quote:

---

Originally posted by: lddad
"i'm curious every time these appear.  is there any way to indicate new additions, like with an *?"

---

Good idea Iddad. But, let's keep it going even if the departure list doesn't change.

Received an invitation to College of Health reception for retirees. Don't think these names are on the list: Ann Beardshall, Research Assistant, Nutrition and Food Services (retiring); Wayne Billion (retiring and going to Western Carolina), Nutrition and Food Services: Carolyn Brooks, Social Work; Richard Saniga, Speech and Hearing.

List from College of Health are current 03-04

As a businessman, I understand how hard it is to hire qualified employees.

I am stunned at the quantity of profs and staff that are leaving here, and I know that many are top notch.

How on earth can USM replace these people under the current dire employment situation they are in?

As Bobby Chain said: "how can we ever have success here now."

I think that statement said a lot, yet our papers act as if we are in the "up" mode out there on Hardy.

These are hard people to replace, many of them unique in their own way. I am surprised at how many, if this list is accurate, are leaving not for retirement but for other universities.

This will be a diffucult task.

You profs out there, how will classes be covered if all these people are not replaced?

quote:

---

Originally posted by: Athena
"       Very good observation, Goliath!  They will not be covered.  "

---

Oh, I forgot... Southern Miss to the Top!  (We will have just enough professors to teach the athletes and the polymer science students)

quote:

---

Originally posted by: Goliath
"As a businessman, I understand how hard it is to hire qualified employees. I am stunned at the quantity of profs and staff that are leaving here, and I know that many are top notch. How on earth can USM replace these people under the current dire employment situation they are in? As Bobby Chain said: "how can we ever have success here now." I think that statement said a lot, yet our papers act as if we are in the "up" mode out there on Hardy. These are hard people to replace, many of them unique in their own way. I am surprised at how many, if this list is accurate, are leaving not for retirement but for other universities. This will be a diffucult task. You profs out there, how will classes be covered if all these people are not replaced?"

---

There will be fewer courses offered.  Students won't have as many choices or courses in their major.  For instance, commuters who in the past could select courses in their major that would allow them to attend Tuesday, Thursday or Monday, Wednesday, Friday, may have to attend every day to get a full-time course load.  Some commuters may decide it isn't worth it to drive everyday, and may instead attend an institution (even out of state--LA institutions now offer out-of-state-fee waivers) instead of attending USM.

I know for a fact that advisors at community colleges are having problems with articulation agreements, and, with the added impact of the current crisis, they are advising their students to steer clear of USM.  Many are going to Southeastern Louisiana.  The problems with departments in accreditational jeopardy is contributing to this, too.  There are many elementary ed majors who come through community colleges.  Many are being funnelled to SE LA by community college academic advisors.

I have strayed from responding to your question, so let me get back on topic.  The results of having fewer faculty members in a department:

-- fewer courses offered

--therefore, much larger "auditorium" classes

--graduate students teaching many more intro-level classes

--whole focal areas not being available because no profs specialize in them (for example, history students may not be able to specialize in military history, American Indian history, or women's history)

--fewer advisors to sit on masters/doctoral committees--fewer MA and PhD students will choose USM.

And let's not forget that with staff leaving, many professors will be performing secretarial duties, which will take away from the time they could be spending advising students, preparing lectures, researching, etc.

These are just a few of my observations.  I am sure many people here have others to add.

 

quote:

---

Originally posted by: Flash Gordon
"Last year we hired about 88 "faculty" to replace the 95 or so who left. As I recall, only 44 were tenure track. The rest were visiting or instructors, many of whom were local grad students pressed into duty. The big announcement by Mader that we were having a big hiring year of something like 110 positions was necessitated by our failure to properly fill positions last year. The quality drop in faculty over the past two years has been steep. However, the Goebbels principle is well understood in the PR department. If you keep telling a lie loud enough and often enough, people will believe it. We are a world class university on the way to 20,000 students. Baghdad Bob would be proud."

