MGB: Key questions for a new AD -- 1. What about the current staff?

Brett Vito · May 26, 2016

MGB: UNT has plenty of people who do great work. A new AD will have to evaluate his new staff and decide what moves to make

http://meangreenblog.dentonrc.com/2016/05/key-questions-unts-new-ad-will-face-part-i-what-about-the-ad-staff.html/

Ben Gooding · May 26, 2016

Rid every alum in the athletic department that hails from a CUSA opponent. That should be for starters. I don't see how that shit is tolerated, particularly at the AD position. End it.

Army of Dad · May 26, 2016

6 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

Rid every alum in the athletic department that hails from a CUSA opponent. That should be for starters. I don't see how that shit is tolerated, particularly at the AD position. End it.

I care less about where someone went to school than how effective they are at their job. All things being equal having a grad working at their own school is nice, but I don't care if they went to SMU or FSU if they are fixing the mess we have now.

ghost of smith hall · May 26, 2016

So the only people UNT should hire are people that went to UNT? I love my university but that seriously limits your talent pool. Also, I believe that grown ups, you know, people out in the real working world, are professional enough to put their loyalties where there paychecks come from. I doubt very seriously that anyone who graduates from University "A" but goes to work for University "B" spends their time thinking of ways to undermine "B" for the sake of "A".

One other thing. I know changes are coming in the AD...they need to. But I like how Vito kept the names out of it. These people are not politicians, or rock stars, or any kind of celebrity...they are working people with families whose lives will be dramatically effected by what happens over the next few weeks. They have done great work for UNT and they don't always get a lot of support or a lot of pay to do it. Give them some respect by not putting out these blanket statements like "clean house" and then posting peoples names to go along with it. Not cool.

Army of Dad · May 26, 2016

1 hour ago, ghost of smith hall said:

So the only people UNT should hire are people that went to UNT? I love my university but that seriously limits your talent pool. Also, I believe that grown ups, you know, people out in the real working world, are professional enough to put their loyalties where there paychecks come from. I doubt very seriously that anyone who graduates from University "A" but goes to work for University "B" spends their time thinking of ways to undermine "B" for the sake of "A".

One other thing. I know changes are coming in the AD...they need to. But I like how Vito kept the names out of it. These people are not politicians, or rock stars, or any kind of celebrity...they are working people with families whose lives will be dramatically effected by what happens over the next few weeks. They have done great work for UNT and they don't always get a lot of support or a lot of pay to do it. Give them some respect by not putting out these blanket statements like "clean house" and then posting peoples names to go along with it. Not cool.

1st graph: Generally agree, though split loyalties could be an issue when the schools are in direct competition in most cases it won't be a hinderance. (There's always exceptions)

2nd graph: You started out very well, but the last half of it gets messy. If they had done nothing but "great work" then there would be far fewer complaints about things outside of W/L records. Also, since the current climate/culture inside the AD seems to be openly hostile towards this board and individual posters I think the respect line was destroyed a long time ago. As is so often the case, blame can be placed on both sides, though I would weigh it more on the provider and less on the consumer.

Edited May 26, 2016 by Army of Dad

Harry · May 26, 2016

1 hour ago, ghost of smith hall said:

So the only people UNT should hire are people that went to UNT? I love my university but that seriously limits your talent pool. Also, I believe that grown ups, you know, people out in the real working world, are professional enough to put their loyalties where there paychecks come from. I doubt very seriously that anyone who graduates from University "A" but goes to work for University "B" spends their time thinking of ways to undermine "B" for the sake of "A".

One other thing. I know changes are coming in the AD...they need to. But I like how Vito kept the names out of it. These people are not politicians, or rock stars, or any kind of celebrity...they are working people with families whose lives will be dramatically effected by what happens over the next few weeks. They have done great work for UNT and they don't always get a lot of support or a lot of pay to do it. Give them some respect by not putting out these blanket statements like "clean house" and then posting peoples names to go along with it. Not cool.

