Here is the e-mail I sent to state representatives and senators in Mobile County today. Hopefully I didn't get anything wrong or overstep my bounds. Grammatical errors abound; should have proofread better.
I have gotten telephone calls from 4 of them, all in support.
"Congressmen,
I hope this finds you well, and off to a prosperous start to this New Year. I am writing to you today in regards to the current administrative and governance issues at UAB. As a resident of Mobile County, I am asking for your support for upcoming legislation proposed by Rep. Jack Williams (R, Dist. 47) that aims to give UAB more autonomy to make its own decisions. As one of the largest employers in the state, and an economic footprint over $5 billion, UAB deserves the ability to have a fair representation when it comes to issues affecting the University. This is not currently the case.
As I am sure you are aware, on Dec. 2, UAB President Ray Watts announced the cancellation of the football, bowling, and rifle teams in Birmingham, and a volatile scene of protests have continued ever since. Dr. Watts claims that the decision ultimately came down to fiscal responsibility, was the conclusion of a data-driven process, and was his decision, and his alone, to make. I would have accepted this, if only it were truthful.
His claims of acting in fiscal responsibility have already been blown to shreds in the national media. Numerous articles have demonstrated that UAB athletics are not in the dire straits as Dr. Watts is trying to portray, and that it is not difficult for UAB to balance the budget. Let alone the millions of dollars that boosters would have gladly poured into UAB had they been asked to do so. The following articles from Vice Sports are two of my favorites in explaining just how wrong Ray Watts is:
1.)
https://sports.vice.com/article/screw-th...-otherwise
2.)
https://sports.vice.com/article/uabs-tan...snt-add-up
To say this process was data-driven is also preposterous. The centerpiece of this claim is the now infamous Carr Report. UAB contracted Bill Carr and Associates to conduct a strategic planning study for the University that led straight to the need for UAB to cancel football, with bowling and rifle as collateral damage. The articles I linked above (as well as many more from around the country, including:
http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball...on-healing) demonstrate that the numbers used to justify cancelling football don’t add up, and are possibly fraudulent. Consider this: At no time leading up to the decision were the program’s biggest stakeholders ever consulted, UAB had the second largest growth in FBS attendance figures this past year, and for the previous season (with a 2-10 football record, no less) there were 26 athletic programs with greater deficits and less operating revenues, and yet they are able to able to balance a budget. It makes one wonder, just how much data actually went in to the process. Quoting President Watts, “You don’t know what you don’t know”.
Ray Watts has claimed that this decision came from his desk and there was no input from the University of Alabama System Board of Trustees. However, only a week or two prior, Governor Bentley commented that it is a Board issue and that as President of the Board, per our state’s constitution, he would look into the situation at greater depth. Governor Bentley has since backtracked on his statements, and now contends that the Board has no involvement. I do not believe for one second that the Board wasn’t involved; I believe that the Board of Trustees are the ones who pulled the trigger, and used their new president, Ray Watts (the 11th highest paid University President in the country), as their puppet and fall-man.
It has become increasingly apparent that the Board has repeatedly failed to act in the best interest of UAB athletics, which is an integral marketing arm for the University and a key component to the students’ well-being. Prior to last week, it was still possible to consider the Board’s interference with UAB a conspiracy. But, the recordings released this week by former UAB and NFL player, Izell Reese, (
http://www.al.com/sports/index.ssf/2015/...uab.html), have brought things out from speculation. As you can see from hearing these recordings, the UA System Board of Trustees, led by Paul Bryant Jr. and a large number of Bryant Bank employees, have been against UAB athletics, and football in particular, since its inception. This group consists of 15 members whose roles are to act in the best interest of all three campuses – UA, UAH, and UAB. Yet the representation includes only 2 members that hold degrees from UAB (and 0 from UAH!). To put the disparity in perspective – UAB’s revenues are more than triple UA’s, yet has ≈15% representation in comparison to UA. It truly is a case of the tail wagging the dog (
http://blog.al.com/comebacktown/2015/01/...tai.html).
I feel that it’s important to note that this issue is not UA vs. UAB, or Tuscaloosa vs Birmingham. I was raised as a Crimson Tide fan, and have great respect for the traditions and history of the University of Alabama. The problem lies not with the University, but solely with the Board of Trustees who have been tasked with taking care of all campuses, yet have greatly failed at their mission.
Rep. Jack Williams has announced his plans to introduce three new bills at the next legislative meeting. The first, to reinstate the programs so wrongfully cut. The second bill aims to restructure the Board of Trustees so that all three campuses within the University of Alabama system are properly recognized as members of the institution, with shared governance. The final piece from Rep. Williams would require training in SACS accreditation for all Board members. Since all three members of UA System are members of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), it is common sense as to why Board members would be required to be trained in accordance with their guidelines.
I thank you for taking the time to read my stance, and I hope that you will further investigate the issues at hand on your own. As long as this is looked at with an open mind, there is no way that anyone can argue that UAB has been served unjustly by the Board, and that change is necessary for the continued well-being of one of our state’s greatest assets.
Thank you,
UABMoose"
/
Letter to AL Reps and Senators
