Herbst's academic achievements and background, I could not discern one iota concerning his views on athletics in the collegiate scene. Any insight from the Raider bretheran as to this guy's views, especially as they pertain to football? The article did note, he is not due to take office until summer 2010, so perhaps the decision-making in December will be at the direction of the Trustees via the interim prez?

[Go...gate]

There are concerns about the strength of his commitment to Division I athletics.

[DFW HOYA]

The article did note, he is not due to take office until summer 2010, so perhaps the decision-making in December will be at the direction of the Trustees via the interim prez?

Are we that sure of decision-making next month? With Fordham possibly giving a look to the CAA and a continued lack of consensus on scholarships, this could easily be deferred to the spring. Again.

[ngineer]

Are we that sure of decision-making next month? With Fordham possibly giving a look to the CAA and a continued lack of consensus on scholarships, this could easily be deferred to the spring. Again.

ON the contrary. This could actually put the issue on the front burner forcing the PL presidents to declare, now, their plan for scholarships so as to keep Fordham in the fold. If PL continues to twiddle its thumbs, then FU will be given the all the more reason so say, 'FU' and go immediately to the CAA. Then the PL is left scrambling to fill the void with Marist, Bryant, VMI or Monmouth.

[CFBfan]

ON the contrary. This could actually put the issue on the front burner forcing the PL presidents to declare, now, their plan for scholarships so as to keep Fordham in the fold. If PL continues to twiddle its thumbs, then FU will be given the all the more reason so say, 'FU' and go immediately to the CAA. Then the PL is left scrambling to fill the void with Marist, Bryant, VMI or Monmouth.

for what it's worth FU, at least the FU coaching staff want to join the CAA.

[ColgateTD]

Miami (OH) has a fairly strong FB program and is #1 in men's ice hockey. Don't know if this carries any weight, but at least he comes from a school with a tradition of good atheltics. Also his undergrad days at Princeton would seem to indicate a background in the same academic sphere as the PL and Ivy League.

Princeton is Div I in hockey and has had strong FB teams long ago, so maybe he carries some of those traditions with him. It seems unlikely he would deemphasize 'Gate athletics right off the bat, without sounding out alums, trustees, faculty, etc.

[ngineer]

Miami (OH) has a fairly strong FB program and is #1 in men's ice hockey. Don't know if this carries any weight, but at least he comes from a school with a tradition of good atheltics. Also his undergrad days at Princeton would seem to indicate a background in the same academic sphere as the PL and Ivy League.

Princeton is Div I in hockey and has had strong FB teams long ago, so maybe he carries some of those traditions with him. It seems unlikely he would deemphasize 'Gate athletics right off the bat, without sounding out alums, trustees, faculty, etc.

I understand, but I guess the curiosity of the League's news release was that it was silent about his view on athletics. The weekly news letter is about PL sports. For them to discuss Herbst in a fairly long column, without even mentioning whether he has experience as a 'jock' himself or was involved in any peripheral athletic involvement while at Miami or Princeton, would have been nice and, maybe, given a gllimmer of whether we have a 'friend or foe' in the ivory tower in Hamilton. I know when Alice Gast was named the new prez a Lehigh a few years ago, it noted she ran track and field at USC, so at least we had a sense that athletics played a role in her life.

[Go...gate]

Herbst is a protege of William G. Bowen, former President of Princeton. Bill is a very nice man and greatly admired (I have had the pleasure of speaking to him on several occasions through the years) but is not pro-Division I athletics at all. In fact, he authored two best-selling books, The Game of Life and Re-Claiming the Game which discuss the problems of the student-athlete at Division I universities.

The books are very good but highly critical of the planatation mentality at many Division I schools, most specifically the athletic scholarship issue. Interestingly, Bowen's books are much less critical of the Ivy and Patriot Leagues and save their highest praise for - you guessed it - the Division III NESCAC, which Bill believes to be the appropriate model for college athletics.

Bottom line is that it is not at all clear what Colgate intends by this choice.

[Go...gate]

As an addendum to the previous post, with the exception of Basketball, Princeton's athletic program went downhill during Bill Bowen's tenure. Lacrosse, Hockey and Football had some of their worst seasons in university history during his tenure.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Well, he was provost of a University with a D1 program that produced, among many others, Ben Rothlesberger. Perhaps there is a Miami U. message board where one might find insight into the move.

[Go...gate]

Well, he was provost of a University with a D1 program that produced, among many others, Ben Rothlesberger. Perhaps there is a Miami U. message board where one might find insight into the move.

Provost, generally, is Dean of the Faculty. I don't know if he had any input into their athletic policies.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Provost, generally, is Dean of the Faculty. I don't know if he had any input into their athletic policies.

True. I know that at Lafayette, for example, the Provost has been known to attend games. It's President, Daniel Weiss, just ran the Lehigh Valley Marathon last month. I suppose you look for these little things as good signs for a small, eastern college with D1 athletics. Herbst must have been questioned, at least, on the topic when he was interviewed.

[Go...gate]

True. I know that at Lafayette, for example, the Provost has been known to attend games. It's President, Daniel Weiss, just ran the Lehigh Valley Marathon last month. I suppose you look for these little things as good signs for a small, eastern college with D1 athletics. Herbst must have been questioned, at least, on the topic when he was interviewed.

Don't get me wrong: I'm cautiously optimistic based upon the general direction towards scholarships that Rebecca Chopp fostered. But I worry that this new fellow is another "Buddy" Karelis (Colgate's version of LC's Arthur Rothkopf xeekx) who lasted a short time and took his leave back about 2002.

[Bogus Megapardus]

Don't get me wrong: I'm cautiously optimistic based upon the general direction towards scholarships that Rebecca Chopp fostered. But I worry that this new fellow is another "Buddy" Karelis (Colgate's version of LC's Arthur Rothkopf xeekx) who lasted a short time and took his leave back about 2002.

He is quite young. Do you thing it's a case of, "oh, I think I'll go be President of a college for a while - Colgate looks nice?" Someone who is looking to move on? For that matter, where exactly do you move on to once you've been President of a college?

I hope it works out for Colgate.

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Herbst is a protege of William G. Bowen, former President of Princeton. Bill is a very nice man and greatly admired (I have had the pleasure of speaking to him on several occasions through the years) but is not pro-Division I athletics at all. In fact, he authored two best-selling books, The Game of Life and Re-Claiming the Game which discuss the problems of the student-athlete at Division I universities.

If he's a protege of Bowen, we're all in deep trouble. Was he involved with the book "The Game of Life", the book that has done more to stigmatize athletes than anything else?

The book really bothers me because it starts with stigmatizing athletes, then creates this myth that athletes are pushed through IL and PL schools because they "can't handle the work". Well, if they can't handle the work, how come they're graduating at an equal (or in many cases, greater) rate than the rest of the class?

If he indeed was a part of making that book, let us hope he's learned something since then.

[Go...gate]

If he's a protege of Bowen, we're all in deep trouble. Was he involved with the book "The Game of Life", the book that has done more to stigmatize athletes than anything else?

The book really bothers me because it starts with stigmatizing athletes, then creates this myth that athletes are pushed through IL and PL schools because they "can't handle the work". Well, if they can't handle the work, how come they're graduating at an equal (or in many cases, greater) rate than the rest of the class?

If he indeed was a part of making that book, let us hope he's learned something since then.

I want to find this out, if possible.