D-1 Survey Says...

[CDog]

In a nutshell, majority of those surveyed want to stay in Division II. It actually wasn't very close. I've seen the survey results. Quite surprising.

[nodakvindy]

Here's the Herald Story

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/14537212.htm

[dlsiouxfan]

I find these result unbelievable. If this is followed through with it might as well be a death sentence for every other sport on campus other than hockey. It's unfathomable that a majority of the "stakeholders" in UND have decided that we are to become a second rate university in ND. I'm speechless.

[star2city]

Here's the Herald Story

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/14537212.htm

This seems like the key answer:

If UND were to go Division I in all sports, 90 percent of season-ticket holders said it had better have a conference affiliation first.

[The Sicatoka]

That "90% ... conference" thing is even stronger than past GF Herald polls (not that you should ever trust on-line polls all that much).

http://forums.grandforks.com/n/mb/message....sg=23.1&ctx=256

http://forums.grandforks.com/n/mb/message....g=112.1&ctx=256

Those two were fairly consistent in:

About 1/3 yes, about 1/3 "if conference", and about 1/3 no.

"90%" is a mammoth number in any survey.

[star2city]

I find these result unbelievable. If this is followed through with it might as well be a death sentence for every other sport on campus other than hockey. It's unfathomable that a majority of the "stakeholders" in UND have decided that we are to become a second rate university in ND. I'm speechless.

If the question would have been like the Herald's poll, with possible answer to the DI question being:

(A) Yes

(B) No

(C ) Yes, after finding a respectable conference

(D) Maybe in 5 or 10 years.

there would IMO be more agreement between the Herald poll and the UND poll. A combination of B, C, & D on the Herald Poll gives 66% disapproval of a DI move without a conference - rather good agreement. But

a combination of (A) and (C ) on the Herald Poll gives 65% approval to a DI move - with a respectable conference.

Herald Poll

There would be significant support for a DI move, IMO, with a conference.

[aff]

When NDSU made the move from Division II to Division I earlier this decade, the Bison didn't have a conference waiting for them. NDSU still is searching for a Division I conference in most sports.

LOL, thats got to be the biggest spin I have ever read in print. Most people would maybe wait awhile to start refering to three years ago with a "decade" in the description. Maybe they should have said

"When NDSU made the move from Division II to Division I earlier this Century".

Seriously, it was three years ago, but from the article you would get the impression that the Bison moved during the Kennedy administration.

Back on topic though, if Kup. doesn't want to really go D-I, hes got everything he needs from this survey. Any time anybody complains about not being D-I, all he has to do is tell them their in the minority, and he wins.

[The Sicatoka]

Is the Herald going to be putting all of the questions and results out there?

[star2city]

LOL, thats got to be the biggest spin I have ever read in print. Most people would maybe wait awhile to start refering to three years ago with a "decade" in the description.

So, aff, if you want to talk spin, how do you spin Gene Taylor's statement upon moving to DI of "I should be fired if I don't find a conference in a year?"

[mksioux]

These results are simply amazing to me. I know it's only anecdotal, but based on every Sioux fan I've personally talked to about this issue, it's more like 90/10 in favor of moving up. I guess I must live in an echo chamber.

Regardless of how these numbers are spinned in terms of conference affiliation, if these results truly reflect the general attitude of the UND fan base, then any DI momentum is gone and UND will wallow in DII for the foreseeable future. There is no way Kupchella, or any future president, makes the move with such dismal support from the season ticketholders and students.

This is very discouraging.

[DamStrait]

I would really love to see the exact questions posed in the poll and the context in which they were delivered. Then I would love to see the exact breakdown on responses to each question. I think that the Social Science Research Institute at UND may have an ulterior motive.

[RD17]

I would really love to see the exact questions posed in the poll and the context in which they were delivered. Then I would love to see the exact breakdown on responses to each question. I think that the Social Science Research Institute at UND may have an ulterior motive.

I was told a month ago (by another member of this board) that the surveys would come back negative on D1 because of how the questions were worded (i.e. some questions allegedly pitted higher faculty salaries versus money for D1, etc.).

I would also agree that there is an ulterior motive in all of this, but I think it comes straight from the top (Kupchella).

[The Sicatoka]

Two key take-aways from the Herald:

More than 90 percent of the individuals in each stakeholder group said UND should have money issues worked out before reclassifying, and that UND should determine what its ability is to raise money from all sources for athletic purposes only, and then decide a course of action.

If UND were to go Division I in all sports, 90 percent of season ticketholders said it had better have a conference affiliation first.

Like I've said, it comes down to:

Cost

Conference

[Shawn-O]

Maybe we should move down the D-III, and drop scholarships for every sport except hockey. Heck, why not privatize the University, jack up tuition and enrollment requirements, and hook up with the MIAC for all sports non-hockey. Why stop there, the university could be renamed, complete with a new moniker and logo. Voila, problems solved regarding prestige, economics, political correctness, athletics, geography, etc. University of Mary could be our new "archrival".

[The Sicatoka]

Going with the "echo chamber" thought, again, will all of the data be put out there for review? I want to compare what I've seen with those results (to re-adjust all the mental filters).

I say that because the underlined portions below make no sense.

More than half of the season ticketholders, students and employees favor staying in Division II, with 38 percent of season ticketholders, 30 percent of students and 34 percent of employees favoring raising $1.5 million more yearly. More than three-fourths of the faculty favors staying in Division II, with 23 percent favoring raising $1.5 million more yearly.

Where's this "favoring raising $1.5 million more yearly" phrase coming from?

Either we need the context of the question (and group questioned), or someone at the Herald needs to re-write that to be more understandable.

[aff]

So, aff, if you want to talk spin, how do you spin Gene Taylor's statement upon moving to DI of "I should be fired if I don't find a conference in a year?"

A north Dakota school overconfident about conference affiliation? I'm absolutely shocked! No way UND would say some of the same stuff.

[aff]

I would also agree that there is an ulterior motive in all of this, but I think it comes straight from the top (Kupchella).

I agree 100%.

[MplsBison]

how do you spin Gene Taylor's statement upon moving to DI of "I should be fired if I don't find a conference in a year?"

He did find a conference:

http://greatwestfootball.cstv.com/

[MplsBison]

Like many of you, I wouldn't trust this survey to be worth the paper it's printed on.

But it does confirm some of my suspicion that there is a group at UND that will try to keep the hockey program above all, at any cost.

[PCM]

I was told a month ago (by another member of this board) that the surveys would come back negative on D1 because of how the questions were worded (i.e. some questions allegedly pitted higher faculty salaries versus money for D1, etc.).

I would also agree that there is an ulterior motive in all of this, but I think it comes straight from the top (Kupchella).

As someone who took the survey, I don't agree with that characterization of it at all. If anything, I felt that the questions were skewed in favor of UND going DI.

But who knows? Maybe Kupchella was directing mind control waves my way at the time.

[MplsBison]

PCM, just out of curiousity, would you be angry if UND moved to DI and anounced that some of the resources that would've gone to hockey will now go to help the football and basketball teams with the transition?

[Sioux-cia]

Two key take-aways from the Herald:

Like I've said, it comes down to:

Cost

Conference

I have no problem with the school going D1, if these two variables were met.

[WYOBISONMAN]

I am shocked and would have to say that this surely gives Kuppy more than enough cover to not make the jump........

[PCM]

PCM, just out of curiousity, would you be angry if UND moved to DI and anounced that some of the resources that would've gone to hockey will now go to help the football and basketball teams with the transition?

I don't think that what you're suggesting is even a viable option.

[MplsBison]

So you're not going to answer the question about whether that would make you angry?