I am on staff here at USM (i refuse to say which department) and have heard that Thames is seeking to privatize several university departments; the three I keep hearing is the Clinic, the Business office, and Food Services. I also heard Thames wanted to privatize both bookstores on campus, all part of "cost saving" measures.
I heard from a former staffer at the Clinic that the Clinic itself had already been "leased" to Hattiesburg Clinic, but terms haven't been made public yet. The same person told me that food services was next, then the business office. All employees of said departments would lose thier state employment benefits and accrued seniority.
Has anyone else heard this rumor? These actions would tear apart the university at its seams!!
A direct quote from a "nameless" department head-"No one's job is safe anymore."
Yes, the great corporate-sponsored privatization bug has hit USM, thanks to Shelby. Vendor companies for food services have already been on campus and are soon to offer their bids to take over food services.
Isn't there something wrong with a tax-payer supported non-profit institution doling out money to private for-profit corporations?
Note the consulting company - Pileum - that has been running OTR, now ITech, since Shelby took over.
These outside companies - Shelby sure likes outsiders - make hiring/firing decisions, take away benefits and salaries for workers, force the university to go along with their particular plans, and in many other ways alienate the very people on campus, employees and students, who are most necessary to running a university.
And, of course, Shelby made these decisions with no input from anyone who will be impacted by the decision - part of his "Can't you tell that I love the faculty, staff, and students?" campaign. Makes you wonder if money is passing hands from these companies into Shelby's pockets.