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

Quote:Bryant was nominated by Governor Don Siegelman for a seat on the University of Alabama Board of Trustees in 2000. Some in the Alabama House of Representatives opposed the nomination, citing under-representation of trustees with ties to UAB and controversial comments attributed to Bryant in a 1989 article in Esquire. With the nomination still up in the air, Frank Bromberg resigned his seat, allowing the board to appoint Bryant without legislative approval. Among his first actions as a trustee was to join with athletic director Mal Moore in launching a Crimson Tradition Fund to raise capital for improvements to athletic facilities. Bryant jump-started the campaign with a personal $10 million contribution. It eventually raised $70 million, which was used to finance a bond-issue which increased the athletic department's long-term debt from $36 million to $197 million between 2002 and 2012.
Bryant was appointed to a second six-year term in 2006, elected president pro tempore in 2011, and re-appointed for a third term in 2012.

http://www.bhamwiki.com/w/Paul_Bryant,_Jr

So, how did he avoid legislative approval?

Frank Bromberg - http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=18...86,1977921

Quote:He believes UA's self-perpetuating board produces better members.

That is a fascinating read. A few things that stood out to me:

"I thought we ought to have a confederation rather than a federal system."
I would say UAB people agree with that statement. Of course, his opinion changed over time.

"He said the tension (between UAB and Tuscaloosa) would always be there as long as UAB continues to buck its traditional mission....Board members believe it should be an urban college largely serving commuters."

I think I am going to print this off and keep it.

Quote:Being a trustee means serving on a body that is responsible for three campuses. Bromberg's strong UA ties have made him the target for UAB backers at times.

...

But he said the friction would always be there as long as UAB continues to buck its traditional mission.

Board members believe it should be an urban college largely serving commuters. UAB continues to edge toward the trappings of a residential college.

(12-12-2014 03:04 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  Frank Bromberg - http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=18...86,1977921

Quote:He believes UA's self-perpetuating board produces better members.

Wow. What a fascinating look into their paternalistic mindset.

(12-12-2014 03:28 PM)BirminghamBound Wrote:  

(12-12-2014 03:04 PM)KevMo4UAB Wrote:  Frank Bromberg - http://news.google.com/newspapers?nid=18...86,1977921

Quote:He believes UA's self-perpetuating board produces better members.

Wow. What a fascinating look into their paternalistic mindset.

Yo Massah knows what's best fer you, boy. Why ya'll want to leave de plantation?

Plantation mentality, indeed.

Quote:The board's real job is to pick the presidents and the chancellor. - Bromberg

They picked Watts, so they are responsible for this damage. They also lost a lot of leverage here. A lot of our people were held in line by the threat of losing UAB Football. Now, the gloves are off.

(12-12-2014 03:45 PM)BirminghamBound Wrote:  Plantation mentality, indeed.

Definitely!

During the 1960s when the state's issues were mainly around civil rights, the independence of the BOT protected the university president from political pressure from the legislature and the Governor. During that time, the power of the governor to appoint all state school's BOT except Bama, allowed him to exert a lot of influence right down to individual instructors. When a Troy University's newspaper editor wrote a critical editorial about Wallace, he was expelled from school. BTW, Troy's President Adams got the "credit" then for that act and as a reward, Troy got the Governor's support for building Troy-Montgomery.

That did not keep George Wallace from keeping his pledge to "Stand in the Schoolhouse door" at Bama in 1963 or allow the Tide to play home games with integrated football teams until the famous USC game in B'ham's Legion Field.

It is in the modern period that the BOT has become so active in micromanaging the schools set up as a system in the way they conduct their sports programs, and Bryant, Jr has been a key part of it since coming on board.

(12-12-2014 05:11 PM)Matrix Wrote:  

(12-12-2014 03:45 PM)BirminghamBound Wrote:  Plantation mentality, indeed.

Definitely!

Time for the "good ole days" to come to a end . That article makes you want to spit in PBJ's face

Would love to see that picture of the Grinches side by side again.
Please?