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

http://chronicle.com/blogs/letters/movem...an-sports/

God bless you, John Knox.

If, as John Knox clearly demonstrates, the overall purpose of the BOT action was to diminish the UAB undergraduate programs, we can expect that the return of football just as it was in 2014 is not a sign of long term success. We can expect a future action borrowing Arnold's phrase "I'm baaaack".

Only a strongly based financial support of facility building and total UAB support will defeat them. UAB must be the recipient of a large ANNUALLY RENEWED financial base of over $25 to $30 million and better to be assured of athletic and academic success (UA & AU receive over $100 million ANNUALLY for athletics ALONE).

What shocking revelation on May 21st? I must have missed it

"of a larger “hidden agenda” by the Board to eliminate UAB’s 11,700-student undergraduate component"

(06-09-2015 01:58 PM)uabbean Wrote:  What shocking revelation on May 21st? I must have missed it

"of a larger “hidden agenda” by the Board to eliminate UAB’s 11,700-student undergraduate component"

As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.

Their intent, if I am correct, will become more clearly obvious when we see how many new dorm rooms and new classroom buildings are added over the next few years. I used to see a forest of construction cranes when I drove through campus. How many are out there today?

I stand by my May 21 op-ed in the Birmingham News. As I said in it, based on a direct communication to me from a former Board of Trustees member, YES, the BOT leadership wants to shut down UAB undergrad completely. Please read the op-ed.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015...n_hid.html

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As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.
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Dr. John A. Knox

While we disagree in degree of degradation the BOT has in mind, we agree that it is indeed in process and began with the state's most desired sport program - FOOTBALL. The BOT covets the students at UAH and UAB who can bring their money to THEIR campus, and I continue to believe they are willing for the lesser financially endowed and nonresident commuters to remain at UAH and UAB, at least for show.

If one looks at the growth of urban universities in other (more progressive) states, you can see the threat the UA BOT sees and fears. The 21st century trend in other states is toward fostering these growing urban schools (USF, UCF, FIU,etc) rather than suppressing them. In Alabama, with its leadership tied to fiefdom type thinking, the ruling powerful see only threats to their controlling monopoly. "What's good for General Motors is good for the country" said Charley Wilson. The BOT says the same thing about Bama and its state.

As for increasing instate enrollment, that is only possible in a relatively few school districts that produce a lot of high school grads who can qualify. The diminished funding for most state school districts will stunt the growth of this commodity (for athletics as well as academics) for the foreseeable future. Most state districts can't afford to compete for the better teacher candidates so they are more and more hiring those they can get rather than those they would prefer. (That may be why we are seeing more predators being exposed since they are more interested in getting access to children than making a family living)

Welcome to Blazertalk Dr Knox! Count me as a fanboy.

To your point, no one has refuted any of the claims made in your op-eds. Why?

Because I do my homework and tell the truth. I am a pastor's son in a family of four generations of journalists, as well as a scientist. That combination of honesty, narrative and rigor is the UABOT's worst nightmare.

(06-10-2015 03:59 PM)ThisWhiteboardKillsFascists Wrote:  I stand by my May 21 op-ed in the Birmingham News. As I said in it, based on a direct communication to me from a former Board of Trustees member, YES, the BOT leadership wants to shut down UAB undergrad completely. Please read the op-ed.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015...n_hid.html

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As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.
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Dr. John A. Knox

John Knox is correct on the downsizing of the undergrad programs. As I shared at special NAS Board meeting in January, a graduate school interviewer told a grad school candidate from UA(T) to "Not worry, the undergrad programs were going away at UAB except for a few medical-related programs."

(06-10-2015 05:18 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  John Knox is correct on the downsizing of the undergrad programs. As I shared at special NAS Board meeting in January, a graduate school interviewer told a grad school candidate from UA(T) to "Not worry, the undergrad programs were going away at UAB except for a few medical-related programs."

