GSU Blog Series: More Fees, and a Move to the FBS?
This is the first blog in a series regarding Georgia Southern University, my alma mater. I attended GSU from the Fall of 2007 until May, 2012, when I graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Information Technology. These blogs will reflect facts and opinions in regards to various things I experienced, saw, or heard of while at GSU.
I'm not a credible news source, however I do check my facts before writing them down. Below the blog, I credit the conversations with people, if any, that played a hand in shaping the body of this blog. If you have any issues with what is being said, please feel free to contact me.
As an Alumni of Georgia Southern University, I've found myself invested in some of the issues happening currently on campus. And, given I've already received a phone call regarding donations to GSU, I figured I might as well stay pressed on the issues at hand.
Most recently, the students at Georgia Southern participated in a vote on fees to be implemented as early as Fall 2013, which include:
Initially, I was going to just watch from the outside, but the more that I saw on Social Media, the more I wanted to figure out what each stood for, what each would mean for the university in general, pros, cons, all of that stuff. Keep in mind, this is all just based from my vantage point, and through the 3 main conversations I had with people over the course of the last few days. I did my own research into the topics at hand, and here's what's been formulated....
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The fee to expand Paulson Stadium was something that I knew needed to happen. In the time I've been at Georgia Southern, I saw the enrollment increase by a large margin to the 20,000 plus students that attend GSU now. GSU's gone from a school that's down on someone's radar to being on that may be considered first-choice. And if you've seen a Game Day at Paulson, then you know that the Student/Visitor Side of the Stadium is cramped. Barely walking room, period. I remember being in the Band section trying to walk up to the bathroom, and it's almost like playing Bumper Cars trying to walk up the stairs. Plus, dealing with the obnoxious drunk students makes you wanna shove instruments in places.... Not pretty.
From what I've learned, the way Paulson Stadium was built, it was built with 2 separate expansion in mind, one of which included adding a second tier of seating around the stadium. The second expansion included enclosing the entire stadium in a bowl, but.... I don't see that happening ANY time soon. Adding the second tier would greatly increase seating capabilities in Paulson, not only for football games, but for other events as well. Attracting higher entertainment is one. Another important thing would be more seating for Graduation, which is notorious for being "standing room only." My graduation in May saw thousands of people descending on the stadium, and not a lot of room to show for it. This would allow MORE people to attend the graduation ceremony.
Verdict: The Paulson Stadium Expansion Fee is a good thing. If you take the $25 fee, multiply it by 20,000 students, you get $500,000 a semester (Fall and Spring Semesters, Summer not included) towards the funding of this expansion. It's something that's needed, and it'll help the university in the long haul. The implications go farther beyond just for football; it can essentially be used, in greater demand, for more ways for GSU. Plus, it'll make Paulson even more pretty. : )
The Sustainability Fee would continue efforts at Georgia Southern to go more "green." It was really starting to get off the ground while I was still an undergraduate, with various programs aimed at GSU becoming more sustainable. More recycling bins around campus is the easy part; maintaining sustainability in a way that's appealing is what the program aims for. The fee would help fund the projects at hand, ultimately providing more positions and allocating more resources.
Verdict: There isn't much else to say, except: GO GREEN! If you take the $10 fee, and multiply it by 20,000 students, that's $200,000 a semester (Fall and Spring Semesters, Summer not included) towards funding sustainability on campus. That's a lot to go into funding different ways to help Georgia Southern go a more sustainable route. And, at the pinnacle of this, will be the new Biology Building, which, once completed, should be LEED certified. If you're unsure what LEED is, do a Google search. : )
The first 2, as discussed, are relatively cut and dry. You can feel how you want, but who says NO to sustainability (it helps the environment!), and if you've been to a GSU game, then you know how the Student/Visitor side feels like you're a sardine. But the last one, that was definitely a bit more.... discussed, and a lot more heated. From what I could see, there were some strong opinions, both student and alumni alike, about this last fee.