No one disputes that you can't have all the positions filled by UNT alums. However, there should be some and not just in the lower level positions. There needs to be more transparency in terms of the hiring process. And frankly, we need more actual UNT alums in positions that interact with alumni. It's hard for outsiders to connect and truly understand the fhalenges challenges if they haven't walked in our shoes.

NTAlum09 · May 26, 2016

Whoever is in charge of marketing either needs to go or the new AD needs to put some fire under somebody's ass!

MEANGREENCOACH2 · May 26, 2016

this^^^^^^^^^^

oldguystudent · May 26, 2016

The story I've gotten is no matter how inept, it takes an act of Congress to fire a full-time AD employee because of the UNT state employee red tape thing. Don't know how much truth there is to that. Hope not much.

There are definitely some basic operational functions that I don't see getting better unless some of the staff changes over.

TreeFiddy · May 26, 2016

I hope that a culture of customer service is re-installed within the AD because is seems to have eroded over the years to become pretty non existent at this point.

I may be having a memory lapse, but I don't recall the last time I was asked for feedback during an encounter/transaction with the AD recently?

Hopefully, these are the types of things that will be looked at. There are definitely some good people/departments and there are some that have some fundamental flaws/personnel in place. Maybe a change in leadership will help them turn the corner.

oldguystudent · May 26, 2016

8 minutes ago, TreeFiddy said:

I may be having a memory lapse, but I don't recall the last time I was asked for feedback during an encounter/transaction with the AD recently?

I've been invited to lunch a couple times by AD staff over the past year, but declined because the times I have gone have mostly been sessions of being told I'm wrong.

So tell me how much better things are, tell me how much you care, the scars of mistrust and lack of faith run deep in my veins right now.

The experience has been blow a whole bunch of smoke up my ass and promise me the world until the day I signed the agreement. Then I'm nothing and they resent my very presence. Get the signature and the credit card auto-pay, then disregard. Don't mail me my parking passes? Make me drive to Denton to get them, and maaaybe you'll be there, then when I do drive up, you still can't find them. Tell me I have rights to purchase guest passes? Good luck with that. I end up getting spares from the tailgate. Offer wingzone ticket sales via my account? Act of GOD! Misappropriate my ticket money to unrestricted gift? Better invoice me double for that! I make any statements of dissatisfaction? HOW DARE I CRITICIZE THE UNIVERSITY!

I'm not asking for any special treatment or recognition or privilege. I simply want what I'm paying for, maybe with a smile instead of a sneer.

That's how things have been.

(Notice no mention of hires, coaches, or win/loss records. I can weather through being the Cubs of college football just fine)

Edited May 26, 2016 by oldguystudent

GrandGreen · May 26, 2016

It is contradictory to want someone with a NT affiliation and at the same time want everyone currently working in the AD terminated.

Evaluate the people you have, give them the change they deserve. Frankly, I doubt anyone on this board knows more than a few on the staff well enough to make any judgement. Hire the best people you can get to fill any open positions, it does not matter where they went to school.

I believe it is a major fallacy that alumni are somehow going to be better or worse employees than those with no affiliation for the school. For a parallel look at how many family businesses are ruined by unqualified family members in key positions. Sure if it is close between an alum and another, give the edge to the one with a NT background. However, that should never be considered a qualification.

VideoEagle · May 26, 2016

As for alums of other schools being a problem - it just isn't. Yes, there are individuals who aren't doing their jobs well but that has more to do with "not doing their jobs well" than where they went to school and some imaginary divided loyalties. The "Voice of the University of Texas" is a NT alum. The Chairman of the UT Board of Regents is a Baylor alum and donated enough to Baylor to get the new business school building named "Paul Foster." I am certain that simply because someone IS a NT alum will not prevent them from doing a good job.

