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Fire Shelby Thames -> Fire Shelby Thames -> Fire Shelby Thames -> Gary and Frank our colleagues
Post Info TOPIC: Gary and Frank our colleagues
present professor

Date:
Gary and Frank our colleagues
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I just wanted to say in a separate thread that tomorrow morning will quite possibly by very rough. It is possible that we will hear things we don't like, things that will shake our faith, things that will undermine the credibility of Frank and Gary . . . things that may be embarrassing to them and painful to them and their families and friends. I say this because we know that this administration is capable of it, and we need to be prepared.


We need to be prepared to know that our colleagues have feet of clay -- and in that way that are just like us.  I think all of us believe that they are innocent of wrongdoing -- or whatever minor wrongs they may have done were inadvertant and without malice. I think we all believe that nothing they could have done justifes the way they have been treated, the blatant disrepect that has been shown to them and to the students and colleagues who work with them.


We need to be prepared to embrace them and support them and remember that but for the grace of god there might go any of us. But for the grace of god and their courage, their willingness to put themselves in the line of fire for the cause of integrity in our university, a university that some of us love as much as anyone ellse on the other side of this issue.


So, a reminder for all of us not to be too sure that the morning will be a walkover . . . it might be ugly. We need to cherish our optimism, but guard it carefully.


If tomorrow morning becomes painful . . . we can't give up hope. We need to forward to the afternoon and we need to remember:


we would not be here if it weren't for the stubborn pride of one man who will risk the future of the university to prove himself right : one man who dismisses people from their jobs like flicking flies off the top of his hands; one man who has swept away hundreds of years of academic experience and institutional memory by driving out many of the university's best and brightest . . . one man who has worked to undermine the concept of shared governance by attacking the institution of tenure, the systems of faculty governance,  and by turning the office of the Risk Manager into an weapon of Terror.


The men are about to go through hell and we need to make sure, when it is over,  that it never happens again at this institution.


See you tomorrow at the hearing.



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Topplethetop

Date:
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Lovely, Present Professor!

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foot soldier

Date:
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Present prof, thanks for acknowledging how hard this is been for all of us, worst of all Frank and Gary. I don't think anyone in the media has captured the sense of involvement we all have in this or what the stakes are for the whole institution. I just keep remembering what Gary said at the convocation (and forgive me if I misquote him). "I am not a saint. I do not wish to be a martyr." You are right that it could be anyone of us in their shoes tomorrow.

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Salesperson

Date:
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There is no outcome or information that could result from the hearings that will change the fact that this university is in complete disarray as a result of a failed administration.  Drs. Glamser and Stringer, I wish the very best outcome for each of you. 

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present professor

Date:
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quote:
Originally posted by: foot soldier
"Present prof, thanks for acknowledging how hard this is been for all of us, worst of all Frank and Gary. I don't think anyone in the media has captured the sense of involvement we all have in this or what the stakes are for the whole institution. I just keep remembering what Gary said at the convocation (and forgive me if I misquote him). "I am not a saint. I do not wish to be a martyr." You are right that it could be anyone of us in their shoes tomorrow."

Topplethetop and Footsoldier:


Yeah, I am thinking a lot tonight about how I'd feel if I knew people were rooting around in my private life . . . in my computer . . . and that tomorrow I am going to go into a hearing room with my peers, my students and the media watching and wondering to myself: "what have I done that might be used against me? What things can they say to destroy the respect  of the people who know me and people who don't know me?"


And there has to be the inevitable doubt  of "What if I was wrong?" It has to be lonely even for strong people and I know these men and their families are all of that.


It is just that . . . at the end of a life as a teacher or a scholar most of us don't take home much in the way of material worth. What we take home . . . what we take to our graves  . . . is our lives . . .  which we live on the basis of the truth that we seek or that we try to inspire others to seek . . . those kinds of lives are nothing without the credibility and good reputation that supports what we do . . . .


These people whose lives are focused on aquisition at any cost can go home at the end of the day and count their possessions . . . however they got them. If they are publically discredited . . .  they still have that as their Judas price.


But other people -- ordinary people (and that is what both of these men really are -- ordinary people with extraordinary minds and great love of truth) -- take home little but the satisfaction of a job done well and honestly.


I hate to sound maudlin. I am just incredibly moved to think about what we might be witnessing in twelve hours  . . .



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Patti

Date:
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Present Professor, I only wish I could speak as eloquently as you have, but I shall stumble forth the best I know how.

