Buying A Daily Ad To Support The Stadium Vote

[rcade]

I contacted the NT Daily today to inquire about buying a quarter- or half-page display ad to express alumni support for the stadium vote. The ad would ideally run Oct. 10 (the Friday before the vote) and Oct. 14-16, the days of the week when the vote is going on and the Daily publishes. The Friday ad might be a pro-stadium editorial rather than a display ad.

If you are interested in possibly joining in this effort, send me a private message here or in email to cadenhead ATSIGN gmail DOT com. I'm in Florida so I can't easily organize more local get-out-the-vote efforts, but perhaps you can help.

Given that students don't like to raise their costs -- particularly in the current economy -- and the football team's rock-bottom performance lately, the stadium vote needs help. If you can pitch in -- either here or with your own effort -- I think this is a fairly monumental moment in the history of UNT football.

[FanofUNT]

i personally think this is a good idea...and also can we mention that you can vote online in the ad?

[GabeGMG]

Great idea! We need to do this right..anyone want to volunteer their graphic design skills?

[VideoEagle]

Careful as there are strict spending limits in advertising for student referendums. We would not want to cause the stadium to get voted down because of alumni interference. Besides, when I spoke to a several students on Sunday I was told the stadium vote still had extremely strong support regardless of one game.

[FanofUNT]

You're right...let's not ruin it! Can we get with the "SGA"?? to see what kind if AD is allowed??

[emmitt01]

This is a horrible idea. Let's not interfere with what is clearly a student vote. It's not as if the result of this vote affects us in any way or that we've been pumping more money than the students are being asked to give per year into this program for years...right? Let's just let the poor performances on the field and misinformation they'll hear in passing on campus make up their minds for them. Alumni should just be quiet and send in their checks.

[OldTimer]

I contacted the NT Daily today to inquire about buying a quarter- or half-page display ad to express alumni support for the stadium vote. The ad would ideally run Oct. 10 (the Friday before the vote) and Oct. 14-16, the days of the week when the vote is going on and the Daily publishes. The Friday ad might be a pro-stadium editorial rather than a display ad.

If you are interested in possibly joining in this effort, send me a private message here or in email to cadenhead ATSIGN gmail DOT com. I'm in Florida so I can't easily organize more local get-out-the-vote efforts, but perhaps you can help.

Given that students don't like to raise their costs -- particularly in the current economy -- and the football team's rock-bottom performance lately, the stadium vote needs help. If you can pitch in -- either here or with your own effort -- I think this is a fairly monumental moment in the history of UNT football.

Can anyone summarize the athletic fee raises this year at the other colleges in Texas and explain that of the student athletic fee FB only got $3 and that when the new athletic facility fee of $ 10. is passed the $3 disappears so that our increased fee is only $7. I would like this info for myself to help convince some to vote for the fee increase....hopefully other can do the same. This should be part of this ad

[greenjoe]

While I think more correct information needs to get oout to more people (read;students), I was told this past weekend by the AD and by the President of the Student Body that we, as alums, should not do anything to try to influence the vote.

This is hard for me becausae I am so passionate about a new stadium, but I trust the people in charge and I hope that is the correct thing to do.

I'd hate to go against what I was told to do, and then find out that a favorable vote is void because of something I did.

GO MEAN GREEN

PS I was told voting could ONLY be done on line. That there would be not "paper" ballot. j

Edited September 29, 2008 by greenjoe

[FanofUNT]

We should probably stay out of it....

[rcade]

Careful as there are strict spending limits in advertising for student referendums.

Can you elaborate on this? Who's restricting spending, and how do they restrict outside non-student, non-school groups?

[rcade]

While I think more correct information needs to get oout to more people (read;students), I was told this past weekend by the AD and by the President of the Student Body that we, as alums, should not do anything to try to influence the vote.

What reason did they give? The current students are making a decision that will affect future students, both in terms of fees and in terms of building a stadium that could enrich the reputation and profile of the school. Why shouldn't alumni have a voice in the matter? When I was at UNT and got roped into student government, I would've welcomed input from alumni on the issues that came before us. I would especially have liked to hear from alumni who cared about the school's football program.

