TODAY IN THE NEWS: I heard that...

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

TODAY IN THE NEWS: I heard that...

Date: Apr 16, 2004

Don't know, but that would absolutely guarrantee censure by the national AAUP, if it isn't already inevitable.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

Let me change my request. Keep your eyes on the Sun Herald. Soon you will read a report about Shelby desiring to disband the Faculty Senate.

He's very angry that the news got out that he intended to do this. Perhaps his plan will be stopped cold by publicity.

Date: Apr 16, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"Let me change my request. Keep your eyes on the Sun Herald. Soon you will read a report about Shelby desiring to disband the Faculty Senate. He's ****ed that the news got out that he intended to do this."

You know, I wish he would because the more out of control he gets, the more people will see just how nuts he really is. I'd love to see him try it - I dare him to -- he's developed that silly proposed Varsity Voice, what next -- I think if he does it, our chances for more national exposure just got better.

Date: Apr 16, 2004

You got that right!

If Thames is really planning to disband the Faculty Senate, he'll end up on a lot more radar screens outside of Mississippi.

And that's what needs to be happerning.

Date: Apr 16, 2004

I hope the Chronicle is still keeping tabs on this situation. Erin O'Connor should also be a good person to contact, and of course Robert at Liberty and Power is keeping an eye on things.

I'm not from USM and am also an outside observer, but I'm rooting for you guys.

Date: Apr 16, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
""the newspaper" is reporting on Shelby's desire to get rid of the faculty senate..."

There's an old saying among school administrators that it would be a lot easier to run a school if one could dispense with the teachers.

Get rid of the senate today; get rid of teaching faculty tomorrow. Just leave the researchers & keep them away from students!

There's another old saying that the role of the faculty is to think, the role of the president is to give speeches & the role of the provost is to make sure the faculty don't give speeches & the president doesn't think.

Well, Tim Hudson's sure fallen flat on half his assignment!

Date: Apr 16, 2004

Well, gosh Invictus, you must be forgetting that it takes a lot of time to sell those economic development PhD diplomas over the internet and research how to turn USM into another Phoenix University.

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" There's an old saying among school administrators that it would be a lot easier to run a school if one could dispense with the teachers. Get rid of the senate today; get rid of teaching faculty tomorrow. Just leave the researchers & keep them away from students! There's another old saying that the role of the faculty is to think, the role of the president is to give speeches & the role of the provost is to make sure the faculty don't give speeches & the president doesn't think. Well, Tim Hudson's sure fallen flat on half his assignment! "

Date: Apr 16, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Evenbiggergrin
"Well, gosh Invictus, you must be forgetting that it takes a lot of time to sell those economic development PhD diplomas over the internet..."

What's time consuming about it? Just let the students do it themselves!

As far as the "University of Phoenix" aspirations, USM will need to greatly reduce its fees in order to compete with the Mississippi Virtual Community College, which is already SACS accredited for the lower division.

Date: Apr 16, 2004

There have been rumblings about this since January and a good deal of open speculation since the Faculty Senate report came out on the Fireshelby website. Maybe some of the journalists are just asking questions trying to get a story and that has stirred up a hornet's nest in the dome. I havn't seen anything in the papers yet. Anyone else?

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Websitebrowser
"There have been rumblings about this since January and a good deal of open speculation since the Faculty Senate report came out on the Fireshelby website. Maybe some of the journalists are just asking questions trying to get a story and that has stirred up a hornet's nest in the dome. I havn't seen anything in the papers yet. Anyone else?"

A Sun Herald journalist is interviewing faculty senators as we type.

Date: Apr 17, 2004

Anxious to see if a story appeared, I read the Sun Herald early today. Nothing (yet!) about dismantling of the Faculty Senate but there was this thoughtful letter to the editor.

A money-driven university is soon intellectually bankrupt

Listening to newly appointed IHL board member Robin Robinson last evening, I was appalled by her lack of understanding of the purpose and operation of a university.

"Were the Robinson/Thames vision of the university implemented, faculty would be eliminated in favor of manufacturing entrepreneurs and USM would become simply another firm designing and selling plastic seat covers and paint. A few Mississippi residents would become wealthier, true, but so would they miss life-enriching music and art; so would they miss the understanding of life and culture brought by literature; so would they repeat past mistakes through a lack of understanding of history; so would they languish in a stagnant society which fails to see the beauty and utility of mathematics and science. While a few might gain some wealth, all would become closer to intellectual bankruptcy.

