UAB shuts down football program - does this impact Greek Life?

[ChioLu]

I hope, somehow, UAB can reverse this decision and keep their football program. If not, will losing a Division 1 football program (C-USA conference) impact Greek Life (approx 11K undergrad students)?

http://espn.go.com/college-football/...otball-program

22 GLO's at UAB
IFC: ATO, Delta Sigma Phi, Lambda Chi, TKE, Theta Chi, Pi Kappa Phi
NPC: AGD, AOPi, AXD, DG
NPHC: APhiA, KAPsi, Omega Psi Phi, Phi Beta Sigma, AKA, Delta Sigma Theta, Sigma Gamma Rho, Zeta Phi Beta
Multicultural: Beta Chi Theta, DE Psi, D Phi O, Sigma Lambda Gamma, Sigma Sigma Rho

[Kevin]

It'll possibly shift the campus culture to being an even more commuter-oriented school. Greek Life can still thrive in that sort of environment.

[Alumna2]

I know not of the school or its football program. However I am concerned, all the way to appalled, about the cost of attending college today. It is after all about getting an education. Sports can be enjoyed with an intramural program which is often part of the Greek experience.

[AnchorAlumna]

Greeks have been big supporters of UAB's football program. I want to note that UAB is also losing its men's bowling and women's rifle teams.

Obviously football is a big deal in Alabama. In addition to U of Alabama and Auburn U fielding national championship teams, the University of North Alabama has had national championship teams in a smaller NCAA division. Jacksonville State, Troy, and U of West Alabama have successful teams, and U of South Alabama has a fairly new program - their team will go to its first bowl game this year. The annual Alabama A & M and Alabama State game is renowned as the Magic City Classic. Both schools have furnished a number of players to the NFL.

Football or not, UAB has been shifting away from being a commuter school for several years now with continuing emphasis on medicine and research. Its engineering and theatre departments are growing.

Having a football team has been a point of pride and identity for UAB, but before football it had a powerhouse basketball team, and continues to field teams in other sports. UAB will survive.

[ASTalumna06]

I've only watched part of this, but it's pretty heartbreaking. The players were clearly blindsided, and they're definitely not happy about it.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eAvSuQEh6lI

[Titchou]

There is much more to this and it's very sinister. The new president, he's been in office a little over a year, is from the medical school faculty. He has already pretty much disbanded the Honors College as he considers it "elitest." Wonder what he would say about that to their young man from that program who was just named a Rhodes Scholar????

Also, the sinister side is that the medical side wants just the medical/heathcare programs and the grad school to survive. They would like to do away with the undergrad side altogether.

This week, CPH voted to invite 2 groups to colonize over the next two years. (I don't know which two those are yet). I wonder if they would be still willing to do so with all this going on? Is it worth establishing a chapter if it might be gone in 10-15 years due to undergrad being shut down?

[33girl]

So it would just be UAB, the campus of the UA system that has only medical programs and a grad school? How autonomous are the various UA campuses? Are they talking medical as in MDs or LPNs?

There seems to be a breed of college presidents out there who think the way to accolades is by making college less about learning and turning them into vocational institutions. Not everyone wants/is able to go to an Ivy or Big 10ish school. That doesn't mean a 4 year education is not in the cards for them.

[HQWest]

Originally Posted by 33girl

So it would just be UAB, the campus of the UA system that has only medical programs and a grad school? How autonomous are the various UA campuses? Are they talking medical as in MDs or LPNs?

There seems to be a breed of college presidents out there who think the way to accolades is by making college less about learning and turning them into vocational institutions. Not everyone wants/is able to go to an Ivy or Big 10ish school. That doesn't mean a 4 year education is not in the cards for them.

UAB is a highly ranked well regarded program for MDs especially in oncology. It was originally the medical school for Alabama and has only recently (last 20 years) expanded its undergraduate program. My understanding is this helped some with growth and development in downtown Birmingham but now there is concern about duplication of programs. It has been noted that when UAB wants to start something they were concerned about competing with Tuscaloosa but when UA starts nursing program at UA that is not a problem

[thetalady]

Originally Posted by HQWest

It has been noted that when UAB wants to start something they were concerned about competing with Tuscaloosa but when UA starts nursing program at UA that is not a problem

Those greedy bastards in Tuscaloosa!!! We should demand that their football program be closed down, too!!!!!

[33girl]

Not that it's the same thing, but the SSHEPA schools always had an agreement (whether this was actually written or just a gentleman's agreement, I don't know) that certain majors would not be duplicated among its members in the same geographical area. But judging by the alumni reception I attended tonight, that is out the window.

[Titchou]

There are 3 schools in the UA system = UA, UAB and UAH (Huntsville). They are all governed by the same BOT - and therein lies the rub. The vast majority of the BOT are UA graduates. Also, Paul Bryant, Jr ( son of Bear Bryant) has been on the board for decades. He is rolling off due to age restrictions but it's always been felt that he was anti UAB having a football program and that he's done everything he can to make sure it tanks. UAB proponents have long lobbied for their own BOT.

[ChioLu]

Read the Dec. 2nd post:
http://www.fireraywatts.com/

Ray Watts also killed the marching band and a majority of the cheerleading squad. What a great guy.

If a university has a Division 1 football program, who has 5-6 games televised a year and the President doesn't know how to leverage that into being a money maker, then he doesn't know how to lead a university and should be FIRED!

[OPhiAGinger]

Originally Posted by ChiOLou's linked site

Yesterday, UAB President Ray Watts killed UAB football. He also killed the bowling and rifle teams, the marching band, a big chunk of the cheerleading squad and other support groups, and in the process, killed the future education of thousands of Alabama students who, without the scholarships from those entities, will never be able to afford college.

In a situation like this when scholarships are already awarded and the programs are later eliminated, I would think the university has an obligation to continue to honor that scholarship commitment. Future scholarship opportunities are gone, but don't they have to pay out on the current commitments like with any other contractual arrangement? Is that not true?

[amIblue?]

Originally Posted by ChioLu

Read the Dec. 2nd post:
http://www.fireraywatts.com/

Ray Watts also killed the marching band and a majority of the cheerleading squad. What a great guy.

If a university has a Division 1 football program, who has 5-6 games televised a year and the President doesn't know how to leverage that into being a money maker, then he doesn't know how to lead a university and should be FIRED!

Not going to disagree with you.

Given Titchou's comments about this situation, I think that any president who is actively seeking to shrink a university's offerings should be fired. I would think that it would be in the state's best interest to have a 4-year undergraduate university in their largest city.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by OPhiAGinger

In a situation like this when scholarships are already awarded and the programs are later eliminated, I would think the university has an obligation to continue to honor that scholarship commitment. Future scholarship opportunities are gone, but don't they have to pay out on the current commitments like with any other contractual arrangement? Is that not true?

Nope. Our gymnastics program got eliminated and half the girls had to leave because their scholarships went as well.