Here is another article from today's Huntsville Times about UAH breaking from the UA system. An interesting read.
UAH Article
Mentions that folks in B'ham and UAB are watching this. Could get the BoT to start taking notice of two sisters?
More power to them. I wish UAB and our area leaders were as committed and proactive about UAB breaking from the system. I think it would be better, however, if UAB and UAH both joined together against the UA System and used their political clout in Birmingham and Huntsville to make this a reality and not just a bunch of talk or grandstanding.
If they did ever break off, I think the Alabama Institute of Technology is a terrible name. That makes it sound like a tech school and not a legitimate research university.
Honestly, they have much more reason to be pissed than UAB does. The UA research office up there is a total slap in the face. It'd be like UA building a trauma hospital in Tuscaloosa.
(01-12-2012 12:23 PM)dragondrummer Wrote: [ -> ]If they did ever break off, I think the Alabama Institute of Technology is a terrible name. That makes it sound like a tech school and not a legitimate research university.
Yeah, because the Georgia Institute of Technology or California Institute of Technology are so poorly regarded and don't do any research.
I think Jack is giving the BOT a olive branch by saying hay guys do the right thing or we'll bring the house of cards down upon you. Personally I think we should split and if nothing else UAB & UAH be governed by the same board. That would keep UAH in the research arena by being associated with UAB while maintaing our strong engineering collaborations.
(01-12-2012 12:45 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Honestly, they have much more reason to be pissed than UAB does. The UA research office up there is a total slap in the face. It'd be like UA building a trauma hospital in Tuscaloosa.
(01-12-2012 12:23 PM)dragondrummer Wrote: [ -> ]If they did ever break off, I think the Alabama Institute of Technology is a terrible name. That makes it sound like a tech school and not a legitimate research university.
Yeah, because the Georgia Institute of Technology or California Institute of Technology are so poorly regarded and don't do any research.
Alright, true. I forget that was their official name. I just think of it as Georgia Tech, or Virginia Tech or whatever. Make you feel better now?
I thought this was interesting:
"Williams, a Republican from Monrovia, says he's also exploring taking UAH private, possibly through an affiliation with an out-of-state university, such as Stanford, that is looking for new places to expand."
(01-12-2012 01:38 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote: [ -> ]I thought this was interesting:
"Williams, a Republican from Monrovia, says he's also exploring taking UAH private, possibly through an affiliation with an out-of-state university, such as Stanford, that is looking for new places to expand."
While interesting, I don't really see that happening. Money is to scarce
(01-12-2012 12:45 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Honestly, they have much more reason to be pissed than UAB does. The UA research office up there is a total slap in the face. It'd be like UA building a trauma hospital in Tuscaloosa.
It would be like UAT building a trauma hospital in Birmingham
(01-12-2012 12:45 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ]Honestly, they have much more reason to be pissed than UAB does. The UA research office up there is a total slap in the face. It'd be like UA building a trauma hospital in Tuscaloosa.
(01-12-2012 12:23 PM)dragondrummer Wrote: [ -> ]If they did ever break off, I think the Alabama Institute of Technology is a terrible name. That makes it sound like a tech school and not a legitimate research university.
Yeah, because the Georgia Institute of Technology or California Institute of Technology are so poorly regarded and don't do any research.
Al Tech?
You forgot Massachusetts Institute of Technology.
I hope people in birmingham are doing this behind the scenes for UAB.
(01-12-2012 02:06 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote: [ -> ] (01-12-2012 01:38 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote: [ -> ]I thought this was interesting:
"Williams, a Republican from Monrovia, says he's also exploring taking UAH private, possibly through an affiliation with an out-of-state university, such as Stanford, that is looking for new places to expand."
While interesting, I don't really see that happening. Money is to scarce
Stanford has money...
It would be a revolutionary concept (a major private school expanding cross-country by buying a state university), and it would likely benefit UAH; however, it would change the direction of the program (tuition would skyrocket without state funding).
I think the best bet is a UAH/UAB concerted effort to force the legislature into separating the system. I think UAB and UAH would MUCH rather have a board with 50/50 alumni from both schools, because neither side would want to mess with the other.
Just noticed this in the article:
"Second, he said UAH could risk millions if no longer lumped in with the Alabama System in the state budget. A separate UAH would suddenly have to fend for itself alongside Athens State, Troy State and others."
Not sure if that was intentional, but funny.
UAB could afford to break of UAT' s system. So why can't UAB & UAH do as such. It's time to take the A out of UAB & UAH.
(01-15-2012 10:36 PM)DkB94 Wrote: [ -> ]UAB could afford to break of UAT' s system. So why can't UAB & UAH do as such. It's time to take the A out of UAB & UAH.
It's not that simple. UAB gets almost $200 million in direct appropriation from the state. That number would almost certainly go down if not lumped in with UA. Keep in mind that any money generated by UAB does not go to Tuscaloosa, so the whole "UAB is the cash cow of the UA System" doesn't really fly. I'm anti-split, but this whole thing needs to be played into better representation for UAB and UAH on the Board of Trustees.
I too am not sure about the whole split thing. But I am a huge advocate for EQUAL representation on the BOT! Four members from Tuscaloosa, four from Huntsville, and four from Birmingham! ! !