Literature Review Blog #5 : Athletics Cost Colleges, Student Millions

While it is true that brands are important to universities, there are certainly negative effects of the money spent in branding on the university level. Cliff Peale of the Cincinnati Enquirer writes in article “Athletics Cost Colleges, Student Millions” that while branding creates and promotes campus pride the funds to support the things that inflate that brand take away from factors more central to the mission of higher education. With more money being spent on university branding and brand management, there are less collegiate funds to be spent on academics, greater funds invested in brand advertising and marketing, and a creation of ambiguity when it comes to decision-making that could negatively impact the brand. Vital resources such as academic funding and money to fund student support services are  often done away with while budgets for athletics double and triple over. Peale notes, “Nearly every university loses money on sports. Even after private donations and ticket sales, they fill the gap by tapping students paying tuitions or state taxpayers”.

This article has been absolutely vital to my paper because it recognizes that these athletic programs that take away resources from the academic needs of the university, don't actually make enough money to fund sustain themselves. This signifies that as long as university branding remains an integral part of the strategy to market schools, academics will never receive the appropriate monetary attention and is bound to always have more of the money funneled into athletics programs.

Research Blog 10

Abstract

            While collegiate branding was once a concept built to promote unity among students and morale behind an educational institution, branding has now elevated to the forefront of higher education. Due to a decline in federal and state funding towards post-secondary education, colleges and universities have been forced to find an alternative solution for funding these institutions and maintaining and/or enhancing enrollment. In a society fueled by financial motivations, branding has become that solution. This newly gained importance of branding has come packaged with a new need to constantly protect that brand, by any means necessary for those connected to the brand. This paper works to discuss the negative effects of branding in higher education and connect it to pressures motivating higher education institutions, students, and officials to go to extreme lengths to protect their brand.

Works Cited

Berkowitz, Steve, and Jodi Upton. "Penn St. Athletics Revenue Fell by $7.9 Million in 2012."

USA Today. Gannett, 8 Apr. 2013. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/2013/04/08/penn-state-athletics-finances-2012-sandusky/2064641/>.

Desrochers, Donna. "Academic Spending Versus Athletic Spending: Who Wins?" American

Institute Mfor Research, 1 Jan. 2012. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.deltacostproject.org/sites/default/files/products/DeltaCostAIR_AthleticAcademic_Spending_IssueBrief.pdf>.

Dooley, Roger. "Why Ignoring Social Media Complaints Is a Huge Mistake." Forbes. Forbes

Magazine, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.

Johnstone, D. "Privatization in and of Higher Education in the US." Privatization in and of

Higher Education in the US. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://gse.buffalo.edu/fas/Johnston/privatization.html>.

Lyall, Katharine, and Kathleen Sell. "The De Facto Privatization Of American Public Higher

Education." Change: The Magazine of Higher Learning: 6-13. Print.

Olenski, Steve. "Did The Penn State Brand Get The Death Penalty?" Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 3

Aug. 2012. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.forbes.com/sites/marketshare/2012/08/03/did-the-penn-state-brand-get-the-death-penalty/>.

Peale, Cliff. "Athletics Cost Colleges, Students Millions." USA Today. Gannett, 15 Sept.

2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2014. <http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/09/15/athletics-cost-colleges-students-millions/2814455/>.

Proffitt, Jennifer M., and Thomas F. Corrigan. "Penn State’S “Success With Honor”: How

Institutional Structure And Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure." Cultural Studies/Critical Methodologies 12.4 (2012): 322. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.

The Purdue OWL. Purdue U Writing Lab, 2010. Web. Date of access.

Tokuhama, Chris. "Consumption, A Modern Affliction: Branding Culture,Youth Identity And

College Admission." Journal Of College Admission 210 (2011): 32-38. ERIC. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Williams, James. "McDonalds Fast Food: Toxic Ingredients Include Putty and Cosmetic

Petrochemicals." Examiner.com. AXS Digital Group, 14 Nov. 2010. Web. 14 Dec. 2014. <http://www.examiner.com/article/mcdonalds-fast-food-toxic-ingredients-include-putty-and-cosmetic-petrochemicals>.

