You know what’s crazy? The way the University of Louisville’s leadership team does the absolute worst thing, no matter what, 24/7. It’s almost like Jim Ramsey has a “let’s jack this up” m.o. for everything. Literally, everything.
The latest mess? I’ll dumb it down:
When the University of Louisville played at Freedom Hall, the seat lease/license fee (money you pay get seats – ticket price not included) was waived for legislators. Since nearly all (if not all) the revenue went to UofL, they saw it as no big deal. But that was back in the good old days.
Now? We all know UofL plays in the fancy trailer house on Main Street in Downtown Louisville. The seat lease/license fee there ranges from $500 to $2,500 per seat – depending upon location. Anything on the floor level is at least $1,500 per seat. And a large portion of those fees are required to be used to pay off the gigantic arena bonds. Since that was the case – that the fees were partially used to pay down the bonds – legislators were required to pay the fee.
But that made area legislators unhappy. One prominent Democrat got so upset he went directly to UofL to complain about how unfair it was for legislators to suddenly be required to pay a fee. Shocking, I know.
So what happened? Jim Ramsey caved under the pressure and sent out a letter to legislators last week. He let them know that UofL had decided it would pay the fee for legislators (not just waive it) with private funds. Meaning the UofL Foundation would use anonymous contributions to give state legislators anonymous cash. Ramsey even mentioned in his letter that the decision to pay the fees would mean some students wouldn’t receive scholarships. Which is maybe the most ridiculous thing I’ve heard in weeks.
But here’s my question: does no one at the University of Louisville have a filter? This could be considered anything from potential bribery to illegal anonymous campaign contributions. What if those anonymous private funds came from individuals or corporations registered to lobby the state legislator? Then this scenario lends itself to unreported lobbying.
Come on.
Head – desk.
23 responses so far ↓
1 willy // Oct 25, 2010 at 12:41 pm
Outrageous! These money grubbing, self serving legislators should be ashamed of themselves. They should pay just like everyone else (just like I pay) . If you want decent seats you pay the going rate and make the donation. It was bad enough that Ramsey/UL screwed the season ticket holders that had seats for over 30 years. Now he caves to pressure because he wants to be on the good side of the legislators when he wants more money/favors for UL. It’s the you scratch my back and look the other way and I will scratch your back down the road. Ramsey you are a spineless weasel.
Is there anyway to get a list of the legislators?
2 jake // Oct 25, 2010 at 12:56 pm
Legislators? It’s not about the legislators.
What about UofL?
Only two legislators – that I can prove – freaked out.
3 flipper273 // Oct 25, 2010 at 1:18 pm
Jake, name the two.
With U of L, it is all about the money. That is why I gave me tickets up. Could not afford them.
So who are the two legislators?
4 ClearAndPresentThinking // Oct 25, 2010 at 1:21 pm
Jake, really what were you thinking? Why would you expect Dr. Ramsey (Dr. of what by the way) to do anything else after allowing a coach to stay on the payroll after having sex with a woman not his wife in a local resturant? Both Dr. Ramsey and Mr. Tom Jurich showed their lack of leadership when they did not lead on that issue. Why start now.
5 jake // Oct 25, 2010 at 1:22 pm
Their names don’t matter, but Larry Clark and Darryl Owens.
It’s Ramsey who took the action and it was his decision.
6 James R. // Oct 25, 2010 at 1:53 pm
I say vote against Larry Clark and Darryl Owens. It is time people are retired when they place games with the future of kids education and scholarships.
They should be ashamed and defeated.
7 The Highlander // Oct 25, 2010 at 1:56 pm
Pure and simple. This PLACE called the “University” of Louisville is NOTHING MORE THAN AN ‘ATHLETIC CLUB.’ with a raving idiot in charge. It’s best metaphorical similarity is that of a beer truck doing down Lombard Street in Frisco, being [not] driven by a driver who had been ‘overserved.’ A/K/A. a drunken beer truck driver driving the beer truck down the curvey street in Frisco. That’s the ‘athletic club’ to a tee. Both the drunken beer truck and the ‘athletic club’ are jokes.
8 Novena // Oct 25, 2010 at 2:25 pm
“Card Emperors Have No Clothes”
Bidness as ususal at the Circus of Louisville (aka UofL). This is more a problem with the perennial Clown-in-Chief (aka JR) than any legislator, who can be counted on for such gambits. When will some regulatory body crack down on the UofL Foundation and JR? He dips into the huge fund hole whenever he feels the itch (without any need for justification or accountability). It is abominable what UofL does with its money while continuing to ask for more and more. Keep in mind that the mysterious Foundation claims it “distributes funds for the benefit of the UofL” and “the students rely heavily on support generated from the . . . Foundation,” e.g., for scholarships. Yet the money is going elsewhere. My god, stop the damn sham and shame at Belknap.
9 blowin' in the wind // Oct 25, 2010 at 2:53 pm
In your dreams…what about that humongous fund-raising campaign due to kick off November 9?
And do it goes on and on…
10 The Highlander // Oct 25, 2010 at 3:48 pm
Bigger fools than Ramsey exist, here. Try the ‘athletic clubs’ Board of Trustees for one. The Board of Trustees for every credible “university” in America would have put a STOP to this CRAP IMMEDIATELY. Univ. of Tennessee FIRED Schumaker (remember him!!!) for much the same kind of CRAP. Of course, the Governor of Tennessee agreed with them — which would be pretty hard to accomplish in Kaintuck – because they’re all there as a result of the existing Goobernatorial. What a “Ship of Fools.”
