Gulf Coast Campus

Date: May 6, 2004

Gulf Coast Campus

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

Thanks for the update, Pinecone.

I can't believe that Hewes will speak at your commencement. That "in your face" decision by Thames was done only to show "who's the boss."

Best wishes to you--keep us informed.

Date: May 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by:
"Thanks for the update, Pinecone. I can't believe that Hewes will speak at your commencement. That "in your face" decision by Thames was done only to show "who's the boss." Best wishes to you--keep us informed."

Are there any indications of student protests (signs, posters, etc.) that will be exhibited at graduation there... to welcome Mr. Hewes?

This is a golden opportunity to "pay back" a wretched decision.

Date: May 7, 2004

Thought this was worth bumping to the top, esp. since Faculty Senate will be meeting on the Coast today.

GO, FACULTY SENATE!

Date: May 7, 2004

I have no indication of any protest. I have been informed that one or two students might get up and walk out of the exercist though. This was stated before the "settlement" though. Maybe more now. I am sure that security will do it's best at keeping this activity to a minimum.

As usual, the faculty are required to participate, and the staff is invited to be there.

I went to a gift/gag store looking for rubber waffles. None to be found on the coast!

Date: May 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Pinecone
"I have no indication of any protest. I have been informed that one or two students might get up and walk out of the exercist though. This was stated before the "settlement" though. Maybe more now. I am sure that security will do it's best at keeping this activity to a minimum. As usual, the faculty are required to participate, and the staff is invited to be there. I went to a gift/gag store looking for rubber waffles. None to be found on the coast!"

Hopefully, all of the rubber waffles have been purchased by students who will throw them during the "ceremony."

Date: May 7, 2004

I was told by someone on the Hattiesburg campus that Ken Malone had a meeting on the Gulf Coast Campus this morning and announced that Mark Dvorak was no longer with the university. He also announced that Russ Willis was now over Human Resources.

Does anyone know anything about this?

Date: May 7, 2004

Maybe this needs a new thread?

Date: May 7, 2004

I have no new word on this. I must say that I have not seen Ken walking around on the campus. I have not received word that he is even down here.

The heart breaking news with the faculty is that the hopes for an IHL meeting before the midnight deadline is feared lost.

We fear that this campus will slowly bleed to death, and then if there are any warm bodies, they will be terminated because of the lack of leadership and vision.

Word has been circulated that the IHL Board will meet, but it will be after the summer session and prior to the fall semester. They will then terminate the current administration.

The sooner the better. At any rate, at least before the fall semester.

With the increased selection of the courses that Tulane are offering at their Edge Water Mall Campus, we can be left in the sand. Spoken or not, they would like to have this campus for them.

Date: May 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Pinecone
"
With the increased selection of the courses that Tulane are offering at their Edge Water Mall Campus, we can be left in the sand. Spoken or not, they would like to have this campus for them."

Yeah, well, Tulane does have a bit more prestigious name than USM.

However, students need to realize that the Tulane faculty on the coast are NON-TENURED, NON-TENURE-TRACK instructors. As such, they are not expected to perform research in their fields!

A Tulane Coast degree is of very little value.

Date: May 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Myrna Minkoff
"

Yeah, well, Tulane does have a bit more prestigious name than USM.

However, students need to realize that the Tulane faculty on the coast are NON-TENURED, NON-TENURE-TRACK instructors. As such, they are not expected to perform research in their fields!

A Tulane Coast degree is of very little value."

Not that I don't agree with you about the value of a Tulane Coast degree,but I know some of those adjuncts, and they are not all a Confederacy of Dunces, Myrna. Ph.D.'s trying to find their first tenure-track positions are sometimes reduced to teaching at places like the coast for little money and even less appreciation, and they manage to research and publish anyway.

Date: May 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Myrna Minkoff
"Yeah, well, Tulane does have a bit more prestigious name than USM.

A Tulane Coast degree is of very little value."

Perhaps "very little value" compared with a traditional liberal arts degree from Tulane's main campus, but that's been said about University College diplomas since the 1940s.

But right now the Tulane brand name isn't just a "bit" more presitigious than USM. It's a LOT more prestigious than USM. And a lot of employers don't know University College from Adam's housecat.

Date: May 7, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: TulaneAlum
"

Not that I don't agree with you about the value of a Tulane Coast degree,but I know some of those adjuncts, and they are not all a Confederacy of Dunces, Myrna. "

There is no proper geometry or theology to your position, but I agree with your right to post it.

Some of the faculty are indeed PhDs, but last time I looked, most were not.

On a tangential note, many USM profs near retirement have applied there, as they could work there and continue to get their state retirement.

So, oddly enough, Tulane in the Mall could become a refuge for the USM faculty that tired of Thames!

Date: May 8, 2004

Lets not get too far from course with this.

I don't think that the professors down here have anything to worry about.

I checked into Evergreen College in Olympia, WA back in the early 80's and they had no guranteed program of employment. If you wanted to stay, you produced. Research for that school was high.

Staff were encouraged to take classes too.

Now about this campuses graduation. I left the library today, Saturday, and there was a meeting between a few graduating students and two faculty. We sat in the private study room on the third floor and figured what we would do.

First we will attend the Hattiesburg graduation for the undergraduates. When Shelby goes to the podium to speak, we have a number of students that will be in the audience with air horns. We have enough to keep Shelby shut down for a week.

