Someone unhappy with the newly approved Wildcat Coal Lodge hung banners on the University of Kentucky campus early Wednesday, but few saw them because they were quickly taken down.
The theme: UK is for sale.
A banner across the pillars of Memorial Hall said, “YOUR AD HERE! Call: 257-1701.”
That’s UK President Lee Todd’s offfice number.
Another sign, over the Main Building, proclaimed it to be the “Ball Homes Building.”
Mira Ball, who is the chairwoman of the school’s Board of Trustees, also is the chief financial officer of Ball Homes Inc.
The board voted last week to accept $7 million in private donations to build the Wildcat Coal Lodge, a new residence for the UK men’s basketball team and a few other students.
UK spokeswoman Kathy Johnson said that campus police noticed the banners about 5 a.m. They were taken down, she said, because they violated administrative rules. According to the rules, the director of the student center has to approve signs on buildings and they must be sponsored by a student organization that is marked on the sign.
Images of the banners were sent anonymously to the Herald-Leader and other media.
very creative…i like the “Ball Homes” sign…
The enviro nuts have arrived. God bless the coal miners and the companies that provide us all with JOBS and ELECTRIC POWER. Grow up and save your lies about some tragic end to the earth for your next scifi novel. Do everyone a favor and just make sure you do not spend more than you make and please pay your bills on time.
What is the big deal. It doea appear that the University is for sale . . . to the highest bidder . . . regardless of the way it presents the institution to the nation. It was great fun watching the national press and cable networks ridiculing the University. If you are going to sell your soul to the devil, be a big kid and be able to stand the fires in hades.
I’m proud of UK’s students for creatively and nonviolently protesting something they think is wrong. I wish the administration would let them be heard and seen. I guess speech is another thing that comes with a pricetag at UK.
nice.
Three Cheers for these souls practicing a very necessary civil disobedience. I hope Todd saw them this morning, and began to realize that the serf’s are mad as hell, and not going to take it anymore.
I don’t understand the protest toward this. Coal is an industry in Kentucky whether we like it or not. Whether anyone thinks the industry’s impact is positive or negative, their multi-million sponsorship of the Coal Lodge is undoubtedly positive. There is no debate over coal being a large industry in Kentucky, or having a great impact on its culture and history, regardless of individual opinions.
Just the typical stupidity of a college student who think they know everything at this pint in their life. I’ll bet there was a bit of alcohol consumed (probably with Billy Gillispie) just prior to hanging the posters.
One day they will grow up and be somebody… or at least we hope!
Time to let it go and move on to the next thing.
Yeah! Thank you for creatively highlighting this issue that UK must reconcile. Next step: demand a balanced board of trustees. Several board members’ terms, including Mira Ball’s, expire June of next year. They must be replaced by individuals that are not brainwashed by big business and dirty money, but are invested in the community and knowledgeable of the complex issues at hand.
There was one on a parking Garage that said “Bourbon Garage”
is anyone besides me tired of hearing about UK sports and would like to hear some real news or sports? what about the World Series? GO Yankees!
Future Naming Opportunity: It wouldn’t suprise me if a building one day one campus is not named either “Ball Hall” or the “Mira Ball Center for…….” since she is the first woman to shatter the normal “Good Ole Boy” role of UK Board of Trustees Chair. However, maybe she is what you call a “Good Ole Girl” with new money. I think they should have caled the new lodge the “Hall-n-Coal” Lodge!
Some of the comments here are so discouraging to read —
AP: Absolutely not. There are active environmental groups on campus that seek to educate and reform the “dumb public” to at least become AWARE of the issues at hand. I suppose it’s fine if you consider this type of thing trivial, but I’ll venture to say there are a lot of individuals worse off in that they have no idea what is going on around them. I’m not sure who needs to “grow up” more, these kids or the ignorant crowds that probably couldn’t form an intelligent sentence regarding the issue at hand.
Whitney: Sure, it’s an industry whether we like it or not…but that doesn’t mean everyone should concede to it. The issue at hand here is the fact that their beneficial (monetary) support to the campus is to propel a fundamentally detrimental practice into the public in a favorable light. This deserves attention and it warrants the backlash. The environmentalists could really use a big company or organization to step up in support of their objectives so it is not so one-sided (nothing versus several million) — unfortunately this has yet to happen.
