AxeEm99 said:

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I will just say this about the Texas State System.... My dad was a professor at SH for 35 years and worked under that System. If it was not for the funding and other numerous benefits that TSUS provided to SH, they would not be where they are today!!! SFA may fit better in another System, but there is absolutely no reason that TSUS would not benefit SFA significantly!!

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SFA Jack Fanatic said:

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During the Alumni Association Zoom meeting today, Erika Tolar, President of the Alumni Association, stated that "99.8% of the feedback received so far about the possible move to a system has included 'Don't change our name', don't change our colors, and 'don't change our mascot". Good to know!

She also said that if you hear any rumors about the situation from anyone other than directly from Dr. Westbrook, just ignore them. Everything else is just noise.

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BigJack85 said:

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SFA Jack Fanatic said:

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During the Alumni Association Zoom meeting today, Erika Tolar, President of the Alumni Association, stated that "99.8% of the feedback received so far about the possible move to a system has included 'Don't change our name', don't change our colors, and 'don't change our mascot". Good to know!

She also said that if you hear any rumors about the situation from anyone other than directly from Dr. Westbrook, just ignore them. Everything else is just noise.

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Good to know. I hope we have some information posted about the feedback gathered, and soon.

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TallTexan said:

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Nice!

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TallTexan said:

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That would be fantastic. It might make sense for the business school but I could see others as well.

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Quote:

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Hello Regents,

In regards to SFA joining a system, I think it's a fantastic idea that can power SFA for the next 100 years. Some of the systems mentioned produce fine institutions.

SFA has several needs that systems can address. Additional funding. Increased admissions marketing. Initiatives to boost graduation rates. Support via athletic's buy games & conference moves. Prestige.

First, my opinion: I would be very much in favor of SFA joining the UT system. The UT Brand is known worldwide for academic quality. Additionally, based on the metrics, I think the system supports its schools very well. Overall, it has higher graduation rates, growth rates, professor salaries, & per student funding than the other systems. That will be good for every student who steps foot in Nacogdoches & our professors/staff too. I strongly believe in the "never be the smartest person in the room" principle. In any other system, we'd be the best & usually largest non flagship school on Day 1. I'd rather have peers that drive us to do better.

My next best option would be Texas Tech. To borrow an old technology industry adage, "no one ever got fired for buying IBM". If Texas is IBM, joining Tech is joining a promising startup. They understand political power & wield it effectively(see that new vet school) & understand regional identities. Furthermore, a synergistic relationship could exist tying East & West Texas together that could funnel excess DFW & HOU students to Nacogdoches. In 20 years, joining Tech could look very prescient.

Why not A&M or Texas State? Well for one, I'd ask whether SFA gains much under Texas State, besides losing our independent regents. They don't wield much if any political power & funding doesn't seem that great. As for A&M, their non PUF schools are languishing in growth rates & graduation rates. If not for the recent funding burst for Tarleton, a PUF school, all of their schools outside the flagship seem to be largely ignored or an afterthought. And under the state constitution, SFA will be a non PUF school no matter which system we chose, so how they treat non PUF schools is important.

So once again I reiterate my top 2 choices. UT, then Tech. I would be most happy with either.

If I were the regents, I would ask systems for the following statistics:

• Enrollment growth rate for the past decade
• Average Professor Salaries & Benefits
• Graduation Rates by race/first gen college students(and subsequent 10 year growth rates)
  

I would also be curious as to their plans for SFA, how they'll fund us, & whether we'll get system benefits like the UT Advantage program that provides funding for college for students whose families make under a certain threshold. UT RGV offers this for students whose families make under 100k. That would be huge for SFA students & their families.


PS: Much has been made about the name. Regardless of name, I will love the university in Nacogdoches currently known as SFA. I personally feel that some uniqueness is a plus. I will say that UT Nac, Texas Tech Nac, & A&M Nac would be a terrible branding decision.

If the name must change, I'd suggest one of the following based on system: UT East Texas, University of Texas Eastern, East Texas A&M, or East Texas Tech. Something that gives us some brandability within our home region without being too generic.

I'm confident that in today's political environment, the name will not change. One mention of "erasing Stephen F. Austin" will have prominent Texans who have to Google "where is SFA located" tying themselves to Surfing Steve & singing "we will not be moved". The name is safe.

