Alright, we've all read and heard the concerns about the chancellor's and the board's alleged lack of interest in and lack of support of the athletic programs. And we all are frustrated by an apparent lack of accountability to both of the above. While contemplating the problem and reading everyone's thoughts about it some thoughts occurred to me:
1. As has been pointed out, the chancellor indeed serves at the pleasure of the Board. That said, the Board is largely going to go along with whatever direction and recommendations that the chancellor sets particularly in areas of finer details. They are largely going to be concerned with the bigger picture issues. I can imagine a scenario in the board meeting where someone asks about how things are going with athletics. The chancellors says they're fine and shows off our W-L records and everyone nods and they move on to something else. They're just not going to dig into the details unless their is a reason to. So to the untrained eye everything seems fine.
2. Vanderbilt is not, and never will be an institution that responds well (or at all) to public, point of the bayonet type criticism. I sort of see their administration and board acting very much like Augusta National did during the whole uproar over female membership. Screaming about it in public forums will only make them dig in even more and will harm any momentum we have going for us any way (let's not forget that we're coming off a pretty darn good year for all of our sports).
3. I'm certain that no one on the board with the possible exception of John Ingram reads this board. It's doubtful that they listen to any sports radio or even read about it in the local newspaper. If you'll notice, hardly any members of the board nowadays are even from Nashville.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/members.php
4. I think it's probably unfair to paint each and every member of the board with a broad brush as not caring about Vanderbilt athletics. My guess is that they probably don't know many of the details, and they probably have zero idea of any of the things that are being talked about on this board. The exception being probably the uproar around the stadium. But as Chris has said that's really not the issue that's the symptom you she was bigger than that. At least so it seems.
So, I started thinking about whether it might make sense to start a letter writing campaign or perhaps a petition that could be sent to each and every member of the board. A letter from each and every fan that is concerned to each and every member of the board. A letter that isn't condescending or pointing fingers but is simply pointing out issues that we are concerned about And asking very legitimate questions that so many of us seem to have regarding the vision for the future of athletics, the fund-raising around athletics, communication and accountability to the fanbase, outlining how important we think Bryce Drew is, etc, etc...
A petition may be a bit too feeble. I'm thinking that we wouldn't get enough signatures to be impactful enough. But a letter writing campaign - not to the chancellor, not to the athletic director who each can deflect it, hide it or spin it the way they want to the board. No, I mean a letter writing campaign to each and every officer, member and emeritus member of the board. Or maybe it is one letter that you get signed by 100 200 300 people hopefully some of them prominent citizens and fans. But that letter has to go to every board member.
But in my opinion, I think that is probably the best way to get any action out of Vanderbilt. I don't think we can count on the chancellor. I don't think we can count on the athletic director. I don't think it does anybody any good to be loud and negative in public. But get the message to the people who are truly in power, and show them that there is a large group of people who truly care and who are extremely frustrated. I think that could possibly work.
So there's a project for someone. Find the addresses and/or email addresses of everyone on the board. Post it here and get it out there and then we can tell them our concerns.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/members.php
Thoughts?
1. As has been pointed out, the chancellor indeed serves at the pleasure of the Board. That said, the Board is largely going to go along with whatever direction and recommendations that the chancellor sets particularly in areas of finer details. They are largely going to be concerned with the bigger picture issues. I can imagine a scenario in the board meeting where someone asks about how things are going with athletics. The chancellors says they're fine and shows off our W-L records and everyone nods and they move on to something else. They're just not going to dig into the details unless their is a reason to. So to the untrained eye everything seems fine.
2. Vanderbilt is not, and never will be an institution that responds well (or at all) to public, point of the bayonet type criticism. I sort of see their administration and board acting very much like Augusta National did during the whole uproar over female membership. Screaming about it in public forums will only make them dig in even more and will harm any momentum we have going for us any way (let's not forget that we're coming off a pretty darn good year for all of our sports).
3. I'm certain that no one on the board with the possible exception of John Ingram reads this board. It's doubtful that they listen to any sports radio or even read about it in the local newspaper. If you'll notice, hardly any members of the board nowadays are even from Nashville.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/members.php
4. I think it's probably unfair to paint each and every member of the board with a broad brush as not caring about Vanderbilt athletics. My guess is that they probably don't know many of the details, and they probably have zero idea of any of the things that are being talked about on this board. The exception being probably the uproar around the stadium. But as Chris has said that's really not the issue that's the symptom you she was bigger than that. At least so it seems.
So, I started thinking about whether it might make sense to start a letter writing campaign or perhaps a petition that could be sent to each and every member of the board. A letter from each and every fan that is concerned to each and every member of the board. A letter that isn't condescending or pointing fingers but is simply pointing out issues that we are concerned about And asking very legitimate questions that so many of us seem to have regarding the vision for the future of athletics, the fund-raising around athletics, communication and accountability to the fanbase, outlining how important we think Bryce Drew is, etc, etc...
A petition may be a bit too feeble. I'm thinking that we wouldn't get enough signatures to be impactful enough. But a letter writing campaign - not to the chancellor, not to the athletic director who each can deflect it, hide it or spin it the way they want to the board. No, I mean a letter writing campaign to each and every officer, member and emeritus member of the board. Or maybe it is one letter that you get signed by 100 200 300 people hopefully some of them prominent citizens and fans. But that letter has to go to every board member.
But in my opinion, I think that is probably the best way to get any action out of Vanderbilt. I don't think we can count on the chancellor. I don't think we can count on the athletic director. I don't think it does anybody any good to be loud and negative in public. But get the message to the people who are truly in power, and show them that there is a large group of people who truly care and who are extremely frustrated. I think that could possibly work.
So there's a project for someone. Find the addresses and/or email addresses of everyone on the board. Post it here and get it out there and then we can tell them our concerns.
http://www.vanderbilt.edu/boardoftrust/members.php
Thoughts?
