is usf still considered

[Joe]

It's getting away from it. The thing is a decent percentage of our students come from more than 10 miles away unlike schools like FSU and Florida we're apt to it because of the major metropolitan area.

[MikeG]

I think it is just something the other major schools like to say about us to belittle USF in general. Kind of like lumping us in with half-assed schools like community colleges.

Of course they want to maintain that stand and keep promting USF as a such so they by comparison look like the "real" college experience.

Hey-- I went to Illinois and I would consider that much more traditional by far than what is in Gainesville. It's really not all that big a difference to what we have at USF except there are other things you can do with your time beyond the campus-- you know like find a great job or whatever else Tampa/St. Pete has to offer.

[MikeG]

oh-- and traditional Greek houses (rarely used by anyone but Greeks) and on campus stadiums (used 6-8 times a year for football itself). Yeah I know-- we have Greek Housing provided by the school-- but it really doesn't look like the typical plantation style you see at old ass schools.

Don't get me wrong-- it's a nice setup if you are trying to flee the parents and be independent. It's also nice in terms of an overall atmosphere (no competing with the other pro sports teams in town for attention) and being able to stroll around a huge campus. I don't need to walk around a campus all that much to feel like I'm at school. That's me though. And from what I've seen, USF has definitely improved that walk-around feel to the school far beyond what it was during the mid eighties to early nineties. Most people wouldn't even recognize MLK plaza anymore.

[WoolyBully]

Seems to me the term "commuter" would fall to a school which draws the bulk of its

student body from within driving range. Is this the case with UM/FSU/UF? Does the bulk

of their student body come from the surrounding area or do they draw from a larger

geographic area?

A good example would be UNCC. The bulk of students (back in the 70's) came from

around Charlotte, whereas everyone who could do so, managed to get to NCSU,

UNC, USoCar, UV. UNCC was - at that point in time - a fallback position.

I do think USF is making strides to get out of the 'commuter' label. It has changed

a lot over the past fifteen years. At one point, just being honest, it really was

drive-thru-u. Now....a whole different ballgame, but it will take a few generations

to lose the label entirely.

* ps: it could also be based on the percentage of students > 18 - 21 attending classes.

I think at one time the average USF student was 25 years old.  It seems to me that

there's a lot of folks who take longer than four years to get their degree. I know that

when I was at USF - at the ripe old age of 30 - only on a few occassions was I the

oldest guy in the class.

[Matt]

there are SOOOOO many off campus housing options for students all along fletcher, 50th, 46th, bruce b downs, skipper, jefferson commons, etc

if you took the amount of students and new alumni living within a 5 sq mile radius of campus you would have probably around 40,000-50,000 people.

[Joe]

There are a few things that give USF the "commuter school" image. It's something the school has worked VERY HARD on removing.

1) Major Metropolitan City - Always hurts because there are so many housing options available as compared to a school like UF or Auburn or Georgia.

2) Students are "locals" - This is one thing that has changed and is changing. When I first got there there were a few of us from Orlando, but the majority of people I met were from the Bay area (Tampa, St. Pete, Sarasota, Bradenton, etc.) A lot of the students grew up in the area and this give the local college feel.

3) Local "college" businesses - Fowler/Fletcher are flooded with chain restaraunts. There are a few (but not large amounts) of local businesses there for soley the students. The bar scene around campus is ok...The Greenery and a few others exists. However most students go to Ybor on a Thursday night.

4) A lot of "older" population - USF is located in a major metro area. Therefore those who didn't finish college or want another degree attend USF because it's convinient and they offer both day/night classes. Schools in college towns don't offer much of that because the population base isn't there and people are less likely to transplant their family from Tampa to Gainesville to get their bachelor's.

[MikeG]

I have to argue a bit against the whole big city thing--

Look at Atlanta- home to Georgia Tech, Emory, Oglethorpe, and Georgia State (maybe more). No one ever talks about the commuter aspect of those schools. BUT perhaps this is what leads us to the real determining factor.... AGE of the institution itself.  Perhaps over time-- that will take care of itself because it will become more of a known commodity and what IS known will be what most associate with a traditional campus.

That and maybe a win over FSU, Miami, or UF-- that might help those bums stop calling us a commuter school because it is still my contention that most of this vibe has been coming from those folks since day one.

[MikeG]

and last point-- if USF is what a commuter school is all about-- then lets just say I'm a huge fan of the commuter school concept.

There is nothing wrong with being unique or different from the other schools. As much as we get the label, they probably also get that "hick town"/"cowtown" whatever stereotype. No one seems to care. It's only a big deal if we choose to get worked up over getting called this name. It does grate my nerves to hear some moron like Chris Fowler spout off about USF being a commuter school as if that makes us second rate or that he knows anything about us in the first place beyond what he read from some ass kissing intern

[Joe]

I disagree MikeG,

There are schools like GT and Emory that are in major metropolitan areas. However GT and Emory are also top 50 schools in is is very strict (and limited) on admissions standards.  Kids from all over the world are applying to GT and Emory, it doesn't necessarily draw it's enrollment from the Atlanta area or even Georgia. (I'm also gonna disagree about Georgia State).

Large schools like Cincinnati, Memphis, and Houston are much more comparable schools than GT/Emory, or Northwestern in Chicago for example.

That being said USF is making considerable strides to get the commuter image away from the school. It just takes time and effort. My guess is in 20 - 30 years no one will refer to us in that regard, but rather as a top 100 school located in Tampa. To one day be like an Ohio State or UCLA, those schools are what every major public metropolitan university seeks to be, they are very selective and get thousands of applicants a year from all over the world because of their noteriaty in certain academic fields.

[Bullsayer]

I think, in the case of USF, the "commuter" label, image or perception, whatever you or "they" want to call it is really more of a mind set. Unfortunately, it is the mind set of many current and even more former students/graduates. The mind set goes like this.

I am a FLorida resident (young or old) and attend and/or attended/graduated USF because it was close by and I could work and/or live nearby in the greater  metropolitan commiunity known as Tampa Bay.

Former students/grads don't have any particular allegiance to USF or USF sports because the mind set of a school of convenience "where I got my degree."

I'm sure every school has their part-time night school students. I think USF was built upon that concept because it was convenient and there was such a great population base.

Solutions: You can't make people like and support their school if it's a school of convenience. It is going to take time for USF current and former students/graduates to shake that image/perception and begin taking steps to support their school and sports teams. On this board we all do that to one degree or another. It is going to take years of growing USF fans just from the ranks of current and former USF students. I think the Alumni club and Bulls Club really need to work on this perception with current students first.