Disbanding the UIL?

[c-town_balla]

This isn't going to happen and I feel this article is poorly written with little research but, what if this happens? Would life as we know it cease?



It’s time for UT to scrap UIL




By Joshua Avelar

Daily Texan Staff
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Published: Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Updated: Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Times are tough at UT as financial troubles are rearing their ugly heads all over campus.

This newspaper has been ridden with headlines detailing budget cuts and program scraps for the past year or so, and just a quick browse of other college newspapers across the country shows this phenomenon is not unique to the 40 Acres.

One unique thing about UT’s budget constraints is the University’s responsibility to oversee the state’s high school athletic and academic competitions. But in the spirit of necessary cutbacks, the time has come for UT to scrap the University Interscholastic League from its list of responsibilities.

UT founded the league, known as UIL, in 1909, when UT was just one of a handful of public universities in a far-less-populated state. At the time, it made sense for UT to invest in regulating these competitions to attract and recruit students.

According to the Texas Education Agency, there are more than 1.3 million high school students in the state. Just a fraction of these students will end up attending UT, and even fewer will end up playing for the Longhorns.

UT is running out of space for its incoming freshman classes every year, as evidenced by the recent decision to cap automatic admission to just students who finished in the top 8 percent of their high school classes.

Furthermore, UIL is a budget constraint for UT. The league’s financial report for the 2008-09 school year states that it received about $10.9 million in revenue. But UIL’s overall expenses totaled over $12.5 million, leaving a $1.6 million deficit.

That money could possibly go to scholarships, a more efficient way to recruit good students than running high school competitions.

UIL is currently under the governance of the vice president of diversity and community engagement. Yet there exists no sign that regulating UIL necessarily adds to UT’s diversity or further engages the University with the community.

High school basketball players may think it’s cool to play on the Frank Erwin Center’s court for the state championship, but many of these students have played on NBA courts before: Playing on the Horns’ home floor loses its luster pretty quickly after that. Actually, it would be quite a shock if many of the participants in UIL competitions were even aware that UT was in charge of this entity.

If UIL were eliminated from UT’s budget, many Texans would undoubtedly go into a state of panic. Disturbing the state of high school sports in Texas by moving so drastically as to dissolve UIL would certainly raise some eyebrows.

But high school sports — most notably football — border on religion in Texas, and the school communities would find some way to organize and regulate their own nonprofit governing body.

Come hell, high water or budget cuts, high school sports will live on in Texas.

Texas is often thrown into a popular competition with California and Florida over which state produces the greatest athletes. Texas has the only high school interscholastic competition agency run by a university.

If California and Florida’s high school sports can exist without the governance of a local university, so can Texas’. High school sports do not need UT’s oversight and money to flourish.

Some sacrifices may arise from the scrapping of UIL, but it is a necessary move. After spending more than a century running this entity, UT has done its part in providing the state a governing body for high school sports. Whatever new agency that would arise after this move would have a great predecessor off of which to base its operations.

It may be unfortunate to see 101 years of tradition slip away in the name of finance, but UT has already set a precedent that tradition is no excuse to stop a good ol‘ program-scrapping.

If the University is serious about saving money and not wasting precious funds on operations irrelevant to its core mission, UIL should definitely move to the front of the chopping-block line.

Avelar is a government senior.


http://www.dailytexanonline.com/opinion/it-s-time-for-ut-to-scrap-uil-1.2144781

[Trashman]

This guy has a point but his conclusions are all wrong. If UT were to shed the UIL, very few would notice. Like he said most don't know that the UIL is run by UT. The UIL would be absorbed by some other state agency, like the TEA. The state has no reason to blow up the UIL. :rolleyes:

[NateDawg39]

Good article........

[LE Dad]

:thinking: That ain't gonna happen.:rolleyes:

[bigwood33]

I don't know if it is a good article or not but it is one student's opinion. I suppose one would have to consider the overall economic impact that the UIL has on Austin and therefore UT. With the state track meet, UIL meet, baseball tournament, and basketball tournament, (that is all I can think of at the moment) all being held in Austin must equate to millions of additional dollars. I realize the University may not always directly see the benefit of such things, certainly the local economy and therefore the University by proxy benefit from these activities. I imagine that if an economic study were done, and not just a balance sheet inspection, the UIL would be a profitable investment for the University...but that is just a guess.

P.S. I know it would not equate to 7 figures but the Universities athletic department also gets all of the parking, concessions, and UT gear that is sold during these activities.

