Anyone have a list of the questions we sent out?
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TallTexan said:That is fantastic news.SFAJack_76 said:
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
Conference call at 3:30.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
Gonna need someone to drop that dial in info.
Looks like system responses are due tomorrow, so this should shake out pretty quick this month.
Looks like system responses are due tomorrow, so this should shake out pretty quick this month.
If you are an Alumni Association ambassador, you should have gotten the information by email.TallTexan said:
Gonna need someone to drop that dial in info.
Looks like system responses are due tomorrow, so this should shake out pretty quick this month.
I'm unfortunately not, but I know who to bug for updates now.
Dr. Westbrook spent a significant amount of time confirming that, our name/identity is at the front of the communications to the systems representative.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
SFAJack_76 said:If you are an Alumni Association ambassador, you should have gotten the information by email.TallTexan said:
I did not.
176 questions sent to the four systems. Responses are due back on October 6.
All questions and responses will be posted to SFASU.edu/system web site on Monday, October 10.
.
The other dates on that site are valid. A decision will not be made at the regular Board meeting. A special meeting will be called, probably before the end of November to make a yes/no decision to join a system, and which system if yes.
All questions and responses will be posted to SFASU.edu/system web site on Monday, October 10.
.
The other dates on that site are valid. A decision will not be made at the regular Board meeting. A special meeting will be called, probably before the end of November to make a yes/no decision to join a system, and which system if yes.
SFAJack_76 said:
176 questions sent to the four systems. Responses are due back on October 6.
All questions and responses will be posted to SFASU.edu/system web site on Monday, October 10.
.
The other dates on that site are valid. A decision will not be made at the regular Board meeting. A special meeting will be called, probably before the end of November to make a yes/no decision to join a system, and which system if yes.
Gracias.
Will eagerly be refreshing the website on the 10th.
The system responses are up. If you plan to read all of them, make sure you have plenty of free time available. Combined, they total about 210 pages long.
https://www.sfasu.edu/about-sfa/board-of-regents/university-system
https://www.sfasu.edu/about-sfa/board-of-regents/university-system
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Starting to go through them, definitely going to need some sort of summary comparison. I'm already tired and just on the first system.
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What?
Quote:
22. Will the athletics program still be under the NCAA restrictions from the win with Duke?
Who the hell submitted that question?PurpleOut said:
What?Quote:
22. Will the athletics program still be under the NCAA restrictions from the win with Duke?
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A&M doesn't know what conference we are in:
Quote:
27. What will SFA lose in this acquisition?
In fairness, what is being discussed isn't an acquisition. SFA can choose to affiliate with
the Texas A&M University System just as you affiliate with the Southland Conference.
In return, we benefit from your location and your many fine programs, and you benefit
from our size, resources and diversity. Joining a larger organization generally brings
some transitional pains, but we have committed to SFA's leadership to make the
transition as seamless and stress-free as possible and as beneficial as possible to them and
to you, the students. We respect and admire your university and its rich traditions. We
don't want to remake it. We want to make it better and in so doing make the A&M
System better.
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The Alumni Association. Yeesh.sfajack05 said:Who the hell submitted that question?PurpleOut said:
What?Quote:
22. Will the athletics program still be under the NCAA restrictions from the win with Duke?
sfajack05 said:Who the hell submitted that question?PurpleOut said:
What?Quote:
22. Will the athletics program still be under the NCAA restrictions from the win with Duke?
I think it was the alumni group iirc and I'm pissed that it was included. It makes us look juvenile and is incorrect too.
I'll see if I can summarize in a real post, but a quick read through shows:
UT: No name change. No color changes. Access to the PUF, access to the promise fund that provides tuition for students whose families make under 125k, plan for faculty & staff pay raises, and a desire to use our forestry and Ag expertise to help make UT system a leader in sustainable food production and natural resource management. Compared SFA favorably to UT RGV.
A&M: Higher Ed Funds(we already access these), moving some A&M deep East Texas offices to SFA, love our forestry program. Says staff pay raises are a local decision. Mentioned expanding engineering Said we are comparable to Commerce & Tarleton and said we're in the Southland conference.
Texas Tech: Stressed growth at Angelo St, political power in securing new vet school, I didn't see whether SFA would get a Texas Tech health science center or not, and said SFA partners well bc Tech knows rural schools. No staff or pay raises guaranteed as a locally decided issue like A&M.
Texas State: Lol why is this a system? They should be trying to join others with us. Did mention that the best selling point is practically independent but now we have to share regents.
UT: No name change. No color changes. Access to the PUF, access to the promise fund that provides tuition for students whose families make under 125k, plan for faculty & staff pay raises, and a desire to use our forestry and Ag expertise to help make UT system a leader in sustainable food production and natural resource management. Compared SFA favorably to UT RGV.
