Sewanee . . . thoughts?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Can we hazard a guess that the PP is not from the "South"? The name "The University of the South" goes back to the 1850s when the school was first established. Sewanee is becoming the more acknowledged name, but UOS is still there due to tradition. To the extent one wants to attach a negative connotation to the name "University of the South," I think that is more of an indication of regional prejudice than anything else.

My objection to the name is not that they are from the South, but that they are branding themselves as *THE* University of the South. Seems a bit presumptious.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Can we hazard a guess that the PP is not from the "South"? The name "The University of the South" goes back to the 1850s when the school was first established. Sewanee is becoming the more acknowledged name, but UOS is still there due to tradition. To the extent one wants to attach a negative connotation to the name "University of the South," I think that is more of an indication of regional prejudice than anything else.

+2. A name from the 1850s likely pre-dates the "Mad Men"-era advertising and branding. Obviously, the fact that the thread has gone on at length focusing on "Sewanee" suggesting that the current "branding" has focused more on that name. PP's comment actually betrays her own "parochial mentality." That's a shame, because she's probably a very nice Northern person.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Another shame: If you weren't a poor ol' bigoted Eastern elitist, you might have fit in at Sewanee. Actually, had you gone to the University of the South, you might be less insular and parochial in your view of people from the South. Believe it or not, most folks down yonder don't fly the stars and bars and are rarely named Rhett or Scarlett. Sorry to burst your bubble.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Can we hazard a guess that the PP is not from the "South"? The name "The University of the South" goes back to the 1850s when the school was first established. Sewanee is becoming the more acknowledged name, but UOS is still there due to tradition. To the extent one wants to attach a negative connotation to the name "University of the South," I think that is more of an indication of regional prejudice than anything else.

My objection to the name is not that they are from the South, but that they are branding themselves as *THE* University of the South. Seems a bit presumptious.

Again, it seems like you are missing the point on the name. It was a name bestowed in the 1850's. Tradition is important at Sewanee and there is respect for the founders who got things started. Presumptuous is "THE Ohio State University."

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Can we hazard a guess that the PP is not from the "South"? The name "The University of the South" goes back to the 1850s when the school was first established. Sewanee is becoming the more acknowledged name, but UOS is still there due to tradition. To the extent one wants to attach a negative connotation to the name "University of the South," I think that is more of an indication of regional prejudice than anything else.

My objection to the name is not that they are from the South, but that they are branding themselves as *THE* University of the South. Seems a bit presumptious.

Again, it seems like you are missing the point on the name. It was a name bestowed in the 1850's. Tradition is important at Sewanee and there is respect for the founders who got things started. Presumptuous is "THE Ohio State University."

It's the exact same thing. Both schools are branding themselves as THE school for the specified.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Another shame: If you weren't a poor ol' bigoted Eastern elitist, you might have fit in at Sewanee. Actually, had you gone to the University of the South, you might be less insular and parochial in your view of people from the South. Believe it or not, most folks down yonder don't fly the stars and bars and are rarely named Rhett or Scarlett. Sorry to burst your bubble.

You should have read the entire thread before responding. As I already stated, my objection is not with the "South"; it is the " The."

Also, I grew up in the South.

[Anonymous]

If Hofstra called themselves "Hofstra, University of the North," most people would find it a bit presumptuous.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Can we hazard a guess that the PP is not from the "South"? The name "The University of the South" goes back to the 1850s when the school was first established. Sewanee is becoming the more acknowledged name, but UOS is still there due to tradition. To the extent one wants to attach a negative connotation to the name "University of the South," I think that is more of an indication of regional prejudice than anything else.

My objection to the name is not that they are from the South, but that they are branding themselves as *THE* University of the South. Seems a bit presumptious.

Always fun when people double-down on being idiots.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Calling themselves "the University of the South" is a questionable branding decision. It suggests a rather insular and parochial mentality among the people who run the place. That's a shame because it's probably a very nice southern SLAC.

Can we hazard a guess that the PP is not from the "South"? The name "The University of the South" goes back to the 1850s when the school was first established. Sewanee is becoming the more acknowledged name, but UOS is still there due to tradition. To the extent one wants to attach a negative connotation to the name "University of the South," I think that is more of an indication of regional prejudice than anything else.

My objection to the name is not that they are from the South, but that they are branding themselves as *THE* University of the South. Seems a bit presumptious.

