UAB Blazers

Hello There, Guest! (LoginRegister)

Post Reply 
2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Author Message
UAB Band Dad Offline
Occasionally Reasonable
*

Posts: 24,401
Joined: Dec 2004
Reputation: 277
I Root For: A Free UAB!
Location:

BlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk Award
Post: #101
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
(04-23-2015 01:47 AM)UABGrad Wrote:  Why delete the bylaw section that lets candidates be proposed by the membership to run in the election against the NAS nominating committee? Why make this change after the deadline has passed to at least propose nominations to the committee? Why make this change before the most important election in the NAS history by an order of magnitudue? The most important question is why are people afraid of democracy?

How can an alumni with a straight face defend this decision?



That's a damn good question, and I'd love to hear a straight answer from inside the NAS to it. There *were* a number of nominees from the FreeUAB ranks, but none of them cleared the nomination committee and made the final slate. I think that was a blunder, and that giving at least one seat to the people who have gone very active as a result of Watts' actions would have been a smart move.

Frankly, I can't think of a single reason to do it the way it was done other than "It lets us retain power".

Wes, someone, speak up. Prove me wrong.


Now, to play Devil's Advocate and look at it from the other side, consider the view from the NAS insider's angle. The NAS has been run by people who gave enough of a damn to put their time and money into it. Nobody much gave a crap who ran it as long as there was an NAS tailgate at the road games and the t-shirts looked good. Pre Watts killing football the biggest stir I ever heard about the NAS was the new car tags.

The people who put their time and sweat into it got to know each other. Over time they made friends and allies, assessed each other's strengths and weaknesses. Once they had done their time and paid their dues, maybe they moved up into the leadership positions slowly. Then Watts blew up football and suddenly the NAS was thrust into a front line leadership role. "Get in there and make Watts stop this ****!" they were told. Fighting the administration isn't their natural role, they are used to working in cooperation. They needed time to switch gears and change the mindset.

They've got a bunch of heathens at the gates waving pitchforks and torches and demanding to be led on the castle, and maybe they don't think that's quite the way they want to do it. They think charging stone walls with pitchforks gets you shot full of arrows without hurting the wall much.

The crowd does not like that, and they demand that some of their own be made generals so the leadership will do what they want.


Yeah, flaws in the analogy, I know. Still, if you've got years in and have been working your way up with your volunteer time, service, and money, suddenly having a bunch of folks who renewed their membership so they could attend the No Confidence meeting in December (the way I did :) ) demand to be put in leadership positions has to grate.

So there's that side too.

There's a reason I got that damned Voice of Reason award.
(This post was last modified: 04-23-2015 10:09 AM by UAB Band Dad.)
04-23-2015 09:55 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
CajunBlazer Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,419
Joined: Nov 2011
Reputation: 31
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #102
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
(04-23-2015 01:47 AM)UABGrad Wrote:  Why delete the bylaw section that lets candidates be proposed by the membership to run in the election against the NAS nominating committee? Why make this change after the deadline has passed to at least propose nominations to the committee? Why make this change before the most important election in the NAS history by an order of magnitudue? The most important question is why are people afraid of democracy?

How can an alumni with a straight face defend this decision?

Because they can. Because they truly believe only those who have have worked over the years in the NAS are capable of running the organization. At least that is what they are telling themselves, though I suspect there is also some turf protecting going on here. That's just human nature.

Hopefully with this back blast they will realize how this looks from the outside like elitists doing their best to keep the unwashed from interfering in their private business. Hopefully, they will therefore mend their ways and their bylaws before it is too late and permanent harm is done to their organization.

We have to face the fact the one of the worst possible outcomes would be for all of the current crowd to be thrown out of their NAS leadership positions and a bunch of well meaning people who know nothing about how the NAS works trying to operate the organization.

That's why I hope a compromise can be reached so that a limited number of FreeUAB leaders can be nominated and elected to the board and perhaps even one of the officer positions to provide "new blood" and a different perspective within the leadership of NAS. I think that would satisfy all concerned without disturbing the functions of the NAS.

If as we hope the NAS will be nominating future UAB Trustees, it is vitally important that strong new voices be heard in the nominating processes. While the current crop of NAS may be very good at raising money, planning bus trips to away games, etc. I will not trust them exclusively with this new responsibility.
(This post was last modified: 04-23-2015 10:23 AM by CajunBlazer.)
04-23-2015 10:00 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UAB Band Dad Offline
Occasionally Reasonable
*

Posts: 24,401
Joined: Dec 2004
Reputation: 277
I Root For: A Free UAB!
Location:

BlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk Award
Post: #103
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
I think the biggest thing on the table is this: Changing the NAS bylaws by executive order so that they can retain all the power absolutely destroys the trust of the alumni members at large. If the members of the NAS are not able to call a meeting if they are angry or distressed, and if they can not nominate or vote for those who will address their concerns, then the leadership of the NAS has de facto said "Shut up and sit down. We got this. If we want to hear from you we'll contact you. Just pay your damn dues and let us do what needs to be done."