Yes, I understand the coal industry is deeply rooted in tradition in the South — but it is a tradition that is inevitably going to end. If our country as a whole could embrace this fact sooner than later, progress within the “green” sector of the economy would prosper in a far more rapid pace and our environment would benefit (if anything else at least it would not be blasted apart). There is an entire industry that will need to be built in the wake of the coal industry’s demise.
It’s obvious that this banner hanging has nothing to do with coal being bad for the environment and everything to do with UK selling out. If we name one building after an industry what’s next? Who would be ok with every UK building being named after a corporation? The time to draw the line is now.
If the banners were up for a very short time and very few people saw them then Andy Meade must have made the banners and hung them. How else would he have found out about the banners and photographed them?
Grow up! I don’t recall any envrio groups stepping up to the plate to donate the 7mil to build the wildcat COAL lodge. you want to build name the next UK building then quite whining and start your fundraising project. Naming rights have become a way for schools and cities to fund projects that otherwise wouldn’t get built.
Instead of attacking the coal industry on which much of this state was built why don’t you dedicate the same energy and vigor into demanding that enviro groups actually disclose their real data. BTW real data shows that global warming hasn’t happened the hottest year in recent memory was 1998. Notice the subtle shift from global warming to climate change? For the uneducated masses when people change the pre-text of their argument in mid stream it typically means there isn’t rational for the original argument. Global warming and Climate change is about control…
So be thankful that the University is not so enviro hyped to buy into the BS and not take the money because of the name that would be the real shame.
Right On! Thanks for covering this Andy! I hope this effort makes the paper tomorrow!! This students deserve to be heard! I don’t see any efforts being made to applaud this ghastly sell out… because even if you support the coal industry’s destructive habits and big business, you at least realize the ridiculousness in advertising on academic structures, especially such a controversial “product”. Its absurd.
I totally agree with \’How\’. Coal has played an important part in the state but as we develop into a more advanced society we must recognize that coal is not a healthy solution for the environment and energy needs. We need to focus on creating alternative sources of energy instead of trying keep coal around. Yes, it creates jobs/revenue for the state but so could alternatives that would actually benefit the environment as well. Look ahead.
twinsmom89: No one gives a crap about the World Series. Baseball sucks!!! The Ynakees suck!!
This is GREAT! UK Students are so creative, too bad they don’t use those talents to get our state out of the gutter.
Typical spineless college student stunt! If they REALLY wanted their message to be heard (and not torn down)they would parade their banner around the free speech area at the Student Center. But then, of course, they would be out in the open for all to see!
Jessica is going to love the IMG Arena where our basketball team is going to be playing in three years or so.
This is just how things get done today. It is unfortunate in some ways, but these gifts get a lot done. Ironically, now perhaps it’s the left who want to “stand athwart history and shout ’stop’”
The decision to bend over to the arrogant will of some egomaniacal douchebag is unfortunate. The decision is stupid, myopic and oh so backwater and provincial. But I guess we can be proud of the Board and all it’s sychophants for teaching the lesson that money is all that matters
I cannot understand the objections to UK accepting 7 mil for a building that will benefit the university. Many large building all over the world are named after the person or entities who finance the building. Coal may be on its way out, alternative energy resources are needed to bring us into the 21st century. But coal is a part of the rich history that is Kentucky. I wonder if these do gooders are even from this state.
“The enviro nuts have arrived. God bless the coal miners and the companies that provide us all with JOBS and ELECTRIC POWER. Grow up and save your lies about some tragic end to the earth for your next scifi novel. Do everyone a favor and just make sure you do not spend more than you make and please pay your bills on time.”
No one is against blessing coal miners and no one is taking electric power for granted. However, we will eventually have to make a transition from coal and the miners should be PART of that, not at war with it. I don’t understand why there’s such a resistance to bringing in new industry and new ideas to Eastern KY that could bring more jobs without compromising the environment. What’s so awful about that?
That last bit about paying bills and spending doesn’t even make any sense. I see we are operating under assumptions and propaganda.
Hey Whitney, good point! And since drugs are probably the biggest industry in Kentucky, let’s rename a dorm Meth Hall or Oxycontin Lodge.
