<p>“He polished up the marketing materials - in the “Life of the Mind” brochure, you’d find more pictures of students “juggling and playing football” rather than being buried in books.”</p>
<p>In case you never took a marketing class, this describes the execution of an existing strategy, not a change of market segment. </p>
<p>Whatever the reason/objective, Zimmer’s efforts have the real prospect of re-defining UofC’s target segment (educational strategy, if you will) in ways in which it cannot successfully compete. </p>
<p>Take financial resources: While Chicago ranks 11 ( based on most recent data) in total endowment, it ranks 15 in per student endowment ( <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/644898-2008-nacubo-endowment-data-now-public.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/college-search-selection/644898-2008-nacubo-endowment-data-now-public.html</a> ) . Worse for the College is that the funds go much more to grad student support than to undergrad support. Let us not forget too that the reason behind both the increase in College enrollment and the attendant revamping of admissions was to generate more profit, since UofC makes a profit on undergrad education. Where do the profits go? You guessed it - not to more “life of the mind” but to the betterment of the grad schools. </p>
<p>The contrast between UofC and other elites such as Harvard with regard to finances could not be greater. At Harvard, FAS, the parent of Harvard College, has by far the richest endowment. Within FAS, HC raises most of the funds. I have less knowledge of Yale, Pton or Stanford, but suspect the same thing applies. </p>
<p>Many of the elites, especially if you include LAC, can and do spend far more per student on undergrad education. </p>
<p>So, back to my earlier point: The more Zimmer moves the College toward an “image” like the other elites, the more it stands to lose in head to head competition on these measures:</p>
<ul>
<li> financial resources, especially financial aid.<br></li>
<li> reputation. (except maybe against Penn? 
) Even folks in Chicago think UofC is a state U, not knowing the difference between UofC, UIC and sometimes CSU.</li>
<li> location - doubly handicapped by being urban in a so-so neighborhood (hyde park will never be Cambridge or Palo Alto), and by being in a city widely perceived to be in fly-over country. Ever try to go shopping in Hyde Park?<br></li>
</ul>
<p>So those of you who think it a good idea for UofC to become more mainstream and increase yield to boot, please tell me how it will compete on any of these factors against any of its elite college peers?</p>