I wish for your colleagues a swift resolution to this horrible incident, and a swift boot to the backside of one Shelby Thames. I pray that the IHL board is listening and listening carefully to what is being said to them. I pray that Judge Anderson will be impartial and fair and just. I may not be as well spoken as some who post here, but I do know this, truth and justice will always prevail, even when it looks dim and dreary in the face of adversity. I realize that many of you who post here fear for your jobs, and rightfully so because of the way Mr. Thames is conducting himself. However, there are times when you must stand up for what you believe in, regardless of the outcome, and this is one of those times. I would love to see every professor, staff member, junior faculty and students names on that petition. I also know within my heart, that can't be. Personally, I have nothing to fear from Mr. Thames, nothing what so ever, but I understand that many of you do. My best wishes go to the two professors, Frank and Gary right along with my prayers.

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Robert Campbell

Date:
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My hope is that Adelman and the ACLU crew can put Shelby Thames on the stand tomorrow.  And put the heat on him, which is surely where it belongs.


Robert Campbell



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educator

Date:
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I've heard that a couple of us that are present have seen some parts of this process in different scenarios. Take it from one who has  undoubtedly been there (and still is hanging in there) SFT will, in deposition, remind you of the man behind the curtain.  It's incredible.  I, for one, am not afraid for these men at all. I've been afraid of SFT before and what would he pull out of his bag of tricks, and the man came up with nothing.   Nothing.  He may try to humiliate them (he was nothing but a gentleman in my dealings with him - and what are proving to be continued dealings with him) but the fact that the lawyers REPRESENTING him "professionally" know that so many of us are listening will hold them back in what many think will be a nasty attack.  If this goes beyond the IHL decision legally, there will be a 'discovery process' and depositions taken and the lawyers playing back and forth and it will - in the early process - get bumped to Federal Court - but that's going to happen on down the road if they are all up to that nasty process.  I think Anderson's involvment (thanks in upstanding portion to the valuable people on this website) changes the whole atmosphere of this circus. I, for one, will be a most avid listener (albeit remote) tomorrow and Thursday.

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Gary Stringer

Date:
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Dear Friends and Colleagues:
I have read this message board regularly since FireShelby began, but have not posted before. I have been enormously pleased and moved by the interest and support expressed here. And I have been deeply impressed all over again by the dedication and intelligence of those with whom it has been my privilege to work over the past three decades. This all continues to remind me of why I wanted to enter this profession years ago and why I have never regretted this choice. You people are what makes USM, though located in a rather unlikely place in the poorest state in the union, a real university. Mississippi is lucky to have you.
Tomorrow and the next day will undoubtedly be stressful, but Frank and I feel up to it, in large part because of your support. No one can predict with certainty the eventual outcome of this process, but I can tell you, as I have done before, that Frank and I have behaved legally, ethically, and discretely in the matter over which we have been fired, and you need not be preparing yourselves to love us "in spite" of anything.
-- Gary Stringer

P.S. And don't read anything into the fact that we've acquired copies of the papers we will need to submit if we should retire. It's the prudent thing to do. We won't actually BE retired until and unless we submit the papers and cash our first PERS checks.




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Frank Glamser

Date:
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quote:
Originally posted by: Gary Stringer
"Dear Friends and Colleagues:
I have read this message board regularly since FireShelby began, but have not posted before. I have been enormously pleased and moved by the interest and support expressed here. And I have been deeply impressed all over again by the dedication and intelligence of those with whom it has been my privilege to work over the past three decades. This all continues to remind me of why I wanted to enter this profession years ago and why I have never regretted this choice. You people are what makes USM, though located in a rather unlikely place in the poorest state in the union, a real university. Mississippi is lucky to have you.
Tomorrow and the next day will undoubtedly be stressful, but Frank and I feel up to it, in large part because of your support. No one can predict with certainty the eventual outcome of this process, but I can tell you, as I have done before, that Frank and I have behaved legally, ethically, and discretely in the matter over which we have been fired, and you need not be preparing yourselves to love us "in spite" of anything.
-- Gary Stringer

P.S. And don't read anything into the fact that we've acquired copies of the papers we will need to submit if we should retire. It's the prudent thing to do. We won't actually BE retired until and unless we submit the papers and cash our first PERS checks.


"


Amen, brother. We will not let you wonderful people down. God bless you all.

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Fire Shelby


Status: Offline
Posts: 1140
Date:
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I am expecting dirty shots from Thames.  But that won't shake my faith in Frank and Gary; it will only reveal Shelby's desperation.


 



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Fire Shelby


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Date:
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quote:
Originally posted by: Frank Glamser
" Amen, brother. We will not let you wonderful people down. God bless you all."

