College in 3

 

written by STEVE ULRICH your must-read briefing on what's driving the day in NCAA Division III >> Good Wednesday morning ... Sesame Street debuted 52 years ago today on PBS.  >> Today's Word Count: 1,242. Five minutes. Really. >> Thanks for reading D3Playbook. Share us with a friend today. Let them know what they're missing.   Send D3Playbook to my inbox, please. TOP STORY 1. College in 3 by Emma Whitford, Inside Higher Ed "What if students, via an overhauled undergraduate curriculum, could complete a bachelor’s degree in three years, with summer breaks, holidays and an on-campus experience to boot? That is the question that Robert Zemsky and Lori Carrell have set out to explore. Over the summer and into the fall, Zemsky, a professor of higher education at the University of Pennsylvania, and Carrell, chancellor of the University of Minnesota at Rochester, recruited more than a dozen institutions to explore the option of creating a brand-new three-year bachelor’s degree program on their campuses. “We did not ask people to commit to doing a three-year degree. That’s just not the way higher ed works,” Zemsky said. “We said, ‘All we want is a commitment to take the idea seriously, and we’ll help you take the idea seriously.’” >> Situational Awareness: "Some institutions have tried three-year undergraduate degree programs before, but they haven’t generated enough student interest to catch on. Breaking away from the four-year tradition will be difficult—accrediting agencies, college athletic associations and graduate program admission requirements could present logistical hurdles for designers of three-year programs. The social and psychological benefits students reap during four years on a college campus may not easily translate to a three-year option." >> Yes, But: "As the cost of college continues to climb and more adult, nontraditional and career-focused students look to higher education to get ahead, a three-year degree option could be just what the industry needs right now." >> What's Next: "As of this month, Zemsky and Carrell have enlisted 13 pilot institutions (including New England College, Utica and Wisconsin-Oshkosh) that have promised to at least consider the idea of a three-year degree program. The goal of the College in 3 project is not to design a program that packs 120 credit hours into three years, but to overhaul the curriculum in a way that allows students to learn the skills and material they need for a bachelor’s degree in three-quarters of the time." >> Worth Noting: "Utica College in New York was one of the first institutions to jump onboard. The private college formed a starter team (that) identified five programs—history, English, communications, philosophy and sociology and anthropology—that could benefit from an accelerated degree option." >> What They're Saying: “We think these programs, as strong as they are, could use some additional boost with regard to potential enrollment, and we see this as an opportunity to attract new students into these programs that might not otherwise think of them," said Todd Pfannestiel, provost at the college. >> Continue Reading Won't you please consider making a gift to D3Playbook. Your gift will help us offset the costs of operating the newsletter and enable us to continue to provide the quality you have come to expect. My heartfelt thanks to those who have already generously contributed. Please join them today.   Donate to D3Playbook SWIMMING 2. The D3 GOATS Amy Heasley, Kenyon College As part of the College Swimming & Diving Coaches Association's 100th anniversary, the CSCAA announced its 100 greatest women's swimmers of the last century. There are 11 former Division III greats on the list, including: Patricia Abt, Kenyon Carla Ainsworth, Kenyon Amy Heasley, Kenyon Elizabeth Jex, Williams Elizabeth Olsen, Colorado College Lindsay Payne, Williams Kathryn Petrock, Kenyon Brittany Sasser, Amherst Kendra Stern, Amherst Logan Todhunter, Williams Caroline Wilson, Williams >> Profiles >> Thursday: The top 100 men SOCCER (M) 3.  Final Four Day Off?  by Paul Kennedy, SoccerAmerica "United Soccer Coaches has asked that the NCAA change the format of the final fours for the NCAA Division III Men and Women’s Tournaments, which are both scheduled to take place Dec. 3-4 at UNC Greensboro in Greensboro, North Carolina. United Soccer Coaches wants to add a rest day between the semifinals and finals and offered to pay the $20,000 estimated expense to make the change this year for additional hotel nights. In a letter to NCAA Executive Director Dr. Mark Emmert, United Soccer Coaches CEO Lynn Berling-Manuel said the health and safety of the athletes were at risk. “Our job as a coaches association is to advocate for our members,” said Berling-Manuel. “The safety of their players is one of those critical issues. This is a small step for the NCAA that would make a big impact on the DIII soccer championship experience for players and coaches.” NCAA Division III final fours are the only NCAA soccer championships that are decided by games on back-to-back days. This year's semifinals are scheduled to play on four dates on Dec. 3 -- 11 a.m., 1:45 p.m., 5 p.m. and 7:45 p.m. -- with turnaround times of less than 24 hours for finals at 2:30 p.m. and 7 p.m." >> Keep Reading FEATURE 4.   Moving Cancer Aside   by Jesse MacWilliam, Spectrum Local News   "Moving people is a specialty for Connor Brown. And given his size, college football has always been a dream since his playing days in high school in Binghamton. But his football career was nearly sidelined before he could ever strap on a helmet. At the age of 4, four years before he ever stepped foot on a field, he was diagnosed with leukemia, a form of blood cancer that hinders the body’s ability to fight off infection. For two years, Brown fought for his life, undergoing chemotherapy and radiation therapy before being declared cancer-free at age 6. But when Brown decided to play football, his cancer fight left him in an uneasy place. Now he finds himself at one of the best engineering schools in the country, playing on one of the best DIII football teams. But in the back of his mind, Brown was always remember what he’s been through. And hopes to never take another minute of his life for granted." >> Reality Check: “I definitely think about that sometimes, like where I came from," he said. "Struggling for my life to where I am now. Even the worst conditioning parts. In high school we used to do awful conditioning. I remember thinking of how far I’ve already come. There’s no sense of quitting because I’ve come so far.” >> Watch NEWS 5.   Kniffin Honored for Feature "Congratulations to Jeremy Kniffin, director of athletic communications at Claremont-Mudd-Scripps Colleges, on receiving the 2021 Fall Division III and D3SIDA Recognition Award. The selection committee of D3SIDA members chose Kniffin’s feature "1946-2021: 75 Years of Great Athletics Moments." The series was exceptionally well done, and Division III and D3SIDA applaud the work and efforts. Award winners receive a $1,500 credit to attend Division III Day, held in conjunction with the annual CoSIDA Convention. The Division III and D3SIDA Recognition Award is a partnership between the Division III governance staff and the Division III Sports Information Directors of America. The recognition program is part of the Division III Identity Initiative. It seeks to honor the best news releases, feature articles, videos, blogs and other materials produced by Division III campus and conference athletics communication offices to portray the Division III identity and student-athlete experience.  The next submission period opens in mid-November and closes Feb. 15. For more details on the recognition award, click here." TRANSACTIONS 6.  Comings and Goings   DEFIANCE - Brad Doidge named director of golf EASTERN CONNECTICUT - Chris D'Ambrosio announced his retirement as head women's soccer coach  ELMHURST - Melissa Schwab named head women's golf and assistant women's basketball coach GENEVA - Andrew Fee resigned as assistant athletic director and head men's golf coach LANCASTER BIBLE - Caleb Abney named head baseball coach OLIVET - Michaela Hamilton named head softball coach RHODE ISLAND COLLEGE - John Mello stepped down as head men's soccer coach TEXAS LUTHERAN - Larry Schaffer announced his retirement as head women's soccer coach WITTENBERG - Brandon McKinney named assistant athletic director for facilities and events   Thanks for starting your day with us. What did you think of today's newsletter?  Please invite your friends to sign up for D3Playbook

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