Williams, Jeffrey. "The Pedagogy Of Debt."College Literature: 155-69. Print.

 https://docs.google.com/document/d/1qUElw-0cYD2OfpSxksEUubS1jVg7Gpv3va095WHU4hM/edit  

Literature Review #2: "Consumption, a Modern Affliction: Branding Culture, Youth Identity and College Admission

In Consumption, a Modern Affliction: Branding Culture, Youth Identity and College Admission, Chris Tokuhama discusses the infatuation that today's youth, specifically college-aged youth, have with branding. Tokuhama brings this into perspective in his first paragraph stating, "Applel iPod has replaced the Walkman, caffeine has become the generally accepted drug of choice, and an obsession with social networking profiles has supplanted a preoccupation with business cards" (33). Tokuhama makes a connection between currently popular and well know brand items of today and those from the 1980's.

Tokuhama goes on to explain the ways in which our consumer culture affects teenagers. He states, "the current generation of students applying to college has developed in a society saturated with branding, marketing, and advertising. This environment has, in turn, allowed youth to conceptualize themselves as brands and to think of their projected images in terms of brand image" (33).

While Tokuhama doesn't make an outright comment on this particular branding being negative, it is obvious in his writing that he believes an obsession with branding has existed for some time. He writes, "although consumer culture manifests uniquely in today's youth, the oft-lamented consequences are not merely products of our time" (33).  In fact, Tokuhama addresses the fact that mainstream marketing has often been marketing to teenagers since the inception of the usage of the term.

Literature Review # 4: College Branding: The Tipping Point

In “College Branding: The Tipping Point” Forbes writer Roger Dooley discusses the increasing importance of college branding in the higher-education market. Dooley discusses that in a market of nearly 4,000 institutions of higher learning fighting to keep their doors open annually, branding in American higher education has become a necessity. University marketing, like many other industries shows direct correlation to Darwin’s theory of “survival of the fittest”. Dooley writes, “... the key difference in who survives won’t be the academic output of the faculty or the amenities available to students. It will be a factor seeming unrelated to the schools’ mission: branding” (Dooley). This difference is the only way to note for the ways that all these institutions can keep their doors open. 

While the strategic branding for each institution varies, survival of the institution is completely dependent on the needs of the population they are intending to attract, and the relationship that population is able to build with that brand.  For example, there are universities known on the national level that can be identified by their big sports names and impressive academic buildings. There are specialty institutions whose brands rely on one particular factor or offering that they have. In addition, there are regional and local school brands that are popular for low tuition costs and short travel time and can be identified for features that lend to such like commuter spaces.

With universities and students facing increasing financial concerns about attending university including potential cuts in federal student aid, decline in state support, and rising tuition, institutions must assure that their brands are featured. Dooely notes that successful brands incorporate “[the building of] an identity that transcends the physical campus”. He goes on to write, “Brand building isn’t the clever wordsmithing or artistic logo design. The entire institution needs to live the brand”.

Dooley also notes that “colleges and universities that build great brands will be far less constrained by physical limits”.

This particular article will add to my paper because it addresses the reasons that is necessary for universities to build the brand. From this point I will explore how components of branding such as athletics, work to put the brand first as opposed to the students attending the educational institution.

Dooley, Roger. "Why Ignoring Social Media Complaints Is a Huge Mistake." Forbes. Forbes Magazine, 5 Feb. 2013. Web. 12 Dec. 2014.

Research Blog #7: Your Case

 

The cover-up of the 2011 Penn State scandal surrounding Jerry Sandusky's molestation of young athletes serves as my chief example of the ways in which higher education scandals are concealed in an effort to save the good name of the university's brand. My primary resource for information on the scandal as well as the article that will serve as the basis of my paper is one written by Proffitt and Corrigan in their article Penn State’s “Success With Honor”: How Institutional Structure and Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure. In this article the authors discuss the ways in which the "corporatized" university placed self-serving economic motivations over the safety of the individuals harmed.

