The unofficial online home for fans of the UAB Blazers. Part of Collegiate Sports Nation (CSN).

Can't copy the content at the moment. Summary: we have support from Mobile to Muscle Shoals. Moving in the right direction. Keep contacting house and senate members.

https://www.facebook.com/jack.williams.9...6241056783

EDIT (Full Text):

"I am in Montgomery for legislative orientation. Several legislators have approached me and voiced their support for UAB and making changes to the BOT. Others are aware of the issue and willing to have further discussions. We are moving in the right direction. Please contact and stay in touch with your House and Senate members. They need to be encouraged to support UAB and UAH. We are gaining traction. Do not let it up now."

(12-10-2014 08:17 PM)BirminghamBound Wrote:  Can't copy the content at the moment. Summary: we have support from Mobile to Muscle Shoals. Moving in the right direction. Keep contacting house and senate members.

https://www.facebook.com/jack.williams.9...6241056783

Mike Hubbard has a score to settle with the Governor and his Attorney General at the moment.

(12-10-2014 08:33 PM)nicknitro19 Wrote:  

(12-10-2014 08:17 PM)BirminghamBound Wrote:  Can't copy the content at the moment. Summary: we have support from Mobile to Muscle Shoals. Moving in the right direction. Keep contacting house and senate members.

https://www.facebook.com/jack.williams.9...6241056783

Mike Hubbard has a score to settle with the Governor and his Attorney General at the moment.

Didn't even think about that :)

Blow 'em up guys. Don't wait on this

Spoke back and forth with my Rep in Northwest Alabama yesterday/today (actually again since he didn't respond when the bill proposal was announced by Williams) and he said he discussed it with Williams today. Said possible changes to bill before introduced but would keep up with it. Tweeted Williams to confirm that my Rep did indeed talk to him about the bill and he said he was listening but no commitment yet.

So... Most seemed content with the idea of a restructured board. However, the past few days have pushed some people to start considering full independence with a separate board. Even Jack Williams has softened his views on a complete split. Is a consensus starting to emerge? What's the better plan for the short/long term?

I think a restructured board is the most likely to pass. Remember whatever happens, it has to be voted on by the people of the entire state, not just the legislature, and not just a local amendment. Something along the lines of the way Auburn selects trustees (a committee made up of campus reps, the legislature, and a representative of the governor) and possibly requiring "equal representation" although we have at least one UAB graduate still on the board who couldn't care less if another football game ever happens at Legion Field

Search your legislators by zip code:

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/

I wonder if there is a number for Jack's bill yet?

(12-10-2014 10:31 PM)DragonClaw Wrote:  Search your legislators by zip code:

http://www.legislature.state.al.us/

I wonder if there is a number for Jack's bill yet?

No, not yet. That's coming soon.

For now, just ask members to support Jack Williams's legislation.

(12-10-2014 10:26 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  I think a restructured board is the most likely to pass. Remember whatever happens, it has to be voted on by the people of the entire state, not just the legislature, and not just a local amendment. Something along the lines of the way Auburn selects trustees (a committee made up of campus reps, the legislature, and a representative of the governor) and possibly requiring "equal representation" although we have at least one UAB graduate still on the board who couldn't care less if another football game ever happens at Legion Field

I agree. A restructured board would have more general appeal and be easier to get through and voted on. And still I believe in the value of of the 3 campus system as an educational institution it's just the current governance is the equivalent of driving a horse and buggy at Daytona. It just doesn't work anymore

(12-10-2014 10:26 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  I think a restructured board is the most likely to pass. Remember whatever happens, it has to be voted on by the people of the entire state, not just the legislature, and not just a local amendment. Something along the lines of the way Auburn selects trustees (a committee made up of campus reps, the legislature, and a representative of the governor) and possibly requiring "equal representation" although we have at least one UAB graduate still on the board who couldn't care less if another football game ever happens at Legion Field

What keeps me up at night is defining "equitable." Or rather, who gets to define it. The fact that the board is still self nominating is a problem and I don't see that changing. I honestly believe they'd let UAB go before they concede the power to pick their own replacements.

(12-10-2014 10:36 PM)BirminghamBound Wrote:  I honestly believe they'd let UAB go before they concede the power to pick their own replacements.

You won't find me arguing with them if that's the case.

And yes, your point about what is "equitable" is a tough one. I guarantee you could compose a board entirely of UAB graduates who would want to completely shut down the athletics department and turn the undergraduate side of campus into a parking lot for the hospital. It's not so much the paper requirements of who is on the board as it is how they're selected (IE: input from alumni, current students, faculty, and a wider input from the legislature & governor)

Selecting your own replacement is the FREAKING DEFINITION of the good ol' boy network. If the University of Alabama wants to keep the good ol' network alive and good, then let them have it and we can split off as the University of Birmingham. [EDIT/ADDITION] Dear God! That's it. The best way to split the system is not by appealing to the moral high ground and injustice, but by simply going after the mechanism that all these good ol' boys hold so dear. Force them to reform the board and use a committee to select the BOT and the BOT will split away from UAB without a fuss. They can have the School of Medicine. We'll start our own.

Obviously, we'll support whatever bill Jack ends up submitting, but I think the plan is a little too cumbersome with something like 27 members. Also having a county commissioner from Jefferson County is going to be a tough to sell. The rest of the state hates JeffCo any way and the BOT mantra would be - why would you let the politicians who ran Jeffco into bankruptcy run the premier university system in our state.

The 5/5/5 plan would be simpler, but they may fight it harder since some current BOT members would be displaced.


Best case would be complete separation, but that is unlikely. Too messy splitting the medical side.

Jack put it in the form that has the best chance of passing. This is why it is not 5/5/5. The goal is to get it passed asap.

(12-11-2014 09:17 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  Jack put it in the form that has the best chance of passing. This is why it is not 5/5/5. The goal is to get it passed asap.

What will Williams' bill do? Create a separate Board for UAB?

No it will give us equal representation. We will select five of them ourselves. There is a lot of working parts to it but it was done to give it the best chance of passing.

(12-11-2014 09:32 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote:  No it will give us equal representation. We will select five of them ourselves. There is a lot of working parts to it but it was done to give it the best chance of passing.

This.

Was at the Press Conference and Williams laid it out pretty well that each school would select its representation and the Governor would need to approve.

Or something like that, correct me if I'm wrong Attalla, or anyone else that was there. My memory is that of a drunk peanut.

Seems cumbersome to have such a large board, but I trust Jack.

(12-11-2014 11:09 AM)hooverblazer Wrote:  Seems cumbersome to have such a large board, but I trust Jack.

Larger Boards are more costly and harder for one man to control without raising too many flags.