Dr. Glamser, Dr. Stringer,


Were it not for you being targeted, I can't say that I would have put as much effort into the website, that as many people would have visited the message board, that the quality of support you have would have been enjoyed by anyone else.


Because of both of your impeccable reputations, because we all KNOW you BOTH are the GOOD guys, we are here to support you.


You both are heroes to me, my family, my friends, and all of the people with whom I have spoken.  You have taken a stand for what is right so that I--or my colleagues--won't have to fight this battle in the future.  You give me faith that academia will not be converted as easily as some people would have liked--that it will remain the place in which I want to work, to retire one day. 


I am sorry that it had to be you two, but Shelby could not have found two better men to pick on, to target.  He has brought about his own demise.  I don't know if this would have been so had he picked on anyone else.


You are my heroes.  Stand tall tomorrow knowing that we are all with you.


With warmest regards and the greatest respect for both of you,


Fire Shelby


 



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stephen judd

Date:
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quote:
Originally posted by:
" Dr. Glamser, Dr. Stringer, . . . .  With warmest regards and the greatest respect for both of you, Fire Shelby  "

Dear Gary and Frank:


I'm glad you guys have been in on the conversations here. I hope that you have seen here the respect in which you are held, and the deep regard which will follow you tomorrow and Thursday. I know we all look forward to your rejoining our community as reinstated faculty. We will be with you.


It is a privilege to call myself a colleague.



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present professor

Date:
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quote:
Originally posted by: Patti
"Present Professor, I only wish I could speak as eloquently as you have, but I shall stumble forth the best I know how. I wish for your colleagues a swift resolution to this horrible incident, and a swift boot to the backside of one Shelby Thames. I pray that the IHL board is listening and listening carefully to what is being said to them. I pray that Judge Anderson will be impartial and fair and just. I may not be as well spoken as some who post here, but I do know this, truth and justice will always prevail, even when it looks dim and dreary in the face of adversity. I realize that many of you who post here fear for your jobs, and rightfully so because of the way Mr. Thames is conducting himself. However, there are times when you must stand up for what you believe in, regardless of the outcome, and this is one of those times. I would love to see every professor, staff member, junior faculty and students names on that petition. I also know within my heart, that can't be. Personally, I have nothing to fear from Mr. Thames, nothing what so ever, but I understand that many of you do. My best wishes go to the two professors, Frank and Gary right along with my prayers. "
Patti, I think you have said it beautifully. I look forward to seeing your prayers and wishes -- all of our prayers and wishes -- are answered justly.

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truth4usm (Andrea Hewitt)

Date:
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quote:
Originally posted by:
" Dr. Glamser, Dr. Stringer, Were it not for you being targeted, I can't say that I would have put as much effort into the website, that as many people would have visited the message board, that the quality of support you have would have been enjoyed by anyone else. Because of both of your impeccable reputations, because we all KNOW you BOTH are the GOOD guys, we are here to support you. You both are heroes to me, my family, my friends, and all of the people with whom I have spoken.  You have taken a stand for what is right so that I--or my colleagues--won't have to fight this battle in the future.  You give me faith that academia will not be converted as easily as some people would have liked--that it will remain the place in which I want to work, to retire one day.  I am sorry that it had to be you two, but Shelby could not have found two better men to pick on, to target.  He has brought about his own demise.  I don't know if this would have been so had he picked on anyone else. You are my heroes.  Stand tall tomorrow knowing that we are all with you. With warmest regards and the greatest respect for both of you, Fire Shelby  "

I have to say that I'm moved to the brink of tears tonight (I'm sort of an emotional person anyway, for those of you who know me IRL!).  I remember the utter disbelief and helplessness I first felt when I heard this horrible news.  I thought, "this can't be happening at USM, my second home, the place that nurtured me academically and professionally for so long."  It was out of my respect for these two professors (and the way my mother raised me!) that I decided to take a stand with them for academic freedom and what is just plain right.  Everyone who has attended a rally, made a flyer, signed the petition, donated to the legal defense fund, written a letter to the IHL, etc. has done their part to stand with you, Frank and Gary.  We know you won't disappoint us.  That's why we're still here!


Go get 'em tomorrow, Frank and Gary, and know that you have support from all corners of the world.  And the world is watching you, Shelby Thames (we know you're watching us!)...and the academic world won't let you get away with this egregious misuse of power.


Truth (AKA Andrea Hewitt) 



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Fire Shelby


Status: Offline
Posts: 1140
Date:
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kick

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Wonder

Date:
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Even people who have nothing to do with USM are moved by your situation and wish the very best for you today. Good luck from the Northeast US!

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