Charter Schools: Maryland's Money Mess Switching From ACC to Big Ten

"Each generation wants new symbols, new people, new names. They want to divorce themselves from their predecessors." - Jim Morrison

Nothing lasts forever. No university ever has discarded such a longstanding affiliation with a conference as Maryland did when the Terrapins chose to divorce the ACC for wealthier Big Ten in 2014-15. The Terps will jettison 61 years of history when they align with the Big Ten, which is the only alliance other than the Ivy League never to have a member leave to join another major conference.

Until formally making the switch, Maryland is mired in an exit-fee money mess. The Terrapins filed a $157 million counter-suit against the ACC (three times the amount the ACC sued for against the Terps), alleging the league was hypocritical in targeting at least two unidentified Big Ten schools to leave after learning about Maryland's intent to seek "greener" pastures. Whatever happens, shouldn't the ACC invest more resources in addressing academics amid North Carolina's shoddy scholastic standing emphasizing Afro-American Studies and similar such shenanigans? If a university with Carolina's stature has lost its higher education "way" suspending research of reading specialist/academic adviser allegedly facing death threats, then what the fraud is happening regarding unsupervised lower standards at other ACC institutions and across the nation? For instance, N.C. State hired Sidney Lowe as coach before he even earned his diploma more than 20 years after leaving the school and subsequently showing apparent evasion taking any modestly-taxing classes such as ethics or tax preparation while in college.

Fordham, fleeing the Metro Atlantic and Patriot League the first half of the 1990s, is the only institution to twice be in this charter-school departure category. Following is a list from longest to shortest tenures of the first schools to leave an intact league for another conference after being a founding member:

NOTES: Cincinnati (member of Mid-American from 1947-53), Georgia Tech (SEC from 1933-64), New Orleans (Sun Belt from 1977-80), Oral Roberts (Midwestern City from 1980-87), Penn State (ECBL/Eastern 8 from 1977-79), Rutgers (Middle Atlantic from 1959-62) and South Carolina (ACC from 1954-71) joined the independent ranks the next season. . . . Seven C-USA charter members joined other leagues following their 10th year in the league in 2004-05. . . . Campbell rejoined Big South in 2011-12.