The Fee to fund GSU's potential move to the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) of the NCAA, hereby dubbed the "FBS Fee," is the fee aimed to help fund the budget of the GSU football team as it moves up from the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS. Currently, GSU competes in the Southern Conference (SoCon for short) with all of its athletic teams, football included.
Georgia Southern has stated its intent to move into the FBS, once it receives an invitation from an FBS conference. A move up to a new level would mean more funding would be needed for athletic teams at GSU, namely the football team, to compete at that level.
Of all the fees that were voted on, this was probably the most discussed, with a LOT of that regarding whether or not it would be appropriate for GSU to move at this time. There's a lot that's behind this move; it's a big step for not just GSU, but Statesboro as well. I know that upon hearing about this, it was a bit confusing at first. There's a lot even I did not know of beforehand, and through many conversations, particularly with one person, I was able to learn a bit more about what a move to the FBS would mean, potentially.
First off, for those who are versed in the football world, GSU moving to the FBS would NOT mean a move into the SEC, or Southeastern Conference. This is where the likes of UGA, University of Florida, LSU, Auburn, etc. compete. The likelihood of this happening is very low, let's be honest. But that isn't the point of moving into the FBS. More than likely, if we were to be invited by a conference, it would come from, more likely, the Sun Belt Conference; keep note there are other conferences, like Conference USA, that are viable options. Mind you this is purely speculative, so don't go quoting this as a news source.
We have to be invited by said conference before all of this can go into action, meaning that we can't just say "Oh, GSU is now a part of the FBS, and we'll be competing in the ___________ Conference." That's not how those work. At first, I thought it was judged off performance and our ability to perform, both on and off the field. While I'm sure these are definitely a good portion of consideration, there are other factors that play a part as well. There are many other things that commissioners have to take into consideration in order to receive an invitation. And I'm pretty sure we need to be in a situation to be able to take said invitation. We can't just accept because we can.
Those who love football may hate when I say this, but there is more to GSU than just the football team. There are other athletic teams on campus that would be affected by a move into the FBS. An invitation and acceptance into an FBS conference puts all of our sports teams into the FBS, not just the football team. GSU has two basketball teams, a baseball team, softball team, volleyball team, and so on and so forth. Those are other things you have to keep in mind as well.
I also remember a discussion in regards to this, but ultimately, a move to the FBS could easily increase the exposure and prestige of GSU as a whole. I'll be first to admit that until I applied for colleges my Senior year in high school, I hadn't heard much about Georgia Southern. My friend (and eventual roommate) was a Freshmen my Senior year in high school, and he was the only person I knew who went to GSU; everyone else I knew either went to Valdosta State, UGA, or the rare few, colleges in other states. GSU wasn't really an option, and better yet, was looked at more as a party school, or a reject school for those who didn't get into UGA. But over the last 5 years, the prestige of GSU has definitely increase ten-fold, with more people looking at it as a viable option, a FIRST option. Being in the FBS could increase the meaning behind your degree at GSU. Mind you, I don't agree with that; I think a degree is a degree; you worked hard for 4 years (or more), you learned a good deal, that should count more. But unfortunately, that's the world we live in.
My initial opinion of said move to the FBS was a bit opposing. I couldn't understand why a team, who hadn't won a National Championship in 12 years, would be contemplating moving to a level where the competition was tougher. I didn't understand why anyone would want to jeopardize a change in division just because of the football team. I love GSU football, but I love everything else about GSU as well, and I thought of this initially upon first hearing about the move to FBS. Why move?
I simply thought we weren't capable of competing on a level much higher if we were struggling at the level we were at now. I attributed it to Football games this season (losing to the Citadel, the almost-loss to Elon) and the inability to execute as needed. I attributed it to our basketball teams, which as of late haven't done much in their respective conference games. Some have shown promises and signs of life, but at the same time, it comes down to execution. (There's more about the basketball team, but that is for another time.) I know my circle of friends and the connections among them mentioned the baseball team, which has been very successful, but outside of that, it's rare to hear anything else on campus about any other athletic team other than football. I get it, it's the South, football might as well be another child in some families.
