class action lawsuit (ironic, huh?)

Date: Apr 10, 2004

class action lawsuit (ironic, huh?)

Date: Apr 12, 2004

it's a thought.

Date: Apr 12, 2004

For the past 15-20 years, I've thought that doctoral graduates of USM might have a legitimate class action. They are told (implicitly & explicitly) that their degree can get them a faculty position at any university.

But USM has an unwritten & variably enforced policy of not hiring its own graduates. So in truth, a relatively minor regional university routinely refuses to consider USM graduates in its applicant pool.

I would think that if USM loses NCATE accreditation, any upper division undergraduates in education might have a class, too, particularly if accreditation is lost for "administrative" reasons rather than "student performance."

But someone will have to check the Mississippi Code about the feasibility of a class action against a public institution. For a long time, universities enjoyed "sovereign immunity," but I think that's been killed...

Date: Apr 12, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Invictus
" . . .But USM has an unwritten & variably enforced policy of not hiring its own graduates. So in truth, a relatively minor regional university routinely refuses to consider USM graduates in its applicant pool. I would think that if USM loses NCATE accreditation, any upper division undergraduates in education might have a class, too, particularly if accreditation is lost for "administrative" reasons rather than "student performance." But someone will have to check the Mississippi Code about the feasibility of a class action against a public institution. For a long time, universities enjoyed "sovereign immunity," but I think that's been killed..."

This isn't an unusual policy for many universities: if you think about it, the reasons for making it a policy are pretty sound and have nothing to do with statements of quality vis a vis graduates

Date: Apr 12, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: present professor
"This isn't an unusual policy for many universities: if you think about it, the reasons for making it a policy are pretty sound and have nothing to do with statements of quality vis a vis graduates"

Of course, it's an understandable policy. IIRC, it came about at USM as a result of a SACS self-study in the late '60s or early '70s. It used to be called the "inbreeding" rule.

I guess I should have italicized the "variably enforced" part of my original post. When one department does hire its own grads & another doesn't, that's when there's a problem. The other issue is that it is not publicized anywhere.

As far as "inbreeding" goes, it's not much different for USM & Akron to swap out their polymer science grad students. Of course, if one doesn't go to USM or Akron, it's almost impossible to earn a PhD in polymer science anyway

Date: Apr 12, 2004

So esteemed colleagues, where do we go from here (a nod to GNR)

Date: Apr 12, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: educator
"So esteemed colleagues, where do we go from here (a nod to GNR)"

Good question -- I'm open here. I think this is something we should kick around but we will need to cite some very hard evidence and also decide exactly what such a move would have as its objective (assuming the SFT goes soon -- if not the objective is clear).

Invictus -- I believe I did misunderstand your point. Sorry about that. You are absolutely correct about the variably enforced policy. I should have caught that.