• eclectic_electron@sh.itjust.works
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      11 months ago

      Because they like having money? Running a university is legitimately very expensive and there’s always more to do. I think it’s more common with people who went to business school or became pro athletes, etc. They end up with very profitable careers and a fond recollection of their time in college. It’s worth it to the university to ask almost everyone just in case, because sometimes they find that one whale alum.

        • eclectic_electron@sh.itjust.works
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          11 months ago

          Athletics is actually petty profitable, since athletes can’t be paid, so the school gets all the money for sponsorships, tickets, merch, etc.

          It can actually be a problem for the schools, since athletics isn’t allowed to be profitable. They have to spend all the money athletics brings in on athletics, which is why the athletics department ends up with all the fancy new buildings.

          • Pons_Aelius@kbin.social
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            11 months ago

            since athletes can’t be paid,

            Remind me again, what is it called when the people generating the wealth are not compensated?

            It can actually be a problem for the schools, since athletics isn’t allowed to be profitable. They have to spend all the money athletics brings in on athletics, which is why the athletics department ends up with all the fancy new buildings.

            Ah yes, that sounds like a great benefit for students getting an education. Also for the academic staff. Must be great to work at a university as a lecturer and know the football coach earns multiples of your salary.

          • lightnsfw@reddthat.com
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            11 months ago

            What’s the point of having an athletic program if you’re not using it to subsidize programs that actually matter?

            • eclectic_electron@sh.itjust.works
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              11 months ago

              It kinda does do that, just indirectly. Even if the university can’t profit directly off of athletics, a successful sports season increases application rates and donations. Basically it boosts the brand recognition and brand identity of the school.

              It’s still painful to me that the class size at my engineering school basically doubled the year after the university won some basketball championship. I don’t want to believe that people, and especially engineers, are that influence-able but the numbers don’t lie

      • Th3D3k0y@lemmy.world
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        11 months ago

        I looked up the University of Cincinnati’s finances once because I never realized they were public. I think UC owns non-liquid non-realestate assets somewhere in the 30billion range. They still ask for donations, despite the fact they could give free education to every student for multiple years.

        • psud@lemmy.world
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          11 months ago

          It’s nuts how wealthy some of those universities are. Several could easily provide free education and still turn a profit

          I wonder if they use tuition fees mostly for rationing aceess