A move to the FBS would affect more than just the football team. It would affect all these other teams at Southern that would also now have to compete at a higher level, a level they may not be prepared for.
I also worried about whether or not the university in general would be prepared for, and could handle, a move to a new level, as well as the town of Statesboro. When I arrived at GSU in August of 2007, campus was.... small. At the time, there was probably around 14,000 students, maybe more. Class sizes were relatively small, I never felt cramped, and I could roam campus at any time and feel rather secure about my surroundings. Statesboro as well was a small town, similar to the one I just came from. Over the last 5 years, I watch GSU's enrollment jump to over 20,000 students (and growing). Campus is nearly bursting at the seams. Even the addition of Centennial Place didn't do much to help, in regards to the rooming situation. I've watched GSU purchase 2 apartment complexes and turn them into dorms:
Generalized, I just worried about whether or not GSU and Statesboro could sustain itself with this move. While some people are thinking only about the football team, I'm thinking of, and worry about, everything else other than the football team. I know the team can perform, and perform well. Their potential is GREAT. But I just worry that anything immediate, without the time to sufficiently prepare, could do more damage than benefit.
Verdict: While I'm not for an immediate move of GSU into the FBS, the long term viewpoint is that it's something that can be beneficial, not detrimental. There are a lot of words going around right now that can easily make someone look at a move like this as stupid and irresponsible. There are a LOT of people who were out there spewing words they did not have facts to back, which makes supporters look worse, and create opponents simply because of that. While our playing in past games this seasons wouldn't show a team who is capable of competing on the FBS level, a viewpoint I share, it's very likely you can attribute it to growing pains. Look at last year. We were able to propel ourselves into the playoffs, and do quite well in the long haul. Our performance has lacked in games this year, but there is a show of promise. Look at the GSU vs. Samford game on Saturday. With Samford atop the SoCon standings and coming in undefeated, they were definitely a force. That was NOT an easy game, and while we struggled a bit, we were able to execute and do WELL.
If you take the $75 fee, and multiply it by 20,000 student, that would mean that $1.5 million dollars each semester (Fall and Spring Semesters, Summer not included) would benefit GSU and their potential move up to the FBS, that money attributed to a large budget increase for athletics, namely the football team.
If you handed GSU an invitation today, I would be totally against accepting it. As a university, not just a football team, I feel like we aren't necessarily there YET. It's like a child wanting to run before they can even walk straight. You'll get there, but it takes some time, hard work, and dedication. GSU is totally capable of being at the FBS level, it's just something the entire university has to be prepared and ready for. Hand us an invitation, say, 3 to 5 years down the line, and I'll say definitely accept it.
There's a lot more to GSU and Statesboro than just football. I think the long-term benefits of this are amazing and completely worth it. But anything too drastic, anything too rush, can hurt more than help. The community, I know, is behind this move, but I worry if they understand ALL of the implications. In short, I don't want Statesboro to turn into another Athens. I, among the many, like Statesboro and GSU for its feel, it's at-home nature. And I want that to remain, and not get lost in all the FBS excitement and hubbub.
Part 2 of my Blog Series in regards to Georgia Southern will continue in the next day or two.
Credit to Brandon Lawler, Christopher Horn, Melissa Ray on facts and opinions shared in this blog. Thanks for sharing your view points, it was definitely very helpful.
I'm not a credible news source, however I do check my facts before writing them down. Below the blog, I credit the conversations with people, if any, that played a hand in shaping the body of this blog. If you have any issues with what is being said, please feel free to contact me.
As an Alumni of Georgia Southern University, I've found myself invested in some of the issues happening currently on campus. And, given I've already received a phone call regarding donations to GSU, I figured I might as well stay pressed on the issues at hand.