I for one, will begin to look elsewhere, in other states where curiosity-driven intellectual achievement is still honored and valued for its enrichment of human life.

LAWRENCE R. MEAD
Hattiesburg"

Date: Apr 17, 2004

Who is Lawrence Mead? I want to go work for him. Is he founding a university somewhere I can join?

Thanks, Mr. Mead!

Date: Apr 17, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: foot soldier
"Who is Lawrence Mead? I want to go work for him. Is he founding a university somewhere I can join? Thanks, Mr. Mead!"

He at least shares the same name as a Professor of Physics at USM. As I recall, he is very much a theoretician and unlikely to generate a lot of "economic development" in the form of patents and start-ups.

For the record, I did get my Ph.D. in Polymer Science at USM (though not with Shelby) and know many/most/all of the Polymer Science cronies now trying to run things there. And I am as appalled by this as many of you.

Date: Apr 17, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: 700 miles away Polymer Scientist
"
He at least shares the same name as a Professor of Physics at USM. As I recall, he is very much a theoretician and unlikely to generate a lot of "economic development" in the form of patents and start-ups.
For the record, I did get my Ph.D. in Polymer Science at USM (though not with Shelby) and know many/most/all of the Polymer Science cronies now trying to run things there. And I am as appalled by this as many of you."

Yes, Dr.Lawrence R. Mead is Professor of Physics and Astronomy at USM.

Newgirl

Date: Apr 17, 2004

Does this mean our "departure list" people need to add Professor Mead to the growing list?

Date: Apr 17, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Greedy
"Does this mean our "departure list" people need to add Professor Mead to the growing list?"

Not Yet, Only looking.

It maybe that few CoST people are on this board and that is why departures from that college are not being listed. Or could it mean that MOSTLY Arts&Letters is being wiped out???????

Newgirl

Date: Apr 17, 2004

I know Dr. Mead through USM's chess club. He is a multiple-time state chess champion, along with being a physics prof. Profs. like Mead are what made my time at USM enriching inside and outside of the classroom.

As I work in the northern part of the state I'm disgusted at what's happening at Southern Miss. It's even more digusting to see Thames and crew not have the foresight to know what they're doing to the university will take years to repair. Southern Miss is in a great position for natural growth in the next few years, without any sort of enrollment inflation. Why can't the administration see that? The university will grow naturally, even without a president with ego and power complexes.

However, with many programs in jeapordy, and the campus in turmoil, I'm skeptical about the reputation and future of USM.

While MSU and Ole Miss are somewhat unified in improving their universities, all of the infighting at USM will make many potential freshmen in Mississippi chose campuses in Oxford or Starkville. Who want to take a crap shoot with their professional career at university with so much instability.

That's a shame since I remember nothing but times of personal and professional growth while studying at USM.

With the hearings coming Thursday and Friday, USM has already lost. The question remains if the College Board will encourage healing on campus or more of an environment antithetical of what a university is supposed to be.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: former printz editor
"I know Dr. Mead through USM's chess club. He is a multiple-time state chess champion, along with being a physics prof. Profs. like Mead are what made my time at USM enriching inside and outside of the classroom. As I work in the northern part of the state I'm disgusted at what's happening at Southern Miss. It's even more digusting to see Thames and crew not have the foresight to know what they're doing to the university will take years to repair. Southern Miss is in a great position for natural growth in the next few years, without any sort of enrollment inflation. Why can't the administration see that? The university will grow naturally, even without a president with ego and power complexes. However, with many programs in jeapordy, and the campus in turmoil, I'm skeptical about the reputation and future of USM. While MSU and Ole Miss are somewhat unified in improving their universities, all of the infighting at USM will make many potential freshmen in Mississippi chose campuses in Oxford or Starkville. Who want to take a crap shoot with their professional career at university with so much instability. That's a shame since I remember nothing but times of personal and professional growth while studying at USM. With the hearings coming Thursday and Friday, USM has already lost. The question remains if the College Board will encourage healing on campus or more of an environment antithetical of what a university is supposed to be. "

Former ed,

Could you fire me off an email? I have a question I would like to ask you, but don't want to ask on the board.

Much appreciate it if you see fit to respond to my request.

fireshelby@yahoo.com

Date: Apr 17, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: 700 miles away Polymer Scientist
" He at least shares the same name as a Professor of Physics at USM. As I recall, he is very much a theoretician and unlikely to generate a lot of "economic development" in the form of patents and start-ups. For the record, I did get my Ph.D. in Polymer Science at USM (though not with Shelby) and know many/most/all of the Polymer Science cronies now trying to run things there. And I am as appalled by this as many of you."

