breaking news

Date: Apr 23, 2004

breaking news

Date: Apr 23, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: van dyke
"College of Health just named new Dean. That guy up in Jackson (Dept. of Health or whatever). I forgot his name --- 3 letter last name though..."

What happened to the guy from Texas Tech that everyone was talking about last week?

Date: Apr 23, 2004

I had heard alot about the TTU person to. Maybe they turned it down so they went to the local guy.

Date: Apr 23, 2004

SOUTHERN MISS TAPS PETE FOS AS DEAN OF COLLEGE OF HEALTH
By David Tisdale
        HATTIESBURG -- The University of Southern Mississippi has completed its search for the leadership of its reorganized academic structure with the selection of Dr. Pete Fos as dean of the Southern Miss College of Health.
        Fos currently serves as chief science officer for the Mississippi State Department of Health, and in that capacity also serves as senior deputy to the state health officer and oversees the Offices of Science and Evaluation and Health Decision Science. He also has an extensive background in academics, having held both faculty and administrative posts at several universities, including Tulane University and the University of Nevada-Las Vegas.
        Prior to working in academics, he practiced general dentistry in the New Orleans area for approximately 10 years.
        "I'm very excited about the opportunity to come to Southern Miss, in part because of the exciting opportunities presented by the new College of Health," Fos said. "I believe my experience working at the state level, combined with my background in academics, gives me a well-rounded perspective that can provide the college with the leadership to help make the university a better place for our faculty, staff and students."
        Last year, Southern Miss changed its academic structure from nine colleges to five, resulting in administrative savings costs of more than $1 million, the majority of which was reallocated into instruction.
        "We welcome Dr. Fos to the university's administrative team," said Southern Miss President Dr. Shelby Thames. "We're fortunate to have someone with his vast and varied expertise to lead the College of Health."
        Thames expressed his appreciation to Dr. Joan Exline for her service as interim dean of the college.
        "We're grateful to Dr. Exline for her leadership as interim dean," Thames said. "We look forward to her continued service in the future as a member of the college's faculty, as she puts her outstanding skills as an educator to work, helping students prepare for rewarding futures in their chosen careers."
        Dr. Rex Gandy, dean of the Southern Miss College of Science and Technology, chaired the search committee that selected Fos. He commended the search committee for developing "an outstanding list of finalists" for the post.
        "The pool of dean applicants for the College of Health was very strong," Gandy said. "President Thames and Provost (Tim) Hudson deserve praise for recruiting Dr. Fos to Southern Miss. He brings a wealth of experience in academia and health administration to the position."
        Fos holds a bachelor's degree from the University of New Orleans and earned his D.D.S. from the Louisiana State University Health Sciences Center School of Dentistry. He also received a master of public health and a doctorate from Tulane University.
        Hudson also cited Fos' diverse background in clinical, research and academic settings as a strong asset for leadership of the college.
        "His creativity and enthusiasm will serve Southern Miss well as he leads the College of Health toward what will no doubt be an exciting future filled with opportunities for students, faculty, staff and stakeholders," Hudson said.

Date: Apr 23, 2004

Looks somewhat unqualified to me...

Date: Apr 23, 2004

Hey webster! It's a "Thames search," not a "national search." When you start hiring candidates from no more than 2 hours away (on a regular basis), you stop being a "world-class university." You start being a "couple-of-counties-class university." (Hey! it's my submission for the contest.)

Date: Apr 23, 2004

I heard he was part of the outgoing Musgrove administration and may have needed a job soon.

Date: Apr 23, 2004

I have been reading your site with interest for a couple of weeks now. I have sorta kinda met Thames and he strikes me as a unethical, amoral type of person. I live in the state of New Mexico, but have friends in Hattiesburg.

Anyway, I am in the health field and I have almost 10 years experience, maybe I should have applied. I cannot fathom someone with that amount of experience, which is almost none really getting that type of position.

The faculty at USM has my prayers that this nightmare you are living in comes to an end quickly and for the betterment of the students at your college. For it truly is the students that you are fighting for, that and peace of mind about your jobs. God Bless each of you, continue the fight. Remember the words of Winston Churchill, "NEVER, NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP"

Date: Apr 23, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Flash Gordon
"I heard he was part of the outgoing Musgrove administration and may have needed a job soon."

As was Lisa Mader, remember.

Date: Apr 23, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: foot soldier
"When you start hiring candidates from no more than 2 hours away (on a regular basis), you stop being a "world-class university." You start being a "couple-of-counties-class university." (Hey! it's my submission for the contest.)"

