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(08-16-2012 05:06 PM)WesternBlazer Wrote:  Chuck Dean ‏@BhamnewsDean
Dr. Ray L. Watts, dean of the UAB School of Medicine, leading choice to be named as UAB interim president, trustees say.

Well this is kind of a mixed blessing. Good that it's someone from UAB, and someone Dr. Garrison trusts. Not so good that he's on the medical side. Better than Robert Witt, though.

Watts is a UAB person, but I'm suspicious of him coming from the Med side in regards to undergrad and athletics.

(08-16-2012 04:52 PM)GreenMississippi Wrote:  

(08-16-2012 04:50 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  There hasn't really been a "to hell with the undergraduate side" lately, much to the chagrin of some at UAB. As someone who works at UAB, I actually want an outsider. All the leadership at UAB has been here forever. The place needs a little fresh blood and different perspectives.

I agree... Except that the interviewers won't pick someone who as a goal want UAB to be the best they can be. They'll pick someone who can maximize profits and funnel them to T-town. We're ****ed.

After all, look at what a great result the B'ham City School Board has had always bringing in "new blood" in leadership, only to spill it when the new leader displeases them.

I doubt that the BOT will have a long, national search list for her replacement. It will probably proceed the way the search for Chancellor went. Is St John, Espy or Joe Fine looking for a new job?

Every UAB president that has been promoted from within has come from the med side.

It's not paranoia if they really are out to get you.

I hope the new President is an intelligent, capable person who will lead UAB to greater heights in all areas.

(08-16-2012 05:09 PM)hooverblazer Wrote:  Watts is a UAB person, but I'm suspicious of him coming from the Med side in regards to undergrad and athletics.

He's also a UAB undergrad (BS in Engineering from UAB)... and a local...

http://medicine.uab.edu/neurology/faculty/Watts/

(08-16-2012 04:55 PM)mixduptransistor Wrote:  Again with the "money funneled to Tuscaloosa" meme. This does not happen. It just doesn't. Stop saying it.

I think they will pick someone who will want to see UAB succeed. Will athletics be prime on their agenda? No. Will they actively seek to demote or destroy athletics? Maybe, but I actually kind of doubt it. But, everyone here is thinking about it in the realm of how UAB has been treated in the realm of athletics, but this is so much bigger than that.

They won't purposely dismantle the undergraduate program to save money, but I would be shocked if the new president wants to continue our march toward #1 most recognized academic institution in Alabama. If UAB Hospital is referred to as "Alabama" and the UAB undergraduate campus is discouraged from recognizing it's independence from the culture that is UAT (which includes athletics) then we failed.

Watts is an interesting proposition. I could swallow that and hope for the best. I want new blood but not when UAB alumni are not picking the new blood.

Ray Watts just took over the School of Medicine. I don't necessarily see him taking over UAB as a whole. He'll be a good interim because he knows all the politics and where the bodies are buried. I don't see an insider from UAB or UA getting the job. It'll be someone from out of state.

The last time we went through a presidential search, the Chancellor Portera was the interim president. If that precedent is followed again, Robert Witt will be the interim president..

I would like to see Doug Rigney as President.

(08-16-2012 05:58 PM)uab278 Wrote:  I would like to see Doug Rigney as President.

+1

Then I could hit up his daughter and son in law for good seats.

Mike Leach or TJ Cleveland for UAB president.

(08-16-2012 06:04 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  Mike Leach or TJ Cleveland for UAB president.

I was serious. The Rigney's are a pro UAB family. Dr. Rigney holds four degrees from UAB. I know he champions the undergraduate side of campus and our athletics.

I was just goofing on Blazertalk's tendency to get behind one candidate as the " it's this guy or the end of the program" candidate

(08-16-2012 06:13 PM)Memphis Blazer Wrote:  I was just goofing on Blazertalk's tendency to get behind one candidate as the " it's this guy or the end of the program" candidate

Just throwing the name out there, the guy that they have tabbed as leading candidate for interm tag would be good too. BS engineering at UAB, Valedictorian of his Med School class at WashU in St. Louis, Harvard for Residency, and then he comes back to UAB. Watts could have gone anywhere but he came back to UAB.

(08-16-2012 04:51 PM)BlazerMatt Wrote:  

(08-16-2012 04:50 PM)GreenMississippi Wrote:  Does anyone here think we're gonna get a pro-UAB replacement?...

Yeah...

We were in a very fragile situation, and this is their chance to pummel us.

This.

This, I fear.
Dr. G was allowed to pick football and basketball coaches so the Bot can hide behind that as the focus concentrates back on the medical side.

Picking a bad candidate for UAB President will stoke the #freeUAB movement fire again. Remember, UAH did not get their first choice for President and they got their Hockey program back... They have to pick someone who makes UAB stronger overall which includes undergraduate education (which feeds the Med School and Research Programs for graduate work) and Athletics (because it makes the undergraduate experience that much better). Please step away from the cliff.

(08-16-2012 06:33 PM)uab278 Wrote:  Picking a bad candidate for UAB President will stoke the #freeUAB movement fire again. Remember, UAH did not get their first choice for President and they got their Hockey program back... They have to pick someone who makes UAB stronger overall which includes undergraduate education (which feeds the Med School and Research Programs for graduate work) and Athletics (because it makes the undergraduate experience that much better). Please step away from the cliff.

I didn't walk there - I was pushed!

Didn't we all claim gloom and doom after ever president change? Let's just step back off the ledge and see what happens.

Oh and I vote for TJ Cleveland for President.

Gonna miss Dr. G.