As for the suggestion that all UT schools need an Orange highlight(debatable IMO), I'd suggest a reddish or pinkish orange replace the old red accents with a fitting name for the color like Tejas Sunset Orange to quell any naysayers.

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TallTexan said:

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Finally got around to submitting my comment so figured I would share here as well.

Quote:

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Hello Regents,

In regards to SFA joining a system, I think it's a fantastic idea that can power SFA for the next 100 years. Some of the systems mentioned produce fine institutions.

SFA has several needs that systems can address. Additional funding. Increased admissions marketing. Initiatives to boost graduation rates. Support via athletic's buy games & conference moves. Prestige.

First, my opinion: I would be very much in favor of SFA joining the UT system. The UT Brand is known worldwide for academic quality. Additionally, based on the metrics, I think the system supports its schools very well. Overall, it has higher graduation rates, growth rates, professor salaries, & per student funding than the other systems. That will be good for every student who steps foot in Nacogdoches & our professors/staff too. I strongly believe in the "never be the smartest person in the room" principle. In any other system, we'd be the best & usually largest non flagship school on Day 1. I'd rather have peers that drive us to do better.

My next best option would be Texas Tech. To borrow an old technology industry adage, "no one ever got fired for buying IBM". If Texas is IBM, joining Tech is joining a promising startup. They understand political power & wield it effectively(see that new vet school) & understand regional identities. Furthermore, a synergistic relationship could exist tying East & West Texas together that could funnel excess DFW & HOU students to Nacogdoches. In 20 years, joining Tech could look very prescient.

Why not A&M or Texas State? Well for one, I'd ask whether SFA gains much under Texas State, besides losing our independent regents. They don't wield much if any political power & funding doesn't seem that great. As for A&M, their non PUF schools are languishing in growth rates & graduation rates. If not for the recent funding burst for Tarleton, a PUF school, all of their schools outside the flagship seem to be largely ignored or an afterthought. And under the state constitution, SFA will be a non PUF school no matter which system we chose, so how they treat non PUF schools is important.

So once again I reiterate my top 2 choices. UT, then Tech. I would be most happy with either.

If I were the regents, I would ask systems for the following statistics:

• Enrollment growth rate for the past decade
• Average Professor Salaries & Benefits
• Graduation Rates by race/first gen college students(and subsequent 10 year growth rates)
  

I would also be curious as to their plans for SFA, how they'll fund us, & whether we'll get system benefits like the UT Advantage program that provides funding for college for students whose families make under a certain threshold. UT RGV offers this for students whose families make under 100k. That would be huge for SFA students & their families.


PS: Much has been made about the name. Regardless of name, I will love the university in Nacogdoches currently known as SFA. I personally feel that some uniqueness is a plus. I will say that UT Nac, Texas Tech Nac, & A&M Nac would be a terrible branding decision.

If the name must change, I'd suggest one of the following based on system: UT East Texas, University of Texas Eastern, East Texas A&M, or East Texas Tech. Something that gives us some brandability within our home region without being too generic.

I'm confident that in today's political environment, the name will not change. One mention of "erasing Stephen F. Austin" will have prominent Texans who have to Google "where is SFA located" tying themselves to Surfing Steve & singing "we will not be moved". The name is safe.

As for the suggestion that all UT schools need an Orange highlight(debatable IMO), I'd suggest a reddish or pinkish orange replace the old red accents with a fitting name for the color like Tejas Sunset Orange to quell any naysayers.

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BigJack85 said:

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TallTexan said:

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Finally got around to submitting my comment so figured I would share here as well.

Quote:

---

Hello Regents,

In regards to SFA joining a system, I think it's a fantastic idea that can power SFA for the next 100 years. Some of the systems mentioned produce fine institutions.

SFA has several needs that systems can address. Additional funding. Increased admissions marketing. Initiatives to boost graduation rates. Support via athletic's buy games & conference moves. Prestige.

First, my opinion: I would be very much in favor of SFA joining the UT system. The UT Brand is known worldwide for academic quality. Additionally, based on the metrics, I think the system supports its schools very well. Overall, it has higher graduation rates, growth rates, professor salaries, & per student funding than the other systems. That will be good for every student who steps foot in Nacogdoches & our professors/staff too. I strongly believe in the "never be the smartest person in the room" principle. In any other system, we'd be the best & usually largest non flagship school on Day 1. I'd rather have peers that drive us to do better.