What's missing is what USM is "world-class" at doing. Cronyism? Hiring floundering political appointees? Generating negative press? Stomping on academic freedom & the concept of shared governance? Providing a case study for the destruction of organizational morale?

USM is definitely "world-class" at all of those.

Credit where credit's due.

Date: Apr 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" What's missing is what USM is "world-class" at doing. Cronyism? Hiring floundering political appointees? Generating negative press? Stomping on academic freedom & the concept of shared governance? Providing a case study for the destruction of organizational morale? USM is definitely "world-class" at all of those. Credit where credit's due."

Just trying to catch up on threads I haven't touched base with for awhile -- great small tirade, Invictus. Thought it deserved getting kicked back up for others to see, especially in light of some of the new appointments/non appointments being made.

No offense to anyone but I'm not exactly sure you can class yourself as a "world-class" university when most of your Dean and above appointments are pretty much folks educated in state or the immediate region. Specific disciplines might transcend this (obviously polymer has) but I don't see that happening anywhere else. The new College of Health dean for instance, strikes me as pretty much a local (Undergrad and grad degrees at Tulane, not much service outside the region except for a stint at UN-Las Vegas) and then back to serve in Miss. government. So here is a guy in mid-career who doesn't appear to have made too much of a national mark in his own area. And it is hard for me to believe at this point in his career he is bringing to the College a network of national connections to pull that unit up to the next level.

I think this is generally true throughout: Shelby didn't venture any further than Tennesee, Angie and Mark D. (except for Angie's stint at Cooley) pretty much Kentucky/Mississippi; Tim has hovered pretty close to home throughout his career; you can check out the Deans for their credentials. Doty is probably the only one who can really lay claim to having significant experience beyond the region. I guess Pood might kind of count because of his "shoot 'em up" film experience -- maybe

I might not be quite right on all the facts but I think that the general trend is clear -- claiming you have a national profile doesn't give you one; getting a national profile doesn't happen unless your administration begins to reflect the profile you want to obtain. When was the last time we had any significant administrator from: any of the major private sector universities or even any of the major public sector universities?

It is great to push the faculty to excel at teaching and research, to encourage them to build national/international reputations in their disciplines -- what about the administrators? Why should we expect the faculty to exceed the mediocrity of those who manage them?

Just looks to me as though there is a kind of shifty double standard being applied here . . .

Date: Apr 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: present professor
" . "

Actually I have to self correct here: the new COH Dean has his undergrad degree at UNO and a grad degree from Tulane -- a good school but not far from "home" base.

Date: Apr 24, 2004

If we want to be "world-class" we need to act "world class" and that means doing the things that "world class" universities do!

quote:
Originally posted by: present professor
" Just trying to catch up on threads I haven't touched base with for awhile -- great small tirade, Invictus. Thought it deserved getting kicked back up for others to see, especially in light of some of the new appointments/non appointments being made. No offense to anyone but I'm not exactly sure you can class yourself as a "world-class" university when most of your Dean and above appointments are pretty much folks educated in state or the immediate region. Specific disciplines might transcend this (obviously polymer has) but I don't see that happening anywhere else. The new College of Health dean for instance, strikes me as pretty much a local (Undergrad and grad degrees at Tulane, not much service outside the region except for a stint at UN-Las Vegas) and then back to serve in Miss. government. So here is a guy in mid-career who doesn't appear to have made too much of a national mark in his own area. And it is hard for me to believe at this point in his career he is bringing to the College a network of national connections to pull that unit up to the next level. I think this is generally true throughout: Shelby didn't venture any further than Tennesee, Angie and Mark D. (except for Angie's stint at Cooley) pretty much Kentucky/Mississippi; Tim has hovered pretty close to home throughout his career; you can check out the Deans for their credentials. Doty is probably the only one who can really lay claim to having significant experience beyond the region. I guess Pood might kind of count because of his "shoot 'em up" film experience -- maybe I might not be quite right on all the facts but I think that the general trend is clear -- claiming you have a national profile doesn't give you one; getting a national profile doesn't happen unless your administration begins to reflect the profile you want to obtain. When was the last time we had any significant administrator from: any of the major private sector universities or even any of the major public sector universities? It is great to push the faculty to excel at teaching and research, to encourage them to build national/international reputations in their disciplines -- what about the administrators? Why should we expect the faculty to exceed the mediocrity of those who manage them? Just looks to me as though there is a kind of shifty double standard being applied here . . . "