I agree with an earlier poster. This is NOT an environmental issue as much as it is an issue of ethics. The University should not allow the name of a product on the building. A donor’s proper name…sure. Maybe even an industry if the name pertains to the use of the building like the equine center, but a company’s name or an industry like “coal” or even “solar power” is crossing the line and opening a path to anyone who wants to get their name on a building for eternity.
What if Larry Flynt wanted to pony the money up? Would it be all right to call it Hustler Lodge? What about House of Poon?
As much as some of you want to find a lefty, enviro nut to blame, this is not about that. Ths is about UK prostituting itself to the highest bidder. Next up–ad space on their uniforms!
There’s a bleak humor in that colCat’s attempt to explain rhetorical tricks to the “uneducated masses” as he denies the validity of global warming. The dumb ones rarely realize how dumb they are.
FYI, the history of coal mining in Kentucky is a shameful one of exploitation by absentee owners, who now regularly argue that the destruction of the mountains via mountain-top removal mining actually creates jobs. Yeah, the handful of men it takes to destroy a mountain forever really makes for a sustainable economy. It’s nothing to get all misty-eyed about and brag that it’s part of our wonderful heritage.
A. THE PROTEST IS NOT AGAINST COAL, IT IS AGAINST THE CORPORATIZATION OF CAMPUS. This building is not named after Joe Craft, the donor, it is named after COAL one of the biggest lobbying interests in Kentucky. This is a problem because it shows that the university can be bought, that it will allow itself to become a billboard.
Yes, naming is an important part of receiving money, but name it after a PERSON, not an industry.
B. Enough with the personal attacks on students “they must not be from Kentucky” or they’re “crazy environmentalists.” Guess what, these students are Kentucky’s future, and they don’t want to be embarrassed in front of the rest of the country. By showing that UK can be bought, we are perpetuating the stereotype that Kentucky is just a backwards thinking state 10 years behind the rest of the country. Students are EMBARRASSED because they see the future of Kentucky, and they see this as a massive statement against progress.
Why is the name of a dorm bldg for basketball players so upsetting? The word coal is not considered profanity, racist, or tied to any specific religion. Why not come to an agreement and just surround the Wilcat Coal Lodge with lots of green healthy trees and plants. These also can be named after any environmentalist that would like to make a monetary donation to the surroundings. Then everyone can be happy!
Ambitous student:the word COAL can be painted over…hint hint
The $7M donated by the group does not benefit the University; it benefits a select group of athletes.
“Just the typical stupidity of a college student who think they know everything at this pint in their life. I’ll bet there was a bit of alcohol consumed (probably with Billy Gillispie) just prior to hanging the posters.
One day they will grow up and be somebody… or at least we hope!”
Hey, A.P. Nashville at least us college kids know how to spell point.
And, anonymous, what Kentucky is doing now is mountaintop removal mining which only employs 5,000 people opposed to the 50,000 people employed with underground mining, which is hell of a lot more environmentally friendly. Maybe you should go to college or go back.
Yup, I parked in the “Bourbon Garage” formerly known as the “Rose Street Parking Garage” today. The sign was still hanging there around 3:30 pm this afternoon.
Thanks for mentioning that SoSad, people keep commenting on how the 7M will benefit UK students but really, only the male basketball team benefits.
And thanks to everyone who mentioned that this is not about coal, completely at least. It IS about UK selling out.
I don’t mean this to sound rude or anything, but I don’t think many people of the older generations understand why this concerns us who are in college, just getting out of college, and those of us who haven’t even reached college yet. Nor do I think they have any desire too. For the students who manned this very clever, although argueably poorly executed, protest: Thank you for supporting that portion of the UK population against the naming of the coal lodge.