Paul Bryant Senior famously said that, "It's kind of hard to rally around a math class." But that's exactly what we're going to have to do.

(06-10-2015 05:18 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 03:59 PM)ThisWhiteboardKillsFascists Wrote:  I stand by my May 21 op-ed in the Birmingham News. As I said in it, based on a direct communication to me from a former Board of Trustees member, YES, the BOT leadership wants to shut down UAB undergrad completely. Please read the op-ed.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015...n_hid.html

---
As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.
---

Dr. John A. Knox

John Knox is correct on the downsizing of the undergrad programs. As I shared at special NAS Board meeting in January, a graduate school interviewer told a grad school candidate from UA(T) to "Not worry, the undergrad programs were going away at UAB except for a few medical-related programs."

If a "graduate school interviewer" knows that much about the objectives of the UA System BOT to make that statement, it must be no secret from anyone in the UA System and should be repeated for the public record. For any school's BOT to commit such state-level treason against the state of Alabama should be made public knowledge to see if Alabama's government agrees with that objective. They certainly can't keep something like that under wraps for very long since it will require the action of many persons.

We just built a new freshman hall and student union. Business school coming soon. Soccer stadium on the way. New Humanities building in two years. Just saying.

(06-10-2015 09:02 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 05:18 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 03:59 PM)ThisWhiteboardKillsFascists Wrote:  I stand by my May 21 op-ed in the Birmingham News. As I said in it, based on a direct communication to me from a former Board of Trustees member, YES, the BOT leadership wants to shut down UAB undergrad completely. Please read the op-ed.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015...n_hid.html

---
As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.
---

Dr. John A. Knox

John Knox is correct on the downsizing of the undergrad programs. As I shared at special NAS Board meeting in January, a graduate school interviewer told a grad school candidate from UA(T) to "Not worry, the undergrad programs were going away at UAB except for a few medical-related programs."

If a "graduate school interviewer" knows that much about the objectives of the UA System BOT to make that statement, it must be no secret from anyone in the UA System and should be repeated for the public record. For any school's BOT to commit such state-level treason against the state of Alabama should be made public knowledge to see if Alabama's government agrees with that objective. They certainly can't keep something like that under wraps for very long since it will require the action of many persons.

That's a fair point. And it's also useful to sort out actual attacks on UAB (which I do think have occurred) from overreach being properly refused (example: one of the most half-assed departments in all of UAB is lobbying hard for a doctoral program, and whining that they're being denied. No Ph.D. from this dept. will ever get an academic job. Ever. Allowing people to enroll would be theft. The faculty there wants it because a department that offers the doctoral degree has lessened teaching loads for all. Responsible stewardship requires rejection of this effort, even if it has "medical" tacked onto its name. (which is the extent of its medical-ness))

(06-10-2015 10:28 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote:  We just built a new freshman hall and student union. Business school coming soon. Soccer stadium on the way. New Humanities building in two years. Just saying.

I just asked about how many NEW building projects for general (not medical) undergraduate use (dorms, classrooms, etc.) have been originated by the Watts Administration? I really don't know, but if the claims that the BOT is trying to deconstruct the UAB undergrad schools, that would be a reliable and valid indicator of intent. If a building project was originated by a prior UAB administration, it wouldn't count as NEW.

The soccer stadium is great, but it could be seen as a gesture meant to appease fans after terminating UAB football.

(06-11-2015 10:53 AM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 10:28 PM)Agent Orange Sauce Wrote:  We just built a new freshman hall and student union. Business school coming soon. Soccer stadium on the way. New Humanities building in two years. Just saying.

I just asked about how many NEW building projects for general (not medical) undergraduate use (dorms, classrooms, etc.) have been originated by the Watts Administration? I really don't know, but if the claims that the BOT is trying to deconstruct the UAB undergrad schools, that would be a reliable and valid indicator of intent. If a building project was originated by a prior UAB administration, it wouldn't count as NEW.