[FanofUNT]

I am not saying it's not a good idea, just check the policies first...

[NT80]

Sure, we alums have no vested interest in this program, right? It's not for us. We spend no money on it, why should anyone care what our opinions are on the subject. Let the ones who may never pay a cent toward the new stadium have the only say if it should happen or not.

[emmitt01]

Alumni should just be quiet and send in their checks.

I'll say it again. This seems to be the company line around here.

[UNTflyer]

Folks, please don't do this. First, there are specific rules about campaigning on referendum. No group can spend more than $1000, and if you wish to campaign on campus (which the NT Daily is considered on-campus campaigning) you must register with the election board and you may only campaign the week before the election.

If you really feel the need to run an ad, do it in the Denton Record-Chronicle.

[JesseMartin]

I think any ad from us would be a waste of money. VERY few students would vote yes based on our support. It's very likely that it might spur on more "no" votes.

Discussing it here and correcting "facts" in online discussion are one thing. Blatant advertising is something else entirely.

[rcade]

People are worrying too much. The Daily will check into the rules for campaigns related to student votes before accepting the ad. They're already looking into it for me.

Ballpark figure, if 10 members of GoMeanGreen pitched in $200 apiece, we could run a half-page ad in The Daily for the Friday before the vote and on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday as votes take place. If the ad came from GoMeanGreen members as a collective effort, I think that would be an effective way to express our support for the stadium effort.

[JesseMartin]

Forget "looking into"...we already know the rules. No more than $1,000.00. I wouldn't be opposed to putting in a "pre-vote fact sheet", just to make sure people had the right info (because in this case, facts point to "yes for the stadium"), but even if we stayed under a grand, I'd be worried about the possible "chilling effect" the ad might have on the vote. It's dangerous ground to tread.

[greenjoe]

Here's an idea. And it's free. Write a letter to the editor to the Denton Record-Chronicle. There have been 2 letters opposing the new stadium fee (the last one today 9-29) and an editorial with an opposing slant to it. Only one guest editorial has come out. It was a well written piece by David Anderson.

Write a letter to the editor to P.O. Box 369 Denton, Texas 76202.

GO MEAN GREEN

[UNTflyer]

I am doubtful the Daily will play fair in this. They'll take your money, run the ad, then write a scathing editorial about how the alumni should butt out and that if the vote comes out in favor of the stadium that the election board should look into the questionable practice of alumni breaking campaign rules.

[rcade]

I think any ad from us would be a waste of money. VERY few students would vote yes based on our support. It's very likely that it might spur on more "no" votes.

Discussing it here and correcting "facts" in online discussion are one thing. Blatant advertising is something else entirely.

If political advertising hurts more than it helps, as you suggest, why can't I go 10 minutes here in Florida without seeing an ad for either Barack McCain or John Obama?

Sorry, but I don't buy your argument at all. Students know they're casting a vote here that affects future generations of UNT students. Hearing from past students who support the stadium would not anger them.

[UNTflyer]

Don't miss the point here. You can't run on-campus campaigning and ignore the rules, and please DO NOT count on the NT Daily staff to ensure that the rules are followed.

[Green Mean]

If it is done by a third party then I do not see anything wrong with this. We are expressing our views and expressing the facts of the actual fee along with what we think why this stadium would be beneficial. I think people are too worried about the end result but I do not see this as a bad thing one bit. You do what you gotta do to make things happen. I do not think we are breaking any rules.

[FanofUNT]

Can we create a web page talking about the facts of a "new stadium"? It would be informational in nature and people at least have the facts straight - and vote based on that?

A page committed to the new stadium?

Edited September 29, 2008 by FanofUNT

[UNTflyer]

If it is done by a third party then I do not see anything wrong with this. We are expressing our views and expressing the facts of the actual fee along with what we think why this stadium would be beneficial. I think people are too worried about the end result but I do not see this as a bad thing one bit. You do what you gotta do to make things happen. I do not think we are breaking any rules.

If you spend more than $1000 running ads in the NT Daily, and you run them outside of campaign week, it is a violation of the rules.