and new presidents today. Anyone else see it? It was written by Joe Avento and talks about now that Stanton is retiring the "vocal minority" will be trying to influence who gets the presidency. The article didn't really say anything that hasn't already been said, and there certainly wasn't any ground-breaking information. He just talked to CM Boggs from BFFF who stated what the foundation will be doing regarding the selection of the next president. And Stanton again stated how he's "for" football, if the money is there (which it is, it was just used to give all the other sports huge increases).
But everyone agreed that football will be a big consideration in the selection of the next president. Hopefully they can find one with enough innovation and conviction to do what it takes to put ETSU back on the athletic map.
And hopefully the dream will come true that the JC Press will make Joe Avento make appearances in a leprechaun outfit. Referring to the pro-football people as the "vocal minority" shows that his brain rolls around in his skull like a bb in a boxcar. What a freaking moron.
I'm confused by your comment. Avento's statement was certainly accurate. There's something like a million people in this metro area. Excluding minor children, there's still maybe a half million. Have 250,000 spoken out about this? If not, then the ones who have remain a "vocal minority".
There's some serious flaws in that thinking.
Heck, why stop at the Tri-Cities? Why not include the entire population of the world? Have more than 3 billion people spoken out on this?
The idea here is that Avento is claiming there is a "vocal minority" of ETSU fans who believe the Bucs are on the wrong track.
If that was the case, then this board, with its cynical slant, would not be nearly as successful as it is.
There's approximately 459,800 people in Bristol, Johnson City, and Kingsport according to
http://www.radioandrecords.com, UT fans would be a vocal minority, based on the amount of Va. Tech, Kentucky, App, and fans of other schools in the region.
The vocal minority has certainly hurt basketball attendance, private giving, and more importantly, overrall interest in ETSU. The statement is wrong. Pitt is dead on.
Choose whatever population you want. Less than half of ANY group of stakeholders have expressed themselves about what they think should be the state of football at ETSU. Heck, not even half the students even expressed an opinion. Avento's statement was completely accurate. There could be a "silent majority" out there, but a "vocal majority"? No.
A political writer would never say the "vocal minority" elected George W. Bush in 2004, even though only roughly one in every six Americans voted for him.
This is one of those situations in which there are lies, damned lies, and statistics.
What the phrase did was reinforce the opinion the JC Press sports section is nothing more than a lap dog for ETSU's current administration.
While the number of people being vocal has truly been a minority, I believe the majority of "fans" want football returned to ETSU. I took his vocal minority comment as trying to state that there are only a handful of people who want football back and we happen to be hearing a lot from them. That may be a misinterpretation on my part, but I think either way is valid based on how it was stated.
I do not think that it at all implies that only a minority want football back. I think he meant to imply that although there sure are a lot of people out there who want it back, only a minority (and a small one overall) has taken on the gumption to be vocal about it.
You are REALLY making apologies for Avento.
By your criteria, ANY CAUSE would be led by a "vocal minority."
So why say it in the first place?
Of the media in this area, here's the situation editorially-
BHC- Would like to see football return.
JC Press- Is against it
The other media outlets either don't have the pull or they don't care.
Who gets to define what ETSU should be? A small group of academics that are more happy in a lab than a classroom? Who decided along the way that ETSU would be allowed to minimize it's approach to the undergraduate experience and sell it's soul to the research gods? Last time I checked our first and primary mission was to offer educational access to the region's people. If you read the vision and mission, it's a joke, when you consider the "values" and how those things are constantly just pushed aside.
I guess it just boils down to a frustration that SOMEONE in East Tennessee needs to be responsible for a true undergraduate experience at the public school level/cost. All of this focus and talk about research and funding toward graduate/post-graduate curriculums is contrary to the needs of the general population who wants to get an education and go to work.
Our Vision
To become the best regional university in the nation.
Our Mission
Educate students to become responsible, enlightened, and productive citizens;
Conduct scholarship that improves the human condition;
Serve business, education, government, health care systems, and community; and
Enhance the cultural environment of the region.
Our Values
ETSU pursues its mission through a student-centered community of learning reflecting high standards and promoting a balance of liberal arts and professional preparation, continuous improvement, and based on core values where:
PEOPLE come first, are treated with dignity and respect, and are encouraged to achieve their full potential;
RELATIONSHIPS are built on honesty, integrity, and trust;
DIVERSITY of people and thought is respected;
EXCELLENCE is achieved through teamwork, leadership, creativity, and a strong work ethic;
EFFICIENCY is achieved through wise use of human and financial resources; and
COMMITMENT to intellectual achievement is embraced.
Mission and Statement of Purpose
East Tennessee State University strives to create a community of learning that actively advances the fundamental values of higher education - the free interchange of ideas, curiosity and the desire for learning, critical thinking and self-reflection, ethical behavior, academic freedom, and appreciation of human diversity. Every academic program and support unit at ETSU contributes to the creation of this community. The university places primary emphasis on student learning through effective and innovative teaching by faculty, working in partnership with administration and staff. It seeks to promote students’ intellectual and social development by providing academic programs and co-curricular opportunities that meet high standards of quality.
