My initial thought is of the charter members of the SoCon, circa 1921:
Alabama, Auburn, Clemson, Georgia, Georgia Tech, Kentucky, Maryland, Miss State, N Carolina, NC State, Tennessee, Virginia, Va Tech, and Washington & Lee

.......the more things change, the more things seem the same.

To be alive and interesting an entity has to grow and change - in your last phrase is the solution, "more new schools."

I'm rather enjoying the spectacle.