The New Big East - Whacky Ideas

  I am loving the new Big East (Catholic 7) conference. I really think this conference is going to be a special sports conference.  I would like to see the conference be more than just sports.  A conference where students, alumni, professors, administrators, care not only about their institution, but also about the entire conference. 

Here it goes...Similar to the semester abroad let's have a semester stateside...  After Freshman year, students would be given an opportunity/encouraged to spend a semester at one of the other conference schools.  The emphasis would be on exploring the University, its city...taking classes, seeing a different way of living etc.

Similarly, professors would be given the opportunity/encouraged to live/teach a semester at one of the conference schools.  It would broaden each professor's professional contacts, enjoy what each city has to offer, teach to a slightly different student body (Georgetown students are probably different than St. Johns students). 

This 'stateside' semester could occur during the summer if housing is a constraint.

It such a simple idea that it may be already underway, in which case in should be moved up the 'to do list' (voluntary to encouraged or mandatory).

Next wacky idea - Prior to the start of a sports season, all of the conference teams participating in that specific sport, would gather in one city for a weekend of learning and social interaction maybe have a scrimage (details later).  Meet the players and coaches on the other teams, share a meal, go to a homeless shelter together, work together, see the City sites. 

That's it...no more coffee today!

The adminstrative complexities and potential costs of some such arrangement (voluntary or involuntarty, health insurance, housing, transfer of credits, different grading systems, the academic calendar, transportation to and from, etc., etc.) would be so daunting that in my opinion some such idea would never be seriously considered by the powers that be at universities today.

Summer semesters make it even more complicated (the majority of students work during the summer) and the environment on campus is markedly different than that during the conventional academic year which defeats the intended purpose.

Tiger, you might be better off spiking your coffee and dreaming about us making it to the sweet sixteen next year.

p.s. Tiger - you'd better watch the spelling of the Subject on your posts. Wacky ideas are crazy and whacky ideas are so bad you're in danger of getting whacked for them.

Not sure this could ever work --- Duke and UNC had a program where certain students would spend time at both schools (like maybe a year of majority classes at the other) but you had to apply for it and it was a limited group.  It seemed complicated enough and that was only for 2 schools 15 minutes apart.  This also worked because they would still live on campus at the school they were accepted into (I am pretty sure - don't quote me though).

Aside from that, what about the issue that everyone is going to want to spend time at Georgetown since it is easily the best academic institution in the league, and unlikely the Georgetown kids will want to visit anywhere else except MAYBE depaul or st johns if someone wants to live in chicago or nyc for a semester?

I think this could work on an EXTREMELY small scale but highly unlikely.  Nice idea - like your conference pride - but just unlikely to happen.

Each city in the conference has something to offer.  Kids for the midwest might want to spend a few months in Providence...experience the ocean...take the ferry to Nantucket, check out the mansions in Newport...Foxwoods not too far away.  I am sure there would be more desirable locations and less desirable.  New York kids might find Omaha interesting, maybe check out a farm fair, and experience that side of the world. 

I wasn't suggesting the entire class would migrate, only the brave and adventuresome.  Not every student experiences a semester abroad.  Some how those programs entice students to 'chance it' and almost all the students return home grateful for the experience.

Trust me, I've had worse ideas than this one.  Agree with Tha Kid, that it is probably not happening.

Each city in the conference has something to offer.  Kids for the midwest might want to spend a few months in Providence...experience the ocean...take the ferry to Nantucket, check out the mansions in Newport...Foxwoods not too far away.  I am sure there would be more desirable locations and less desirable.  New York kids might find Omaha interesting, maybe check out a farm fair, and experience that side of the world. 

I wasn't suggesting the entire class would migrate, only the brave and adventuresome.  Not every student experiences a semester abroad.  Some how those programs entice students to 'chance it' and almost all the students return home grateful for the experience.

Trust me, I've had worse ideas than this one.  Agree with Tha Kid, that it is probably not happening.

So very true. Even simpleton hicks from CT were able to come to NY in March, and experience culture what wasn't readily available to them. Such as eating something they didn't have to kill themselves.