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Fire Shelby Thames -> Fire Shelby Thames -> Fire Shelby Thames -> This is what it's like *not* to have tenure
Post Info TOPIC: This is what it's like *not* to have tenure
University of Mississippi adjunct

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This is what it's like *not* to have tenure
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Obviously, Shelby Thames is crazy. But the following quotation from the Chronicle of Higher Education should ring some warning bells:

"During the meetings, the president also informed them that the locks on their offices had been changed and that they could speak to the campus police chief about the return of their 'personal items,' according to the professors. 'It's as if we were secretaries and all we had in our offices were our purses and umbrellas,' says Mr. Glamser."

Secretaries, as well as adjuncts and lecturers, experience this kind of treatment all the time, and no one, including Glamser apparently, thinks it's a big deal. So I'm kind of wondering why those of us who publish and teach, but won't ever get tenure, should stand up to defend Glamser and Stringer.

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An anti-Shelby administrator in another MS college

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RE: RE: This is what it's like *not* to have tenur
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I think Thames is a horrible example of administrative behavior, and he is digging his own grave--I hope to see the funeral soon. I also, however, dislike the comment that one of the suspended faculty members made about not being a "secretary." This statement is an example of the contempt that faculty often have for staff (secretaries, administrative assistants, maintenance workers, etc.). A secretary who had been fired for no good reason would have been just as justified as a faculty member to protest his or her treatment. And he or she (purse or no purse) would have had equally important belongings to retrieve, regardless of the patronizing comment about the "purse and umbrella." The secretaries at USM are owed an apology.

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Missi

Date:
RE: wait....please read...
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I know Frank Glamser personally and was quite surprised when I read that quote. He was out of town from the 11th until last night, so he did not see that Chronicle article when it orignally came out. He read it when he got back home on Thursday. When I asked him about that quote about the secretaries, he informed me that he did not say that. He is going to try to contact the author of the article to correct that.


Thanks!



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Poetdoc

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RE: This is what it's like *not* to have tenure
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I have a hard time believing Glamser actually said that myself - the Chronicle has been known to go overboard at times, although their reporting is excellent.  Their quotes have been suspect in the past. 


As for why those who aren't tenured should support Glamser and Stringer, that's simple:  It's the right thing to do.  It's obvious that Thames has a hard-on for firing people who don't agree with him.  When will it reach non-tenured employees?  Tenure is one of the issues here; Thames is working for those who would like to see it eliminated, since he's more than old enough to be "grandfathered" in (literally) when it's eliminated in Mississippi, right before the majority of our state's decent faculty leave. 


I'm a former college professor who got tired of working non-tenured, temporary positions that inevitably ended.  I never even got a tenure-track job, but I support Glamser and Stringer because they are scapegoats and examples.  And that's just wrong.



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Missi

Date:
Permalink Closed

Thought I should update on the comment above. I recently spoke to Frank (Glamser), and he told me that he contacted the writer of the Chronicle article. The writer assured Frank that he did make the comment quoted in the article. Frank explained that the author has no reason to lie, so he must have said it. He still has no recollection of having done so and can only think that since that interview was on the 7th, (and he was fired on the 5th) he was still somewhat overwhelmed and 'out of it'. He said that it was an insensitive comment, and he is very sorry. He told me that he is going to write a letter of apology to all via The Student Printz.

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