Using both this article as well as a few of my other resources I have gained a lot of significant information regarding the case and judicial information from the trial. I have created a separate blog posts entitled "Important Information" to compile facts that I've learned about the case from various sources. Feel free to peruse through that information.

Research Blog #6: Visual

I chose this photo because it was released shortly after the Penn State scandal in 2011 and acts to deliberately defame the reputation of the university. This picture works perfectly in sync with my paper topic because it shows the negative branding experienced by Pennsylvania State University after Jerry Sandusky was accused of the molestation of young men. 

Important Info to Keep In Mind for Paper

Sandusky Case: 

• Sandusky was sentenced to 30-60 years in prison for the sexual abuse of ten boys
• November 2011 - everything came to light 
• Key administrators in the case: 
• University president: Graham Spanier
• Athletic director: Timothy Curley
• Head Football coach: Joseph Paterno 

Research Blog #5: Bibliography with Five Scholarly Sources

Working Bibliography

Clark, John S., et al. "Who Knows Bobby Mo? Using Intercollegiate Athletics

To Build A University Brand." Sport Marketing Quarterly 18.1 (2009): 57-63. Business Source Premier. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Lucas, Kristen, and Jeremy Fyke. "Euphemisms And Ethics: A Language-

Centered Analysis Of Penn State's Sexual Abuse Scandal." Journal Of Business Ethics 122.4 (2014): 551-569. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

Nguyen, Thuy Dung, Kunio Shirahada, and Michitaka Kosaka. "A

Consideration On University Branding Based On SDL (Service Dominant Logic): The Lens Of Stakeholders' Value Co-Creation." Icsssm12 (2012): 779. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Proffitt, Jennifer M., and Thomas F. Corrigan. "Penn State’S “Success With

Honor”: How Institutional Structure And Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure." Cultural Studies/Critical Methodologies 12.4 (2012): 322. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.

Simon, Gary L., and Judith H. Washburn. "A Perspective On Program

Branding In An Education Institution: One Growing University's Experience With Branding Its Programs." Society For Marketing Advances Proceedings 25.(2013): 78-79. Business Source Premier. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Tokuhama, Chris. "Consumption, A Modern Affliction: Branding Culture,

Youth Identity And College Admission." Journal Of College Admission 210 (2011): 32-38. ERIC. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Research Blog #4: Your Research Proposal

Siobhan N. Barrington

Professor Goeller

Research in Disciplines: College!

21 October 2014

Research Proposal

 

Working Title: Higher Education Cover-ups for the Good of the Brand

Topic

My paper will explore various higher education scandals that have been covered up in an attempt for high-profile universities to protect their brand. I will discuss the newly-established importance of brand-building in institutions of higher learning, and the lengths to which these universities will go to keep their brand “clean”. I will utilize a number of unethical (borderline scandalous) events surrounding school ranking and school athletics that gain schools different amounts of funding and discuss some of the situations where universities have attempted to cover up such scandals.

Research Question

Has the utilization of “brand logic” by higher education universities created a culture where unethical decision making of university employees and students is overlooked in an attempt to protect the brand of the institution?

Theoretical Frame/Approach

“Brand logic” is discussed as strategic building of brands to help universities gain popularity, funding from stakeholders, and interest from prospective students. This strategic branding has become increasingly important for institutions of higher education. Holding so much importance, I will discuss a few different scandals that have taken place at different high-profile universities, and the cover-ups that ensued there-after. I will then make a connection between the cover-ups used and the negative effects that they could have had on the brand.

