Praying for LSA!
@Caligorilla same- doubt anything happens but always room to be optimistic
No, this is not true. UMich may use “expendable restricted” (as opposed to non-expendable) funds for many purposes related to the classroom and student experience, including professors, classrooms, scholarships, student housing, etc… It just depends on the 'expendable restriction":
https://news.umich.edu/u-m-endowment-up-500m-after-another-year-of-strong-performance/
And then there was the $5 Billion Victors for Michigan campaign:
https://news.umich.edu/victors-for-michigan-campaign-final-results/
And the Unrestricted Endowment net position at June 30, 2018? $3.4 billion
http://finance.umich.edu/sites/default/files/2018-10/Combined%20FY18%20FINAL.pdf
That’s more than most universities entire endowments.
You keep comparing MSU to UMich and they’re not similar IMO. MSU’s total endowment is $3 Billion. UMich has $3.4 Billion in unrestricted endowment AND $5 Billion in “expendable restricted endowment.”
UMich has over-admitted, because too many students accepted their admission. That doesn’t sound like a lot of students are dropping out and, even if they did drop out, they’re over-enrolled anyway.
Second, my D18 has taken a few popular 300 and 400 level courses already and so far they’ve been 50 students or less. And UMich has said small classes will be in-person. Medium sized classes will be a hybrid model. And large classes will be remote. That’s in the email sent to parents. That’s their guidance.
@shushirito
Are you trying to say there is no hope? That umich has too many students already, and could easily make up for any shortfall? Is that the bottom line?
@sushiritto Thank you! That was my point. There are plenty of funds UMICH has and can use. People on this Forum talk about that this year is different yet they cling to what is ear marked in previous years (in normal times). LOL… They Talk from both sides of their mouth! Amazing… Most Top university total endowments are less than $5 Billion.
One other note on the subject of Fall guidance for 200, 300 and 400 level courses at UMich.
If you go through the Fall Open Class Guide, then the one thing that I noticed is that a lot of classes have “open seats,” but yet have a waitlist. Why is that? I’d like to know, seriously.
For example, one class that I noticed, BiolChem 415 has 106 “open seats,” but also has a waitlist of 10. I’m kinda thinking that UMich is limiting class sizes, at least right now, and for upper level courses.
Another example is Math 215, which is MV Calc (Calc 3), which also has 70+ “open seats” for 2 different lecture sections, but with a small waitlist.
Until you receive an email from UMich that states that admissions is closed and thank you every much, but we hope you enjoy your college experience elsewhere, there’s always hope!
It’s a wacky year, who knows what’ll happen. I have a D21 and next year will be wacky too!
So even though they have a large endowment that means nothing. No university will burn through their endowment because its large. Michigan will be effected by this as every other university. They can tell us they have 7200 students but if they haven’t closed their waitlist then there is an issue that they need to manage. It’s a black box and they are the only ones who know what’s going on.
@shushirito
Thanks. But Why is everyone arguing about endowment size? I would think that universities would not want to dig into their endowments (even if they could) to make up for a shortfall when they could just admit off the waitlist. It’s not like everyone on the waitlist is inferior. People I know holding out for umich (myself included) have great stats and good schools they’ve committed to. They just prefer umich. I think they could fill their class easily if they had to in order to avoid using up the endowment.
Endowments mean nothing? To you. I guess so.
To me, the size of UMich’s endowment is one of the reasons that I sent my kid from CA to UMich and avoided the UC’s.
- Smaller class sizes 15:1 (teacher-student ratio),
- Remodeled dorms, classrooms and dining halls
- New classrooms, new buildings
- Remodeled Student Union,
- Top notch professors
- GSI's actually get paid a living wage, which is not necessarily the case here in CA
- Purchased new land near Central Campus and will be building a new dorm.
- Endowments provide a cushion for uncertain times.
The benefits of a large endowment are VERY important to me as a parent of a UMich student. A lot of colleges have closed, will close or are teetering on the brink of closing. Endowment means much more than nothing to me.
UMich hasn’t closed their waitlist. So? Not many colleges have, if any. It’s called flexibility. Cal Ploy SLO is another university that I watch and they haven’t closed their waitlist either. Stanford just took a few applicants off their waitlist recently.
Selling bonds and laying employees off? Have you managed a business before in an economic downturn? The bonds are to refinance debt at a lower interest rate (save interest expense) and UMich Medicine, if you listened to the UM President’s interview some time back, is experiencing less (and more profitable) business. So when you have less business, unfortunately, employees get laid off. When business comes back, I’m sure the employees will be back.
Also, their using some of the bond proceeds to pay for construction. First paragraph:
Basic smart business tactics. Use bonds or new money, not endowment, reduce expenses (interest and payroll expense) and increase liquidity for the future. When you’re UMich, having a large endowment means they can borrow for next to nothing.
Other than stating the obvious, “only UMich knows what’s in the black box,” I’m not sure what the point you’re trying to make here? Their waitlist remains open so there’s an issue with enrollment? I wouldn’t make that leap. or assumption. There’s a pandemic and they’re planning for many different future scenarios.
If you have a kid at PSU and MSU, then why all the posts in the UMich forum?
I’m no sure why we’re arguing about endowment at all. UMich has one of the largest endowments (#8 +/-) in the US and it’s one reason my kid is at UMich and not a UC. That and the fact that it’s one of the best universities in the US and the world.
Also, you don’t chose a major at UMich until end of your sophomore year, which is really nice. The UC’s and CSU’s admit by major. 
Click on the links (others on listed on the right) for more info on student life. I just got this email from UMich:
https://studentlife.umich.edu/parents/article/what-will-housing-look-fall
@sushiritto Great points. But most are too young and ignorant to understand your points. Hope one day they will.
I live in Texas and my son is going to UMICH for the same reasons. Great school with best facilities and options due to one of the largest Endowments while I am paying OOS.
Example: The Top Research spending schools in the country where kids can do research in their area of interest without a penny out of their pockets:
- John Hopkins 2.5 Billion / year
- UMICH 1.5 Billion / year
Go look it up before saying endowment does not matter…
I
Whoa, dude. We are here because we love the school. hoping for a spot. Peace.
@Caligorilla facts idk why @TinTintoo is trying to be so negative. Imagine being an older person talking down on younger students who are trying to remain optimistic (even though I think 99% of us are realistic and know we won’t be admitted) and feel like they still have a place at Umich.
Clearly not about us. But good vibes for those still here and hoping to get into umich. Let’s hope they don’t tap into that giant endowment to pay for the pandemic, but rather consider the dedicated and hopeful waitlist crew. Good luck!
hoping for something tmr 
btw any coe?