[Goose]

(2) Why not modify/modernize a 'small bit from where we are' to follow the model of 2 HighAcademic smaller Private schools that are similar to Ourselves

•NotreDame University in Football (who is perennially a Top20 Team & went the National Championship in Football) &
•DukeUniversity in Mens Basketball (who is perennially in the Elite8 in Mens Basketball all)
?

The first major problem is and has continually been the assertion that Stanford, Notre Dame, and Duke are "similar" to each other. They are not. They are culturally very different from each other. That isn't a knock on any of the three. The assertion that because these universities share some characteristics they are therefore "similar" is not supportable. They have vastly different histories. Notre Dame is a Catholic university whose presidents have C.S.C. after their name. Very different from Stanford or Duke. Harvard and Stanford also share some characteristics. That doesn't make us "similar". There is even an argument that Stanford and USC are "similar". We are both private schools in California that are somewhat academically oriented. Yet nobody actually familiar with both schools would make that argument.

<snip>
If we were to just modify/modernize 'a little bit'  from where we are on the following:

-Widen/Modify our Admissions criteria, to attract a more academcally & sports diverse 'NotreDame/Duke' type student body

Lets be real here. IMO the statement is a bit misleading. Notre Dame and Duke have admissions criteria for "regular" students that are different from each other and also different from Stanford's. I would buy the argument that Notre Dame's general student body is more "academically diverse" than Stanford's. I am not so sure I would buy that argument about Duke. However the nature of the student body in aggregate isn't the issue. All three of these universities admit athletes that are a separate population in a statistical sense from the student population in aggregate. The question is how different is acceptable. Duke and Notre Dame accept a larger distance between the athletes and the student body aggregate than Stanford presently does. It appears this is the area where you want to see "modifications".
 
If you are actually arguing that Stanford should change the aggregate student body character and thereby allow admission of better athletes, I don't agree that is a good idea at all. Changing the character of the university student population is a "big deal" and I can assure you that kind of decision will not be made based on athletics. If OTOH you are arguing that like Duke and Notre Dame Stanford should allow admission of more athletes that are further from the notional student body aggregate, there may be some who would agree. I am not one of them however. 

<snip>
(4) So, The Important Questions Are :

Actually I think there are many other questions that are far more important than the questions below.

(1) Would it kill the Universe, if Stanford University Aligned itself  with the model of NotreDame University & Duke University? ...maybe trial this out for 10years ? and if we dont like it, we can revert back

(2) Why the intractable, irrational, constant, resistance to doing this ?

First of all, Notre Dame's "model" isn't identical to Duke's. It is impossible to "align" with both. Stanford is quite capable of evaluating what other universities are doing, all of them, not just Notre Dame and Duke. The "resistance" isn't irrational. It is very rational. The university has decided to behave in the current way and believes it has good reasons to do so. Perhaps some of its values differ from yours. That doesn't make them "irrational". You just disagree. Their "intractable, constant resistance" is simply doing what has been selected as the "way ahead". You don't agree. However the fact you don't agree is not sufficient to make the status quo "wrong".

(3) Most of the real-world thinks of Duke University & NotreDame as 'Top Elite Academic Institutions' (only at Stanford do some people seem to tbink Duke & NotreDame are too low for us to emulate) ..and kids going their are 'VERY SUCCESSFUL' after college.

I don't recall anybody disagreeing that Duke and Notre Dame are "Elite Universities". However you seem to believe Stanford chooses not to "emulate" them because they are "too low for us to emulate". IMO this is nonsense. Stanford chooses a different "path" because it believes it is more appropriate for Stanford. Duke's path is different from Notre Dame's path. What "works" for one may not be appropriate for the other. It is also their choice. Stanford isn't saying their respective paths are "wrong". They just aren't optimal for Stanford.
 
Yes, lots of Duke and Notre Dame graduates will be very successful. It is undeniable. That makes them both formidable opponents on the recruiting trail. It is also why I believe a recruiting pitch for the "40 year decision at Stanford" shouldn't try to challenge that notion.

(4) Someone above stated that the Factories dont care about Academics or whether someone can spell 'cat';  Do Duke & NotreDame 'not care about academics or if someone can spell 'cat' ?

Just wondering...

I would agree the assertion that Duke and Notre Dame don't care about academics or whether someone can spell 'cat' is absolutely incorrect. They do care greatly about whether their aggregate student bodies are academically excellent and can indeed spell 'cat'. However, these same universities do routinely admit a certain number of athletes that effectively cannot spell 'cat'. As I have previously stated the Duke basketball fans I speak with agree this is indeed the case and it is done knowingly by admissions.
 
I have been told that Stanford has on occasion done the same.  It may be a very persuasive coach pulled one over on admissions, but until proven otherwise I kind of doubt it was done knowingly.