            This particular topic is very intriguing to me due to Rutgers University entering into the Big Ten Conference. The move to this conference, which houses many other large and well-known state schools, has elicited a lot of change on campus. With the change I see daily on campus, it made me wonder what things are changing behind the scenes and how long these changes have been in the making. It also makes me want to look more closely to the athletic abuse scandal that led to the firing of a former Rutgers basketball coach and athletic director.  

Research Plan, Case, Additional Questions

            My research plan includes exploring different university scandals in an effort to determine whether or not the motivation behind the cover-up was an attempt to save their brands. I plan to use an article written by Jennifer Proffitt and Thomas Corrigan entitled  Penn State’s “Success With Honor”: How Institutional Structure and Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure as my main source. The article discusses the Pennsylvania State University sex scandal and the ways in which the "corporatized" university placed self-serving economic motivations over the safety of individuals. During the case it was presumed that university officials, including the president, kept the molestation accusations under wraps to protect the university's reputation. This is a great example of the use of “brand logic” in that it presents a justification by universities working to prize its own image and profits ahead of people. In this scandal (and others alike) the goal of the university was not to seek justice for the person wronged but instead to displace responsibility as not to deface the university's "good name".

Working Bibliography

Clark, John S., et al. "Who Knows Bobby Mo? Using Intercollegiate Athletics

To Build A University Brand." Sport Marketing Quarterly 18.1 (2009): 57-63. Business Source Premier. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Lucas, Kristen, and Jeremy Fyke. "Euphemisms And Ethics: A Language-

Centered Analysis Of Penn State's Sexual Abuse Scandal." Journal Of Business Ethics 122.4 (2014): 551-569. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 20 Oct. 2014.

Nguyen, Thuy Dung, Kunio Shirahada, and Michitaka Kosaka. "A

Consideration On University Branding Based On SDL (Service Dominant Logic): The Lens Of Stakeholders' Value Co-Creation." Icsssm12 (2012): 779. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Proffitt, Jennifer M., and Thomas F. Corrigan. "Penn State’S “Success With

Honor”: How Institutional Structure And Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure." Cultural Studies/Critical Methodologies 12.4 (2012): 322. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.

Simon, Gary L., and Judith H. Washburn. "A Perspective On Program

Branding In An Education Institution: One Growing University's Experience With Branding Its Programs." Society For Marketing Advances Proceedings 25.(2013): 78-79. Business Source Premier. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Tokuhama, Chris. "Consumption, A Modern Affliction: Branding Culture,

Youth Identity And College Admission." Journal Of College Admission 210 (2011): 32-38. ERIC. Web. 21 Oct. 2014.

Literature Review Blog #3

As my paper explores the ways in which college scandals are covered up in an attempt to keep a clean brand name I will explore an article written by Kristen Lucas and Jeremy Fyke entitled Euphemisms and Ethics: A Language-Centered Analysis of Penn State’s Sexual Abuse Scandal. In their article Lucas and Fyke analyze the language surrounding the reporting and of  Jerry Sandusky as well as the language utilized to justify the ethically incorrect handling of the situation by university administrators.

In the article Lucas and Fyke explore two euphemism clusters that presented themselves in regard to the Penn State scandal. One of the clusters of euphemisms highlights the "coded" language used in the reporting and explaining of the issue to university officials.

The second cluster of euphemisms discusses the

Keywords: 

• Euphemism: a mild or indirect word or expression substituted for one considered to be too harsh or  blunt when referring to something unpleasant or embarrassing.
• Euphemism Cluster: areas where euphemisms were utilized.

http://epublications.marquette.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1101&context=comm_fac 

Works Cited

Lucas, Kristen1, kristen.lucas@louisville.edu, and Jeremy2, jeremy.fyke@marquette.edu Fyke. 

     "Euphemisms And Ethics: A Language-Centered Analysis Of Penn State's Sexual Abuse Scandal."     

      Journal Of Business Ethics 122.4 (2014): 551-569. Education Full Text (H.W. Wilson). Web. 14 Oct. 

      2014.

