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Replies: 19
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Commissioner [1282]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 6:33 PM
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I was watching the local news they reported Limestone University is going online only. Also they stated they could close permanently. All sports cut anyone have info on this.
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Asst Coach [824]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 6:41 PM
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I work with a lady whose son plays baseball at Limestone. They were all notified today of the situation, but nothing has been fully decided. School will remain open through spring semester.
Limestone is seeking $6 million to keep their Gaffney campus open, or they may be forced to move to a fully online model. Not sure how long the money will last, but it will allow them to keep all campus operations open until a new path forward can be determined.
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All-TigerNet [5937]
TigerPulse: 100%
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110%er [3813]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 7:06 PM
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I heard about this mid afternoon and have already found a lot of info online.
This situation has apparently been brewing for a few years. Their pres and VP of Finance both left rather abruptly in 2023, and the interim resigned after 8 months.
Their 2023 IRS form 990 is available online (propublica.org) and indicates revenue shortfalls. Their independent audit on the same site referenced a "deficiency in internal controls". 2019 was the last year that revenue exceeded expenses.
They have a brand new 65,000 SF student center that is a real showplace, but the project probably should have been shelved in light of their financial situation.
They are helping their athletes register for the portal. Parents on social media say they were still recruiting baseball, soccer, & cheerleaders earlier this month.
Hopefully they will assist the rest of their student body with the transfer process as needed. No word yet on what their faculty, dining & custodial staff, etc can expect in terms of assistance.
I expect there will be some serious investigations into their finances in the next few months.
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Valley Protector [1425]
TigerPulse: 100%
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So they took their
Apr 17, 2025, 11:54 AM
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bank account for granite and now it’s all gone to schist?
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Hall of Famer [8829]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 7:28 PM
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Not sure who would go there anyway.
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Game Changer [1650]
TigerPulse: 100%
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They made a lot of teachers....
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Apr 16, 2025, 9:11 PM
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Lots of kids from the local area went there and lived at home.
My Mom while working and raising 2 kids graduated Limestone in August 1981 and .
I started Clemson in August 1981. Her new salary paid for my degree. Limestone will always be a warm spot in my memory.
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Tiger Cub [15]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 10:55 PM
[ in reply to Re: Limestone University problems ] |
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What an asinine response ; I attended Limestone as was a member of the 1984 NAIA National Golf Championship Team. A team that won the South Carolina Intercollegiate by defeating Clemson, South Carolina, Furman plus all the other SC schools. Growing up my parents supported Clemson for many years financially even though they were not alumni and to this day we are die hard Clemson fans . I didn't have the opportunity to attend Clemson as many others student athletes didn't. For you to belittle another state university is sad
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Starter [271]
TigerPulse: 96%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 7:35 PM
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I don’t know the specifics at Limestone. However, I can tell you that higher education is facing a serious decline in the number of students graduating from high school over the next 5 to 10 years. There are forecasts of a 15% decline in the number of children graduating from high school.
Prestigious universities like Clemson, FSU, UNC, Georgia, Alabama, etc. won’t be affected. Smaller state or private schools might struggle to cover their fixed operating costs. All a larger school has to do is simply lower their admission standards a little bit if they aren’t meeting their recruiting goals.
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Tiger Spirit [9143]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 8:36 PM
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^^^THIS^^^
Colleges and universities are struggling. Enrollment is down. Fortune 500 companies are dropping the 4 year degree requirement. I have been an adjunct professor at one of our small local universities for 11 years and I have seen steep declines in my class rosters over the last 5 years. I am afraid we will start seeing more and more schools closing down over the next few years.
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TigerNet Elite [77991]
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Posts: 119995
Joined: 1998
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Re: Limestone University problems- not here
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Apr 16, 2025, 9:01 PM
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I adjunct teach for a school in central ohio and our enrollments are up. my class this time is the largest group I've ever taught. Maybe it is a regional thing because we have some development and expansions here though the students are online from all over the country.
Sorry to hear it is rough where you teach.
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Tiger Spirit [9143]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems- not here
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Apr 16, 2025, 9:29 PM
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Glad to hear enrollments are up at your school!