My next best option would be Texas Tech. To borrow an old technology industry adage, "no one ever got fired for buying IBM". If Texas is IBM, joining Tech is joining a promising startup. They understand political power & wield it effectively(see that new vet school) & understand regional identities. Furthermore, a synergistic relationship could exist tying East & West Texas together that could funnel excess DFW & HOU students to Nacogdoches. In 20 years, joining Tech could look very prescient.

Why not A&M or Texas State? Well for one, I'd ask whether SFA gains much under Texas State, besides losing our independent regents. They don't wield much if any political power & funding doesn't seem that great. As for A&M, their non PUF schools are languishing in growth rates & graduation rates. If not for the recent funding burst for Tarleton, a PUF school, all of their schools outside the flagship seem to be largely ignored or an afterthought. And under the state constitution, SFA will be a non PUF school no matter which system we chose, so how they treat non PUF schools is important.

So once again I reiterate my top 2 choices. UT, then Tech. I would be most happy with either.

If I were the regents, I would ask systems for the following statistics:

• Enrollment growth rate for the past decade
• Average Professor Salaries & Benefits
• Graduation Rates by race/first gen college students(and subsequent 10 year growth rates)
  

I would also be curious as to their plans for SFA, how they'll fund us, & whether we'll get system benefits like the UT Advantage program that provides funding for college for students whose families make under a certain threshold. UT RGV offers this for students whose families make under 100k. That would be huge for SFA students & their families.


PS: Much has been made about the name. Regardless of name, I will love the university in Nacogdoches currently known as SFA. I personally feel that some uniqueness is a plus. I will say that UT Nac, Texas Tech Nac, & A&M Nac would be a terrible branding decision.

If the name must change, I'd suggest one of the following based on system: UT East Texas, University of Texas Eastern, East Texas A&M, or East Texas Tech. Something that gives us some brandability within our home region without being too generic.

I'm confident that in today's political environment, the name will not change. One mention of "erasing Stephen F. Austin" will have prominent Texans who have to Google "where is SFA located" tying themselves to Surfing Steve & singing "we will not be moved". The name is safe.

As for the suggestion that all UT schools need an Orange highlight(debatable IMO), I'd suggest a reddish or pinkish orange replace the old red accents with a fitting name for the color like Tejas Sunset Orange to quell any naysayers.

---

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You make very tangible points. My only difference, is with the naming convention. I feel this is an important point as the name is an important part of what makes SFA , SFA

Texas Tech is attractive because they have decided to allow autonomy with the benefits of system participation.

UT clearly has the biggest impact from a reputation standpoint. The monetary issues probably stack up very positively also, for the UT system. My compromise with respect to joining the UT system, would be our name. I would like us to be: Stephen F Austin University of Texas

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TallTexan said:

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BigJack85 said:

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TallTexan said:

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Finally got around to submitting my comment so figured I would share here as well.

Quote:

---

Hello Regents,

In regards to SFA joining a system, I think it's a fantastic idea that can power SFA for the next 100 years. Some of the systems mentioned produce fine institutions.

SFA has several needs that systems can address. Additional funding. Increased admissions marketing. Initiatives to boost graduation rates. Support via athletic's buy games & conference moves. Prestige.

First, my opinion: I would be very much in favor of SFA joining the UT system. The UT Brand is known worldwide for academic quality. Additionally, based on the metrics, I think the system supports its schools very well. Overall, it has higher graduation rates, growth rates, professor salaries, & per student funding than the other systems. That will be good for every student who steps foot in Nacogdoches & our professors/staff too. I strongly believe in the "never be the smartest person in the room" principle. In any other system, we'd be the best & usually largest non flagship school on Day 1. I'd rather have peers that drive us to do better.

My next best option would be Texas Tech. To borrow an old technology industry adage, "no one ever got fired for buying IBM". If Texas is IBM, joining Tech is joining a promising startup. They understand political power & wield it effectively(see that new vet school) & understand regional identities. Furthermore, a synergistic relationship could exist tying East & West Texas together that could funnel excess DFW & HOU students to Nacogdoches. In 20 years, joining Tech could look very prescient.

