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Fire Shelby Thames -> Fire Shelby Thames -> Fire Shelby Thames -> Isn't it kind of sad . . .
Post Info TOPIC: Isn't it kind of sad . . .
USM Sympathizer

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Isn't it kind of sad . . .
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. . . that the topic on this board that has drawn by far the most views and the most responses is the one that deals with a new basketball coach?  I'm afraid this says a lot about how, in American higher education, the tail wags the dog: many people think of colleges as adjuncts to a sports program rather than the other way around. 


Something tells me that if President Thames had fired a distinguished coach for as small an infraction as the one he has used to justify firing two very distinguished professors, he would be standing in the unemployment line himself by now.



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truth4usm

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I totally agree with you.  But its's to be expected in a culture where basketball players/coaches make millions, and K-12 teachers barely make enough to live on.  We have our priorities screwed up in so many ways.

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Disgusted

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But many of the posts about the new coach implicitly or explicitly are linked to the idea of bad decision making by the administration.  That thread started with the idea that this was another really bad decision by Thames

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USM sympathizer

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You're right, Disgusted, and I agree with your assessment.  I just think it's sad that some of the most impassioned commentary on the board deals with sports, not really with academics.

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TomP

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I completely agree...


I realize there are many sports fans among students, but do we really need a $200,000+/yr. football coach, a new turf playing field, new grandstands/suites, etc.? I wonder what the difference is regarding money spend per football player, vs. money spent per average student...I'd suspect our priorities- and our university's priorities- may lie in the wrong place.


TomP..Eagle baseball fan



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Gone-n-glad

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Quality of Education
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A university, any university, exists for the LEARNING, NOT to award degrees, make money, promote individuals, support football (or any other sport), provide jobs, etc. LEARNING seems to be the grail that President Thames has lost. This is evident in every action he has taken.


This is perhaps the most unforgiveable result of the Thames presidency: the degradation of the education being delivered to students and the loss of faculty who deliver that education while contributing to knowledge.


Faculty can find new jobs for more money and less heartache. I did. Students, however, may not be able to move so easily--perhaps because their learning at USM is not sufficient.



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beentheredonethat

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RE: Isn't it kind of sad . . .
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We might also investigate the cost of the cute little air conditioned golden car/cart Shelby rides around in during tailgating. The cost would astound you.

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