With all our hysteria about continuing athletic mediocrity and inept athletic leadership at our alma mater, we sometimes forget that that we graduated from North Carolina State University. And NC State is not a football team or a basketball team, but an institution of higher learning. It is, in short, your school.
So, if you want to make a statement about the basketball program and help your school at the same time, why not take your money from Herb and Lee’s outstretched paws and donate the same amount to the NC State educational department/college that conferred your degree – i.e., stiff Jethro and fund CHASS?
“Whatchew mean, you is givin’ yer money fer book-larnin?”
Your support is certainly needed. For example, I had lunch with my former advisor from the English Department the other day. I learned that almost a THIRD of the teaching positions in the English Department have been cut since I graduated in 1991. If you are a CHASS alumnus, your department might have experienced similar problems.
That’s a disgrace. If you a reading this and have a job doing something other than selling apples, you know that your degree delivers as promised. Can Herb and Jethro make the same claim? Of course not – at least not with a shred of credibility.
I stress that your contribution should be to your college/department and specifically limited to its operations. Also, while I’d originally rejected the notion of contributing to the Alumni Association, recent discussions on that subject have convinced me that this entity too would be worthy of support consideration.
So, before you pay for still more athletic futility and athletic director arrogance, consider donating that money to your old department or consider joining the Alumni Association. Either way, keep your money away from athletics until we have an Athletic Director who takes some note of fan concerns. Your money will be more appreciated and certainly will be put to better use.
NC State, remember? Your school.