That's bad enough, but there is a bill in Montgomery right now that if passed will let the NAS nominate the two trustees UAB gets on the BoT. If the membership at large distrusts the NAS and feels that the leadership of that organization is not legitimate, they will also distrust the designated trustees.

This is a time when UAB supporters need to be working together to win a very difficult fight. Starting a fight between two of the biggest groups of UAB supporters now is insanity. It weakens our cause, it gives aid and comfort to the enemy.

Fix it. Fix it fast. This is completely wrongheaded.
(This post was last modified: 04-23-2015 10:21 AM by UAB Band Dad.)
04-23-2015 10:19 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
uabbean Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,435
Joined: Mar 2006
Reputation: 7
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #104
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
(04-23-2015 10:00 AM)CajunBlazer Wrote:  We have to face the fact the one of the worst possible outcomes would be for all of the current crowd to be thrown out of their NAS leadership positions and a bunch of well meaning people who know nothing about how the NAS works trying to operate the organization.

That's why I hope a compromise can be reached so that a limited number of FreeUAB leaders can be nominated and elected to the board and perhaps even one of the officer positions to provide "new blood" and a different perspective within the leadership of NAS. I think that would satisfy all concerned without disturbing the functions of the NAS.

If as we hope the NAS will be nominating future UAB Trustees, it is vitally important that strong new voices be heard in the nominating processes. While the current crop of NAS may be very good at raising money, planning bus trips to away games, etc. I will not trust them exclusively with this new responsibility.
+ 1 Excellent points Cajun. We need the hell raisers and football is most important crowd to be successful. But NAS also needs calm leaders to work with academia (not Watts crowd - during normal times)

By the way I feel much better about Jabo bill's structure with the alumina appointing trustees than Jack's politicians feeding frenzies methodology. For the non sport side, I actually think maybe/might be better off now than under the Riley/Hubbard in alliance with Mayors machine. See accountability act where Riley crown takes a 5 percent cut of the entire budget for doing nothing. I just kept quite until we had a better option that might IMHO pass someday.
04-23-2015 10:34 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UABGrad Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,069
Joined: Nov 2003
Reputation: 99
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #105
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
IMO, Ray Watts will reinstate football before the NAS will undo this deed. It was done deliberately and not on a whim and they knew there would be this short blow back. The possibility of you and I having an indirect vote on who serves on the UABOT is simply just not acceptable at any cost.

The alumni society represents us and we should decide who our leaders are. Again, I say there is no plausible defense.
04-23-2015 10:34 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Agent Orange Sauce Offline
Special Teams
*

Posts: 729
Joined: Oct 2010
Reputation: 9
I Root For: UAB Rifle
Location: Fluid
Post: #106
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
(04-23-2015 10:34 AM)UABGrad Wrote:  IMO, Ray Watts will reinstate football before the NAS will undo this deed. It was done deliberately and not on a whim and they knew there would be this short blow back. The possibility of you and I having an indirect vote on who serves on the UABOT is simply just not acceptable at any cost.

The alumni society represents us and we should decide who our leaders are. Again, I say there is no plausible defense.

The BOT made this happen. Let there be no doubt.
04-23-2015 10:46 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UAB Band Dad Offline
Occasionally Reasonable
*

Posts: 24,401
Joined: Dec 2004
Reputation: 277
I Root For: A Free UAB!
Location:

BlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk Award
Post: #107
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Watts will resign before he brings back football.
04-23-2015 10:47 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UABGrad Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,069
Joined: Nov 2003
Reputation: 99
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #108
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Oh and if anybody buys their explanation that the mail out (with no opposing candidates allowed) is just a way of including more people in the process, then I don't know what to say except that person is one gullible person.
04-23-2015 10:49 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UABGrad Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,069
Joined: Nov 2003
Reputation: 99
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #109
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
(04-23-2015 10:47 AM)UAB Band Dad Wrote:  Watts will resign before he brings back football.

