Most of UM's marketing is going out of state and is paying off in a substantial increase in those applications (in-state are up as well). Local universities fighting over resident students is just plain silly. While in the short term it may help a particular institution it is even out over time. Frankly the BOR has the same number of dollars to spend whether it goes to the MSU side or the UM side really doesn't matter. There isn't a problem unless net enrollment decreases which it hasn't) Its all a matter of simple economics.
If a Unit president wants to impress the BOR, he will do 2 things lower the amount of Institutional support to athletics and increase the number of out of state enrollees. Next year I suspect UM's enrollment will be down again despite a higher number of new students but soley based on their 3600 graduates this years as opposed to MSU's 2,048. (A number that matters) MSU may have succeeded in bringing students back but they seem to be flunking out the second time around.
If a Unit president wants to impress the BOR, he will do 2 things lower the amount of Institutional support to athletics and increase the number of out of state enrollees. Next year I suspect UM's enrollment will be down again despite a higher number of new students but soley based on their 3600 graduates this years as opposed to MSU's 2,048. (A number that matters) MSU may have succeeded in bringing students back but they seem to be flunking out the second time around.