The soccer stadium is great, but it could be seen as a gesture meant to appease fans after terminating UAB football.

The new dorm and HUC were started by the Garrison administration.

(06-09-2015 12:00 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  http://chronicle.com/blogs/letters/movem...an-sports/

Enjoy the back-and-forth I am doing with a certain Peter Plagens on this site. If he is using his real name, he is a retired art critic for Newsweek. And he clearly hate-hate-hates sports. And likes sneering half-veiled personal attacks. I've dealt with worse attacks and better critics, though, so it's not too hard to rebut him.

(06-11-2015 10:45 PM)ThisWhiteboardKillsFascists Wrote:  If he is using his real name, he is a retired art critic for Newsweek.

I guess I'm getting old since I can remember when Newsweek magazine was a big deal.

(06-10-2015 09:02 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 05:18 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 03:59 PM)ThisWhiteboardKillsFascists Wrote:  I stand by my May 21 op-ed in the Birmingham News. As I said in it, based on a direct communication to me from a former Board of Trustees member, YES, the BOT leadership wants to shut down UAB undergrad completely. Please read the op-ed.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015...n_hid.html

---
As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.
---

Dr. John A. Knox

John Knox is correct on the downsizing of the undergrad programs. As I shared at special NAS Board meeting in January, a graduate school interviewer told a grad school candidate from UA(T) to "Not worry, the undergrad programs were going away at UAB except for a few medical-related programs."

If a "graduate school interviewer" knows that much about the objectives of the UA System BOT to make that statement, it must be no secret from anyone in the UA System and should be repeated for the public record. For any school's BOT to commit such state-level treason against the state of Alabama should be made public knowledge to see if Alabama's government agrees with that objective. They certainly can't keep something like that under wraps for very long since it will require the action of many persons.

Or it could simply be a graduate school interviewer who is their first job after college will say anything like some coaches do to get a kid or IMHO if the giant conspiracy is true no one on that level would know before public knowledge,

(06-12-2015 07:42 AM)uabbean Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 09:02 PM)BAMANBLAZERFAN Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 05:18 PM)blzrclub80 Wrote:  

(06-10-2015 03:59 PM)ThisWhiteboardKillsFascists Wrote:  I stand by my May 21 op-ed in the Birmingham News. As I said in it, based on a direct communication to me from a former Board of Trustees member, YES, the BOT leadership wants to shut down UAB undergrad completely. Please read the op-ed.

http://www.al.com/opinion/index.ssf/2015...n_hid.html

---
As far as I have seen written, no one is saying that the BOT wants to shut UAB undergrad completely. What they do seem to want is to lure away to the west those students whose financial capability gives them a choice of location. They are perfectly willing for UAB to keep the more challenging students and those who must commute daily to campus.
---

Dr. John A. Knox

John Knox is correct on the downsizing of the undergrad programs. As I shared at special NAS Board meeting in January, a graduate school interviewer told a grad school candidate from UA(T) to "Not worry, the undergrad programs were going away at UAB except for a few medical-related programs."

If a "graduate school interviewer" knows that much about the objectives of the UA System BOT to make that statement, it must be no secret from anyone in the UA System and should be repeated for the public record. For any school's BOT to commit such state-level treason against the state of Alabama should be made public knowledge to see if Alabama's government agrees with that objective. They certainly can't keep something like that under wraps for very long since it will require the action of many persons.

Or it could simply be a graduate school interviewer who is their first job after college will say anything like some coaches do to get a kid or IMHO if the giant conspiracy is true no one on that level would know before public knowledge,

My understanding is the "graduate school interviewer" was a faculty member. With the UA(T) implants that have come into the administration in recent years as well as the small percentage of the East Campus leadership that is anti-West Campus, there's a perfect storm for the UA BoT to downsize the West Campus considerable, possible to a point of extension school. If you still want to poo poo the idea, check the Mission Statements the UA System has posted for UA(T), UAB and UAH.