Letter to the editor....

Out.

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Speaker's Stand ... Retaining JSU's best qualities
By Rufus Kinney
Special to The Star
05-30-2009

Having recently retired from Jacksonville State University after 25 years, I'd like to share a few thoughts in praise of it, plus a couple of serious concerns.

Among JSU's finest qualities are its academic freedom, which is outstanding; friendly relations among faculty, students and staff; a teaching and learning environment that is typically positive and productive and that upholds college-level standards for measuring student performance; a lovely and well-kept campus in the loveliest geographical location of any college or university in Alabama; competitive pay and excellent benefits for faculty and staff; and a multitude of opportunities for students to be involved in healthy extracurricular and social activities. I thank JSU for allowing me to have a happy and productive career in its excellent English department.

One concern is that tuition continues to rise. When I came to JSU in 1984, it had the lowest overall expenses of any public university in Alabama that was not predominantly black and one of the lowest in the United States. It was attracting students from all over America and internationally because the costs were so low. Several students from far-flung places in the early years told me they'd been attracted to JSU because it was one of the three or four least expensive, fully accredited public universities in the United States.

During the 2008-2009 school year just ended, JSU's tuition was sixth highest for in-state students among Alabama's 12 public universities, and it will be raised another 9.47 percent for the upcoming school year. New university-sponsored marketing tactics seem to be aimed at making JSU more elitist and "big time." This is insane.

JSU's most attractive quality has always been exceptional affordability combined with quality teaching and learning. In fairness, JSU is still very competitive on overall expenses for students who pay in-state tuition and live in dorms, says U.S. News and World Report, but many students do not, and the perception of JSU's extraordinary affordability is slipping.

A related and most serious concern is the football stadium expansion. Why spend millions expanding a stadium that is rarely more than half full? Oftentimes it becomes even emptier after the halftime show. If JSU needs new dorms, they could be built elsewhere on campus at much less expense and without sacrificing the attractive and popular tailgating area. All things considered, including that America is in its worst economic downturn since the Great Depression, JSU should end this stadium expansion project, cut its losses and get back to working toward better affordability and lower costs again.

And for goodness sakes, rename the stadium after Bill Burgess, JSU's greatest football coach. Who else won so many conference titles in such a short time and took us through the playoffs to three national title games in four years? Who else won a national title in football? Capacity crowds were commonplace in those days. Did Bear Bryant and Shug Jordan have to conduct multimillion dollar fund-raising campaigns to create Bryant-Denny and Jordan-Hare stadiums, respectively? Of course not.

In both cases, the renaming was a well-deserved honor. I call on the JSU Board of Trustees to show some class and forthwith rename the stadium Burgess-Snow Stadium. That in itself would improve the rapidly deteriorating public relations and bring The Burgess Boys back to home games again. Unless and until it happens, people will continue to stay away in droves. They'd rather watch Alabama games and Auburn games on TV or in person.

JSU's authoritarian leaders are out of touch and seem determined to tick people off in more ways than one. They turned a deaf ear to the students, faculty and community members who pleaded against the stadium expansion. How often do board members talk with students and get to know them personally? And how many administrators teach? Almost none. Wild horses couldn't drag most of them into a classroom. Otherwise they would know that students overwhelmingly do not want a stadium expansion that smacks of some frustrated "Troy wannabe" complex. Today's students don't care about that.

They want a quality education at the lowest possible cost, which is what JSU offered once upon a time, along with all manner of national championships in Division II athletics, where it ruled. I'm a fan. I miss those days.

Rufus Kinney, who taught in the English department at JSU, lives in Jacksonville.

So I guess we shouldn't put Mr. Kinney down for a donation.

I certainly appreciate Mr. Kinney's years of service to JSU and he has every right to his opinion. Nostalgia for the D2 and GSC days is a lost cause however. The train has left the station in regards to the stadium expansion. It's time to get on board if you still want to support JSU football and the young men that give their blood and sweat. It remains to be seen if we also make the move up to FBS, but even if we stay at the FCS level the new stadium is an improvement in facilities that is necessary to stay competitive. I would also love to see our other sports get the same improvements. Perhaps they will if JSU fans and supporters get behind the football team. Football is the one sport that has the potential to generate the kind of revenue that can filter down to the other sports.

Lord knows I question the leadership that we have in place and some of the decisions that they make. It is perfectly ok to question those decisions and have a debate. The one thing that bothers me about the tone of Mr. Kinney's letter though is the inferiority complex that it feeds. Mr. Kinney and many other JSU fans seem to have this feeling that we shouldn't try to play with the big boys. It's as if we should know our place and be happy to just have a team that gives people something to do on a Saturday if Auburn and Alabama aren't on TV. I may be in the minority but I think our school should keep striving to improve the athletic department so that we can compete with any school in the country. I have the feeling that many of these "JSU fans" don't want this to happen because then they may have to openly cheer against us if we threaten their loyalties to Alabama or Auburn.

You can also count me as one of those fans that are somewhat jealous of Troy's success. I went to school at JSU in the early 80's, so I still hate Troy but I can't help but admire their success. They have dared to do the unthinkable and move up beyone their station in life. As a result, I would say that they have a far greater percentage of their fans that are true Troy fans and couldn't care less about Auburn or Alabama. I do hope that we get there one day.

Well said Brother...As a Troy alum, I know your feelings against the Mighty Trojans! But heck, look at how your softball team did this year. It CAN be done and you wouldn't believe the atmosphere at our home football games now - it's unbelievable.

If the JSU fans would get on board, you guys will really enjoy playing with us big boys!

Best of luck!

Great letter Mr. Kinney!!! I agree. PS-FIRE MEEHAN

SOME Jacksonvillians can not stand change. Some of them the Nay Sayers cussed the mill project which was a wonderful project to help clean up the westside of Jacksonville and the back door of our University. When the Train Depot is finnished on Mountain Street it will give the public an insight to what the Mill project could be if it were finnished. Now some of them are NOW / Again cussing the the growth of The Snow. It is great to see leaders with a vision that are not moved by every wind (or Nay Sayer) that blows through one of the local churches. Jacksonville is moving forward and growing and they can't stop it. But as the old saying goes every tub has to sit on it's on bottom. LOL. Maybe oneday we want have to ride 25 miles in one direct to shop or dine out.

By the way who cares about Alabama or Auburn. For me and My Family it is JSU or nothing.

Pee on the Rest !

Big C Little o c k s JAX STATE GAMECOCKS O HELL YES !

If Jacksonville did not have the University we would be smaller & have less than Piedmont.

Now ask me how I really feel ! LOL !

By the way Leave Dr. Bill alone

Walk a mile in his shoes before you throw rocks

Very True Troy Alum.