Always fun when people double-down on being idiots.

Always fun when people fall back on sarcasm when they nothing substantive to add.

[Anonymous]

The University of th South needs context. If they landed ion the name today, yeah, a little pretentious. But at the time, it was an effort to promote southern academia when there were not a lot of opportunities in the region. The name is so anachronistic I find it charming. It's got a - BOOM THERE IT IS QUALITY to it.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Bringing in athletes brings in buzz. Improving a weak athletic program is the low hanGing fruit of improving the image of a school. Places like Middlebury, Davidson and Washington & Lee improved their sports program as a step towards attracting stronger academic students. Athletic Success is part of the formula, not the end result.

Agreed. Any sense on how long it took for these schools to see the benefits of following this formula? A decade? A generation? More? Less?

It's happening already. I think Sewanee is poised to start marching up the lists as it becomes more slective. I do think there is a cap on how far it can go because of is location. Gorgeous 13,000 acre campus in the middle of nowhere. While I think it's great Sewanee is getting better known in mid-Atlantic and NE, I would hate to see it lose its identity.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The University of th South needs context. If they landed ion the name today, yeah, a little pretentious. But at the time, it was an effort to promote southern academia when there were not a lot of opportunities in the region. The name is so anachronistic I find it charming. It's got a - BOOM THERE IT IS QUALITY to it.

Apparently, they only recently started officially referring to themselves as "Sewanee." Prior to ten years ago, it was simply "The University of the South." Even just adding the "Sewannee" to the front was controversial among its alumni.

[Anonymous]

As a parent and a professor, I have a slightly different take on choosing schools for my kids. I tend to look at specific programs, things like whether the faculty are active scholars and researchers in their areas of expertise, how often faculty publish with students, where the faculty got their doctorates, how much room there is for the development of innovative curricula and programs and whether the endowment is big enough to support occasionally taking a gamble to put together a program that may or may not work, whether there's enough money to support things like study abroad, and I do also look at things like student diversity and how recruitment takes place. The faculty at Sewanee are every bit as impressive as those at any East Coast LAC. Most top scholars today would consider this as a terrific job to get out of graduate school -- provided they weren't looking to teach at a research university.

I find it so funny that people on these fora are obsessed with finding a school so prestigious that their neighbors will keel over when they hear the name and that they use questionable metrics like 'how many Asians attend this school' as the best way to make their choices. Or the particular name of the particular school -- though if you check College Confidential, you'll also hear parents lamenting the fact that a kid doesn't want to go to a school called "Harvey Mudd" and the like.

I'd urge you to establish your own private metric of what matters to you when choosing a school and then to do the research that you need to do to see which school fits you, your family and your finances.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:As a parent and a professor, I have a slightly different take on choosing schools for my kids. I tend to look at specific programs, things like whether the faculty are active scholars and researchers in their areas of expertise, how often faculty publish with students, where the faculty got their doctorates, how much room there is for the development of innovative curricula and programs and whether the endowment is big enough to support occasionally taking a gamble to put together a program that may or may not work, whether there's enough money to support things like study abroad, and I do also look at things like student diversity and how recruitment takes place. The faculty at Sewanee are every bit as impressive as those at any East Coast LAC. Most top scholars today would consider this as a terrific job to get out of graduate school -- provided they weren't looking to teach at a research university.

I find it so funny that people on these fora are obsessed with finding a school so prestigious that their neighbors will keel over when they hear the name and that they use questionable metrics like 'how many Asians attend this school' as the best way to make their choices. Or the particular name of the particular school -- though if you check College Confidential, you'll also hear parents lamenting the fact that a kid doesn't want to go to a school called "Harvey Mudd" and the like.

I'd urge you to establish your own private metric of what matters to you when choosing a school and then to do the research that you need to do to see which school fits you, your family and your finances.

You are far too sane, reasonable and knowledgeable to be allowed to post anything further on this topic. You are hereby ordered to cease and desist from posting anything other than the following comments:

1) the only "good schools" are "Top Ivies";
2) no private school is worth the money -- everyone must attend a state school;
3) all SLACs are preppy, elitist and a waste of money
4) any school located outside of New England and the Mid-Atlantic is strictly for losers
5) all state schools are strictly for losers
5) selectivity in admissions is the only criterion important in evaluating a college

If you post anything deviating from the above sanctioned views, you will be banished from DCUM!

[Anonymous]

http://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/537743