<p>A philological analysis would be a temporary analysis, wouldn't it? Since for much of the history of the two universities FSU was the better academic school, should any current award of the label have a footnote or qualifying statement indicating this weakness?</p>
<p>Such labels are better for sports analysis and here, clearly - especially to Ohio State's football team, UF is #1.</p>
<p>"Such labels are better for sports analysis and here, clearly - especially to Ohio State's football team, UF is #1."</p>
<p>Actually, parent2noles, there are plenty of people on here that won't even concede <em>that</em>!</p>
<p>Well, what I saw looked a lot like an old fashioned 'whuppin' on OSU by the Gators. Kind of hard to argue with that kind of performance.</p>
<p>This 'flagship' issue has legs in Florida. It's more than playing to the passions of the temporarily underdog alumni. Virtually any actual graduate of UF or FSU with be quite circumspect with regard to the other school. The reason is recognition of a timeless political reality. Many, many alumni of both schools are members of the state legislature and in powerful positions. Go around and trumpet your 'flagship', without appropriate respect paid to the sister school, may suddenly get your 'flagship' funded to the level of a junior college and premier magnet programs assigned to a replacement 'flagship' university. It has happened in the past. </p>
<p>Further, there is tremendous crossover in alumni between undergraduate and graduate programs at Florida State and Florida. Those of us who are actual alumni may fuss with each other over sports results, but when it comes time to cooperate, we do so in a New York second. For example, FSU and UF cooperated in winning the National High Magnetic Field Lab away from MIT. That is not a small award...others like it exist as well. Presidents Machen and Wetherell have exchanged cell phone numbers and generally support each other realistically.</p>
<p>
[quote]
U Cal Berkeley is clearly California's flagship. There is similar clarity in all states except New York, which has no "flagship" but has a string of state universities and state colleges.
[/quote]
You're half right.
Which is Arizona's flagship? Oregon's? Idaho's? I agree the lack of clarity is similar to that for California.</p>
<p>U of Arizona, U of Oregon, and U of Idaho--not really close </p>
<p>Only "state" that is flagship is Ohio State</p>
<p>(go Buckeyes)</p>
<p>other schools with "State" in their name are, and I am working off the top of my head (as opposed to the incontravertible argument I have advanced in earlier posts, which does not deny that other schools may be good, but that there is, by definition within the confines of the English language, only one "flagship") : Michigan State, Texas State, Mississippi State, Alabama State, Arkansas State, Georgia State, Colorado State, Indiana State, Illinois State, Kansas State, Montana State, Missouri State, Iowa State, Kentucky State, Minnesota State, Nebraska State, New Mexico State, North Dakota State, South Carolina State, Tennessee State, South Carolina State, Utah State, Virginia State, Washington State, and West Virginia State</p>
<p>(as well as Florida State, Arizona State, Oregon State and Idaho State)</p>
<p>I may have missed one or two, but I would suggest you <em>might</em> take a look at the list with "State" in their name and find even one (outside of Ohio State) as prominent or well-regarded as the "Universities of" from those states</p>
<p>Louisiana State and Pennsylvania State are the outliers, of course--there is no "Univeristy of" Louisiana and University of Pennsylvania is a private institution</p>
<p>AGAIN, I am not saying that many of these are not fine public institutions, but by simple definition there is, and can only be, one "flagship" whether we are talking about universities or any other grouping...</p>
<p>As much as I like Rep. Dean Cannon's devotion to my alma mater I find his methods to be quite reactionary. He represents the old guard (the horse and buggy) of UF's alumni base. I find it funny when these Florida Blue Key boys jump out of the wood work when we win the National Championship, but seem to disappear when things go bad. Clearly the University of Florida must work with Florida State University to help reduce the trough system that has become Florida's higher education system. All FSU seems to want is to also be considered a co-flagship university. By allowing them this distinction it will forever prevent them from being engulfed by the Tier 4 regional universities, and it will in turn gurantee that the flagships will forever get the Lion share of the state approriations.</p>
<p>Just curious, red, how would you categorize this statement: "Although Texas is rapidly becoming a 'majority minority state,' the demographic profile of the two public flagships has failed to keep pace with the growth of minority groups among college-age students."? </p>
<p>Is it incorrect English usage, ignorant, poorly researched, ill-considered, stupid, lame-brained? All, some or none of these?</p>
<p>Oh and it's from a paper entitled: "CLOSING THE GAP?: Admissions & Enrollments at the Texas Public Flagships Before and After Affirmative Action"</p>
<p>I live in the Sunshine State and for what its worth, I've never heard of FSU being called "flagship". Kids here who don't get into UF go to FSU.</p>
<p>^This is a fairly new development; apparently in reaction to UF's recent rise in rankings. I never heard of this until I started reading this board; and that includes the part about kids attending FSU who do get in UF. It was not that way in the 70s, when I attended FSU.</p>
<p>I just read the article by Rep Cannon. I don't see that as a productive effort and will likely generate a reaction.</p>
<p>Thanks for hi-jacking my topic guys to argue about something so meaningful and important. Just CC I guess.</p>
<p>look up, i tried to bring it back! i'm sorry that it failed.</p>
<p>The only ones who think that FSU students couldn't get into UF , are the UF students themselves. I was actually accepted into UF before FSU, but decided on FSU at the end. Many of firiends and fellow FSU grads, also got accepted into UF but prefered FSU. The fact is that UF is somewhat more selective than FSU, but not as much as some will have you believe. I guess it's hard for most UF grads to understand this concept. That's why they keep spreading this ridiculous myth. Whatever works for them, I guess.</p>
<p>
[quote]
The only ones who think that FSU students couldn't get into UF , are the UF students themselves... I guess it's hard for most UF grads to understand this concept... That's why they keep spreading this ridiculous myth. Whatever works for them, I guess
[/quote]
</p>
<p>Not always. The "FSU = school for UF rejects" bit was actually introduced to me by an FSU student. He said that several of the people he knew there were the same way. It's NOT a big deal, really, because obviously
1) There are people at UF who are Harvard rejects, which doesn't make UF a bad school in any way;
2) There are people at FSU who didn't even consider UF because for them FSU was their number one choice;
etc etc</p>
<p>So let's try not to take this too personal because -- as they pointed out -- you're detracting from the original poster's question.</p>
<p>In regards to the that question, I would go with FSU if you like Tallahassee (I know several people who can't stand it). I think the prestige difference between FSU and USF in this case is significant enough to warrant choosing FSU if you are on the fence and could be happy either way. Plus, FSU has a more traditional atmosphere with a strong football program.</p>
<p>Just my two cents.</p>
<p>I'm going to go with USF. Thanks for the input everyone.</p>