WHO: Students for Athletic Excellence
WHAT: Met to discuss the performance of the athletics department and Athletics Director Lee Fowler
WHEN & WHERE: Thursday night in Riddick Hall
WHY: Because the students feel the department is not meeting their standards and the direction is not up to par.
Brian Gordon, a sophomore in poultry science and political science, headed the meeting:”[Athletics] is part of this greater whole of a university and without an Athletics program that looks good and performs well, we lose a lot of marketability.””[Lee Fowler] hasn’t been doing his job to the best of his ability. He looked like a good director on paper; however, what he’s doing at this point — he’s done little to nothing. He’s just a mouth for the University wherever there’s a camera. He hasn’t represented the University that well.””We can’t keep pushing people to donate money when there’s no production.”
Lee Fowler, Athletics Director”I wasn’t approached about this meeting. I have an open door policy and I would love to meet to discuss issues with them.””I care about student athletes. I care about high integrity …I expect my coaches to do well and win. I have a lot of confidence in all the coaches we have and how they treat student athletes and their integrity to their programs.””At the Faculty Senate meeting this past Tuesday, a resolution was [unanimously] passed commending the program …the chair of the faculty senate gave a lot of comments.”