How is all this likely to effect scheduling? Is the PAC hedging it's bet that one or more PAC schools will fold? How will schools, particularly CWRU react to a closed conference schedule if that is what happens? It is looking more and more likely that CWRU will be in the PAC for the foreseeable future. I really see no other viable option for them. That is not all bad. CWRU will certainly be competitive, the  travel schedule will be manageable, and they have a long history in the PAC.

Scary that the PAC has four schools on this list - Hiram, Thiel, Chatham, and Waynesburg. Not long ago I took a deep dive into Form 990's for PAC schools, and based on that I am very surprised Bethany College is not on this list.

Ex Tartan, How does the CC stack up vs the PAC this uear?

As suggested above Westminster is reestablishing itself as a contender. Allegheny could do the same. They have the resources and the history. Waynesburg was historically strong and has shown improvement but has a way to go. If they were willing to make the investment Geneva and St Vincent could get better. Not sure what thiel could do and Bethany is focused on keeping the lights on.

I don't know what role the Commissioner and the ADd's and alumni could play, but it can be done. When I was at W&J in the mid 60's we were pathetic. when President Burnett was hired he had a mandate from the Trustees to rejuvenate the program. John Luckhardt was hired and the rest is history.

W&J CMU lived up to expectations. Sure you CWRU guys followed it. W&J owned the first half, CMU owned the second half. The game ended in a tie and CMU won in overtime. This has been a long contested rivalry and I hope they may play each other in the future.

So, I am happy to provide some action to the moribund PAC board.

CMU/W&J is a pickem. CMU plays GCC on 10/12 W&J plays GCC 10/19. CWRU then faces W&J, GCC and CMU three weeks in a row. That will be a tough road to hoe for CWRU.

CMU is leaving the PAC. CWRU would probably like to leave but where would they go? NCAC? OAC? Don't know if either of them would be interested in a football only member, although the NCAC has Allegheny and W&J as members in Women's Lacross or field hockey. Also, what makes a "better" football conference, given that under the new PAC arrangement there will be opportunities to schedule out of conference games to strengthen their Overall schedule? Maybe they could continue to schedule CMU. I wouldn't be surprised to see W&J and CMU continue playing each other given their long history and geographical proximity. They play each other in M/W basketball, soccer, and other sports.

CWRU could stay in the PAC, schedule completive non-conference games, and still have a good schedule.

As a side note, with CMU leaving, and CWRU wanting to leave, that would leave me as the only active person on this board. That is a sad testimate to the PAC, but such is life.

I wonder what it will cost CWRU to buy out their contract with the PAC.  Obviously, that didn't matter to CMU, and probably not to CWRU, but the tariff could be greater this time around

So that leave W&J and Grove City at the top of the heap, Allegheny and Westminster as pretenders, and the rest of the conference as cannon fader. The addition of Hiram added absolutely nothing. I am starting to question the future viability of the PAC. At least one school is basically bankrupt, and several others are marginal.

W&J joined the PAC one year after its founding, I know that coach Sirianni loves being home for dinner on Saturdays in the Fall, but maybe it is time to make a change.

When the NCAC was formed I thought it might be a great fit for W&J but I can understand their rational to stay put (see Allegheny). So best wishes to CMU and CWRU in their new ventures, and with their leaving I will be the only poster left on the PAC board, so I guess it is goodby to D# Boards for me after many years.

Same as above for W&J vs St Vincent.

The participating schools are Bryn Mawr, Dickinson, Franklin & Marshall, Gettysburg, Haverford, Junita, Muhlenberg, Swarthmore, and Washington & Jefferson

An article published today by The Chronicle of HE (based on a link from the Philadelphia Inquirer) reported that 10 prominent Pennsylvania liberal arts colleges are going to explore ways to collaborate to save money and improve academic programs. They have an $800,000 grant from the Andrew Mellon Foundation. 

Last year a group of private colleges in the I-79 corridor (including W&J) explored joining together to set up an entity to perform some common back-office functions.  That failed to materialize, but I thought it was a great concept and was disappointed when it fell apart.

I give this new plan a much higher probability of success for two reasons, first they have $800,000, and second the schools have much more in common than the I-79 group. 

W&J's president is retiring and sent a "fare well" email to alumni. In it he said the incoming freshman class would be the largest in 20 years. He attributed it to new programs but I'm site the $50,000,000 bequest to fund scholarships received earlier this year to benefit local high school graduates was a huge factor.

W&J's retiring President sent an e-mail to alumni today including a statement that the incoming freshman class will be the largest in 20 years. He credited new programs the college is offering, but perhaps the $50,000,000 bequest to support scholarships received earlier this year had an impact as well. 

There was also an initiative a few months ago where a group of colleges in Western Pa were considering setting up an entity that would consolidate "back office" functions which seems to be a great cost savings opportunity, but that faded away.

W&J also recently received a $50,000,000 gift to fund scholarships to students from the Washington County area, and established a BSN program with Washington Hospital (soon to be part of the UPMC) school of Nursing which will take advantage of W&J's strong science programs.

here is a link to the article that includes a description of the methodology.

https://money.com/best-colleges/