The Opposition Is About To Begin Advirtising

[keith]

Does anyone else see the irony of complaining about paying for a new stadium, and to try to keep that from happening, they are willing to pay for an ad in the Daily?

Yes, that was the first thing I thought too.

For the vast majority of the students, they are not being asked to spend any of their money because they will not even be in school when the fee begins. According to the text, "...The Athletic Fee shall not be implemented until the semester the new football stadium is complete, which is expected to be fall 2011.”

How many will graduate, drop out or transfer in the next three years? Whether it passes or not, this whole process is bogus if you ask me and was probably designed this way to make it as difficult as possible for any but the "chosen" ones to be competitive in athletics in Texas.

Keith

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Anti-Stadium supporters also support terrorism...so I hear.

---I support terrorism... or the ones whose only goal is to blow up Fouts.

[shaft]

Don't tear down flyers.

1. Its against the rules.

2. The negative campaigning will become the story and distract from the issues related to the stadium.

3. This type of negative campaigning will only ad fuel to the opposition, and help motivative swing voters against the project.

For Alumni who feel left out of the student vote.

1. Think about the term "student vote."

2. Write a check to the stadium fund.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

I think getting worked up about an opposition group is nothing more than getting worked up. Who cares if there is an opposition group. Its a win win deal - if they vote it down, the SGA votes for it. Plain and simple, its going to happen.

[UNTflyer]

I think getting worked up about an opposition group is nothing more than getting worked up. Who cares if there is an opposition group. Its a win win deal - if they vote it down, the SGA votes for it. Plain and simple, its going to happen.

Umm, no. I am pretty certain that the SGA will NOT support overriding the student vote. And even if it did, the state legislature and BOR would probably not approve it.

Let's not start a rumor that the SGA will overturn the student vote. It simply won't happen.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

Umm, no. I am pretty certain that the SGA will NOT support overriding the student vote. And even if it did, the state legislature and BOR would probably not approve it.

Let's not start a rumor that the SGA will overturn the student vote. It simply won't happen.

Well I either haven't read enough or misunderstood something then - I thought if the student vote failed, the SGA would vote for the stadium fee - you are saying this won't happen? Where did I read that?

[UNTflyer]

Well I either haven't read enough or misunderstood something then - I thought if the student vote failed, the SGA would vote for the stadium fee - you are saying this won't happen? Where did I read that?

No, there has been discussion about whether they can and the answer is, "Sure, they can." After talking to some SGA members who voted yes, I can tell you that this will not fly in the Senate, with the State Legislature, or with the BOR.

[GoMeanGreen1999]

No, there has been discussion about whether they can and the answer is, "Sure, they can." After talking to some SGA members who voted yes, I can tell you that this will not fly in the Senate, with the State Legislature, or with the BOR.

Okay. I had it wrong. Vote still will pass with the students. Especially if they sent all of the athletes out to vote.

[Green Mean]

Why wouldn't overturn the vote? The vote was something like 37-2 amongst the senate vote. They obviously feel pretty much the same way we feel in that this stadium is huge for the university. This whole situation is just wheels off top to bottom.

[UNTflyer]

Why wouldn't overturn the vote? The vote was something like 37-2 amongst the senate vote. They obviously feel pretty much the same way we feel in that this stadium is huge for the university. This whole situation is just wheels off top to bottom.

I disagree. The situation is very, very good right now. We are winning.

But our concern is that if we start telling everyone the SGA will overturn the vote if necessary, it will turn students away from the ballot box or worse, turn them against the project.

[untbowler]

if the vote does fail then there should be a mass exodus from the AD area, I am not talking about being fired but resigning because UNT will be a sinking ship, due to pettiness of faculty and apathetic unspirited students. The few thousand supporting alumni will not be able to bail out the water quick enough.

[shaft]

While the Student Senate as the ability to over ride the popular vote, I don't think they will (or should).

If anything the threat/hint of an over ride will only help the opposition.

[UNTflyer]

While the Student Senate as the ability to over ride the popular vote, I don't think they will (or should).

If anything the threat/hint of an over ride will only help the opposition.

As a co-author of this bill, I would oppose overriding the referendum. The best Plan B is to just try it again in the spring.

[woody82986]

As a co-author of this bill, I would oppose overriding the referendum. The best Plan B is to just try it again in the spring.

Good Call.

[JesseMartin]

Isn't that what I said before?

Other stuff:

-If the opposition advertising is written as poorly as that email, no worries.

-If they post misinformation, just put flyers next to theirs pointing out inaccuracies.

-In the much-discussed 2002 election, there were about 3000 votes (give or take a bit). If this tally is similar, and if all AD and Club athletes vote yes together, that's well over 10%. Add that to the usually solid Greek bloc and about half of the RHA voters (who are usually split evenly on issues), and you're looking at a little over 1,000 votes just within those 3 groups (and that's if the Greek and RHA turnout is as low as usual-everybody says they will/did vote but many still don't). General student votes outside those 3 groups have trended more in favor than in previous years (I'm using numbers from 1996~2004, so there may have been even more changes I don't know about but I'm guessing these stats are probably still close) towards pro-spirit voting, so if the vote is in the range of 3,000 and trends continue, the vote will be upwards of 2,200 "in favor" votes. Statistically, for the "anti" coalition to gain enough headway to beat the trends of "pro" voters, they would have to amass approximately 1,400 "anti" votes in addition to those who would already be voting "no". Experience dictates that this is entirely unlikely, though not impossible (see SGA elections, 1990-1992, 1999; Homecoming Election 1991-ish).

Edit addition:

-When I was SGA Pres/SSF Chair, I developed a "Three Tier System" for requests.

Tier I: Same or less funding than previous years; automatic approval.

Tier II: Increases only for manadatory percentages, such as salary or contractual reasons. Likely automatic approval, possibility of reducing other areas of budget to accomodate increase.

Tier III: New funding request or significant increases requested for new programs, salaries, facility work, equipment, etc.

Athletics was (and probably still is, not counting when they've asked for a vote TWICE) in Tier II. Cost-of-living increases for salaries and inflation costs for purchases. I was wondering about their hopes for increased visibility, etc. They "had it covered" with increased donations, endorsements, etc.

Much like Rick's hilarious comment at the SGA meeting, they get as much paid for without student funds as possible. I can just see his face: "I built eleven freaking facilities in the last eight years and didn't ask the students for anything. If I was trying to get as much out of them as possible, wouldn't I have already freaking tried?!" (Paraphrasing, of course.)

Side note: To those students bitching about sending money elsewhere, for any non-academic pursuit, they can get referenda proposed (or an SGA vote) for anything. Want the Career Center, Legal Advisor, etc to get more $$? Propose a million bucks for your favorite and put it to a vote. IF the only people motivated enough to try do it for Rec Centers and Athletics, then so be it. If you want the Library or Union Fee to go up and get something new and cool done with it, freaking propose it, already!

Edited September 26, 2008 by JesseMartin