- Cape Rolling Out Bloomfield Road Art Trail (8/21/19)1
- Donors Pledge Almost Two Grand To Replace SEMO's Possibly Sentient ‘Gum Tree' (8/16/18)
- SEMO and The Will To (Become A Consultant) – Part 2 (6/14/18)
- SEMO and The Will To Do (You Really Want To See That Legal Notice?) – Part 1 (6/4/18)
- Judge, Jury... Trashman (6/1/18)
- Diary of Cape Girardeau Road Deconstruction (5/11/18)
- Trying To Save A Tree From City “Improvements” (4/30/18)2
GITMO WITH SEMO
Cuba Naval Base Perfect Federal
Surplus Property For University
The Southeast Missourian reported on January 19 that the County, the city of Cape and SEMO are all vying for the old federal building on Broadway that the feds no longer need.
The county and city both have obvious uses for the surplus property. The University didn't elaborate on its plans saying they are "preliminary discussions."
Maybe SEMO is considering a River Campus - North.
I don't know how that opportunity might turn out, but I can think of another location that seems destined for the federal surplus property list that SEMO should definitely pursue.
Guantanamo Bay Naval Base.
President Obama has already signed an executive order to shut down the detention center portion of the base located at the southeastern end of Cuba. Perhaps, it is a just a matter of time before he closes the rest.
And if the feds are indeed going to decommission the base, I think SEMO should throw its hat in the ring to take over the 45 square mile facility.
Federal law states that surplus property may be given to local governments or education institutions under specific conditions. I could be wrong, but I seriously doubt we're just going to give GITMO -- as it is more commonly known -- back to Cuba.
Last time I checked, I don't think we were very friendly with that particular local government.
And the US has a lease with Cuba to die for.
We send them a rent check for $2000 every year and since 1959 they have never even bothered to cash any of them, citing some lame principle that GITMO is actually "occupied territory" that we should quit occupying.
To heck with that!
One does not willingly give up a rent-controlled apartment in Manhattan or a tropical paradise the size of Manhattan that the US is renting for about 7 cents an acre annually. I think Cuba is sore because they cut a lousy deal in 1906.
Since it is highly unlikely that the US is just going to hand GITMO back to Cuba and there are no other "local" US education institutions on that island to compete with, I think SEMO needs to call dibs on the naval base now before the University of Miami wakes up and smells the opportunity.
GITMO would be a dream campus addition to Southeast.
First of all, the name synergies have gold written all over them.
GITMO with SEMO
Sends chills up my spine. Good marketing gets me all tingly.
And the property already comes complete with a massive water feature. There's no need to put in any pricey fountains when you have an actual bay at your disposal.
I can just imagine the education opportunities SEMO could pursue with 45 square miles of federal surplusiness.
First of all, the University could assign a couple square miles of the base to just the agriculture department. They could start offering classes focusing on crops we can't grow in the Bootheel such as sugar cane, coffee and tobacco.
The School of Polytechnic could dovetail into those efforts by teaching the skills needed for rum-making, cigar-rolling and coffee-roasting.
SEMO could even add brand new majors and minors.
GITMO comes with hangars and landing strips that would be perfect for the new School of Aeronautics.
And how could the University miss the opportunity for adding a degree in Landmine Removal? It's a booming profession and the base comes complete with an enormous lab. It's practically turnkey.
I could see the Health, Human Performance and Recreation Department offering a minor in water-boarding. I've heard it's popular at GITMO. I'm not sure what it is, but I guess it has something to do with surfing. You can't do that on the Mississippi.
SEMO could also expand the number of graduate level programs it offers and start really promoting them around the country using their new catchy slogan, GITMO with SEMO.
I know the University currently offers graduate level courses, but they're typically taught here at the main campus in Southeast Missouri.
Let's be honest. If you're picking between comparable graduate programs that are located in Cape Girardeau, the Virgin Islands or Hawaii, which programs do you honestly think get chosen more frequently?
I would bet that the actual tropics trump our nearly-tropical summer humidity most of the time.
But, having a campus in Cuba will be a big-time game-changer.
SEMO could start promoting itself as a truly international University with the main campus in Cape Girardeau, the River Campus, Sikeston, Malden, Kennett and the new jewel-in-her-crown, Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.
GITMO with SEMO
It's marketing gold, I tell you.
And way better than having a River Campus - North on Broadway.
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