UAH might secede from AL university system?

[eppur_se_muova]

Times Watchdog Report: Huntsville unhappy with University of Alabama System, politicians looking at changes for UAH
Published: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 6:41 AM Updated: Thursday, November 17, 2011, 9:25 AM

By Challen Stephens, The Huntsville Times The Huntsville Times

State Rep. Phil Williams is exploring how the University of Alabama in Huntsville might break away from its handlers in Tuscaloosa.

Williams, R-Monrovia, said it's not all about the sudden loss of UAH hockey. Rather, it's about Huntsville lacking a say in the overall direction of the public university at the city's center.

"I'm researching what it takes for us to exit the University of Alabama system," said Williams on Tuesday, saying he spent Monday in the legislative reference office. He said any exit would require a legislative act, but he didn't think it would require a statewide constitutional vote.

As it stands now, UAH is part of a system run by Chancellor Malcolm Portera and the University of Alabama trustees. That 15-member board also oversees the University of Alabama in Birmingham and the main campus at Tuscaloosa.
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But Williams said talk of secession grew among local business leaders last month, after The Times wrote about the Tuscaloosa campus' quiet efforts to compete with UAH for military grants.
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more: http://blog.al.com/breaking/2011/11/times_watchdog_report_huntsvil_8.html



(I was told that by someone at UAH that only 10% of their finances come from the state -- hardly any reason to call it a state university anymore.)