My (Now Open) Letter to the UNT President

[Caw Caw]

Dear Dr. Smatresk,

 

Let me open my letter by thanking you for your service to my beloved university. As an alumni of the University of North Texas, your community involvement, overall direction and leadership of my school is greatly appreciated. I think we are taking steps towards growing and refining our school to be a better university overall. That being said, I have a few issues with the direction and leadership of our athletic department.

 

Before I get to those issues, let me preface why my opinion should matter to you (at least a little bit). I represent an important demographic to the future of North Texas. I'm a young professional approaching loan debt freedom. I have bought season tickets to North Texas through an outstanding Alumni and Denton business owner John Williams. I guess i'm what you could call a die hard fan. Every game I attend I stay standing from kick off to the final whistle, regardless of the score. I cheer, I groan, I yell and I occasionally lose my composure. Now why did I mention my student debt is coming to a close? Because It signifies a time in my life that I could start really giving back to my University. I've recently taken a new, and more fruitful, job opportunity which has blessed and accelerated my financial timeline and planning. This is something I want to do, but I confess I am quickly losing interest in. One of my many too-old-for-my-24-year-old-self hobbies is personal finance. This has taught me at least a simplistic understanding of the investment world, but bear with me here. I want to make an Investment in an institution that will bear fruit. It doesn't have to be specifically for me or my gain, but for the betterment of this institution I've grown to love. I do not foresee and gift/investment bearing fruit under the leadership of current Athletic Director Rick Villareal.

 

I am grateful for some of his successes here in the realms of donations and facilities, but the time has come to stop building buildings and start building competitive athletic programs. He has proven, through the records of his coaching hires, that he is not the man to do that job. I do not think I need to stress the importance of the Mean Green reaching a new apogee in sports is something I need to go into great detail because you've already said this: 

 

“If we’re going to compete as a Tier One institution, our athletics teams need to compete as a Tier One institution as well. So we need to expect to fund athletics in a way that’s consistent with success, and we need that success in turn to yield revenue streams that can support and sustain."

 

“We need teams that get national attention, because like it or not, one of the biggest ways schools get recognized is the quality of their teams – primarily football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball. I’m not saying the other sports aren’t important, but those core sports are what advance your brand … That’s going to have to be another piece of how we get to Tier One, getting recognized however we can at a national level.”

To take your own example, President Smatresk, it's time to find a new brand manager.

Thank you for your willingness to listen,

Respectfully,

After careful consideration and some time to dwell on the recent footballocolypse this is what I came up with. I tried to be as direct and respectful as possible. This was the letter has already been sent via e-mail.

Edited October 16, 2015 by Caw Caw

[MeanGreen13]

that is not really that open unless you are a 24 y/o professional... 

[Caw Caw]

that is not really that open unless you are a 24 y/o professional... 

o·pen let·ter

noun

 

1. a letter, often critical, addressed to a particular person or group of people but intended for publication.
2.  

 

 

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

Well said, I'm in the same position as you (minus the almost freedom from student loan debt). 

[drex]

Excellent read....you guys are really the future of the program.  Presidents get paid good money to hear valid and thoughtful complaints about any aspect of their university.

[ChristopherRyanWilkes]

Excellent read....you guys are really the future of the program.  Presidents get paid good money to hear valid and thoughtful complaints about any aspect of their university.

I've always thought RV cares more about the current 17 then the future 17(+). I believe with more students every year, and the types of students who used to go to UT now going to North Texas, we have a golden opportunity to attract and retain graduates from our generation as North Texas football fans and athletic donors. Instead, we grow apathy by continuously making bad hires. This has to be one of the darkest times in Mean Green history. When I was in school we had the basketball team, and then my senior year the 2013 bowl team. Right now students at North Texas know nothing but losing football and basketball. That's what worries me the most because they seem to be more school spirited than previous classes but aren't given a decent team to root for. 

[Caw Caw]

Excellent read....you guys are really the future of the program.  Presidents get paid good money to hear valid and thoughtful complaints about any aspect of their university.

Thanks for your kind words Drex much appreciated.