Should SMU seek a new president?

[Samurai Stang]

THE TURNER YEARS (Note: this is only for timeframe up to 4/08)

Fundraising

No one questions Turner as a fundraiser.

Buildings

Which are largely the result of fund raising. Again, I do not question this.

Campus expansion

Again, fund raising.

Academics
The number of freshman applications at SMU more than doubled in eight years, reaching nearly 9,000 for a class of 1,350 in fall 2008.

At last, you respond to something that was actually being questioned. Truthfully, I would find this remarkable, meaning that I do not believe it. In 2009 SMU's acceptance rate was 53% (http://collegeapps.about.com/od/collegeprofiles/p/smu.htm). Either 2008 was the greatest year in SMU admissions history at 15% acceptance, or your facts are incorrect.

[SMU89]

Actually, I'm not "responding" to anything.

Just posting facts.

And since we all seem to agree on the fundraising -- let's make sure we remember this one when we watch our coach and team go out onto the field......

Another longtime trustee, Dallas businessman Gerald J. Ford, witnessed Dr. Turner's fundraising prowess when SMU sought donations for the football stadium that now bears Mr. Ford's name.

"I didn't wake up one morning saying, 'I want to give $20 million to build a new football stadium,' " Mr. Ford said. "He kept knocking on my door until finally I did."

"He said, 'It won't happen unless someone steps up,' and he persuaded me to be that one."

[Samurai Stang]

Actually, I'm not "responding" to anything.

Just posting facts.

I believe you mean "facts."

[PonyPower]

the Greek system is starting to be pathetic. The school is harder to get into. The quality of the students coming in are terrible. There needs to be a change

By all means, start going after students who know that "quality" is a singular that should be used in conjunction with IS, not ARE.

Sorry — couldn't resist.

[Samurai Stang]

And since we all seem to agree on the fundraising -- let's make sure we remember this one when we watch our coach and team go out onto the field......

Another longtime trustee, Dallas businessman Gerald J. Ford, witnessed Dr. Turner's fundraising prowess when SMU sought donations for the football stadium that now bears Mr. Ford's name.

The stadium? The building of the stadium was wonderful, but it was not a commitment to winning. The powers at SMU were foolish enough to believe that if they built a stadium they could suddenly win. That did not happen, and for almost ten years Ford was an empty crater on Saturdays. A testimony to the ridiculous notion that SMU could keep its high academic standards by simply enticing recruits with the unparalleled glory of a 35,000 seat stadium. Foolishness of the highest order, yet it was Turner's master plan.

You cannot praise Turner for the stadium and not hold him accountable for athletic policies that he supported along with it. It would have been better to have made a real commitment while playing in the Cotton Bowl than to suffer through losing football in a brand new stadium, and it would have been less expensive. It was not until June Jones that it seemed we had both...at least until Jeremy Hall.

[Hal]

Maybe the stadium, in and of itself, is not a commitment to win, but refusal to build it would have represented a refusal to win. It had to be done, and it got done under his watch.

[SMU89]

I would agree with you that the admissions numbers which were direct from DMN seem way off.

I guess I'm still a liar.

All well, I still have my imaginary friend.


http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent ... 2564e.html

[Samurai Stang]

I would agree with you that the admissions numbers which were direct from DMN seem way off. Appears they divided the number of freshmen by the applicants.

I guess I'm still a liar.

Nonsense! A liar knows what he says is false, you were simply deceived by the Longhorn Press.

[Samurai Stang]

Maybe the stadium, in and of itself, is not a commitment to win, but refusal to build it would have represented a refusal to win. It had to be done, and it got done under his watch.

Given that the high academic standards were still in place, and football was consistently atrocious, I believe that there was a time when the very recent construction of the stadium was the only reason SMU continued to play Division One.

I once heard Copeland state that his goal was for SMU to make a bowl game every five or six years. His was not a plan to gain victory, but a plan to hope for luck. A plan which by all rights should have been the end of SMU football.

To wait for luck is the same as waiting for death - Japanese Proverb

[Samurai Stang]

That being said, things are definitely different now. I don't think we are living in the era of institutional hostility to athletics at SMU anymore. That's why I think the screaming on this board about this issue is way overdone.

When June Jones leaves because SMU will not allow him to win, will you reverse your position, or will you cling to it when we leave division one?

[StangEsq]

This thread is a joke. College athletics from BC$ to mid-majors is in trouble because of inane supporters, who feel we can only value our degrees and self-worth based on a FB program. Get a life.

Which is greater?
A. The positive impact a top-25 football team has on the value of our degree
B. The negative impact from allowing 5 marginal students (who've passed minimum NCAA standards) and make up only 0.05% of the student body

I don't think there's even an argument here...

[redpony]

IMHO we are clouding the primary issue with a lot of facts and non-facts. I believe the real issue at hand is that Turner and this administration lied to the coaching staff (and JJ specifically) about admitting NCAA qualifiers. They have lost all integrity and as a result will probably start losing financial support from many of those who not only support good academics but successful athletic programs as well. Is it any worse to lose all integrity by lying to your HC than it was for a past administration to openly lose it's integrity by paying players. Wrong is wrong and that needs to be corrected.
I find it interesting that just after the Hawaii bowl win our administration was talking about the vast increase in applications and all of the free publicity that 'our athletic team' generated by going to a bowl game. Yet Turner openly professes that athletic teams do nothing for the benefit of the university.
Changes need to be made- either in clarifying to the admissions committee what is acceptable for NCAA qualifiers, changing the composition of the admissions committee or changing top level staff including the university president if necessary. We have had far too many 'embarrassing' moments over the past decades. It is time that SMU starts operating on a more professional and ethical level.

GO PONIES!!!
MUSTANG MANIA LIVES

[Insane_Pony_Posse]

When June Jones leaves because SMU will not allow him to win, will you reverse your position, or will you cling to it when we leave division one? The problem with SMU fans is that they take too long to realize what is wrong, because they are content to simply not be under Pye. When June Jones leaves SMU and deems the university un-winnable, there will never be another chance at such leadership. When you are thirsty it is too late to think about digging a well

One of your best posts Samurai! Many of these morons don't realize what a unique opportunity we have with June Jones being able to take us to a level that brings SMU back to the point of everyone in America knowing who we are again. Most young people are like "S.M. Who?". God forbid we blow this opportunity!

[Samurai Stang]

It is not too late to change your vote.

[NavyCrimson]

Samurai: "... To wait for luck is the same as waiting for death - Japanese Proverb"

What a great quote!!!

Yes, it's time for Jerry to go!