Post by baldyballer on May 17, 2007 23:25:49 GMT -5
Have you ever heard of conferences changing names and even more odd- becoming a league? Why would you make a change like this? Here is the article:
Mid-Continent Conference Presidents Council Launches Summit Plan
The league's new name will take effect on June 1
May 15, 2007
Elmhurst, Ill. - The Mid-Continent Conference Presidents Council has embraced a strategic plan that places a renewed emphasis on improving the academic and athletic performances of all its student-athletes. The league will be known as The Summit League beginning on June 1, 2007.
The Summit Plan, which places an emphasis on presidential leadership, seeks to advance the league to one of the premier mid-major conferences in the country. It focuses on student-athlete welfare, academic performance, increased home attendance and improving the league's rating percentage index (RPI) in all sports.
The league plans to recognize the academic achievements of its student-athletes at every opportunity, while seeking to improve the Academic Progress Report (APR) scores of each team. The marketing efforts will be focused on increasing the home attendance, which helps support the student-athletes and provides additional exposure. In addition, the Summit Plan will include a review of staffing, budgeting and scheduling by each member institution to be conducted with the goal of improving the RPI in all conference sports.
Included in the plan is the creation of a new image with the unveiling of a new name, logo and Web site. As of June 1, 2007, the conference will be known as The Summit League (www.thesummitleague.org).
"The Summit League provides a mental image to reach for the top, both academically and athletically," Commissioner Tom Douple said. "The new name fits in perfectly with the Presidents Council's vision for the continued improvement and growth of the league."
The name was developed over the last eight months by a conference-wide committee. The logo itself was designed by Nina Schmidt, a graphic designer at South Dakota State University.
"We are extremely pleased with our new name and logo," said Dr. Al Goldfarb, president of Western Illinois University and chair of the Presidents Council. "We look forward with anticipation to continued successes in our league as we reach higher with the implementation of the Summit Plan."
The conference was established in 1982 as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU). In 1989, it changed its name to the Mid-Continent Conference. The league is currently celebrating its 25th year as a Division I athletic conference.
Members of The Summit League as of July 1, 2007, will be Centenary College of Louisiana (CC), Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), North Dakota State University (NDSU), Oakland University (OU), Oral Roberts University (ORU), South Dakota State University (SDSU), Southern Utah University (SUU) and Western Illinois University (WIU).
Mid-Continent Conference Presidents Council Launches Summit Plan
The league's new name will take effect on June 1
May 15, 2007
Elmhurst, Ill. - The Mid-Continent Conference Presidents Council has embraced a strategic plan that places a renewed emphasis on improving the academic and athletic performances of all its student-athletes. The league will be known as The Summit League beginning on June 1, 2007.
The Summit Plan, which places an emphasis on presidential leadership, seeks to advance the league to one of the premier mid-major conferences in the country. It focuses on student-athlete welfare, academic performance, increased home attendance and improving the league's rating percentage index (RPI) in all sports.
The league plans to recognize the academic achievements of its student-athletes at every opportunity, while seeking to improve the Academic Progress Report (APR) scores of each team. The marketing efforts will be focused on increasing the home attendance, which helps support the student-athletes and provides additional exposure. In addition, the Summit Plan will include a review of staffing, budgeting and scheduling by each member institution to be conducted with the goal of improving the RPI in all conference sports.
Included in the plan is the creation of a new image with the unveiling of a new name, logo and Web site. As of June 1, 2007, the conference will be known as The Summit League (www.thesummitleague.org).
"The Summit League provides a mental image to reach for the top, both academically and athletically," Commissioner Tom Douple said. "The new name fits in perfectly with the Presidents Council's vision for the continued improvement and growth of the league."
The name was developed over the last eight months by a conference-wide committee. The logo itself was designed by Nina Schmidt, a graphic designer at South Dakota State University.
"We are extremely pleased with our new name and logo," said Dr. Al Goldfarb, president of Western Illinois University and chair of the Presidents Council. "We look forward with anticipation to continued successes in our league as we reach higher with the implementation of the Summit Plan."
The conference was established in 1982 as the Association of Mid-Continent Universities (AMCU). In 1989, it changed its name to the Mid-Continent Conference. The league is currently celebrating its 25th year as a Division I athletic conference.
Members of The Summit League as of July 1, 2007, will be Centenary College of Louisiana (CC), Indiana University-Purdue University Fort Wayne (IPFW), Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI), University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC), North Dakota State University (NDSU), Oakland University (OU), Oral Roberts University (ORU), South Dakota State University (SDSU), Southern Utah University (SUU) and Western Illinois University (WIU).
