Knight Commission study nugget: Facilities
If you actually click through on the Knight Study link from the Solomon story, which he wrote clearly to attack UAB, because all of the data is twisted by him to give a negative view of UAB without putting in its proper context (OK, enough ranting about that asshat), you find data on facilities.
Athletic Facilities Debt Service, 2005-2011:
UAB: $56,128 (2008, earliest year data available) to $0. That's right, UAB has ZERO facilities debt for athletics.
University of Alabama-Tuscaloosa: $130,190,648 to $207,197,936, a 59 percent increase;
Auburn: $61,524,429 to $106,073,955, a 63 percent increase;
SEC Median: $52,710,061 to $106,073,955, a 101 percent increase;
All FBS Median: $20,250,000 to $33,097,334, a 63 percent increase.
Nothing should justify that much outstanding debt on athletic facilities. Imagine the academic buildings that could be built with that kind of money. You know, buildings where students would learn something meaningful.
It's just further proof that the BOT's claim of debt service as a reason for no facilities at UAB is total BS. That debt at Tuscaloosa is NEVER going to be repaid.
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