[YTBulldogs]

I'd like to see the UIL fold.

Ask them where over a million dollars is that state legislatures funded them for drug testing? It's missing.

Funny how they are short money, then decide to try and over take TASO. Wonder if our 15,000 membership and the $50 dues we pay have anything to do with them trying to recoup their loss.

I smell a rat at the UIL office.

[c-town_balla]

So you think the organization that give millions of high school students an opportunity to do something outside of school should fold because they charge officials a $50 fee?


:rolleyes:

[bobcat4life]

good article
I didnt know the UIL was owned by UT. But that doesnt change the fact that it's important to HS sports in Texas. The argument of "towns/schools could govern themselves" isnt a good one IMO. Somebody would cheat the rules and it would cause corruption. Even if it isnt always budget-friendly, we need the UIL.
And he almost acts as if there is no governing body in California or Florida. Both of them have a similar organization that isnt tied to a university.
I think it would be outragous to even consider disbanding the UIL

[big daddy russ]

These folks who keep calling for the UIL to be stripped of power or scrapped altogether need to get out a bit more. The UIL is THE premier state HS sports organization in America. It's what other states strive to have.

Stop looking at a single issue or two and look at how well our sports are run. Sure, the UIL has taken some hits the past 20 years (two divisions per class, allowing Strake and Dallas Jesuit into the UIL, etc), but overall it's still the cream of the crop.

[Footballhudini]

could you imagine realignment without the UIL???? It might actually be reasonable/make sense.

:P

[3afan]

Originally posted by Footballhudini
could you imagine realignment without the UIL???? It might actually be reasonable/make sense.

:P

:rolleyes:

[YTBulldogs]

Originally posted by c-town_balla
So you think the organization that give millions of high school students an opportunity to do something outside of school should fold because they charge officials a $50 fee?


:rolleyes:

No, I don't think I said that was the reason why.

[truebluestang]

I am not a fan of the UIL at all. I think there are too many politics involved and I think High Schools pay way too much of the gate receipts to them. I think Districts could govern themselves.

[LH Panther Mom]

Originally posted by truebluestang
I am not a fan of the UIL at all. I think there are too many politics involved and I think High Schools pay way too much of the gate receipts to them. I think Districts could govern themselves.
So who "decides" what schools the Districts are made up of? "Some" schools can't seem to follow the rules when there is a governing body. Do you think they'll actually start when there's no one to answer to? :doh:

Now....who organizes the state basketball, softball, baseball tourneys and the state track meet? Oh yeah - and how about the marching/concert competitions? And UIL Academics? Oh and don't forget One Act Play! I vote YOU be in charge of those things. :p

Everybody wants to complain. Come up with a better solution to accomplish EVERYTHING the UIL does for the State of Texas public schools and then gripe!

[NateDawg39]

UIL is way better than anything else out there so I feel we are very lucky. We could be like California and have about as many high schools who end up recruiting, playing half the schedule out of the state and end up in a crappy playoff system.

[Daddy D 11]

high school sports in general should just be banned in texas

more fucus should be on academics

[NateDawg39]

Originally posted by Daddy D 11
high school sports in general should just be banned in texas

more fucus should be on academics With the way you spell you might have a point...:D

[Daddy D 11]

Originally posted by NateDawg39
With the way you spell you might have a point...:D

everything in that sentence is spelled correctly.

grammer is off because i dont want to type the caps button or use punctuation lol but the spelling is correct

[NateDawg39]

Originally posted by Daddy D 11
everything in that sentence is spelled correctly.

grammer is off because i dont want to type the caps button or use punctuation lol but the spelling is correct lol are you sure the word fucus is a word?

[Daddy D 11]

Originally posted by NateDawg39
lol are you sure the word fucus is a word?


ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good point sir:doh:


of course that is a typo and not a lack of intellect;)

[bobcat4life]

Originally posted by NateDawg39
lol are you sure the word fucus is a word? Only in Texas.....

BTW dont say that too fast. the sensors will kill you

[NateDawg39]

Originally posted by Daddy D 11
ahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh good point sir:doh:


of course that is a typo and not a lack of intellect;) That is what an ACU edumacation got me :D

[bobcat4life]

Originally posted by NateDawg39
That is what an ACU edumacation got me :D at laest yuo gradgiatud

[TexMike]

Originally posted by big daddy russ
These folks who keep calling for the UIL to be stripped of power or scrapped altogether need to get out a bit more. The UIL is THE premier state HS sports organization in America. It's what other states strive to have.

