Why has the participation on this message board tanked recently? It used to be a lot more active.
Basketball team was bad and no controversies recently (Covid, name change, etc).
I think those to items are when most people login to see what people are saying, without them it's really only 10-15 people that have insight/ opine on their topics of interest.
There used to be threads that were much more active and we need to get participation up to speed. Rebuilding a basketball program is an interesting topic. The day of giving is an interesting topic. Padilla's upcoming challenges are an interesting topic. These topics also don't need to be overly political. Living in Iowa, I'd like to hear what's going on.
I think this is a critically important juncture for both the University as a whole and its sports offerings (esp. MBB, as the marquee sport), operating against the backdrop of the pandemic and a tough landscape for higher ed. Folks should be interested in discussing all this. And I agree that it doesn't have to get all that political.
The University has many strengths in both the liberal arts & sciences and its professional programs, not the least of which is a strong commitment to a largely full-time faculty dedicated to undergraduate learning. But it's not a wealthy institution, and it lacks higher-end prestige despite offering a better classroom education than many tonier schools.
I hope that President Padilla will find the means to support VU's academic strengths while helping to revive its sports programs, most importantly returning MBB to relevance in getting post-season bids.