I suggest some UK students make their voices heard in the free speech area by the student center. It makes it easier for others to participate if we can attach a figure to lead us.
steve…if global warming is so real why has Al Gore staunchly refused to debate it? why have the proponents at the UN locked out scientist who disagree. Why do they say the debate is over? When the debate is far from over. Check out this link http://www.petitionproject.org/ only about 34,000 scientist who disagree with global warming… Are you old enough to remember the global cooling scare of the 70’s or the acid rain scare of 80’s or the ozone depletion… all these other environmental catastrophes that never came to pass. They are used to scare us into sacrificing our own freedoms. Are you old enough to remember Mount Saint Helens? When it blew it emitted more greenhouse gasses in to the atmosphere than all human kind in the entire history of our existence. But why waste my breath and energy you aren’t interested in debate you only want to perpetuate the lie.
but anyway to those that say how could UK bow down to industry… its not bowing down to industry it is following a trend. Called naming rights. I.E. the RCA dome, Bush Stadium, Safe Co field, INVESCO Field, Coors Field, and when Rupp Arena is replaced it will be replaced with a Corporate Name… so all you indignant people grow up. This is big time business. Don’t fool yourself, Universities are big time business, if you don’t so just look at some of the contracts your professors have,
I hope all you coal haters who have responded all have your computers and everything else in your homes hooked into outlets powered solely by wind and solar generated electricity. I hope you all are disconnected from the power grid. Practice what you preach. You hate coal? Fine, don’t use any electricity in this state. Generate your own or keep your hypocrisy to yourself.
environut you obviously are clueless to what you talk about you wouldn’t know what a job was if it slapped you in the mouth
thx lhl for taking my pro-coal comment out.is this your interpertation of”fair and balanced”?
UK is for sale now. All you need is a fat check to prove it.
I’ll bet some students from the landscape architecture program are responsible. Sounds like a great late night diversion from the project that is due tomorrow.
Tell the students to get their butts into the classrooms and get an education which I hope they came to UK for.
…..and so it goes.
I grew up in eastern Kentucky. Coal put food on our table, a roof over our heads, payed my way to UK (no scholarship, no financial aid) just my parents hard earned money. Coal gave me a job while I got my doctorate degree. I no longer live or work in eastern Kentucky but I am proud down to my big blue heart of the people, the industry, and the mountains that have greatly influenced my life and the lives of many, many others.
Outsiders should listen to those who live there - the ones who are more worried about having the money to eat and/or send their kids to college. If you don’t live there, haven’t lived there and have no intention to, you really don’t have much to say about how we coal miners chose to use our mountains.
I would have been very disappointed in my University if they had turned down the money. Free money is free money. It doesn’t come easy now days — and its not like any of the enviromental groups said, “here, just take our 7 million dollars”. The money and the coal of eastern Kentucky has powered the state for many years. I don’t expect that to change any time soon.
Some of you, especially those of you, who are not even Kentucky residents and chose to go to UK (a university built on coal money for many many years) really shouldn’t have an opinion. It’s not your place.
EasternKYKid
November 5, 2009 at 12:14 am Outsiders should listen to those who live there - the ones who are more worried about having the money to eat and/or send their kids to college. If you don’t live there, haven’t lived there and have no intention to, you really don’t have much to say about how we coal miners chose to use our mountains.
Some of you, especially those of you, who are not even Kentucky residents and chose to go to UK (a university built on coal money for many many years) really shouldn’t have an opinion. It’s not your place.
First, you left the Moutnains cause it sucks and offers no future.
Second, WE kentuckians are sick and tried of you biblical jihadists telling us with your blowhard opinions we don’t have a right to free speech. Are you still beating your wife and daughter too?
Third, they are NOT YOUR mountains…they are God’s. Someone who you conveniently forget.
I doubt you have a doctorate unless it is from Jerry Falwell university.
Easternkykid… They are not your mountains! We live downstream from eastern Ky and the destruction of our beautiful state has been by outsiders that ruin the area and take the money with them… otherwise Eastern Ky would be the Saudi Arabia of the US. Get out of there and get a moral job. Mtr poses a greater threat to most Americans than terrorism. Soon, mountaintop removal will be considered a sin, much like we view slavery today.
If it would be called Wildcat Clean Coal Lodge it would be better accepted. But it would also be a lie.
Cigarettes And Liquor are big industries in Ky. as well. Should we have the Marlboro Memorial hall?? Or the Old Crow Lodge? It’s just a slippery slope, that in my oppinion was best left alone. The school makes millions off of NCAA tournament play & TV use that money to build this instead of giving the impression of being in bed with ANY outside company.
Bluegrass Man-
Do you not see the irony in invoking God’s name, then attacking someone by saying their doctorate is from Jerry Falwell University?
