December 8, 2014
Dr.
Robert E. Witt
Chancellor
The
University of Alabama System
500
University Boulevard East
Tuscaloosa,
Alabama 35401
Dear
Dr. Witt,
For
many years, the members of the Champion Club have been one of the primary
sources of charitable giving to UAB Athletics. We have been involved in
countless endeavors to strengthen our programs, facilities, and our institution. The
Champion Club has been a driver of funding necessary to elevate UAB Athletics
and it has been an honor to do so.
This
past Saturday, UAB released information regarding Dr. Ray Watts decision to
dissolve UAB football. Although we disagree with his decision and the
assertions included in the rationale, there are two points in particular that
are simply not true. In fact, they are disingenuous, especially to those
who have worked so hard for, and care so deeply about, UAB and its impact on
our students and greater community.
Below
are the excerpts we wish to bring to your attention from UAB's website:
“We met with our biggest donors before we made
this decision, and also studied past and current giving. The financial support
was simply not there.”
“Suggestions that there existed sufficient
philanthropic and community support to maintain football are simply not true.
To be clear, we did not turn down a single donation, nor did we receive
tangible gifts or written commitments.”
Please
be advised that none of us were contacted by Dr. Watts, Brian Mackin or any UAB
staff member regarding the alleged deficit reported in the Carr Report. In
fact, the vast majority of our members learned of the Carr Report results
through the media following Dr. Watt's announcement of abandoning football last
Tuesday. It is important to note that Dr. Watts "officially"
had the study for two weeks before notifying the public. In that interim
period, if his intentions were genuine, why would he not make contact with
UAB's leading donors and business leaders seek our help and resources in working
towards a solution?
This
situation is extremely disappointing and has called into question the
leadership of UAB. At a minimum, students, faculty,
alumni, donors, and most importantly, the players of all impacted sports,
deserved a transparent and honest process which would have provided an
opportunity to analyze the Carr Report and create a framework that would have
saved and elevated UAB athletics and the university. If Tulane
University, who mirrors UAB in so many ways, could work to galvanize and unite their
community in saving its football program, surely UAB could have made an
authentic attempt to do the same.
To
hear Dr. Watts say that he never turned down a single check is also disingenuous
because all of us would have made major investments to save UAB Football;
however, as with the UAB Football Foundation, the City of Birmingham, and our
community at large, we were never given that opportunity.
We
want to know why.
Sincerely,
Harold Ripps
Don HireAdam Cohen
Justin Craft
Charlie Nowlin
Roy Berger
Craft O’Neal
Jimmy Filler
Barney Ireland
David Cockran Jr.
Michael Putt
Don Huey