Then, PLEASE write a letter to Mr. Roy Klumb and tell him this! He seems to think that everyone "on the outside" just loves SFT.

Date: Apr 20, 2004

Anything new on this story? Was the mere rumor of a plan to replace Faculty Senate with a Pro-administration faculty group enough to squelch the plan?

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Mediahound
"Anything new on this story? Was the mere rumor of a plan to replace Faculty Senate with a Pro-administration faculty group enough to squelch the plan?"

I do know for a fact that three Faculty Senate members were interviewed by a Sun Herald reporter for an article about Shelby wanting to shut down the Faculty Senate. We may see it later.

Strategically, it would be fabulous if it were published on April 26 or 27 and then picked up by the AP. I doubt Reuben Anderson would like to know that Shelby is attempting to disband one of the most democratic groups on campus.

Date: Apr 20, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"I doubt Reuben Anderson would like to know that Shelby is attempting to disband one of the most democratic groups on campus."

Invictus doubts Reuben Anderson cares that Shelby wants to disband the Faculty Senate. Invictus is old enough to be cynical about almost everyone & almost everything.

Invictus predicts that, to preserve his own sanity, if nothing else, Anderson will try to confine the hearing to a very specific subset of arguments that relate directly to the firings of the two professors. He won't want things "confused" by a bunch of "campus politics."

The hearing will be focussed on "due process." The number one question isn't whether Glamser & Stringer aren't "red blooded American men." The question is whether Shelby Thames bothered to follow university policy in firing them or simply blew a gasket & shot from the hip.

There hearing doesn't mean anything anyway. It's just a formality to cover the IHL board's collective a$$. Remember, Anderson's recommendation is only one of several IHL will "consider" before they uphold the firings & commend Thames for his gutsy stand against the "archaic" tenure system.

Sorry for being so optimistic this afternoon... To quote the bard & prophet: "The only thing that I done wrong, I stayed in Mississippi a day too long."

Date: Apr 20, 2004

RE: RE: RE: RE: TODAY IN THE NEWS: I heard that..

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Flash Gordon
" For Frank and Gary that might be the best outcome from a financial perspective. If the committee and the judge recommend reinstatement, but the IHL says no, that could be good in the civil suit."

I agree, but in these guys' hearts, they are foremost educators. I just want them back with their students, where they deserve to be.

Of course, if Anderson rules that they should not be terminated and IHL proceeds with termination, I think they should file suit. Against IHL and against Shelby.

As a matter of fact, I like the idea of a class action suit by students. Imagine your a grad student who has taken out student loans to work on your masters or doctorate. Imagine the president of a university making work conditions so intolerable for your faculty committee members that ALL of them seek and find employment at other universities. You are left holding the bag--your education has been diminished, the conditions under which enrolled and took loans have changed, and if against all odds you do complete your degree, it will be diminished because of the conditions I mentioned above. Anyway, several students have voiced their concerns about this to me in their emails. Let's not forget how they are being affected. Without them, there is no USM.

Date: Apr 20, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"Imagine your a grad student who has taken out student loans to work on your masters or doctorate. Imagine the president of a university making work conditions so intolerable for your faculty committee members that ALL of them seek and find employment at other universities. "

Well, I've been there and done that. I don't know if a class action suit is the way to go on that issue, though. There are way too many issues. Unfortunately, the spin about other colleges recruiting these faculty may very well work as a strategy. That's all too plausible a reason in this particular academic market.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: Wonder
" Well, I've been there and done that. I don't know if a class action suit is the way to go on that issue, though. There are way too many issues. Unfortunately, the spin about other colleges recruiting these faculty may very well work as a strategy. That's all too plausible a reason in this particular academic market. "

Way too many issues? Pray tell.

The spin is ludicrous. It might be true if the university from which faculty is being recruited isn't involved in scandal and crisis. It might be true if the university is leaking faculty. USM is currently HEMORRHAGING faculty. And it ain't because USM is wonderful.

Date: Apr 20, 2004

RE: TODAY IN THE NEWS: I heard that...

Date: Apr 20, 2004

We need to go back and look at what constitutes a class action lawsuit. Easy to dismiss because it's hard to be involved, but several competent and capable attornies are already thinking in this direction.

I've got a list of names and once you've proven you are not a troll - I'll give them to you.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: educator
"I've got a list of names and once you've proven you are not a troll - I'll give them to you."

Who? Me?