Pride (or lack thereof)

[Big D]

Here's a piece that appeared in today's Chicago Flame...

www.chicagoflame.com/news/2007/04/09/Opinions/Where.Is.That.Flames.Pride-2829782.shtml

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Where is that Flames pride?
Feature Opinion
Daniel Jerez
Issue date: 4/9/07 Section: Opinions

During spring, many students are shedding their winter coats opting to sport sweatshirts and hoodies. You expect to see UIC students donning school merchandise, but I can't help but wonder why I see countless numbers wearing sweatshirts from other universities.

Students wearing Illini is understandable, because they are our sister school, but wearing Michigan, DePaul or UCLA colors is a little ridiculous. Why are students not showing off their Flames pride? Is there anything UIC can do to fix this problem?

Moses Lopez, a student wearing a Michigan hoodie, commented on why he was not wearing a UIC hoodie.

"I got this when I went to Michigan. It only cost me $20; it's like $40 here. If they weren't that expensive I'd buy one and wear it," said Lopez, a fourth year engineering major.

Students that have been at UIC for a while understand that the school can get expensive. Consider the cost of food in the Atrium or the cafeteria compared to the cost of food in the Inner Circle.

Also, those who have bought school supplies from the bookstore know that a trip to Target would save them a noticeable amount of money.

We, as a student body, accept the fact that the bookstore will charge a little more for merchandise because all university bookstores charge a little extra for merchandise. Check out the websites for DePaul and Loyola, you will notice that compared to UIC, for similar products, they are all at about the same price range.

Why is it that a large portion of UIC students still do not wear UIC merchandise if they cost about the same?

The difference is that students can buy those products at other retailers at a more competitive cost. The cost of the Michigan hoodie from the bookstore was $34.98, only a few dollars less than UIC at $39.99. Lopez did not buy his hoodie at the bookstore. He said he bought it at a shop near his dorm, where it only cost $20.

UIC merchandise can only be purchased at the bookstores on the East and West campus, leaving students with few places to buy Flames merchandise.

Another reason for the lack of pride is the growing sentiment by students feeling nickel-and-dimed by UIC. Without increased funding for the university, the cost of tuition has increased a few times in the past few years.

While UIC lets students see Flames sporting events for free, they do not offer a worthwhile discount for concert events at the Pavilion.

If UIC made a conscious effort to help students with the cost of living, more students would show pride and wear UIC merchandise.

There is a problem when it seems that the only students who wear UIC merchandise are the athletes. As a student, it feels as if the budget is more important than the students.

You would think it would be in the best interest of the University to lower the costs so that more students would spend their money in the bookstore or on concerts at the Pavilion.

As it stands, I can get far less expensive food in the Inner Circle or off campus, I can buy merchandise from other schools for less money and I can see a concert at another venue cheaper than at the Pavilion.

It's these little things that make us proud to say that we are UIC students.

Until the University can reverse the negative sentiments, I have a feeling that I will continue to see students representing other universities. That is a shame on many levels.

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Personally, I'll never understand it. Why spend $40 on my school's sweatshirt when I could instead spend $20 on a school that means absolutely nothing to me? That makes so much sense. And, I also don't agree with the author that it should be ok for UIC students to wear Illini gear. Is it also ok to wear Bradley gear and Loyola gear? What's the difference? If anything, it should be worse to wear Illini stuff.

With that said, the merchandise is ridiculously overpriced at the bookstore...no wonder people don't wear UIC gear.

[spike1057]

Agreed this is sad, I didn't go to UIC but still own a hoodie and a few shirts. All of which I bought. Now as far as the pricing goes. Here is what really bothers me, you can pick up LU, Bradley and U of I shirts, jackets and hoodies at Steve and Berry's. However, there were absolutely no UIC merchandise. I will make another trip to Steve and Berry's probably this weekend and will check again. Have to pick up some cheap close and maybe some cheap shoes.

[UICJohn]

As far as the cheaper tickets for concerts, I am not sure about that. However, don't UIC students get the chance to buy tickets to some events before some of the general public? I thought I remember something like that from when I was a student there. Maybe it was just a one or two time thing.