Stop looking at a single issue or two and look at how well our sports are run. Sure, the UIL has taken some hits the past 20 years (two divisions per class, allowing Strake and Dallas Jesuit into the UIL, etc), but overall it's still the cream of the crop.

What proof do you have of the claim the UIL is "the cream of the crop"? If they are so good then why the current push by them to become fully engaged in the National Federation of State HS Associations? If they are so great, why are they a money loser even though they suck so much away from schools in the post-season?

[NateDawg39]

Originally posted by TexMike
What proof do you have of the claim the UIL is "the cream of the crop"? If they are so good then why the current push by them to become fully engaged in the National Federation of State HS Associations? If they are so great, why are they a money loser even though they suck so much away from schools in the post-season? Take a look at the other systems out there. See how little money they put BACK into schools in Michigan, New York, Florida and Kansas.

[TexMike]

How does UIL put money BACK into the schools here??????

[cotulla]

texmike - if they are so bad, why are you so upset about being forced to join them?

[TexMike]

Originally posted by cotulla
texmike - if they are so bad, why are you so upset about being forced to join them?

Please re-read your question. Is that what you really mean to say????

You can't undertsand why anyone would be mad about being forced to join something that is bad?

[big daddy russ]

Originally posted by NateDawg39
Take a look at the other systems out there. See how little money they put BACK into schools in Michigan, New York, Florida and Kansas.
What he said.

The biggest problem with high school governing bodies is that they continually want bigger and better for the governing body, but it comes at the expense of the high schools. Relative to other states, the UIL gives more back to the schools and allows individual districts greater freedom to govern themselves. They also tend to listen to the coaches' opinions and take them into consideration when making a decision. Not that they always side with the coach(es), but they give much more consideration than any other I've come across or heard of.

[cotulla]

Originally posted by cotulla
texmike - if they are so bad, why are you so upset about being forced to join them?

No - my point being, if they are so bad, go officiate someone else's games!

[TexMike]

I am officiating the SCHOOL's games, not the UIL's games.

[cotulla]

right... but the school is a member of UIL, so you have to play by their rules.

I like how TASO people always skirt the issue and place blame on the UIL.

[YTBulldogs]

Originally posted by cotulla
right... but the school is a member of UIL, so you have to play by their rules.

I like how TASO people always skirt the issue and place blame on the UIL.

What connections do you have with the UIL or TASO Cotulla to know the facts between them?

[VWG]

I think Cotulla is a coach who has had some bad experiences with TASO refs. Are there good TASO officials and bad TASO officials? Sure, no doubt. My honest opinion is that even if TASO is required to register with UIL it's going to cause some of the better officials that have been with TASO for years to retire. So, you lose some of the more tenured officials within the TASO organization, and then have to replace them with rookie officials. Even UIL has said that they do not want to be responsible for training new officials.
I also believe that TASO does discipline their officials within each chapter.

How about the coaches that are terrible coaches? You know they are out there?

[YTBulldogs]

Yes, we had some issues within TASO. Mainly with basketball and baseball officials. And, those issues have been addressed. But, no where near the issues they will have if the officials are being controlled by the UIL totally. For the sake of fairness, officials need to be from a outside agency not affiliated with the schools/UIL.

If UIL takes over TASO, 3A and smaller schools will be the one's most affected. Schools outside the big cities. We are short now officials within TASO, and if the UIL takes it over, more officials will hang it up. So, the "Janitor Jim's" and the schools junior high girls track coaches, will be the ones forced to call the games. Or, both schools could select coaches from both teams to call it. Nightmare. Think it's bad now, wait for this.

[TexMike]

Originally posted by cotulla
right... but the school is a member of UIL, so you have to play by their rules.

I like how TASO people always skirt the issue and place blame on the UIL.

So you would have no problem if UIL suddenly said, each coach who coaches in a UIL-sanctioned sport for a UIL-member school must pay a $50 registration fee? (And that would be a fee payable by the individual coach and NOT their employing District). And you would also have no problem if the UIL set up its own training program for coaches to make sure they know the sport they are coaching and to prove that by takinbg a test on that sport? And you would have no probkem if UIL decided THEY would be the ones deciding who could coach in Texas and not the school districts? If their "evaluators" say you suck as a coach then you are out, even if a district wants to hire you. That is all fine and dandy with you?