Most recently, the students at Georgia Southern participated in a vote on fees to be implemented as early as Fall 2013, which include:
- Paulson Stadium Expansion (Athletic Expansion Fee), $25: This fee would help fund the planned expansion of Paulson Stadium, to include a second level of seating specifically for the Visitors side of the stadium. This seating would help to accommodate the students at Georgia Southern more easily in the stands.
- GSU Sustainability (Green Fee), $10: This fee would help sustain the efforts of GSU to "go green" with sustainable efforts on campus, as well as providing sources of employment.
- Potential Move to the NCAA Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS Fee), $75: GSU has stated its intent to move up from the FCS (Football Championship Subdivision), to the FBS, upon receiving an invitation from an FBS Conference. This fee would help fund the budget to support the GSU football team in its move up to this division.
Initially, I was going to just watch from the outside, but the more that I saw on Social Media, the more I wanted to figure out what each stood for, what each would mean for the university in general, pros, cons, all of that stuff. Keep in mind, this is all just based from my vantage point, and through the 3 main conversations I had with people over the course of the last few days. I did my own research into the topics at hand, and here's what's been formulated....
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
The fee to expand Paulson Stadium was something that I knew needed to happen. In the time I've been at Georgia Southern, I saw the enrollment increase by a large margin to the 20,000 plus students that attend GSU now. GSU's gone from a school that's down on someone's radar to being on that may be considered first-choice. And if you've seen a Game Day at Paulson, then you know that the Student/Visitor Side of the Stadium is cramped. Barely walking room, period. I remember being in the Band section trying to walk up to the bathroom, and it's almost like playing Bumper Cars trying to walk up the stairs. Plus, dealing with the obnoxious drunk students makes you wanna shove instruments in places.... Not pretty.
From what I've learned, the way Paulson Stadium was built, it was built with 2 separate expansion in mind, one of which included adding a second tier of seating around the stadium. The second expansion included enclosing the entire stadium in a bowl, but.... I don't see that happening ANY time soon. Adding the second tier would greatly increase seating capabilities in Paulson, not only for football games, but for other events as well. Attracting higher entertainment is one. Another important thing would be more seating for Graduation, which is notorious for being "standing room only." My graduation in May saw thousands of people descending on the stadium, and not a lot of room to show for it. This would allow MORE people to attend the graduation ceremony.
Verdict: The Paulson Stadium Expansion Fee is a good thing. If you take the $25 fee, multiply it by 20,000 students, you get $500,000 a semester (Fall and Spring Semesters, Summer not included) towards the funding of this expansion. It's something that's needed, and it'll help the university in the long haul. The implications go farther beyond just for football; it can essentially be used, in greater demand, for more ways for GSU. Plus, it'll make Paulson even more pretty. : )
The Sustainability Fee would continue efforts at Georgia Southern to go more "green." It was really starting to get off the ground while I was still an undergraduate, with various programs aimed at GSU becoming more sustainable. More recycling bins around campus is the easy part; maintaining sustainability in a way that's appealing is what the program aims for. The fee would help fund the projects at hand, ultimately providing more positions and allocating more resources.
Verdict: There isn't much else to say, except: GO GREEN! If you take the $10 fee, and multiply it by 20,000 students, that's $200,000 a semester (Fall and Spring Semesters, Summer not included) towards funding sustainability on campus. That's a lot to go into funding different ways to help Georgia Southern go a more sustainable route. And, at the pinnacle of this, will be the new Biology Building, which, once completed, should be LEED certified. If you're unsure what LEED is, do a Google search. : )
The first 2, as discussed, are relatively cut and dry. You can feel how you want, but who says NO to sustainability (it helps the environment!), and if you've been to a GSU game, then you know how the Student/Visitor side feels like you're a sardine. But the last one, that was definitely a bit more.... discussed, and a lot more heated. From what I could see, there were some strong opinions, both student and alumni alike, about this last fee.
The Fee to fund GSU's potential move to the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision) of the NCAA, hereby dubbed the "FBS Fee," is the fee aimed to help fund the budget of the GSU football team as it moves up from the Football Championship Subdivision, or FCS. Currently, GSU competes in the Southern Conference (SoCon for short) with all of its athletic teams, football included.