Jerry Falwell’s college is called Liberty University.
I’m uncertain if you could have gained admittance to either UK or Liberty.
Second, WE kentuckians are sick and tried of you biblical jihadists telling us with your blowhard opinions we don’t have a right to free speech.
Please don’t act like you speak for me. Or that you have an intelligent argument to make.
I am very appreciative of the coal industry! Thank you for the jobs and affordable energy! Thank you for providing my dad with an occupation and with enough money to feed my family and send me to law school. Proud to have the “Coal lodge” on my campus.
Interesting how Lee Todd and the Board of Trustees turned a blind eye to university signage regulations when the Difference Makers stepped up with 7 million dollars, but when the students post signs Lee Todd rips them down because they do not comply with university regulations. Congrats to the students. Don’t let Lee Todd and the trustees force you to walk lockstep with them. The precedent Lee Todd has set will allow someone like WalMart to walk in and build a school of business and have it named the WalMart School of Business. Lee Todd must sing the final lines of Tennessee Ernie Ford’s old classic “Sixteen Tons” everynight: St Peter don’t you call me cause I can’t come, I owe my soul to the company store.”
I have an idea let’s stop mining coal in West Virginia and Kentucky and buy it from China, why not Obama is selling the country to China anyway!
Ahh… I love it when liberal crybabies think that their whining speaks for everyone.
NO ONE CARES what the lodge is named except for a small handful of people that just happen to be really loud!
Interesting how Lee Todd and the Board of Trustees turned a blind eye to university signage regulations when the Difference Makers stepped up with 7 million dollars, but when the students post signs Lee Todd rips them down because they do not comply with university regulations. Congrats to the students. Don’t let Lee Todd and the trustees force you to walk lockstep with them. The precedent Lee Todd has set will allow someone like WalMart to walk in and build a school of business and have it named the WalMart School of Business. Lee Todd must sing the final lines of Tennessee Ernie Ford’s old classic “Sixteen Tons” everynight: St Peter don’t you call me cause I can’t come, I owe my soul to the company store.”
Let’s face it, if it were the Nike Wildcat Lodge, then these folks would see nothing wrong. I disagree with the commenter who said that they admired the “illegal” actions of these individuals. If you are so courageous in your believe, then freely admit that you engaged in vandalism, stand-up and be arrested for it, and pay the penalty. Nothing to be admired with cowards break the law. This cost taxpayer dollars to remove these signs and there were obviously some trespass involved in placing the signs. If the individuals who placed these signs had fallen or otherwise been injured, the University could have faced a lawsuit. Personal convictions cannot be used to justify illegal behavior.
Lee Todd would like to position this decision as good business for UK and Big Coal, but we know it as the oldest game in town. They call this Lobbying at the UK board and in Frankfort. It’s called Prostitution in fly-over country.
The people making points about Greenies NOT sponsoring couldn’t be more right. I’m all for protecting our environment, but not at the cost of the thousands upon thousands who cannot pay their electric bills now.
Off topic, but exactly how do we generate energy immediately without coal when our state does not yield conditions to harvest enough solar or wind power, and carbon sequestration is merely a concept?
We have far larger, more immediate worries than coal and its effects. Moving away from it will be an ongoing, lengthy process. Until then, lets not crucify something that has given many a way to support their family, and allows YOU to still afford your electric bill. *Because I’m pretty sure those of you griping about glorifying the coal industry use your share of electricity and wallow in your own modern comforts.
They should do this protest once a month. It was silly for UK to genuflect at Big bad coal. They would have donated the money anyway- UK could have thought of a more creative way to handle this- then advertise “coal” in the name of a university building. I am telling you- I can’t wait till trojan condoms donates money to build a residence hall and demands it be named “condom hall”
I hope none of these people that are so against coal have electricity at their homes. B/c that power comes from COAL. If you want to protest coal then have your power turned off. I am a engineer with the largest energy construction company in the US. The cold hard fact is that there is only two alternate power sources that can replace coal. One is nuculear and I dont think anybody wants a nuke in there back yard. The other is natural gas turbines. And it cost about 600k a day to produce the electricity that one coal fire boiler does. That would almost tripple your light bill. And who wants that. The same ones that are protesting coal would be raising hell about there light bill. Before you can complain about something you need to have an idea to fix it. As of right now coal cant be replaced, maybe that will change in the future……….