A&M: Higher Ed Funds(we already access these), moving some A&M deep East Texas offices to SFA, love our forestry program. Says staff pay raises are a local decision. Mentioned expanding engineering Said we are comparable to Commerce & Tarleton and said we're in the Southland conference.
Texas Tech: Stressed growth at Angelo St, political power in securing new vet school, I didn't see whether SFA would get a Texas Tech health science center or not, and said SFA partners well bc Tech knows rural schools. No staff or pay raises guaranteed as a locally decided issue like A&M.
Texas State: Lol why is this a system? They should be trying to join others with us. Did mention that the best selling point is practically independent but now we have to share regents.
Looks like UT or A&M is the way to go.
The only response I've read so far has been UT's, and I was VERY impressed by virtually everything I read. Three things that really stood out to me were... 1) $1 million annually in new tuition relief (for example, no student at UTRGV whose family makes less than $125,000 a year pays any tuition or required fees), 2) SFA's faculty member salaries (which are woefully low) would be brought up to the level of other system faculties within 2-3 years, and 3) no changes in SFA's name, logos, mascot, etc., etc....
But I guess we're stuck with the penalties imposed on us by the NCAA for beating Duke.
Now, on to A&M's response...
But I guess we're stuck with the penalties imposed on us by the NCAA for beating Duke.
Now, on to A&M's response...
TallTexan said:sfajack05 said:Who the hell submitted that question?PurpleOut said:
What?Quote:
22. Will the athletics program still be under the NCAA restrictions from the win with Duke?
I think it was the alumni group iirc and I'm pissed that it was included. It makes us look juvenile and is incorrect too.
I had seen it and thought it would surely not be turned in. Agree, not ok.
Breezed through all 4. My first impression takeaways:
-Jeepers, these questions needed editing and pruning. It looks like the compressed timeline made it hard to consolidate/merge/trim the questions down. Some questions were asked multiple times using slightly different wording. IMO, fully half the questions could have been merged or cut.
-Way too many "special interest" questions that should not have been included. People have already mentioned the NCAA sanctions question, but there were many other that spoke to things that seem odd. Still not sure what the final question means. "What, if any, consideration has been discussed concerning changes to Nacogdoches who has been generous both financially and graciously?"
-UT's offer really took me by surprise. Not only did they promise to commit money to faculty & staff salaries, they also promised to increase donations to employee retirement. UT also promised to keep the name - very surprising.
-A&M's offer was fine. I can forgive the Southland mistake since that whole situation is messy with other schools reneging on the WAC and going back to SLC. I did not like how vague A&M was about things like salary, but could be OK considering we will get a new President and Board of Regents. SFA has always had the money to address low salaries, but just never the will to do it. New leadership, backed by a system board, could find that will.
-Tech's response was underwhelming. They were my favorite going into the process - now they have dropped down a bit in my estimation. I'm still OK with them, but I thought their response would show more enthusiasm and commitment.
-Texas State. Also underwhelming. They were my least favorite at the start and remain so.
-Jeepers, these questions needed editing and pruning. It looks like the compressed timeline made it hard to consolidate/merge/trim the questions down. Some questions were asked multiple times using slightly different wording. IMO, fully half the questions could have been merged or cut.
-Way too many "special interest" questions that should not have been included. People have already mentioned the NCAA sanctions question, but there were many other that spoke to things that seem odd. Still not sure what the final question means. "What, if any, consideration has been discussed concerning changes to Nacogdoches who has been generous both financially and graciously?"
-UT's offer really took me by surprise. Not only did they promise to commit money to faculty & staff salaries, they also promised to increase donations to employee retirement. UT also promised to keep the name - very surprising.
-A&M's offer was fine. I can forgive the Southland mistake since that whole situation is messy with other schools reneging on the WAC and going back to SLC. I did not like how vague A&M was about things like salary, but could be OK considering we will get a new President and Board of Regents. SFA has always had the money to address low salaries, but just never the will to do it. New leadership, backed by a system board, could find that will.
-Tech's response was underwhelming. They were my favorite going into the process - now they have dropped down a bit in my estimation. I'm still OK with them, but I thought their response would show more enthusiasm and commitment.
-Texas State. Also underwhelming. They were my least favorite at the start and remain so.
The acces to PUF and promise scholarships (or something similar) has persuaded me to be all-in for UT. On top of that, much-needed raises for faculty & staff? It's a no-brainer, IMO.
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Agreed. I think UT is the clear favorite now.
Be reminded that the BOR will make a final go/no and who decision based on more than just these responses. A BOR executive committee has met with representatives of each of the four. Their questions are going to be more granular than some of what we see. I don't doubt that these questions and responses cover most of it, but it's not the complete decision maker.
Note that each of the sub groups is tasked with generating a report-out to the board at the next meeting. I understand the presentations are to each be 20 minutes in length.
Note that each of the sub groups is tasked with generating a report-out to the board at the next meeting. I understand the presentations are to each be 20 minutes in length.