Our university overall is doing well. My school is in a very competitive field and the competition for students high.
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Legend [6948]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Posts: 13900
Joined: 2000
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these colleges could attract more young men
Apr 17, 2025, 8:16 AM
[ in reply to Re: Limestone University problems ] |
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if they wanted. Some of them have been digging their grave for a while given their politics.
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Tiger Spirit [9855]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Maybe they can get some of that Harvard money.
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Apr 16, 2025, 7:41 PM
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It'd definitely help.
Go Tigers!
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Gridiron Giant [15318]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Posts: 15818
Joined: 2010
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 7:59 PM
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Depressing and sad to ride by that dead baseball stadium at Furman.
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Varsity [121]
TigerPulse: 89%
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 8:28 PM
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You are right on that !
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Game Day Hero [4127]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: Limestone University problems
Apr 16, 2025, 10:15 PM
[ in reply to Re: Limestone University problems ] |
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Thought they might have a sufficient number of wealthy alumni who could help revive it, unfortunately the program looks to be permanently shuttered. Played HS Jv baseball with the guy whose parents' name is on the stadium.
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All-In [10737]
TigerPulse: 60%
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Joined: 2006
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Re: Limestone University problems
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Apr 16, 2025, 8:44 PM
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Small independent colleges have a very, very hard time making ends meet. Schools look to sports to bring in students but have to use so much of their endowment to get the students instead of attracting kids whose parents can actually pay for tuition. The theory the last 10 years or so was to allow teams to have as many players as possible on the roster in hopes they will convince others to come to school. Several years ago I had a conversation with the baseball coach at a small school and he said he had players that could not walk and chew gum at the same time but the kids were in school and that was what the school wanted. The scholarships were draining the endowment, the school was losing $2 million or more a year and things had to change. Sadly it sounds like Limestone did the same thing and never changed.
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Clemson Icon [27256]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Posts: 15114
Joined: 2011
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Limestone has had a declining enrollment along with annual
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Apr 17, 2025, 4:44 AM
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revenue shortfalls, which have contributed to an increasing debt load.
I suppose they were simply in an untenable situation, requiring them to cut losses. I have fond memories of the school, going back to my Clemson days. I had the opportunity to visit the campus several times, the first being an invitation to speak to the student body regarding current events, while serving as Editor-in-Chief of "The Tiger." The following year I visited several times while serving as head of the S.C. Collegiate Press Association. It was a nice campus, somewhat laid back, but with very outgoing and friendly students and staff. I remember thinking how the good people of Gaffney, no doubt, enjoyed the school in their community.
Unfortunately, costs to operate have increased so dramatically across the nation, that I suspect more smaller schools will be facing the same crisis, and that is a pity for they serve an important role filling in where the majors don't or can't.
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Asst Coach [824]
TigerPulse: 100%
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Re: College Education in the U.S.
Apr 17, 2025, 9:54 AM
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You guys will love this, and this was hard for me to listen to considering I have 2 kids at Clemson right now that I am paying for!
I work for a European owned company here in SC. We have and have had many team members that worked here from Europe. They get their visas and bring their families and stay for 2 to 3 years and transition back to other facilities in Europe, and new team members come over to replace them.
These people are all educated from European universities and many of them have masters degrees in their field. These are all big jobs in this company making 6 figures in engineering, sales, and production management.
We were all out to a company dinner recently and we talked about higher education in the US. Some of them had come to the US for a semester while they were in college as part of their degree program so they have experienced college life here. They all said it was very different.
I asked them point blank how much they paid for their college education in Europe. Many of them did a 3-year undergrad followed by a 2-year grad program. Annual cost to get these degrees was between $1800 and $2500 USD per year which did not include housing. That is not a typo, $1800 to $2500 USD PER YEAR.
The cost of apartment housing in places like The Netherlands and Belgium is really cheap especially with roommates, and they all had part-time jobs while in school.
They all literally about fell out of their chairs when I told them how much my kid's education was costing me after scholarships. They simply could not believe it.
College in the US is big business!
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