ETSU embraces its regional setting and proudly reflects its traditional roots an Appalachian heritage. The university actively recruits well qualified undergraduate and graduate students from throughout Tennessee, especially from Northeast Tennessee and adjacent states. In addition, it supports selected programs that attract students from across the nation as well as from other countries. The university makes educational opportunities available to all eligible people without regard to age, sex, race, religion, national origin, disability, veteran status, or sexual orientation.
The university pursues community partnerships that will both enhance its institutional effectiveness and serve the region. It places special emphasis on community-based and interdisciplinary learning. ETSU is a leader in improving the intellectual, cultural, economic, political, social, and health environment of Northeast Tennessee and the Southern Appalachian region.
ETSU offers programs through eight colleges and schools related to five areas: arts and sciences, business, education, health sciences, and technology. It affirms the value of liberal education for all undergraduate students and offers programs of study leading to expertise in the arts and sciences and selected professional fields. The university places a distinctive emphasis on improving student competence in writing, oral communication, and using information technology. It strives to address the needs of gifted students seeking greater educational challenges and nontraditional students returning to the classroom. ETSU is committed to providing a rich campus life, offering a variety of residential opportunities and student activities, and supporting excellent intercollegiate and intramural athletic programs.
The university is recognized for its unique focus on the health sciences. ETSU’s Division of Health Sciences, composed of the colleges of Medicine, Nursing, and Public and Allied Health, seeks to support the health and wellness of the people of Southern Appalachia, with special emphasis on meeting the needs of rural populations.
ETSU offers graduate programs to meet the needs of its student population and extensive service region. These programs award masters’ degrees in most liberal arts disciplines and technical and professional fields. The university awards doctoral degrees in education and in selected disciplines that reflect its health sciences mission.
The university is committed to improving the availability and quality of programming for individuals seeking educational opportunities beyond the Johnson City campus and via the Internet. ETSU also seeks to use emerging technologies to enhance the quality of instruction it provides to all of its students.
As a doctoral research-intensive university, ETSU is committed to teaching based in scholarship and to advancing programs of research and creative activity that improve the quality of life in the region, the state, the nation, and the world. The university seeks to provide an environment in which faculty, students, and staff are encouraged to inquire and to produce and disseminate the highest quality scholarly and creative work. To sustain and enhance this environment, ETSU seeks to secure financial support for research and creative programs through partnerships with broader communities.
East Tennessee State University strives to achieve optimal efficiency in its use of resources while always seeking to offer instructional, research, and public service programs of the highest quality. The university recognizes that employees are its most valuable resource and students its most important constituents. Putting people first is the foremost value guiding ETSU’s operations. (revised 4/7/03)
This has become one of the dumbest arguments about nothing that ive seen since becoming part of this site. We need something more useful to argue about.
But what the heck, ill give my two cents. While I am certainly a supporter of football returning at this point, it is very out of touch to say that a majority of the area cares about football coming back. This is a bad sports town as Pitt points out daily, most people just dont care.
thats once cent. the other:
While I love sports, the main consideration has to be academics. It is a college after all. We need a president that cares about all academics, not just medical side, AND athletics. It can be done.
I agree as well. What is ridiculous about what is happening over there now is that they are spending $500,000 to bring a concert in (each year, some years $700,000 - as in Carrie Underwood), and providing NO scholarships to students, but yet for a little bit more, ($500,000 - $1mil) they can provide scholarships to around 65 students on a football team and bring national recognition to the school. Makes no sense to me.
While I love sports, the main consideration has to be academics. It is a college after all. We need a president that cares about all academics, not just medical side, AND athletics. It can be done.
As you began to point out, there is an undeniable link between athletics and academics. To lead and not recognize that fact is the central issue at ETSU, Virginia Tech, App State, UNC, etc .
Whether we like to admit it or not, in our society, athletics identify a university's brand, no different than the golden arches identify McDonalds Corporation. There are precious few institutions that can thrive on their academic brand alone (on the east coast select Ivy League schools, UVa, UNC and perhaps Duke). Regional universities stand little chance of thriving when relying on their academic brand alone.
I am one who believes that Dr. Stanton's focus was on both sides of the house (academic affairs and health affairs). There were two new colleges during Stanton's term, one on each side of the university. While everyone points to the College of Pharmacy in the Division of Health Affairs, he also guided the creation of the Honors College in the Division of Academic Affairs.
That said, ETSU is the "flagship university in the TBR system for health programs". That fact alone dictates that any ETSU President embrace the TBR vision for ETSU. It is my opinion that any candidate for President must share the TBR vision for ETSU as their premier university for health related programs or they will not receive consideration.
Other's mules mileage may vary.
I might include a place like Carnegie-Mellon or Johns Hopkins as a school that thrive on their academic brand alone, but that's nitpicking. Your points stand.
I will say this- the fact that the Honors College seems to be an afterthought after the Pharmacy School shows you how much under Stanton the medical department overshadows everything else.
Do you have any names of potential candidates? I got a birdie tellin' me Wayne Andrews or bust, but I'm not willing to go to war with that.
What do you hear?
Just takin' a shot....... unfortunately Wilsie Bishop.
But I hope they go out of the current (or Former) administration
I also would like to ban women's soccer and crucify all those who are involved.
I would really like to see us go after a younger president, outside of the ETSU family. To me the school is stagnant as a whole, a shakeup would be very good.