SFAJack_76 said:
Be reminded that the BOR will make a final go/no and who decision based on more than just these responses. A BOR executive committee has met with representatives of each of the four. Their questions are going to be more granular than some of what we see. I don't doubt that these questions and responses cover most of it, but it's not the complete decision maker.
Note that each of the sub groups is tasked with generating a report-out to the board at the next meeting. I understand the presentations are to each be 20 minutes in length.
Do you know if these will be public presentations to the board?
Pilotgirl said:
The access to PUF and promise scholarships (or something similar) has persuaded me to be all-in for UT. On top of that, much-needed raises for faculty & staff? It's a no-brainer, IMO.
Agreed. I'd do our due diligence on the mechanism to get PUF access, but that really is a game changer.
UH, Tech, and UNT would kill for PUF access. It's like getting a key to Fort Knox to make withdrawals.
Just looked at the responses. UT and Tech had the most "connected" and forward looking responses in my opinion. Between the 2, UT clearly has the most weight.
Seems to be a no brainer. UT.
Seems to be a no brainer. UT.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
TallTexan said:SFAJack_76 said:
Be reminded that the BOR will make a final go/no and who decision based on more than just these responses. A BOR executive committee has met with representatives of each of the four. Their questions are going to be more granular than some of what we see. I don't doubt that these questions and responses cover most of it, but it's not the complete decision maker.
Note that each of the sub groups is tasked with generating a report-out to the board at the next meeting. I understand the presentations are to each be 20 minutes in length.
Do you know if these will be public presentations to the board?
I don't know. Dr Westbrook mentioned in the zoom last week that the agenda had not been set at that time. As transparent as the process has been, I suspect it will be public.
TallTexan said:
UH, Tech, and UNT would kill for PUF access. It's like getting a key to Fort Knox to make withdrawals.
Methinks thou dost exaggerate just a tad, Texan.
SFA Jack Fanatic said:TallTexan said:
UH, Tech, and UNT would kill for PUF access. It's like getting a key to Fort Knox to make withdrawals.
Methinks thou dost exaggerate just a tad, Texan.
Only slight hyperbole.
I read through A&M's response. A couple of things caught my eye... 1) I saw no firm commitment or goal to bring SFA's faculty salaries up to the level of other schools in their system. They only committed to work with SFA administration to work toward that. This is a glaring difference between A&M's and UT's answers. 2) As was stated on here earlier, A&M seems most interested in bringing SFA's Forestry and Agriculture programs on board. 3) A&M seemed to rely more heavily on getting funding approvals from the Legislature than from using existing funds (at least, that seemed to be the way they answered funding questions). 4) No additional help provided to students on tuition and fees, other than a four year "guaranteed tuition and fee" rate. This is another glaring difference between A&M and UT. 5) No changes to SFA's name, mascot, colors, traditions, etc., etc...
I was amused by another question that was asked of them by someone in our Alumni Association... Would A&M "come in and tear down all of the residence halls?". Geezzz Louise...
I was amused by another question that was asked of them by someone in our Alumni Association... Would A&M "come in and tear down all of the residence halls?". Geezzz Louise...
DKCountry said:
Look at the footprints and you might have a clearer forecast.... UT has a campus in Tyler, so it's not UT. A&M has a campus in Commerce, not gonna be A&M. U of H has stated many times not interested. Now you're down to TTech and the Texas State System. If I was to wager, more likely to fit into the Texas State System with Sam, Lamar, Texas State than with TTech. Just my opinion.
Reviewing the UT system proposal. Doesn't seem like having a school in Tyler will have any impact. UT system is inviting us. I say we join and soon.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
SFA Jack Fanatic said:
...
I was amused by another question that was asked of them by someone in our Alumni Association... Would A&M "come in and tear down all of the residence halls?". Geezzz Louise...
Goodness gracious. Are we trying to make ourselves look dumb?
TallTexan said:SFA Jack Fanatic said:
...
I was amused by another question that was asked of them by someone in our Alumni Association... Would A&M "come in and tear down all of the residence halls?". Geezzz Louise...
Goodness gracious. Are we trying to make ourselves look dumb?
Not an exaggeration… whoever let that one slip through should be reprimanded. At minimum, a talking to. That is totally embarrassing.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
After reading the bulk of these system proposals, my conclusion is that NOT JOINING the UT system would be malpractice.
1. Funding. 2. Academic weight 3. Off loading of some back office expense. 4. Potential for new programs It just makes sense.
Not that the other proposals don't have additive elements.
Simply put , the UT proposal is the most comprehensive, most professional while offering a range of potential upsides for SFA.
1. Funding. 2. Academic weight 3. Off loading of some back office expense. 4. Potential for new programs It just makes sense.
Not that the other proposals don't have additive elements.
Simply put , the UT proposal is the most comprehensive, most professional while offering a range of potential upsides for SFA.
Axe 'Em Jacks - Class of 85'
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