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

With the BOT being a self perpetuating board, there is only one entity that can have any impact on this situation and that is the state legislature. Only the legislature can initiate a constitutional amendment which can reorganize the BOT, change the university affiliation of its members, change the way BOT members are selected. and/or even provide the Birmingham and Huntsville campuses their own board.

The good news is that many in the Birmingham area delegation are already moving in that direction. Given the problems which the BOT has caused for UAH, the Huntsville delegation is very likely to go along. We have to make sure that the state senators and state representatives who represent us personally are also on board. Here is how you can identify your senator and your representative

Go the Alabama State legislature home page - http://www.legislature.state.al.us/
Look about half way down on the blue bar to your left for "Find Your Legislator” and enter your 9 number zip code. (The last four number extension to your zip code is necessary because there are often more than one district in a zip code. )

Hit your return key and you should then be provided the names of your state senator and state representative. Click on their names to get contact info and give each of them a call.

When I called I was actually shocked to find out how interested my Senator (Slade Blackwell) and my Representative (Danny Garrett) were, how generous they were with their time, and how willing they were to help. Slade was already pretty already on board and needed little convincing, but Danny is newly elected and knew very little about the situation. However, after we talked it over for an hour, earlier in the week Danny wrote a letter to Watts which he posted on his Facebook page. Now that the program has been axed, he is now exploring next steps with his legislative associates.

If you live in Alabama, please call your state senator and state representative now. Your best bet is to concentrate on the affect on UAB and the surrounding communities and the absolutely deplorable way Dr. Watts has handled this entire situation.

DO IT!!!!!

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I've contacted my legislature and he has been responsive. He too is a new legislator and isn't familiar with the BOT interference, but is himself a UAB bball season ticket holder and is concerned about the effect dropping football will have on conference affiliation.

There is more than one realistic way to get something done.

(12-04-2014 03:56 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  There is more than one realistic way to get something done.

I'm game. Name another - appeal to Watts' human side perhaps.

(12-04-2014 03:56 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  There is more than one realistic way to get something done.

I'm game. Name another - talk Watts into resigning perhaps.

(12-04-2014 03:58 PM)CajunBlazer Wrote:  

(12-04-2014 03:56 PM)demiveeman Wrote:  There is more than one realistic way to get something done.

I'm game. Name another - talk Watts into resigning perhaps.

As somebody on the front lines of what the students are doing, I can tell you right now that we are on the very precipice of the Faculty Senate voting a bid of no confidence. The leadership of the Faculty Senate are all but one on the med side - but many of the other faculty senate members are appalled by the way this was handled, the lack of input they had in this process, and the way Watts has handled himself as President of UAB. Watts has only been President for one year and has already made one of this biggest undergraduate decisions in the last 10 years without consulting any of his faculty. We need to urge those Faculty Senate members, respectfully, that Watts is not fit to lead this university. The minutes of their last meeting with him should e-mailed to them as a reminder of his integrity in all of this.

The USGA has already voted unanimously for a bid of no confidence in Watts. The Faculty Senate meeting is Tuesday and it is open to students and alumni. It needs to be standing room only with Blazers out into the halls and entrances of the building.

If the USGA and Faculty Senate both vote a bid of no confidence, then the GSA will follow suit. This will put it up to the board. IF the Board of Trustees dared to go against the voices of their students and faculty...this fight would become 100-fold what it is right now.

After Watts is gone, the argument that needs to be made is that Watts was not competent enough to lead this study the right way and the UAB Athletics programs that were cut should be immediately reinstated for an additional calendar year for further investigation into this matter. An athletics subcommittee should be formed with administrators, faculty members, alumni, city leaders, businesses, and students to jointly commission their own study and review of how to best support the Athletic programs on campus. UAB getting into a bowl game extends our time table to fight this most effectively and adds even more outside pressure and light on the circumstances surrounding this decision.

The two biggest priorities right now should be contacting the New Orleans Bowl with support to take us in a bowl game and convincing the UAB Faculty Senate to vote a bid of no confidence in Watts.

I am going to be reaching out to mine. My state rep is actually a long time friend of the family that I have a good relationship with. I know my senator as well, albeit professionally. He is a Troy grad and studied law at Samford, so no ties in Tuscaloosa. Maybe they will be receptive. I truly believe that the best chance for reform will be the legislative route. It might take a few years, as most things usually do, but we have to get some legislators on board and get them to keep hammering at it each year.