Literature Review Blog #1

With another change in topic I was weary as to whether or not I would be able to find any information to support my new research topic however Jennifer Proffitt and Thomas Corrigan were able to provide me with assurance that my research is well supported with their artcle Penn State’s “Success With Honor”: How Institutional Structure and Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure.

In their article Proffitt and Corrigan discuss the Pennsylvania State University sex scandal and the ways in which the "corporatized" university placed self-serving economic motivations over the safety of individuals. They discuss the arrest of former Pennsylvania State University assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky on molestation charges. Though Sandusky was eventually charged and fired for the scandal, the former president of the university was also fired as it was believed that he was informed of the alleged charges months before it was reported to police officials. It is presumed that university officials, including the president, kept the molestation accusations under wraps to protect the university's reputation. Proffitt and Corrigan connect this to the concept of "brand logic". Brand logic is a nice way to justify universities working to prize its own image and profits ahead of people. In this scandal (and others alike) the goal of the university is not to seek justice for the person wronged but instead to displace responsibility as not to deface the university's "good name". Why? Because athletics serve as the "front porch" for many universities. They work as "a unit that returns value to the institution in the form of community, visibility, brand identity, alumni giving, and student applications" (323).

In the article Proffitt and Corrigan note that both times Sandusky was arrested he was wearing Pennsylvania State branded gear. The media went into a frenzy not just over the alleged claims but over Sandusky being arrested in his Penn State gear. This arresting ultimately led to the negative reflections on the brand. They write,"In a matter of days, they [Pennsylvania State] have plummeted from being perceived as the cleanest, most ethical brand in college sports to the lowest of the lows" (322). This served as Pennsylvania State's primary focus as can be seen with the hiring of  a leading public relations firm named Ketchum. Proffitt and Corrigan note, "Ketchum was not hired to change university structure or to protect academics but to save the brand" (324).

If its true that athletics serve as an important if not imperative point for all large and successful universities, then it seems that universities are almost justified in going above and beyond to protect the name of its biggest asset. To this point Proffitt and Corrigan state, "To the extent that the branding of athletics programs has become a structural imperative, we should not be terribly surprised when rules are bent or broken in hopes of on-field success or when the image-damaging offenses of players, coaches, or staff are covered up by university officials" (323).

"What needs further interrogation though is not the consequences of the tragedy for this brand and the athletic-educational institution for which it stands, but the extent to which a "brand-logic" contributed to or shaped university officials' decisions to apparently cover  up the former Nittany Lion assistant coach" (322).
Other important facts mentioned in the article is the ever-growing debt incurred by college athletics programs. The truth is that only a small number of athletic programs generate enough revenue to cover expenses each year. The rest of the money to fund these athletics sports come from tuition and other additional subsidies. With so much at stake it is imperative for not only the sport or the brand, but for the school, that these sports generate interest.


I hope to also discuss the situation that occurred at Rutgers University that included a previous basketball coach verbally abusing members of the basketball team.

"We should rigorously interrogate, challenge, and work toward changing institutional structures that place profits over people, including the corporization of the university and the brand logic that protects it" (324).


http://csc.sagepub.com/content/12/4/322.full.pdf+html

Works Cited

Proffitt, Jennifer M., and Thomas F. Corrigan. "Penn State’S “Success With Honor”: How
     Institutional Structure And Brand Logic Disincentivized Disclosure." Cultural Studies/Critical  
     Methodologies 12.4 (2012): 322. Publisher Provided Full Text Searching File. Web. 7 Oct. 2014.

Research Blog #3: How might privatization connect to your topic?

