the programs and people that will best advance our mission — where the most impactful achievements and benefits will be realized for the greater good." In December 2014 UAB disbanded its football program and, as the rationale for the decision, Watts cited exorbitant operational costs and substantial investments that would be necessary to make UAB football financially sustainable. "While this will be a challenging transition for the UAB family, the financial picture made our decision very clear," Watts said. "We will not cut the current athletic budget, but in order to invest at least another $49 million to keep football over the next five years, we would have to redirect funds away from other critical areas of importance like education, research, patient care or student services." On January 15, 2015, a two-thirds majority of the UAB faculty senate voted no-confidence in the leadership of Ray Watts as president of the university. The resolution stated that "decisions by President Ray Watts were exercised in a manner that demonstrates no respect for, or commitment to, shared governance" and that changes in academic operations, faculty benefits, and the disbanding of the UAB Football, Bowling, and Rifle teams were examples of this. Additionally on March 23, 2015, UAB's National Alumni Society issued a statement of no confidence and demanded Watts' immediate resignation. On June 1, 2015, Watts announced steps would be taken to reinstate UAB football, rifle and bowling after campus and community leaders, the City of Birmingham and private donors pledged significant funds to reestablish and sustain the three programs. "The biggest single difference is we now have tangible commitments for additional support that we have never had before," Watts told reporters. "Without that additional support, we could not have maintained a balanced budget moving forward." An initiative called "Finish the Drive" began on August 18, 2015, to conduct further fundraising for UAB Athletics. UAB Football returned to competition in the fall 2017 season. As part of the UAB Campus Master Plan, UAB opened two new undergraduate-focused facilities in late 2015 and early 2016: a 714-bed freshman residence hall and the Hill Student Center. In his remarks at the grand opening celebration of the Hill Student Center in January 2016, Watts commented, "The new Hill Center is emblematic of the dramatic evolution of the UAB student experience over decades.... It will be, for years to come, a dynamic hub of educational, social and