While some may disagree with one or more of Andy's points, I'm sure all will agree on the necessity of having available comprehensive and comparable budget information from all units of the University in order to facilitate an informed discussion.  Unfortunately, despite repeated requests for such information and despite repeated assurances from the administration that such information would be forthcoming, Academic Affairs remains the only university unit to make its budget available for public scrutiny.

Clearly, the responsible administrators feel little pressure to respond to the repeated requests for budget information.  Perhaps Chancellor Stacy can raise the stakes by publically setting a date certain by which his administrative team will make their budgets available to the University community. 
-----Original Message-----
From: Andy Novobilski <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Date: Fri, 16 Apr 2004 13:00:05 -0400
Subject: Re: [UTCSTAFF] Men's Basketball Coach

To those of you who will only read today's sports section, I suggest
that you go back over the past several weeks of the paper as it covered
the questions that have been raised.  My understanding is as follows:

1. There are provisions for an accelerated search process.  In this
case, there are several key recruit signing dates that are imminent.
The head coach plays an important part in the decision making process
for parents (having been involved with several recruiting visits, I can
personally attest to the interest parents play in the process, both
coaching and academically).  It is important that the uncertainty be
resolved and removed as soon as reasonably possible.

2. Steve Sloan was quoted as saying [something in the nature of] that
the coaching position would carry a salary more in-line with the current
economic realities of the university and state and that there is a
salary cap and that it will be known when the new head coach is named.

What really bothers me about this post is that it uses an incomplete set
of facts to frame a soapbox to make a point.  However, the problem with
the causality of athletics leading to the downfall of the institution
lies in the fact that the problem is larger and more comprehensive than
presented in the original post (or any post that has attempted to point
the finger at a non-academic or new academic program).  One way to
dispel some of this would be to see a complete accounting of all budgets
(some issues make strange companions at times), in the same manner as
Academic Affairs has done.  We could then gain a better understanding of
what's going on across the entire university.

Andy

===============================
Andy Novobilski, Ph.D.
Assoc. Prof. & Acting Dept. Head
UT Chattanooga Computer Science
(423) 425-4202
http://www.utc.edu/faculty/Andy-Novobilski


-----Original Message-----
From: UTC Staff E-Mail List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
Melissa Burchfield
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2004 11:50 AM
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: [UTCSTAFF] Men's Basketball Coach

Yesterday's paper reported that the search for a men's basketball coach
has been put on an unusually accelerated schedule outside the normal
personnel hiring policies.  No reason was given for this exception.  I
am aware that the newspaper doesn't always get things straight, so I'm
asking for clarification from whoever has the facts of the matter.

...