That was my point
04-23-2015 10:50 AM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
blazerjay Offline
Moderator
*

Posts: 8,978
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation: 120
I Root For: UAB
Location:

Donators
Post: #110
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
The NAS has posted short bios of their nominees online:

Elected Directors Proposed Slate Bios

Ms. Sally Bradley
BS Accounting • Collat School of Business (’05)
L. Paul Kassouf & Co. • Manager
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, Alabama Society of Certified Public Accountants, American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, and the American Society of Women Accountants.

Ms. Margie Gaulden Gilbert
BS Social Work • College of Arts & Sciences (’96)
Gilbert & Brown Counseling and Consulting Services, LLC • Managing Partner
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: UAB School of Social Work Advisory Board, Jefferson County Department of Human Resources Quality Assurance, National Association of Social Workers, Alabama Society for Clinical Social Work, Phi Kappa Phi National Honor Society, and The Golden Key National Honor Society.

Mr. Scott McLeod
BS Finance • Collat School of Business (’98)
Scott McLeod Photography • Owner
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: Pi Kappa Phi Fraternity Regional Governor, and Birmingham Media Networking Group.

Mr. Sam Miller
Master of Business Administration • Collat School of Business (’03)
Burton Advertising • Vice President
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: National Association of Collegiate Marketing Administrators, CASE, UAB Outstanding Young Alumni, and two-time UAB Excellence in Business award winner.

Mr. Scott Moran

BS Psychology • College of Arts & Sciences (’95)
UAB • Business Manager, Facilities
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: Assistant Scoutmaster Troop 226, high school football official, Charter member of Shelby County Football Officials Association, and 2013 UAB Department of Psychology Distinguished Service Alumni Award winner.

Dr. Philip Musa
Master of Public Health • School of Public Health (’11)
UAB • Associate Professor and Director of Management Programs, Collat School of Business
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: UAB Advisory Council to the Center for Teaching and Learning, UAB Faculty Senate, Alabama Higher Education Diversity Officers, and 2006 UAB BGSA Professor of the Year award winner.

Dr. Mazi Rasulnia
Master of Public Health • School of Public Health (’03)
Master of Business Administration • Collat School of Business (’03)
Doctor of Philosophy • School of Health Professions (’06)
PACK Health • Co-Founder and President
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: Alliance Foundation, Alliance for Continuing Medical Education, 2015 UAB Excellence in Business Top 25 award winner, and 2014 School of Public Health Alumni of the Year award recipient.

Dr. Shilpa Register
BS Natural Science • College of Arts & Sciences (’97)
MS Vision Science • School of Optometry (’00)
Doctor of Optometry • School of Optometry (’00)
UAB • Associate Professor
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: Alabama Network of Women Leaders in High Education, Alabama Optometric Association, National Academies of Practice - Optometry Academy, American Academy of Optometry, American Optometric Association, The Gold Key National Honors Society Faculty Advisor, Equal Access Birmingham Faculty Advisor, UAB University Honors Program Honors Council, UAB Sustainability Committee, UAB Committee on Shared Governance, Accreditation Council on Optometric Education, and Assocation of Schools and Colleges of Optometry.

Dr. Brian Sims
BS Biology • College of Arts & Sciences (’91)
Doctor of Philosophy • College of Arts & Sciences (’99)
Doctor of Medicine • School of Medicine (’00)
UAB • Associate Professor in Pediatrics
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: Society for Neuroscience, American Medical Association, American Academy of Pediatrics, American Journal of Stem Cells Editorial Board, and Pediatrics and Therapeutics Editorial Board.

Mr. Robert Smith
BS Psychology • College of Arts & Sciences (’95)
MA Counseling • School of Education (’00)
The Amelia Center at Children’s of Alabama • Executive Director
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: Crisis Center of Birmingham, Riverchase United Methodist Church, youth baseball coach, Licensed Professor Counselor Supervisor, and Montevallo University Counseling Department Advisory Board.

Ms. Tammi Thomas
BS Mathematics • College of Arts & Sciences (’84)
Computer Science • College of Arts & Sciences (’84)
Intergraph Corporation • Vice President
Interests, Community Involvement, and/or Honors: First President of the Huntsville UAB Alumni Chapter, middle school track and field coach, Huntsville Hospital Foundation, Huntsville Symphony, and former UAB cross country runner.

http://www.uab.edu/alumni/component/cont...slate-bios
05-03-2015 03:01 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
blazerjay Offline
Moderator
*

Posts: 8,978
Joined: Jan 2004
Reputation: 120
I Root For: UAB
Location:

Donators
Post: #111
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
The page above also states:

Quote:A third party auditor will be used to certify the votes of the 2015-16 Officers and Elected Directors.