---

quote:

---

Originally posted by:
" There will be fewer courses offered.  Students won't have as many choices or courses in their major.  ...  The results of having fewer faculty members in a department: -- fewer courses offered --therefore, much larger "auditorium" classes --graduate students teaching many more intro-level classes --whole focal areas not being available because no profs specialize in them (for example, history students may not be able to specialize in military history, American Indian history, or women's history) --fewer advisors to sit on masters/doctoral committees--fewer MA and PhD students will choose USM. And let's not forget that with staff leaving, many professors will be performing secretarial duties, which will take away from the time they could be spending advising students, preparing lectures, researching, etc. This are just a few of my observations.  I am sure many people here have others to add.  "

---

In some departments, such as Nursing, course offerings have been cut to the absolute essentials and there are no elective offerings or undergraduate summer courses in the regular offerings. This started happening about 4 years ago to adjust for budget cuts. There has never been any fat to cut in the Nursing budget.

 Then the Nursing budget was cut about a third when it was absorbed into the College of Health.

 Nursing cannot make many more adjustments to teach more efficiently to adapt to current funding problems.

There are only a few large classes (up to 60 students)because there are faculty to student ratio prohibitions for most courses (1 faculty - which is an RN with at least a Master's degree -for each 10 students in a clinical setting); and The largest classroom in the Nursing Building holds about 60 students. 

Graduate students do not teach Nursing students a) because they have to have a Master's already, b) and any nurse can earn triple the wage of a teaching assistant working part time at the hospital; c) a Nurse with a Master's is eligible for an Instructor position, and therefore would not work as a graduate assistant.

They are already down to one secretary for about 30 faculty; 

There are few, getting fewer, doctorally prepared faculty (must be nurses) to teach and advise graduate students.

Solutions thus far have been higher teaching loads (which have always been pretty high, considering the time professors must spend one on one with students in clinical areas, for 8 hour shifts), resulting in less scholarship, funding, etc.

 Future solutions are to reduce the numbers of students admitted. And to try to hire more doctorally prepared faculty, even in the face of a nursing and a nursing faculty shortage.

The crisis in nursing is something that disturbs me deeply, for two reasons: 1) the inherent value in the nursing profession, and 2) that there is a national nursing shortage, and USM nursing grads ought to be immediately employable. If Shelby and company are willing to let nursing suffer like this, then no one else's program in any area (except economic development!) is safe. (Who would you rather have around when you're sick--a nurse or an English prof? Please don't take offense, English profs!)

While it is mere speculation, I've wondered if the problems with nursing under Shelby's administration are actually wrapped up in his history of bad behavior with women. Probably just amateur psychoanalysis on my part, but perhaps a professional out there has a clearer outlook.

quote:

---

Originally posted by: foot soldier
"The crisis in nursing is something that disturbs me deeply, for two reasons: 1) the inherent value in the nursing profession, and 2) that there is a national nursing shortage, and USM nursing grads ought to be immediately employable. If Shelby and company are willing to let nursing suffer like this, then no one else's program in any area (except economic development!) is safe. (Who would you rather have around when you're sick--a nurse or an English prof? Please don't take offense, English profs!) While it is mere speculation, I've wondered if the problems with nursing under Shelby's administration are actually wrapped up in his history of bad behavior with women. Probably just amateur psychoanalysis on my part, but perhaps a professional out there has a clearer outlook."

---

Foot Soldier:   I actually believe Dr. Thames is a supporter of Nursing, and understands it's value very well. (Leave the woman thing out of it please).

 It has been Dr. Hudson who, in the past,  has been very flippant and resistant to hearing that there were extreme difficulties that needed attention to save Nursing. 

quote:

---

Originally posted by: foot soldier
"Okay. Just trying to understand the insanity. I can't understand Hudson any better."

---

Yeah, sometimes we have to throw the net afar.  I understand.