[Goose]

(2) Why not modify/modernize a 'small bit from where we are' to follow the model of 2 HighAcademic smaller Private schools that are similar to Ourselves

•NotreDame University in Football (who is perennially a Top20 Team & went the National Championship in Football) &
•DukeUniversity in Mens Basketball (who is perennially in the Elite8 in Mens Basketball all)
?

The first major problem is and has continually been the assertion that Stanford, Notre Dame, and Duke are "similar" to each other. They are not. They are culturally very different from each other. That isn't a knock on any of the three. The assertion that because these universities share some characteristics they are therefore "similar" is not supportable. They have vastly different histories. Notre Dame is a Catholic university whose presidents have C.S.C. after their name. Very different from Stanford or Duke. Harvard and Stanford also share some characteristics. That doesn't make us "similar". There is even an argument that Stanford and USC are "similar". We are both private schools in California that are somewhat academically oriented. Yet nobody actually familiar with both schools would make that argument.

<snip>
If we were to just modify/modernize 'a little bit'  from where we are on the following:

-Widen/Modify our Admissions criteria, to attract a more academcally & sports diverse 'NotreDame/Duke' type student body

Lets be real here. IMO the statement is a bit misleading. Notre Dame and Duke have admissions criteria for "regular" students that are different from each other and also different from Stanford's. I would buy the argument that Notre Dame's general student body is more "academically diverse" than Stanford's. I am not so sure I would buy that argument about Duke. However the nature of the student body in aggregate isn't the issue. All three of these universities admit athletes that are a separate population in a statistical sense from the student population in aggregate. The question is how different is acceptable. Duke and Notre Dame accept a larger distance between the athletes and the student body aggregate than Stanford presently does. It appears this is the area where you want to see "modifications".
 
If you are actually arguing that Stanford should change the aggregate student body character and thereby allow admission of better athletes, I don't agree that is a good idea at all. Changing the character of the university student population is a "big deal" and I can assure you that kind of decision will not be made based on athletics. If OTOH you are arguing that like Duke and Notre Dame Stanford should allow admission of more athletes that are further from the notional student body aggregate, there may be some who would agree. I am not one of them however. 

<snip>
(4) So, The Important Questions Are :

Actually I think there are many other questions that are far more important than the questions below.

(1) Would it kill the Universe, if Stanford University Aligned itself  with the model of NotreDame University & Duke University? ...maybe trial this out for 10years ? and if we dont like it, we can revert back

(2) Why the intractable, irrational, constant, resistance to doing this ?

First of all, Notre Dame's "model" isn't identical to Duke's. It is impossible to "align" with both. Stanford is quite capable of evaluating what other universities are doing, all of them, not just Notre Dame and Duke. The "resistance" isn't irrational. It is very rational. The university has decided to behave in the current way and believes it has good reasons to do so. Perhaps some of its values differ from yours. That doesn't make them "irrational". You just disagree. Their "intractable, constant resistance" is simply doing what has been selected as the "way ahead". You don't agree. However the fact you don't agree is not sufficient to make the status quo "wrong".

(3) Most of the real-world thinks of Duke University & NotreDame as 'Top Elite Academic Institutions' (only at Stanford do some people seem to tbink Duke & NotreDame are too low for us to emulate) ..and kids going their are 'VERY SUCCESSFUL' after college.

I don't recall anybody disagreeing that Duke and Notre Dame are "Elite Universities". However you seem to believe Stanford chooses not to "emulate" them because they are "too low for us to emulate". IMO this is nonsense. Stanford chooses a different "path" because it believes it is more appropriate for Stanford. Duke's path is different from Notre Dame's path. What "works" for one may not be appropriate for the other. It is also their choice. Stanford isn't saying their respective paths are "wrong". They just aren't optimal for Stanford.
 
Yes, lots of Duke and Notre Dame graduates will be very successful. It is undeniable. That makes them both formidable opponents on the recruiting trail. It is also why I believe a recruiting pitch for the "40 year decision at Stanford" shouldn't try to challenge that notion.

(4) Someone above stated that the Factories dont care about Academics or whether someone can spell 'cat';  Do Duke & NotreDame 'not care about academics or if someone can spell 'cat' ?

Just wondering...

I would agree the assertion that Duke and Notre Dame don't care about academics or whether someone can spell 'cat' is absolutely incorrect. They do care greatly about whether their aggregate student bodies are academically excellent and can indeed spell 'cat'. However, these same universities do routinely admit a certain number of athletes that effectively cannot spell 'cat'. As I have previously stated the Duke basketball fans I speak with agree this is indeed the case and it is done knowingly by admissions.
 
I have been told that Stanford has on occasion done the same.  It may be a very persuasive coach pulled one over on admissions, but until proven otherwise I kind of doubt it was done knowingly.