Why not A&M or Texas State? Well for one, I'd ask whether SFA gains much under Texas State, besides losing our independent regents. They don't wield much if any political power & funding doesn't seem that great. As for A&M, their non PUF schools are languishing in growth rates & graduation rates. If not for the recent funding burst for Tarleton, a PUF school, all of their schools outside the flagship seem to be largely ignored or an afterthought. And under the state constitution, SFA will be a non PUF school no matter which system we chose, so how they treat non PUF schools is important.

So once again I reiterate my top 2 choices. UT, then Tech. I would be most happy with either.

If I were the regents, I would ask systems for the following statistics:

• Enrollment growth rate for the past decade
• Average Professor Salaries & Benefits
• Graduation Rates by race/first gen college students(and subsequent 10 year growth rates)
  

I would also be curious as to their plans for SFA, how they'll fund us, & whether we'll get system benefits like the UT Advantage program that provides funding for college for students whose families make under a certain threshold. UT RGV offers this for students whose families make under 100k. That would be huge for SFA students & their families.


PS: Much has been made about the name. Regardless of name, I will love the university in Nacogdoches currently known as SFA. I personally feel that some uniqueness is a plus. I will say that UT Nac, Texas Tech Nac, & A&M Nac would be a terrible branding decision.

If the name must change, I'd suggest one of the following based on system: UT East Texas, University of Texas Eastern, East Texas A&M, or East Texas Tech. Something that gives us some brandability within our home region without being too generic.

I'm confident that in today's political environment, the name will not change. One mention of "erasing Stephen F. Austin" will have prominent Texans who have to Google "where is SFA located" tying themselves to Surfing Steve & singing "we will not be moved". The name is safe.

As for the suggestion that all UT schools need an Orange highlight(debatable IMO), I'd suggest a reddish or pinkish orange replace the old red accents with a fitting name for the color like Tejas Sunset Orange to quell any naysayers.

---

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You make very tangible points. My only difference, is with the naming convention. I feel this is an important point as the name is an important part of what makes SFA , SFA

Texas Tech is attractive because they have decided to allow autonomy with the benefits of system participation.

UT clearly has the biggest impact from a reputation standpoint. The monetary issues probably stack up very positively also, for the UT system. My compromise with respect to joining the UT system, would be our name. I would like us to be: Stephen F Austin University of Texas

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I could certainly live with SFA UT or UT SFA. I don't think it'll change at all, but I could live with those.

Having to incorporate orange somewhere is what I think the biggest revolt would be.

But UTMB gets away with this, which they definitely call red.
https://www.utmb.edu/identity/visual-identity/our-logo

And something like this Mets hat with a redder orange like UTMB has would look pretty fantastic imo:


I was never a fan of red & purple SFA, but I think it may have been the execution more than the 2 colors together.

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TallTexan said:

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What's the next step in this process now that the feedback process is closed.

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SFAJack_76 said:

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TallTexan said:

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What's the next step in this process now that the feedback process is closed.

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Feedback is presented to Dr. Westbrook. He will present it at the next BOR. Don't know if that will be public or executive session. They then make a decision on which system to pursue. I don't know when we might hear who the preferred system is.

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nacluth said:

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Do we really think that UT is going to compete with UT Tyler right up the road? That makes no sense to me.

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SFAXE93 said:

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Well isn't this just franchising, like a Walgreens on every corner.

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nacluth said:

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Do we really think that UT is going to compete with UT Tyler right up the road? That makes no sense to me.

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TallTexan said:

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nacluth said:

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Do we really think that UT is going to compete with UT Tyler right up the road? That makes no sense to me.

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SFA campus is rare in this state in that its a traditional go away to college experience & not a commuter college.




I think thats why there's interest.

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PurpleOut said:

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nacluth said:

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Do we really think that UT is going to compete with UT Tyler right up the road? That makes no sense to me.

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Like I tell my customers when I pitch SEO services, having the 1st spot in Google is great. But, what if you had the 1st AND 2nd spot? Would the extra traffic and business be good for you?

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SFAJack_76 said:

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Learned today that the questions to the four systems, and their responses, will be made public. Should be interesting. Probably posted to:

https://www.sfasu.edu/about-sfa/board-of-regents/university-system

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