Let's remind the trustees (especially the ones that aren't named Bryant, St. John, and Espy) that dropping football will hurt the Campaign for UAB (it already has) and it will hurt undergraduate enrollment, which helps fund many programs at UAB including some on the medical side of campus.
Don't let up! Our emails, calls, posts, and tweets have had a positive impact for our cause.
So where are the trustees email adresses posted on this site? Im on vacation today and have time to write.
It's important to call Watts' office as well. Don't let him off the hook in this
The Honorable Robert J. Bentley
President ex officio of the Board
Governor of Alabama
Alabama State Capitol
Room N-104
600 Dexter Avenue
Montgomery, AL 36130
334-242-7150
Fax: 334-242-3282
Executive Assistant: Julie Lindsey
Julie.Lindsey@governor.alabama.gov
Thomas R. Bice, Ed.D.
Member ex officio of the Board
State Superintendent of Education
State Department of Education
P. O. Box 302101
Montgomery, AL 36130-2101
334-242-9700
FAX: 334-242-9708
tbice@alsde.edu
Mr. Paul W. Bryant, Jr. (Fourth Congressional District)
President pro tempore of the Board
President, Greene Group, Inc.
P. O. Box 020152
Tuscaloosa, AL 35402
205-247-3423
FAX: 205-391-4519
paul.bryant@greenegroupinc.com
Mrs. Karen Phifer Brooks (Seventh Congressional District)
Vice President/Treasurer
Phifer Incorporated
P. O. Box 1700
Tuscaloosa, AL 35403
205-345-2120
FAX: 205-464-3832
karen.brooks@phifer.com
kpbrooks@comcast.net
Judge John H. England, Jr. (Seventh Congressional District)
Circuit Court Judge
Tuscaloosa County Courthouse
714 Greensboro Avenue, Room 225
Tuscaloosa, AL 35401
205-464-8255
FAX: 205-464-8876
john.england@alacourt.gov
Mr. Joseph C. Espy III (Second Congressional District)
Attorney at Law
Melton, Espy & Williams, P.C.
Drawer 5130
Montgomery, AL 36103
334-263-6621
FAX: 334-263-7252
jespy@mewlegal.com
Mr. Ronald W. Gray (Fifth Congressional District)
13 Ledge View Drive
Huntsville, AL 35802
256-426-2390
rwgray41@gmail.com
Ms. Barbara Humphrey (Seventh Congressional District)
1705 14th Avenue South
Apartment B
Birmingham, AL 35205
205-999-5339
humphreybf@yahoo.com
Mr. John D. Johns (Sixth Congressional District)
Chairman, President and CEO
Protective Life Corporation
2801 Highway 280 South
Birmingham, AL 35223
205-268-3448
FAX: 205-268-3023
jjohns@protective.com
Ms. Vanessa Leonard (Sixth Congressional District)
Attorney at Law
P. O. Box 97
Rockford, AL 35136
256-377-2658
FAX: 256-377-1908
leonardlawvl@aol.com
Mr. W. Davis Malone III (Second Congressional District)
Chairman
MidSouth Bank
2526 West Main Street
Dothan, AL 36301
334-702-7774
FAX: 334-794-4401
Davis.Malone@bankmidsouth.com
Mr. Harris V. Morrissette (First Congressional District)
President
China Doll/Dixie Lily Foods
100 Jacintoport Boulevard
Saraland, AL 36571
251-457-7641
FAX: 251-457-4569
hmorrissette@chinadollrice.com
Mr. William "Britt" Sexton (Fifth Congressional District)
CEO
Sexton, Inc.
P. O. Box 369
Decatur, AL 35602
256-355-3660
FAX: 256-355-1548
bsexton@sextonsinc.com
Mr. Finis E. St. John IV (Fourth Congressional District)
Attorney at Law
St. John & St. John, LLC
P. O. Box 2130
Cullman, AL 35056
256-734-3542
FAX: 256-734-3544
stjohnfe@bellsouth.net
Mrs. Marietta M. Urquhart (First Congressional District)
Sales Associate
Heggeman Realty Co., Inc.
725 Executive Park Drive
Mobile, AL 36606
251-479-8606
FAX: 251-479-8630
murquhart@heggeman.com
Kenneth L. Vandervoort, M.D. (Third Congressional District)
Partner
Anniston Orthopaedic Associates, P.A.
731 Leighton Avenue, Suite 300
Anniston, AL 36207
256-236-4121
FAX: 256-237-5254
drklvandervoort@gmail.com
Mr. James W. Wilson III (Third Congressional District)
Chairman and CEO
Jim Wilson & Associates, LLC
2660 Eastchase Lane, Suite 100
Montgomery, AL 36117
334-260-2500
FAX: 334-260-2533
j.wilson3@jwamalls.com
Let's hit them today!! Especially this morning. They may not answer due to Thanksgiving, but leave messages and send emails. Don't let them think we will fade away. Keep the pressure.
Email the provost too. While she graduated from UAT she built the Engineering department at UAB and was a huge supporter of student activities as Dean. She holds a masters degree from UAB.
Dear Trustees:
As a graduate of UAB, I wanted to express my concerns to you regarding UAB Football.
First, I think the recent outpouring and the relative success of this season have shown that a lot of people care deeply about this program. It's not Alabama or Auburn, but it is has higher attendance than 40+ other FBS schools. The future is looking very bright under Bill Clark's leadership, and he clearly wants to be at UAB.