The current athletic department is doing a poor job in a lot of areas. That may or may not be the fault of all the individual employees. They might have to tools, the budget, the support or the direction to acomplish what needs to be done. Making a blind blanket statement that they all must go is just as ridiculous as suggesting they all must stay. The new AD need to first and foremost set specific goals, set a strategy to acomplish those goals and only then start to evaluate if the people currently in the department are "the right people in the right seats" to execute the strategy. Firing people simply because they were loyal at some point to the old AD is simply stupid. Demonstrating stupidity will make it harder to get good people to go to work for you and thus make it harder to accomplish your goal.

Always focus on the goal ahead, not the past.

TreeFiddy · May 26, 2016

There are tons of ways that organizations father feedback from customers, not just lunch.

It should be easy to share feedback at any time, assuming there is someone that is interested in receiving feedback.

What if I said that our athletic department was in the hospitality industry? Think about how you interact with organizations that focus on hospitality and the way they tend to crave customer feedback.

Keep the results on the field separate from the rest of the experience.

It seems to me that all too many of our departments within the AD allowed themselves to produce at the same crappy levels that we produced on the field. "Why should we try hard when the teams aren't winning?"

Eventually, everything about the AD turns into a negative experience. This attitude eventually creeps up into administration, alumni, community, etc... It becomes a self fulfilling prophecy.

It takes strong leadership to convince the people involved that just because it used to be that way it does not have to be that way going forward. We have seen it right here on this board with some of our long term fans.

We have Smatresk in place, the BOR is funneling money into this thing like never before in history, we have/will have new coaches in all the major sports, soon to have a new AD, and even have a new music dean that is supposedly not anti sports.

It is time to remove the remaining naysayers from the adminstration, faculty, athletic department, and fan base so we canmove forward.

We have too many resources at our disposal to be stopped. The only thing stopping us is ourselves.

NTAlum09 · May 26, 2016

I want the next AD to have a attitude like this person.

oldguystudent · May 26, 2016

I'm not going anywhere, but I refuse to unconditionally toe the line with rainbows and butterflies when there's fundamental dysfunction, and as of late, hostile class warfare. It's gonna take quite a bit of time to regain my trust and enthusiasm.

Ben Gooding · May 26, 2016

1 hour ago, ghost of smith hall said:

So the only people UNT should hire are people that went to UNT? I love my university but that seriously limits your talent pool. Also, I believe that grown ups, you know, people out in the real working world, are professional enough to put their loyalties where there paychecks come from. I doubt very seriously that anyone who graduates from University "A" but goes to work for University "B" spends their time thinking of ways to undermine "B" for the sake of "A".

One other thing. I know changes are coming in the AD...they need to. But I like how Vito kept the names out of it. These people are not politicians, or rock stars, or any kind of celebrity...they are working people with families whose lives will be dramatically effected by what happens over the next few weeks. They have done great work for UNT and they don't always get a lot of support or a lot of pay to do it. Give them some respect by not putting out these blanket statements like "clean house" and then posting peoples names to go along with it. Not cool.

I stopped reading right after the bold. Apparently you didn't fully comprehend what I said. Let me go copy and paste so you can re-read...I'll be right back....

"Rid every alum in the athletic department that hails from a CUSA opponent. That should be for starters. I don't see how that shit is tolerated, particularly at the AD position. End it."

Ok, now concentrate on the bolded portion. Then concentrate on where I didn't say only UNT alum should work in the AD.

foutsrouts · May 26, 2016

3 minutes ago, oldguystudent said:

I'm not going anywhere, but I refuse to unconditionally toe the line with rainbows and butterflies when there's fundamental dysfunction, and as of late, hostile class warfare. It's gonna take quite a bit of time to regain my trust and enthusiasm.

I bet 3-1 coming home against Middle would bring up the enthusiasm for all of us in a heartbeat. Of course that's all in Seth's hands at this point. Never hurts to dream.

UNTFan23 · May 26, 2016

4 minutes ago, Ben Gooding said:

I stopped reading right after the bold. Apparently you didn't fully comprehend what I said. Let me go copy and paste so you can re-read...I'll be right back....