11 chip // Oct 25, 2010 at 3:53 pm
Greg’s responses have “I” everywhere. Always has and always will, until there is a problem.
As before in my comments, count the number of “I”s. Just look at the recent Buisness First article as an example.
Greg, GO FISH, with your brothers.
12 Card Fan // Oct 25, 2010 at 6:01 pm
Jake:
Are you afraid by reporting this that Tom Jurich will get you fired? He did as much with Terry Meiners for having the audacity to even question them about how they are using tix. This is clearly abuse of power by dirty politicians (expected) and the UofL. This scheme has Tom Jurich’s finger prints all over it.
13 Novena // Oct 25, 2010 at 7:05 pm
“Kaintuck vs. Tennessee”
Good comments, Highlander. I recall that Shumaker got canned from UT for things like a humongous BBQ addition, dozens of mysterious flights to Birmingham, a third floor house extension, a wine cellar extension, and putting a 40k red carpet in his admin. office (guess he forgot he was no longer at UofL). That is just a short list. With JR, we often don’t know what the Foundation is giving him. But to deny scholarships for students and use the money for expensive basketball seats for legislators–well, this takes the cake. Felner must be laughing in his cell in Montgomery, AL, while the UofL Board of Cadavers still sleeps on cold metal slabs.
14 Shawn // Oct 25, 2010 at 8:41 pm
EDITED BY MODERATOR (not Jake)
Looks A KENTUCKY NEWSPAPER is now picking up on your story.
LINK REMOVED – WE DON’T LINK TO THAT PUBLICATION HERE.
15 Paul Jason Puckett // Oct 25, 2010 at 8:46 pm
Novena,
A sincere suggestion: Check out the book “Behind the Hedges: Big Money and Power Politics at the University of Georgia” by Rich Whitt. Things can be worse.
Ironically, Dr. Adams came to UGA from Centre, which I found myself defending on more than one occasion during my tenure in Athens.
16 Paul Jason Puckett // Oct 25, 2010 at 8:47 pm
Novena,
A sincere suggestion: Check out the book “Behind the Hedges: Big Money and Power Politics at the University of Georgia” by Rich Whitt.
Ironically, Dr. Adams came to UGA from Centre, which I found myself defending on more than one occasion during my tenure in Athens.
17 Paul Jason Puckett // Oct 25, 2010 at 8:51 pm
Sorry for the double post.
Also, it’s the same Rich Whitt who won a Pulitzer at the Once Great Newspaper for reporting on the Beverly Hill Supper Club fire.
Unfortunately, Mr. Whitt passed away just before the “Hedges” book was released in 2009.
18 The Highlander // Oct 25, 2010 at 8:54 pm
Paul Jason Puckett: To compare the ‘athletic club’ at the “university” of Louisville with the ‘athletic club’ at the “university” of Georgia is quite reasonable. The Louisville one’s academic program ranks 179th in the latest USNews & W.Report rankings and the Georgia one is well into the 100s. Two pretty pitiful academic institutions. At least the Georgia one is making an effort to improve by hiring the former Centre Prexy. Meanwhile the Louisville one sticks with ‘sticky’ Ramsey.
19 Paul Jason Puckett // Oct 25, 2010 at 9:19 pm
Hmmm…I’m not sure the the nation’s oldest public university and home of the Peabody Award (the Grady College of Journalism and Mass Communication) is “pitiful,” but that’s only my opinion.
Also, in 2008, UGA was rated No. 20 of the top 50 public universities by the same magazine you mention.
In addition, if you get a chance to read the mentioned book, your opinion of Dr. Adams would likely change as he’s not exactly fondly remembered in Danville either.
20 local dude // Oct 25, 2010 at 9:22 pm
If they are going to be giving Tics away, they surely shouldn’t be giving them to those pricks!….They should at least make they available by a lottery drawing anyone can enter….as usual the entitled who can afford it the most are expectant of Favors!
21 Novena // Oct 26, 2010 at 2:16 am
“Choose Your Poison”
Having some colleagues at UGA, I know about the arrogance of power that Adams has created at UGA. I would submit that neither he nor JR are paragons of virtue in higher education. Adams is also quite ambitious (and malicious), e.g., a former intern in the Nixon White House who is close to both Lamar Alexander and Howard Baker, he had his sights on being a Senator from GA (until he canned the longtime AD there). I would never select either King Michael or Hapless Jim for a college presidency. Both are hugely disliked by their faculty and staff–and for good reason.
22 tbrauch // Oct 26, 2010 at 10:43 pm
As a Centre Alum, and one with some deep connections, I can tell you that Adams was hired at Centre not for his personality, but for his ability to raise money. He led a huge capital campaign, sky rocketed the endowment, doubled the size of the campus, and then quickly departed. Sure, he had the UGA job lined up, but he was gone whether he had a new job or not.
Roush, the current President, was hired because his personality is what was needed to wash the bad taste out of Centre’s mouth after Adams. But, Adams accomplished what he was hired for, a big bank account.
23 Novena // Oct 27, 2010 at 7:59 am
“You’re Right, tbrauch”
Yes, Adams is a big money-raiser (a la Shumaker, though less personable than Shu). And Centre is noted to have the highest percentage of alumni giving in the nation (per capita)–something like 87% give to their school, an amazing number. Adams was a VP for Development at Pepperdine U. in Malibu, CA, before going to Centre, so he had experience in bringing in bucks at that ultra-conservative, filthy rich university. I did meet Adams once–and he was indeed notable for his smooth talk and arrogant demeanor. He was not hired at that particular school (fortunately for those who enjoy the academic life).
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