Also, the goal should be to get all UIC students to wear and want to wear UIC apparel. It shouldn't be looked at as understandable to have students wear any other apparel, including Illinois. I have also been to Steve and Barry's (I have been to the one that is now closed in Old Orchard Mall09 and not one piece of UIC apparel. I find it hard to believe that it's over a lack of interest seeing as they have plenty of Loyola, Indiana St., Ball State, Eastern Illinois, etc. apparel. And yes, apparel at the UIC bookstore is expensive, that is true.

The facf of the matter is that you have to want to wear UIC apparel and I don't really think that price is the major issue. You have to make students want to go out and buy a UIC shirt or something. The regulars on here all would agree that UIC is a good school but also would agree that their reputation doesn't always say that. A normal person would probably say that DePaul is a much better school than UIC. Would they be correct? I would say no. But that's the case. It's all about reputation and UIC has to change that. Even if it's a good school, it has to start showing that off. And of course, there aire the other problems: lack of on campus activity, commuter campus, etc.

Also to go along with that is success in athletics. I was pretty surprised, and happy along with that, with the amount of student support the soccer team got. And I really hope that continues. Now imagine if the UIC basketball team did what they did (or Butler) and made the tourney and won a game or two. There would be lines in the bookstore of students, alumni, and others buying shirts and hoodies.

[flyin30]

FYI, the Steve & Barry's in Yorktown Mall in Lombard has 2 different UIC t-shirts. I've bought both of them, and go there every so often to see if they have any more. It would be a miracle if we could start getting more exposure at sporting goods stores...

[spike1057]

Thanks Flyin 30, I was out at North Riverside Mall which didnt have any. My next trip was to Yorktown probably this weekend. Glad to here they have some UIC shirts.

[FuryJP]

The fact is that there IS an increasing amount of UIC stuff being worn around campus, but still TOO MUCH of other school's crap. Yes, I agree that it SHOULD NOT be OK to wear Illini gear. And i hate the excuse "Oh well we don't have a football team, so I'm a fan of theirs (illini or fighting irish)". It's all BS.

I'm a bit upset because I've been waiting to write that opinion piece for awhile. I may still do a follow up.

[UICJason]

I walk around campus everyday and I think there is a tremendous increase in the number of UIC sweatshirts and such around campus in the past few years. I've actually been impressed with the number of students wearing UIC gear. Is it like Champaign? No, but we have a long way to go to get there.

[Chuck A]

I made a reply to the article in the comments section, but in essence I said that another reason for students not wearing UIC garb is that the selection is not that great. Who wants to walk around wearing a silly looking dragon? I don't. It would be really cool to have mercandise with the UIC Flame logo on it. That seems to be reserved for the athletes.

I also mentioned that it would be nice to have a blue Flames jacket with red leather sleeves (or the other way around) and a nice sized UIC Flames logo on the back. I've seen numerous BCS jackets like that, most notably North Carolina with its Carolina Blue "NC" on the back or Michigan State with that Spartan head on the back. I'd buy a UIC jacket like that regardless of cost.

[EzE]

They also need cool looking merchandise. I have some nice UIC sweatshirts, t-shirts & a polo. However, I have seen some hideous looking merchandise that I wouldn't want to wear.

[axaguy]

Am an older alumni but recent site registree (?) and have a real feel for the subject here. I believe the issue has several faces.
First: UIC, students and alumni, who comprise a large, silent, group of buying power need ask retailers where the UIC stuff is, and walk out if they have none, not buy an Iowa sweatshirt or Michigan t-shirt or even an Illini shirt. WE WANT UIC stuff, ask for it so they know we are looking for it and leave without buying anything else. Retailers aren't stupid. They'll carry what sells, at competitive prices, but they must feel there's a market for it. We've been taken for granted too long and accepted our fate, as well. You can get what you ask for........in time.
Second: The selection in the school stores needs to improve dramatically. I have been to the main bookstore on campus and the web site and am VERY disappointed with the selection that is available. Hoodies, T's and sweats dominate the selection, way too many of a limited offering of styles. Where's a nice crew neck or two, nice wind shirt, nice jackets and sweaters and different apparel. More stylish as well, for both student tastes and alumni tastes..... Nothing has changed in the selection at the school stores for years.....ask the marketing majors the retailing blunder in this.......A store at Navy Pier that carries college clothing has apparel from all Big Ten Schools and others in big sections. UIC has only 2 shelves of a section with a dismal offering of t_shirts. Hardly representative of what I expect for a representation from MY school. I felt embarrassed and left......
Third: Enthusiasm by the current administration, faculty, students and alumni needs to improve and push the university to be creative and innovative, for a change. Leaders not followers, practice what we've been preached on and for ourselves.
Finally: Rambling some, so in closing, price is not the main issue at all. Cheap is not the answer or necessarily wanted. Representative things come at a cost. Value, quality and economy must be representative in a selection. Alumni will spend money on good quality stuff. Students buy what they WANT as well. Yes, cost is a concern but students still have a way of getting what they desire. I have 2 college age kids, so I know.
Just thouhgts....any others out there? Miss the mark?

