FYI, FAU's negative press is up 65% YOY.  This just adds to it.  A shooting, armed robbery, conspiracy theorist professor and now GEO.  To those saying this will "die down" I say you're wrong and the University is concerned about all of the negative PR.

We brought it up today in my race and ethnic relations class about the deal today. A few were for it saying it was a business move and they didn't have anything against, few were against because the university built that hardly anyone attends stuff like that, and a few just stated that they really dont have opinion. Myself and another student brought up companies that had negative press in the news such as Wal-Mart, Bank of America, etc, would everyone be raising just as much hell over if they gave money to the University for the naming rights.

This has to be one of the all-time DUMBEST things to come out of a so-called "professor's" mouth:

"If it's pure philanthropy, you don't ask for your name to go on the stadium," said Don Sexton, a professor of marketing at Columbia University's Business School and president of the Arrow Group, a marketing firm. "The only reason you want your name on the stadium is because you want to get something back."

Source

Get a clue man!

People give money all the time and buildings, libraries, parks, etc, are named after them.

Let's take all of the names off of every structure that has a philanthropic tie placed on it, across the country, at every single University. After all, it's outrageous that they are there to begin with - they all want something back! How dare they!

This whole "my opinion matters/media backlash" thing is such a mute point.

Until all the naysayers step foot on the campus and actually invest any amount of time or effort of their own doing anything in the form of Goodwill for this University, their opinion is drivel, and they have no stake.

I think the keyword there is "pure", suggesting that "pure philanthropy" is that which is done anonymously.

Which makes sense.

Owl2Doc said

I think the keyword there is "pure", suggesting that "pure philanthropy" is that which is done anonymously.

Which makes sense.

Makes perfect sense…

But, his point is not related to, or driven by, this:

Matthew 6:1-4
New International Version (NIV)

Giving to the Needy

“1 Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. 2 So when you give to the needy, do not announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by others. Truly I tell you, they have received their reward in full. 3 But when you give to the needy, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, 4 so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you."

Otherwise, he would have cited the verses from which the first written reference to giving "anonymously" recorded by man came from.

In fact, 99.9% of all philanthropic actions have a name tied to it.

Why? Because our tax codes follow the "recognition principle" as to be free from paying a portion of the raw earnings (beforehand) to a "non religious" entity such as Government.

Can't have it both ways…….

;D

Dont know if its good or bad, but we made fox news website.

Florida school sells stadium naming rights to prison company | Fox News

Our negative publicity is up 65% YDT. Maybe it's just me, but, GOOD! Just means more ppl are talking about us. No such thing as bad publicity.

Sticking with Howard Stern, If anyone remembers in Private Parts they said his biggest numbers came from those people who hated him. Why? They wanted to see what he was going to say next.

This is very similar. People who read this story and have no idea who FAU is will likely google it. Sometimes bad press isn't such a terrible thing. Look at all the bad press UM has had basically every year since Howard was there. Controversy = ratings

I realize that this will blow over soon and we probably be won't be that much worse for the wear
but
I have to disagree with the idea that there's no such thing as bad publicity (for us).

As a higher education institution striving to be taken seriously we're fighting for academic prestige, research grants, increasing admissions statistics, large-scale donations and acceptance by the local community. I don't see how any of those things are improved by bad publicity.

"FAU associates with human rights-violating prison company"
"FAU professor denies Sandy Hook Massacre"
"FAU campus on lockdown after armed gunmen robs student"

We're not exactly riding a PR wave right now.

I get that beggars can't be choosers and some things can't be predicted or prevented. But as a fan, as an alumnus, as a person whose friends are constantly bringing up this kind of sh*t and I have to defend it, I'd just like to see FAU celebrated for its merits instead of constantly denigrated for its faults.

Having said that, I'm going to retire from this controversy and talk about something else.

So can we get a Mean Machine chant for the opening kickoff? Mean Machine...Mean Machine...Mean Machine...Mean Machine...

Owl2Doc said

I realize that this will blow over soon and we probably be won't be that much worse for the wear
but
I have to disagree with the idea that there's no such thing as bad publicity (for us).

As a higher education institution striving to be taken seriously we're fighting for academic prestige, research grants, increasing admissions statistics, large-scale donations and acceptance by the local community. I don't see how any of those things are improved by bad publicity.

"FAU associates with human rights-violating prison company"
"FAU professor denies Sandy Hook Massacre"
"FAU campus on lockdown after armed gunmen robs student"

We're not exactly riding a PR wave right now.

I get that beggars can't be choosers and some things can't be predicted or prevented. But as a fan, as an alumnus, as a person whose friends are constantly bringing up this kind of sh*t and I have to defend it, I'd just like to see FAU celebrated for its merits instead of constantly denigrated for its faults.

Having said that, I'm going to retire from this controversy and talk about something else.

I'm tired of the topic too, but I will say this…Nothing you mentioned above is unique to FAU.

Unfortunately lots of colleges have had a crime on campus and lots of colleges have had some nut-job professor say something off-the-wall.  Also, last I checked, Oregon is closely associated with Nike, which doesn't exactly have a great "human-rights" reputation.  Same goes for lots of other companies who donated to colleges.

The bottom line is people will always find something to complain about.  FAU received a needed gift from the company of a generous donor.  I don't recall any of these people complaining about Geo Group prior to this announcement.  I don't remember hearing any outrage about them being in Boca for years, paying taxes and providing local jobs.  FAU did nothing wrong here.  Move on, ignore the jokes, and whatever small blowback the Owls are getting will fade away.