Second, I'm afraid the Campaign for UAB will come to a halt if football is not supported. Dropping football sends a message to UAB supporters that the administration and trustees are not serious about growing UAB, and donors expect to invest in growth. You guys have more insight on this topic than I do, so look to see if donations have slowed and/or been pulled. I have heard that that is the case.
Please support giving UAB Football a chance to grow and thrive. It is good for UAB, it's good for Birmingham, and it is good for the UA System!
Thanks!
Sincerely,
Lee Miller
UAB Class if 1998
(11-26-2014 10:15 AM)TMcCarty Wrote: [ -> ]Someone still uses AOL?
I use Compuserve & Prodigy.
I finally sent in my message today.
Greetings. If you're receiving this email, it is due to your participation in the UA System Board of Trustees, with the addition of my district's state senator.
UAB, and in particular its football program, has received a lot of press recently. UAB, as an institution, is the largest economic engine in the largest metropolitan area of the state. It has an economic impact that reaches far beyond our city, impacting the entire state. People come from around the region to learn from our schools and be treated by our medical system. Since its inception, what is UAB has only evolved, grown, and improved. Any measure to limit the ability of its growth, or indeed, to shrink it via the potential closing of the football program, is short-sighted. The potential impact is far reaching. What other sports and programs would also close due to this? No more marching band. Smaller cheerleader and dance programs. What women's sports would also be shutdown if they were no longer needed to close the large scholarship gap that a football program creates?
Athletics focus and existence shouldn't be to provide a profit. It's about providing opportunities to receive a higher education without the burden of student debt for some, or where it isn't possible for others. It's about the lessons that can't be learned in the classroom. The dedication to a team, learning to work with others, and an identity greater than yourself.
Athletics also provides an opportunity to bring alumni back. While I'm fortunate to have never left the Birmingham area since my time as a student at UAB, many others have. Athletics help give a university an identity and drive people to come back and to give back. That giving happens across the interests they have throughout their time at UAB.
Please don't allow for UAB to be minimized or held back in any way. Invest in UAB. Time has shown that the return on that investment is profound.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Todd McCarty - UAB 2005, 2010
(11-26-2014 10:37 AM)ATTALLABLAZE Wrote: [ -> ]Keep it up.
"I will fight until hell freezes over and then find on the ice."
- attributed to Captain Mattingly, Battle of Bulltown
How is Paul Bryant a member of the board from District 4. He doesn't reside in District 4. That's Robert Abernathy's district which runs across the northern counties like Etowah, Dekalb, Cullman etc. All unethical.
Flood Watts email and phone calls
Just sent Watts another email with all the trustees and Dr. Witt copied.
He needs to have an unbearably full inbox and voicemail when he comes in on Monday.
Watts is who we need to hammer to the end and also Witt. Watts is making the decision and we need to make it hard on him.
Witt - witt@uasystem.ua.edu
Copy Witt when you e-mail Watts.
My letter:
Dr. Ray Watts
President
University of Alabama at Birmingham
1720 2nd Avenue South
Birmingham, Alabama 35294
RE: What is best for UAB
Dear Dr. Watts,
I am writing in response to the speculative news reports that have flooded both local and national news outlets over the past several weeks regarding the future of the University of Alabama-Birmingham and its athletic department. What is being discussed is worrisome to me to say the least and I felt that I needed to give you one more perspective and opinion on the issue.
I am a 2014 graduate of the UAB School of Optometry and I am currently serving as an optometrist in the United States Air Force. My family moved to the Birmingham area when I was 5 years old and I am still proud to call Birmingham home and UAB my alma mater no matter what location I end up serving in.
Ever since I arrived in Birmingham as a child I have felt a strong connection to the city if Birmingham and the University of Alabama-Birmingham. This is undoubtedly because I instantly fell in love with all things Blazer related. I still remember the moment when Blazer athletics grabbed a hold of me. It was September 22, 2001. It was the first weekend of football after the tragedy of 9-11 which made the moment special along with the added significance of playing a service academy football team. That was the moment that made me realize how important this university and its football team was to me. This experience also played a huge role in me deciding to complete my doctorate in optometry at UAB when I could have easily gone to several other schools at which I also interviewed and was accepted to.
To take away the football program at UAB is to take away what ties myself and so many others to our Alma Mater and our hometown. It is an injustice to all of the people that have studied at our wonderful school at any level. To take that connection, pride, and joy away is an unspeakable crime. I am currently stationed at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs Colorado and our wonderful football is what brings me back home on 12 fall weekends every year. I have supported this university and its athletic program in my upmost capacity ever since that fall day in 2001, even officially becoming a donor to the athletic program upon my graduation from optometry school. If the rash decision is made to discontinue a program that is so important to so many past, present, and future UAB students and alumni. The bitter taste that would be left in my mouth would make it very difficult to support anything that is done by our university in the future. The pain and anger at the people who made this decision would be too much to overcome.
I implore you to stand up for what is right. To fight for what is best for our entire university and the city of Birmingham as a whole. This program has support from the entire community as is shown by the outcry that this news has started as well as the attendance and excitement that has surrounded the program since Bill Clark took over as head football coach. I appreciate your time and effort and I hope that my thoughts and concerns do not fall on deaf ears.
Very Respectfully,
JONATHAN D. HALEY, Capt, USAF, BSC
2355 Faculty Dr. 1N238
USAF Academy, CO 80840
Another person that needs to be emailed is Allen Bolton, the new VP of Financial Affairs. He is Watts' right hand mind coming up with their financial data to support their logic of shutting the program down.
Mention that athletics isn't about making money, but the growth it provides for the University. Mention how past data cannot be used to predict the future with a new coach. Mention that 91 other schools lose money on football but they aren't shutting down.