Now for Gulf Park graduation. This will be the following day. With the graduating students participating, we will drown out Billie Hewes with the other air horns which we have purchased.

We purchased them from Academy Sporting Goods in the Cross Roads Mall on 49 & 10.

Hope to see you there.

Date: May 8, 2004

I'll make sure my son wears earplugs.

Date: May 8, 2004

It pains me to say this, it really does. Drown out Billy Hewes all you want. But not Dr. Thames. When Dr. Thames speaks at graduation, he speaks as the president of the university. Not a good president, an awful president in fact, but I think that public accasions ought to have a certain gravitas and part of that is respect for the office, if not for the man. But of course, no body has to applaud.

Date: May 8, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"It pains me to say this, it really does. Drown out Billy Hewes all you want. But not Dr. Thames."

There should certainly be protests. But this will probably win more enemies than friends to our cause. Also, I bet campus security will cart you away ASAP.

Date: May 8, 2004

The "Old Librarian" has been around a lot - through various protests over the past 40 years. Take it from me - forget the air horns. You will only alienate the parents/relaives/friends of the graduating class. You need the suport of these tuition/tax paying people. They come to see "little Susie" and "little Johnie" graduate - and not witness a spectacle. SO - take a cue from Ghandi. Try the passive approach. Suggestions - wear "No Quarter" logos on hats/gowns - throw real quarters in the air after the ceremony that have red slash marks ( use red markers ) - write mini-banners suggesting "Thames must GO" and roll them up and put beneath your graduation gown, ready to pull out and show at the end of the ceremony - and other suggestions??? Just don't impeade the ceremony itself and cause a niosy disturbance.

Date: May 8, 2004

I absolutely agree with Old Librarian-don't disrupt the ceremony- you will make enemies not friends-after the ceremony as Old Librarian suggested -but the ceremony should be treated with respect-

Date: May 8, 2004

I concur with the above thoughts.

In this case, judicious SILENCE will be our best weapon. Simply refuse to make a sound after Shelboo and Billy Bob speak.

Make a tremendous noise for the students.

People will figure it out.

Date: May 8, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Miles Long
"I concur with the above thoughts. In this case, judicious SILENCE will be our best weapon. Simply refuse to make a sound after Shelboo and Billy Bob speak. Make a tremendous noise for the students. People will figure it out."

The students who are graduating could be sure to ask their relatives and friends to remain silent after SFT speaks. If the word could be spread, it could be effective and noticable

Date: May 8, 2004

Old Librarian is COMPLETELY correct. To be truly successful in our cause, we must not be seen as unprofessional. Granted, you do not get the immediate satisfaction. But we must not sink to the level to which they want us to sink. A silent protest is not disruptive. Yet it is SOOO effective. Shelby and Co. are on the defensive right now. We must not give them any reason to appear to be justified or righteous.

No Quarter!!!

Date: May 8, 2004

It is really sad that students who have worked for four years must have the most important night of their academic life ruined by a speaker who has been chosen for political reasons. If Thames is afraid to come to the coast alone, he should bring security, but he should not torture students one last time just because he can. There is a terrible price to pay when you hurt people just because you can.

Date: May 9, 2004

I agree absolutely with Old Librarian. Silence is deafening. PLEASE do not disrupt the ceremony. To do so will validate the dark side's stance that we are out for nothing but ourselves. The best way to win these new alumni and families is to protest with intelligence and dignity. This smacks of the Eagle Talk approach.

Date: May 9, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: beentheredonethat
"I agree absolutely with Old Librarian. Silence is deafening. PLEASE do not disrupt the ceremony. To do so will validate the dark side's stance that we are out for nothing but ourselves. The best way to win these new alumni and families is to protest with intelligence and dignity. This smacks of the Eagle Talk approach."

Bear in mind Hewes was at the Senate meeting and he wil undoubtedly hear Myron and Denis on Elliott's show. I also know that at least one faculty senator is on speaking terms with him and has talked to him several times over the last several weeks. I'd be suprised if he doesn't find a way to talk about what is going on although how directly who can tell. But listen closely to see if there are any signs of change . . . . one can hope for miracles.

But I agree with Old Librarian and the many folks who caution against disruption. It will win us few friends. I'm intending to wear my AAUP button, my "I support Glamser and Stringer" tag. I think a sea of those kinds of things will say all that need to be said.

Date: May 10, 2004

We looked at all perspectives of this. We know that security would be all over the place. Because of the nature of the signs in the basketball games, it would be a short lived protest.

Well, we got a lot air horns to use while on the beach now.

We can try the "quiet" approach. Got any more ideas?

Date: May 10, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Pinecone
"We looked at all perspectives of this. We know that security would be all over the place. Because of the nature of the signs in the basketball games, it would be a short lived protest. Well, we got a lot air horns to use while on the beach now. We can try the "quiet" approach. Got any more ideas? "

Will there be a Board member down at the Coast graduation? Maybe a few of you distinguished professors might try to piull him/her aside and do some lobbying . . .

We should do that up here as well. I'm sure it won't be easy because the controllers will want to prevent that very thing but sometimes you just gotta be a bull in a china closet and barge in if given the opportunity.

Best wishes down there on the Coast.