Why is BYU not AAU?

http://espn.go.com/college-sports/story/_/id/7063633/missouri-tigers-hope-join-sec-had-wanted-big-ten-invite-most" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Interesting article on the expansion issue, which doesn't actually say that we are in, but mentioned we were on the list, but also noted the possibility that BYU might decide to stay independent in football and keep other sports in WCC. I don't know if there was any basis, but from reading this article it is obvious that keeping information confidential is not the strong suit of many other there, unlike those that know at BYU.



I don't believe I had ever seen this issue spoken of that some of the schools are desireable because they are members of the Association of American Universities. Appartently that is why Tulane is now surfacing as a potential candidate for inclusion in the Big 12, if they decide to bring in multiple schools. I looked at the list of schools and BYU wasn't on the list.



http://www.aau.edu/about/article.aspx?id=5476" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;



Apparently it gets back to that issue of not being a research university because the AAU is "An association of 61 leading research universities in the United States and Canada". What is our opposition to becoming a research univeristy? Is it because of this issue of mixing tithing that funds part of the university's operations in research programs? For as much as we stress academics at BYU, I don't have an answer to that question. My son-in-law's father travels the country wide recruiting scholastics to BYU. That's a fulltime job for a few individuals. Someone in my ward does it for PhD candidates. Seems like we probably qualify in every way except the issue of paying people in lab coats to do nothing but research.



Interesting that as much of a research facility that U of U is, they are not in that exclusive club either. Looking at the list of schools I would imagine that the U doesn't have the polished academics needed.

I would guess a larger issue for the AAU is lack of academic freedom at the Y. For outside academics looking at the Y, the tight reins the church and administration keep on BYU's professoria would be anathema...

It also has to do with the type of research the school does. It is almost impossible, if not impossible, to get in without a medical school. Nebraska lost their membership, even though the school does tons and tons of research. However, the AAU does not seem to value agricultural research.

Florwood wrote:
I would guess a larger issue for the AAU is lack of academic freedom at the Y. For outside academics looking at the Y, the tight reins the church and administration keep on BYU's professoria would be anathema...

Membership is by invitation only, and there is a standing membership committee that continually evaluates potential candidates. Criteria include grant funding, research in the sciences, arts and humanities, faculty prominence, etc.. Some academic freedom issues at BYU have landed it in hot water in the past with the AAUP (American Association of University Professors), making the "black list". Such things don't hold you up as a prominent candidate for the AAU.

LOL I thought you all were talking about the athlete's AAU.



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BYUcougfan wrote:
It also has to do with the type of research the school does. It is almost impossible, if not impossible, to get in without a medical school. Nebraska lost their membership, even though the school does tons and tons of research. However, the AAU does not seem to value agricultural research.

I thought it was lucky that Nebraska finally got their Big 10 membership just before they got voted out of the AAU. Apparently one reason Nebraska lost membership was because the med school is on a different campus--maybe they should reconsider Northwestern too, because their med and law schools definitely aren't in Evanston.

At Texas Tech (not AAU) my professors know the B10 is where it's at. However, my department relies heavily on BYU for professors to be employed, joint-research efforts, and BYUs ability to lead grants. My experience in research at BYU and at Tech, show that BYU (at least my department) behaves like an AAU, in terms of published research frequencies, and in terms of funds available. They simply lack the #s of degrees...and asians.

BoiseBYU wrote:
LOL I thought you all were talking about the athlete's AAU.



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I thought the same thing. That is the only aau I've ever heard of.



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Mingjai wrote:

It also has to do with the type of research the school does. It is almost impossible, if not impossible, to get in without a medical school. Nebraska lost their membership, even though the school does tons and tons of research. However, the AAU does not seem to value agricultural research.

I thought it was lucky that Nebraska finally got their Big 10 membership just before they got voted out of the AAU. Apparently one reason Nebraska lost membership was because the med school is on a different campus--maybe they should reconsider Northwestern too, because their med and law schools definitely aren't in Evanston.

Neither are Illinois or Indiana, both on the AAU list. The University of Illinois has multiple campuses, as does Indiana, but the med schools have campuses of their own. The Illinois medical school is in Rockford and the Indiana medical school is in Indianapolis. I also noted that the University of Illinois is on the list, but only the main campus (UIUC), which really wouldn't include the medical school.

Thanks all, this has been educational for me. I really didn't understand or was I aware there was an AAU before yesterday's article.

Because we're not smart enough. Refer to TCU invite to the Big 12 and crickets chirping in Holmoe's office...