Which could guarantee an accurate count of the ballots in hand. What it cannot do is guarantee that the ballot box wasn't stuffed with yes votes by NAS board/officials prior to the auditor performing the official count. It would be fairly easy to fabricate yes votes representing long-distance members from whom no ballot was returned. With 10,000 plus members, odds would be low that an auditor could authenticate the signature of each such ballot, much less certify that the ballot actually came from the member claimed.
(This post was last modified: 05-03-2015 03:11 PM by blazerjay.)
05-03-2015 03:05 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
GreenMississippi Offline
Heisman
*

Posts: 7,694
Joined: Nov 2005
Reputation: 109
I Root For: UAB / VCU
Location: Dallas, TX
Post: #112
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Bios are a start. But I only know 1 person on this list. I need to know what these people plan to bring to the NAS community. I still plan on returning it with a "No" just because of the Bylaws change.
05-03-2015 03:43 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UAB Band Dad Offline
Occasionally Reasonable
*

Posts: 24,401
Joined: Dec 2004
Reputation: 277
I Root For: A Free UAB!
Location:

BlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk Award
Post: #113
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
I think that the bylaws being changed to make it extremely difficult for the members at large to call a meeting coupled with the chair's ability to set the agenda of meetings comes very close to shutting the concerns of the membership out. There is no provision for voting against anything but the entire slate, and the slate itself is self nominated al la the UA BoT, which leaves quite the bad taste. There is no provision for a write in candidate - the nominating committee controls all access to the ballot by those who are not insiders.

These are concerning changes, and I would very much like an explanation of why it was deemed necessary to restrict any input or influence by those who are not on the board so strongly.
05-03-2015 04:53 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UABGrad Offline
All American
*

Posts: 3,069
Joined: Nov 2003
Reputation: 99
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #114
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Yeah it doesn't matter to me if George Washington, Abraham Lincoln and Elvis Presley himself are on the NAS insider slate. When they took away our right to have our own candidates they lost me. I am a lifetime member and I will not quit after this screw job, but will hang around just to vote no every year.
05-03-2015 05:04 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
uabrsc3 Offline
Bench Warmer
*

Posts: 117
Joined: Feb 2008
Reputation: 6
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #115
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
May just be me but I don't trust any board/slate without lawyers.
05-03-2015 07:35 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Memphis Blazer Offline
Nambie Pambie

Posts: 57,306
Joined: Sep 2004
I Root For:
Location: The snowflake realm

BlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk Award
Post: #116
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
I would vote no if Elvis was on the slate too.
05-03-2015 08:14 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
TPBlaze84 Offline
1st String
*

Posts: 1,201
Joined: May 2013
Reputation: 25
I Root For: UAB
Location:
Post: #117
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
I don't know how voting based on checking a box on postcards mailed to home addresses can be viewed as a legitimate/trustworthy form of voting in any respect.
05-03-2015 08:20 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
UAB Band Dad Offline
Occasionally Reasonable
*

Posts: 24,401
Joined: Dec 2004
Reputation: 277
I Root For: A Free UAB!
Location:

BlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk AwardBlazerTalk Award
Post: #118
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Actually, they are forms in an envelope which contains a return envelope. I'm not sure I trust an audit if the auditors do not open the envelopes though, and even then there is the potential for shenanigans by insiders.
05-03-2015 08:46 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
BlazerHam Offline
Bench Warmer
*

Posts: 1,025
Joined: Dec 2014
Reputation: 5
I Root For:
Location:
Post: #119
RE: 2015-16 UAB NAS Officer & Elected Directors Proposed Slate - Voting Ballot
Meeting tonight, 6pm.
05-05-2015 01:31 PM
Find all posts by this user Quote this message in a reply
Post Reply 




User(s) browsing this thread: 1 Guest(s)


Copyright © 2002-2024 Collegiate Sports Nation Bulletin Board System (CSNbbs), All Rights Reserved.
CSNbbs is an independent fan site and is in no way affiliated to the NCAA or any of the schools and conferences it represents.
This site monetizes links. FTC Disclosure.
We allow third-party companies to serve ads and/or collect certain anonymous information when you visit our web site. These companies may use non-personally identifiable information (e.g., click stream information, browser type, time and date, subject of advertisements clicked or scrolled over) during your visits to this and other Web sites in order to provide advertisements about goods and services likely to be of greater interest to you. These companies typically use a cookie or third party web beacon to collect this information. To learn more about this behavioral advertising practice or to opt-out of this type of advertising, you can visit http://www.networkadvertising.org.
Powered By MyBB, © 2002-2024 MyBB Group.