"Rid every alum in the athletic department that hails from a CUSA opponent. That should be for starters. I don't see how that shit is tolerated, particularly at the AD position. End it."

Ok, now concentrate on the bolded portion. Then concentrate on where I didn't say only UNT alum should work in the AD.

Can you explain how someone having a degree from a fellow CUSA school makes them less qualified for a position in our Athletics Department?

MeanGreenMailbox aka TFLF · May 26, 2016

2 hours ago, ghost of smith hall said:

So the only people UNT should hire are people that went to UNT? I love my university but that seriously limits your talent pool. Also, I believe that grown ups, you know, people out in the real working world, are professional enough to put their loyalties where there paychecks come from. I doubt very seriously that anyone who graduates from University "A" but goes to work for University "B" spends their time thinking of ways to undermine "B" for the sake of "A".

One other thing. I know changes are coming in the AD...they need to. But I like how Vito kept the names out of it. These people are not politicians, or rock stars, or any kind of celebrity...they are working people with families whose lives will be dramatically effected by what happens over the next few weeks. They have done great work for UNT and they don't always get a lot of support or a lot of pay to do it. Give them some respect by not putting out these blanket statements like "clean house" and then posting peoples names to go along with it. Not cool.

People's lives be damned. The pitchfork-wielding halfwits want winning football and basketball programs. No person's family stability is more valuable than college athletics to them.

untjim1995 · May 26, 2016

10 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Can you explain how someone having a degree from a fellow CUSA school makes them less qualified for a position in our Athletics Department?

Don't ask questions that you don't want the answer to...there isn't anything that you're gonna read that will make anyone feel anymore wiser.

foutsrouts · May 26, 2016

11 minutes ago, UNTFan23 said:

Can you explain how someone having a degree from a fellow CUSA school makes them less qualified for a position in our Athletics Department?

I guess they could sneak in before games and over inflate our balls.

UNTFan23 · May 26, 2016

Just now, untjim1995 said:

Don't ask questions that you don't want the answer to...there isn't anything that you're gonna read that will make anyone feel anymore wiser.

I honestly want to know. I really want to understand how he came to such a conclusion.

A problem with such a "policy" is that CUSA schools can choose not to hire (or maybe even fire or at least encourage them to go away) North Texas alumni. It's not a good HR "policy" by any means.

Quoner · May 26, 2016

2 hours ago, Army of Dad said:

Also, since the current climate/culture inside the AD seems to be openly hostile towards this board and individual posters I think the respect line was destroyed a long time ago. As is so often the case, blame can be placed on both sides, though I would weigh it more on the provider and less on the consumer.

Yes - I see no reason to hold anyone here accountable for frequently saying dumb things or being generally misinformed.

/scrolls up

Oh.

//looks at self, realizes I post here

Double oh.

One fun side effect of the banner - a handful of you will never be taken seriously by anyone in the school for years - even with a house cleaning. Not saying it's right or wrong, but that's not an easy label to shake and it's why a few people excited about a regime change are going to be bummed when some of this institutional knowledge is passed along by people not even in athletics. I've yet to see a college take its sports message board fans as a group seriously and don't think we're going to become an amazing test case ,but stranger things have happened.

ghost of smith hall · May 26, 2016

2 hours ago, Ben Gooding said:

I stopped reading right after the bold. Apparently you didn't fully comprehend what I said. Let me go copy and paste so you can re-read...I'll be right back....

"Rid every alum in the athletic department that hails from a CUSA opponent. That should be for starters. I don't see how that shit is tolerated, particularly at the AD position. End it."

Ok, now concentrate on the bolded portion. Then concentrate on where I didn't say only UNT alum should work in the AD.

This was not a direct shot at you. It was in response to the number of threads I have read over the last couple of days stating that we need to hire UNT people to be in UNT jobs. Sorry you felt you were being singled out. My point is that if we are going to go big, as everyone on this board seems to think we can and must do, then it benefits us to look for the very best we can get, no matter that person's current or former affiliations.