Georgia Southern has stated its intent to move into the FBS, once it receives an invitation from an FBS conference. A move up to a new level would mean more funding would be needed for athletic teams at GSU, namely the football team, to compete at that level.
Of all the fees that were voted on, this was probably the most discussed, with a LOT of that regarding whether or not it would be appropriate for GSU to move at this time. There's a lot that's behind this move; it's a big step for not just GSU, but Statesboro as well. I know that upon hearing about this, it was a bit confusing at first. There's a lot even I did not know of beforehand, and through many conversations, particularly with one person, I was able to learn a bit more about what a move to the FBS would mean, potentially.
First off, for those who are versed in the football world, GSU moving to the FBS would NOT mean a move into the SEC, or Southeastern Conference. This is where the likes of UGA, University of Florida, LSU, Auburn, etc. compete. The likelihood of this happening is very low, let's be honest. But that isn't the point of moving into the FBS. More than likely, if we were to be invited by a conference, it would come from, more likely, the Sun Belt Conference; keep note there are other conferences, like Conference USA, that are viable options. Mind you this is purely speculative, so don't go quoting this as a news source.
We have to be invited by said conference before all of this can go into action, meaning that we can't just say "Oh, GSU is now a part of the FBS, and we'll be competing in the ___________ Conference." That's not how those work. At first, I thought it was judged off performance and our ability to perform, both on and off the field. While I'm sure these are definitely a good portion of consideration, there are other factors that play a part as well. There are many other things that commissioners have to take into consideration in order to receive an invitation. And I'm pretty sure we need to be in a situation to be able to take said invitation. We can't just accept because we can.
Those who love football may hate when I say this, but there is more to GSU than just the football team. There are other athletic teams on campus that would be affected by a move into the FBS. An invitation and acceptance into an FBS conference puts all of our sports teams into the FBS, not just the football team. GSU has two basketball teams, a baseball team, softball team, volleyball team, and so on and so forth. Those are other things you have to keep in mind as well.
I also remember a discussion in regards to this, but ultimately, a move to the FBS could easily increase the exposure and prestige of GSU as a whole. I'll be first to admit that until I applied for colleges my Senior year in high school, I hadn't heard much about Georgia Southern. My friend (and eventual roommate) was a Freshmen my Senior year in high school, and he was the only person I knew who went to GSU; everyone else I knew either went to Valdosta State, UGA, or the rare few, colleges in other states. GSU wasn't really an option, and better yet, was looked at more as a party school, or a reject school for those who didn't get into UGA. But over the last 5 years, the prestige of GSU has definitely increase ten-fold, with more people looking at it as a viable option, a FIRST option. Being in the FBS could increase the meaning behind your degree at GSU. Mind you, I don't agree with that; I think a degree is a degree; you worked hard for 4 years (or more), you learned a good deal, that should count more. But unfortunately, that's the world we live in.
My initial opinion of said move to the FBS was a bit opposing. I couldn't understand why a team, who hadn't won a National Championship in 12 years, would be contemplating moving to a level where the competition was tougher. I didn't understand why anyone would want to jeopardize a change in division just because of the football team. I love GSU football, but I love everything else about GSU as well, and I thought of this initially upon first hearing about the move to FBS. Why move?
I simply thought we weren't capable of competing on a level much higher if we were struggling at the level we were at now. I attributed it to Football games this season (losing to the Citadel, the almost-loss to Elon) and the inability to execute as needed. I attributed it to our basketball teams, which as of late haven't done much in their respective conference games. Some have shown promises and signs of life, but at the same time, it comes down to execution. (There's more about the basketball team, but that is for another time.) I know my circle of friends and the connections among them mentioned the baseball team, which has been very successful, but outside of that, it's rare to hear anything else on campus about any other athletic team other than football. I get it, it's the South, football might as well be another child in some families.