After last class's discussion and receiving feedback from you I have altered my topic (yet again) to the scandals that take place at many universities and the ways in which universities cover up these scandals when it has bearing on their perception (ex. sport team scandals and fraternity issues). This concept connects to privatization because of how universities have come to act as businesses. Katharine Lyall and Kathleen Sell (2006) discuss the shift that universities have made in their writing "The De Facto Privatization of American Public Higher Education". They state, "It is most useful to think of privatization as a spectrum along which public institutions operate. As the share of public investment in their operations declines, institutions are increasingly required to function in the competitive marketplace and so become increasingly privatized". Lyall and Sell are explaining that due to a decrease in public funding, universities have to work like businesses to obtain and maintain funding. One means of maintaining funds is to ensure that target students remain interested in the school. With many state universities like Rutgers many students come for the education, but they are initially attracted by the "collegiate atmosphere" provided by important aspects of the college experience. Two big sellers are "athletics" and "fraternities". When either of these options are omitted from the college experience,the university loses that exposure. Knowing this, my paper will discuss in depth the recent cover-ups and scandals used to conceal or downplay  scandals in universities. 

Research Blog #2: Scouting the Territory

While doing research for my previous topic, I realized that though I am currently accruing student loan debt, it was not a topic that I looked forward to writing a research paper on. This made me sit and really think of a topic surrounding the college experience that really interested me. I know myself, and if I am not passionate about something I won't be able to write about it. Thinking about something a bit more close to home, I want to talk about the disparities of the treatment of historically black (members of the National Pan-Hellenic Council) and white fraternities (members of the INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL) by universities. This idea came to me recently with the death of Rutgers student Caitlin Kovacs (who was a previous resident of mine). While Caitlin's death is certainly a sad topic, I was more appalled by the way that the situation was presented in the news and other media. In the newspaper article that I read it was relayed that Caitlin's death was not surely alcohol related. It stated that she was attending a "small" "friendly" gathering at a fraternity house (a primarily Caucasian fraternity house) on College Avenue. There was even a quote from the president of the fraternity in the article. More telling, that fraternity is still active on campus although a student was found dead in their Rutgers-issued house. I challenge whether the same actions would have been taken if this incident were to have occurred in a historically black fraternity house (we wouldn't know because there are barely any historically black fraternities on this campus and NONE of them are issued a house through Rutgers University).

While I have been able to find information on both the National Pan-Hellenic Council (NPHC) and the INTERFRATERNITY COUNCIL (IFC), I have not really found a lot of articles that compare the treatment of either group by universities. I am afraid that if I can't find more of this information I will begin making claims and inferences in my paper, without scholarly information to support it.

 

I have listed some of the resources I have found below:

 

Ray, R. (2013). Fraternity life at predominantly white universities in the US: the saliency of race. Ethnic & Racial Studies, 36(2), 320. doi:10.1080/01419870.2012.676201

 

Ruffins, P. (1999). `Greek' Pride and Pain. Black Issues In Higher Education, 16(13), 103.

 

Gerstein, R., & Gerstein, L. (2013). Control of Local Fraternities and Sororities by Colleges and National Fraternities: Liability and Regulatory Issues. Campus Safety & Student Development, 15(1), 7.

 

When I type in my topic into google I did find many articles on hazing in both NPHC and IFC fraternities. I read a lot on the differences and similarities in of the groups and found that they differ more among region than between groups. As I didn't find a lot of information on my particular research question, I didn't any sure fire controversies, but from reading and being a black college student I can tell that some controversies might lie between whether or not it NPHC fraternities are truly more dangerous than IFC fraternities. Some may argue that the groups are treated differently because of the difference in age (IFC fraternities existed over 60 years before NPHC).

 

I am really looking forward to doing more research on this topic.

 

 

Research Blog #1: Initial Topic Idea

For my research project I would like to discuss the idea of student loan debt based on our previous readings and some personal research I have done. I would like to trace the concept of debt back to its origin and identify the shift between good will exchange and the arise of a debt-fueled economy. I would then like to discuss the shift from secondary education being accessible to all to becoming accessible to only those that can afford it financially. Lastly, I would like to conclude my research with an exploration of the possibilities for paying off student loan debt... god I hope there is a possibility to pay off student loan debt!