Lexington area! We all are opinionated in some shape or form and as such we all have the freedom of speech witch is a great freedom of our wonderful country. Yet some of us take it for granted.
This is just my opinion and not intended to insult anyone. Most all the issues talked about are now relevant in the fact that the sign and the way it was brought to all of our attention make them relevant.
Whoever put the signs up should have either have been brave enough to claim responsibility or seemly wise enough to go through the appreciate channels to post their protest allowing themselves to be heard in a less than shameful manner!
As, for Mrs. Ball my thoughts are, if you don’t like her than push for different representation. Lord knows I would never buy a Ball Home but, hey that just me. I have the freedom to make my own choices.
When it comes to naming anything after coal, well I feel it is very revalant. Our state has depended on coal since its birth just about! Are any of you “smart” people aware that approximately 95% of our electric comes from coal?!? If coal is done away w/ are you ware what would happen to our electric prices?!? Better yet, how would any of you propose other than buying electric from another state, how would we get this new electric?!? Are you aware what would happen to cost of tuition for all U.K. students, considering U.K. is powered by coal? I’m willing to wager this winter most of you grippers wont be saying a word about all that warmth you get while sitting in class when it’s 20 degrees outside, because you better believe the heat your going to so enjoy is supplied by nothing other than coal!
I won’t disagree w/ anyone on the fact that coal is dirty. Nor will anyone hear me say that it doesn’t have blood on it. But, until someone much more intelligent and wiser than us all posting here, comes up with a better solution to give our however million(s) of people across our GR8 state a different type of heating source, electric source, and a new source of revenue, we are stuck with it.
It’s easy to tell someone to do away with coal, but could you really live without it? Are you willing to put countless people across our state out of income that they depend on to pay their bills, support their families, and put their children through college? If you can honestly answer yes to that question, then in my opinion you need to pack your belongings up, and move down to one of the hollers and live with a coal miner for a semester. Then maybe a few of you would see the light and not take for granted we can EVER do without the coal!
Until that happens, instead of bitching about U.K. receiving money from the coal industry; put your uneducated and misplaced passion to a better use. Try pressing the coal industry to use better standards of mining. I would rather see you do that than dishonor all of us from Kentucky.
http://bit.ly/UYw4F
I appreciate their generosity in donating millions to the University. They already fund scholarships, nice of them to build a building, too.
If a meth cooker wants to donate millions and have a building named Meth, fine.
If an OC abuser wants to donate millions and have a building named OC, fine.
Why is it wrong for an industry coalition to donate money, but not individuals?
These FINANCIALLY DEPENDENT college students are really naive.
Coal wealth funded the build-up of the Golden Triangle.
So they are guilty of the rape of Appalachia!!! Why don’t they protest themselves for benefitting?
Because it’s ridiculous, that’s why.
Ungrateful sheets.
It’s not the corporatization of campus. It’s corporate social responsibility to support charitable organizations and non-profits and education and the arts. Be grateful.
Why are people make assumptions about who did the banner hanging? Saying they were drinking, they aren’t from Kentucky, saying they need an education and to get their butts in a classroom? I know for a fact they the people responsible are intelligent college students and people who have grown up in this state. Drinking most definitely did not take place. If you are going to criticize the movement stick to the facts rather than making up things that make them look bad.
Kevin,
I would love it if I could plug my laptop into an outlet powered by the sun. That’s why I am an activist for green energy and spend every day of my busy life as a student and employee, fighting for it. But I’m not going to sacrifice my education and live in a primitive way just because the coal industry and the leaders in this state won’t allow the kind of energy I’m fighting for. How is that hypocrisy?
Whoever put the signs up did a really good job of showing their ignorance. That goes for the other people on here who think UK is taking away free speech. You people really are idiots. No, the University can’t control what the students protest, but it can control when, where, and how. Why don’t you people get a little more familiar with your amendments before you start acting all high and mighty. You aren’t even apart of this University and unless you make some generous donations, you might as well shut your mouth before you show the rest of the state how naive and ignorant you really are.