A move to the FBS would affect more than just the football team. It would affect all these other teams at Southern that would also now have to compete at a higher level, a level they may not be prepared for.
I also worried about whether or not the university in general would be prepared for, and could handle, a move to a new level, as well as the town of Statesboro. When I arrived at GSU in August of 2007, campus was.... small. At the time, there was probably around 14,000 students, maybe more. Class sizes were relatively small, I never felt cramped, and I could roam campus at any time and feel rather secure about my surroundings. Statesboro as well was a small town, similar to the one I just came from. Over the last 5 years, I watch GSU's enrollment jump to over 20,000 students (and growing). Campus is nearly bursting at the seams. Even the addition of Centennial Place didn't do much to help, in regards to the rooming situation. I've watched GSU purchase 2 apartment complexes and turn them into dorms:
- What people know as University Villas across the street from the PAC and by Southern Courtyard was once known as Campus Courtyard. My freshmen year, I had a few friends that lived over there. When GSU tore down Johnson, Olliff, and Winburn Halls to make way for Centennial, they purchased Campus Courtyard, renamed it University Villas (UV for short), and made it part of GSU Housing, to help off-set the placement.
- Campus Club, which was a part of the "American Campus Communities" apartment complexes that contained, at one point, Cambridge at Southern (my old home!), University Pines, and Campus Club, was bought by GSU and converted into Freedom's Landing, which opened Fall 2012. These, like UV, are apartment-style housing for students.
Generalized, I just worried about whether or not GSU and Statesboro could sustain itself with this move. While some people are thinking only about the football team, I'm thinking of, and worry about, everything else other than the football team. I know the team can perform, and perform well. Their potential is GREAT. But I just worry that anything immediate, without the time to sufficiently prepare, could do more damage than benefit.
Verdict: While I'm not for an immediate move of GSU into the FBS, the long term viewpoint is that it's something that can be beneficial, not detrimental. There are a lot of words going around right now that can easily make someone look at a move like this as stupid and irresponsible. There are a LOT of people who were out there spewing words they did not have facts to back, which makes supporters look worse, and create opponents simply because of that. While our playing in past games this seasons wouldn't show a team who is capable of competing on the FBS level, a viewpoint I share, it's very likely you can attribute it to growing pains. Look at last year. We were able to propel ourselves into the playoffs, and do quite well in the long haul. Our performance has lacked in games this year, but there is a show of promise. Look at the GSU vs. Samford game on Saturday. With Samford atop the SoCon standings and coming in undefeated, they were definitely a force. That was NOT an easy game, and while we struggled a bit, we were able to execute and do WELL.
If you take the $75 fee, and multiply it by 20,000 student, that would mean that $1.5 million dollars each semester (Fall and Spring Semesters, Summer not included) would benefit GSU and their potential move up to the FBS, that money attributed to a large budget increase for athletics, namely the football team.
If you handed GSU an invitation today, I would be totally against accepting it. As a university, not just a football team, I feel like we aren't necessarily there YET. It's like a child wanting to run before they can even walk straight. You'll get there, but it takes some time, hard work, and dedication. GSU is totally capable of being at the FBS level, it's just something the entire university has to be prepared and ready for. Hand us an invitation, say, 3 to 5 years down the line, and I'll say definitely accept it.
There's a lot more to GSU and Statesboro than just football. I think the long-term benefits of this are amazing and completely worth it. But anything too drastic, anything too rush, can hurt more than help. The community, I know, is behind this move, but I worry if they understand ALL of the implications. In short, I don't want Statesboro to turn into another Athens. I, among the many, like Statesboro and GSU for its feel, it's at-home nature. And I want that to remain, and not get lost in all the FBS excitement and hubbub.
Part 2 of my Blog Series in regards to Georgia Southern will continue in the next day or two.
Credit to Brandon Lawler, Christopher Horn, Melissa Ray on facts and opinions shared in this blog. Thanks for sharing your view points, it was definitely very helpful.
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