[UICJohn]

To be completely honest, I have been to that store at Navy Pier and didn't see any UIC apparel. Granted, it was a while back, but I'm glad to see there is some.

I think that the problem is a little deeper. We have to first create more students and alumni who want to wear the UIC sweaters and hoodies and hats and tshirts, etc. When I was at UIC, I saw way too many students walking around with Iowa shirts or Illinois hats, etc. And while it seems to be changing a little (I really do think I've seen more UIC stuff just around) it still needs improvement.
That is when what you said comes up. We have said it on here many times before. Most of the UIC stuff is really expensive or really ugly. We all really like the UIC logo so why not put that on more stuff? I am sorry, but a lot of the UIC stuff seems like it was designed for kids or it is outdated.
When it all comes down to it, the teams need to win though! And the soccer team did well. They were on TV, on the news, showing highlights! I mean, most of the times we don't see Fire highlights but we're seeing UIC soccer highlights on the evening news! I was at my brother's graduation at Northeastern and saw someone with a UIC soccer scarf. But basketball would get on TV and stuff regularly if they were good. That's where it all starts really.

[soccer fan]

There are some practical things the administration CAN to for little or no money, and here's some suggestions:

1. The old Maxwell Street neighborhood (or more correctly, what was left of it) was a rat-infested rotting carcass of a neighborhood in desperate need of redevelopment. Nobody cares that Junior Wells and Bo Diddley started their careers there! That was 1949, and by 1999 it simply wasn't the same place! It is time for UIC to get over it, move on, stop apologizing, and GET RID OF THOSE STUPID MAXWELL STREET PHOTOS that they insist on putting everywhere (including in the brand-new UIC formum - can you believe that?). Earth to UIC: you will NOT make any new friends that way. But you will annoy old friends, along with the new residents of the neighborhood, which happens to include a sizeable number of your own students. It begs the question: if Maxwell Street was so great, why did UIC have to tear it down in the first place? Even if we are to assume that the school is committed to in some way honoring the history of that neighborhood, maybe someone can explain why there are tons of photos the chicken man of Maxwell Street but NOT ONE of one of the REAL American heroes that came out of that neighborhood - Barney Ross! Again, earth to UIC: if you can put anonymous statues of nobody on Maxwell Street, maybe you should consider putting a statue commemorating a former world champion and world war 2 hero who was raised on Maxwell Street somewhere on the athletic fields. Trust me, Barney Ross's life story is far more compelling and inspirational than the Chicken Man's.

2. UIC did a really nice job with the Flame logo and UIC banners along the light poles on Harrison. How about putting some on the light poles along Halsted in South Campus? You know, where the students live? Wouldn't that make sense, or is somebody afraid that the students might actually start taking some pride in the school? I can't imagine why this has never been done, but if the reason for not doing it is because someone is afraid somebody might be offended, I nominate that person for the NEW chicken man (or woman) of Maxwell Street.

3. 30,000+ runners run right through the heart of the east campus every October with the running of the Chicago Marathon. UIC's participation (non-participation is more accurate) in this event is positively LAME. I am not suggesting that you drag the cheerleaders out of bed to make some noise, although most of the high schools in the city and suburbs (including your neighbors at St. Ignatius) find a way to do exactly that. These runners come from all over the country and all over the world. Wouldn't it make sense to at least put a "Welcome to UIC" banner or somehow in some way greet these visitors so they take some positive vibe back with them? Not only is it easy, nearly free publicity, it is common decency to greet visitors.

[circle70]

Excellent suggestions, soccer fan--they're worth forwarding to Jim Schmidt (if you haven't done so already).