What if...

Date: May 9, 2004

What if...

Date: May 9, 2004

At best, the PUC duplicates existing means of communication. The more committees and councils, the less effect each one has. They just dilute each other.

Fire Shelby · Status: Offline

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
"At best, the PUC duplicates existing means of communication. The more committees and councils, the less effect each one has. They just dilute each other."

I think it is worse than that. I think Thames will load the PUC with "yes people" to validate his positions. He can give lip service to shared governance by communicating with his "yes folks" and completely ignore the other, more democratic councils on campus. When people assert that Thames is an autocrat, he can respond that he consulted the PUC before implementing this or that. He didn't disband the FS, but this comes as close to doing so as he can get.

I hope the PUC has been revealed to the general public for what it is. It is not an attempt toward reconcillation by Thames. It is a feeble attempt to appear that he has become more open to hearing others' opinions. The problem is, the PUC will be constituted in such a way that he will experience little (if any) opposition. The PUC represents business as usual at USM.

Date: May 9, 2004

I don't mean to lower the tone of the board, but someone on another thread strongly implied (without coming right out and saying it) that "the PUC" should be pronounced "The Puke." I wish to come right out and say that I hope this pronunciation will catch on. If it does, this will have been another example of SFT & Co. handing their opponents an unanticipated advantaged.

I apologize, in advance, if this suggestion bothers anyone!

Date: May 9, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"I don't mean to lower the tone of the board, but someone on another thread strongly implied (without coming right out and saying it) that "the PUC" should be pronounced "The Puke." I wish to come right out and say that I hope this pronunciation will catch on. If it does, this will have been another example of SFT & Co. handing their opponents an unanticipated advantaged. I apologize, in advance, if this suggestion bothers anyone!"

All of the students I know are already pronouncing it that way. Doesn't he have someone (Lisa Mader, perhaps?) who thinks about these things beforehand????

Date: May 9, 2004

I think after Dave Elliot's show, we can forget about Thames ever being asked to step down, even when the state auditor uncovers more wrongdoing.

It was brought out clearly by Dave Elliot that IHL hired Thames to "clean house" and tear USM down. Dave said both Thames and Klumb used that exact language.

Never mind USM profs are treated worse, teach more credit hours, and make thousands and thousands of dollars less salary.

What on earth did Southern Miss do to **** off the rest of the state? It seems to me that this "goal" --which we now know the president is merrily going about as business as usual (wrecking ball)-- is not one that is inteneded for the other "big two", or even JSU for that matter.

No one, no business alum, no supporter of Ole Miss or Mississippi State would have EVER allowed the IHL board to do that to them. Nosiree bob.

They did it USM, and Thames and Klumb bragged about to Dave Elliot. Elliot even said Thames told him that everone is mad at him for doing what Klumb and the IHL clearly put him here for. His management style is the best wrecking ball they could find.

All the conspiracy people on this board, and the ones I heard whispering around town were right. The worst nightmare was confirmed.

Thus, with this truth out now, there can and will be no healing at all. And, the faculty exodus now will acclerate until in two years, USM will be depleted to a regional sci-tech campus, with low entrance standards.

It was a done deal to destroy USM and clean house.

Date: May 9, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: cindy
"All of the students I know are already pronouncing it that way. Doesn't he have someone (Lisa Mader, perhaps?) who thinks about these things beforehand????"

The PUC is a delaying action pure and simple. The speed with which it was to be assembled argues for a paste-up kind of process which is far more PR than substantial. Is this supposed to be like a kind of supersized "Tuesdays with Shelby?"

I'd be all for reconciliation if I hadn't learned from the two major academic councils I sit on that this President has contempt for broad input on major issues; he views sorting through varying opnions to arrive at a solution as being "inefficient" because it is a waste of his time since he is perfectly capable of acting without such input. In fact he prefers it.

Myron is right: lots of things, including the Dvorack controversy, could have been avoided if the administration had consulted with its own body of experts . . . a real academic could have pointed out ahead of time that her resume could be construed as misleading . . . .

If anyone heard weisenberg on the state search for a similar position, he was right. It was an open search with involvement of faculty. The person who fills the position at State has crdentials a mile wide and makes Angie look about like a second grader compared to someone with a Ph.D. Why should USM not have administrator's with similar academic credentials?

Heres why: because the Board does not view USM as a major Academic institution. We are a generator for the economy of Southern Mississippi. When they and Shelby talk about this being (or becoming) a GREAT university they arne't talking about that greatness being founded on the kind of research Gary Stringer does.

Watch and se (if Shelby lasts) how much of any income generated in all of the new technology activities comes back to the College of Arts and Letters or some of the other "softer" areas of study.

We now have an English department that doesn't have the resources to fulfil one of its platform functions -- to help students become more proficient writers. We seem to be moving rapidly away from the day in which an education meant learning to think and to express the results of thought in a form appropriate to the subject. It is the difference between viewing mathmatics as a tool for the use and development of certain kinds of logical processes . . . and math as a completely utilitarian application intended for the most narrow of uses: keeping a ledger for instance. The former embraces the latter, but the reverse is not true. The former acknowleges math as an art as well as a skill.

I object to the Board establishing for the students of Mississippi an expectation of mediocity -- as though Mississippi students don't deserve the very best that this state can give them, as though it would prefer that they not demand more. Why should USM not be allowed to try to model itself on the great public universities across the country in which "education" is "Education"? Obviously our means may not be the same right now, but there is no reason to simply concede our ability to provide a broad but high quality education that produces students who are comfortable as citizens of the world and not just citizens of this region of the state.

Date: May 9, 2004

ConspiracyTheoryProven hit’s the nail on the head.

Sure Thames surrounding himself with “yes men” (and women),
Every wonder why?
Although some is just plan ego, most is because Thames is a “yes man” himself. The reason has always been that he is here to do the board’s bidding, so why waste time trying to convince the board otherwise.

Sending letters, email, faculty senate recommendation and such, to a body of people that are actually the root of the cause, is fruitless. IHL wanted a “yes man” and they got one. Just look at member’s backgrounds.
They are bean counters – plan and simple.

Sure there are some exceptions, but they are few. And don’t hold you breathe on the “new” members, because given the current state government do you actually think this Governor would bring in anything else.

Why USM.
USM is an easy target. It doesn’t have the political clot that some of the others have, and because it leans more toward liberal arts, it doesn’t have the huge influx of outside money that is associated with medical and scientific institutes. So they added up the beans and think that what USM needs to do is become just that, and to do that means trimming back the liberal arts and such in favor of science and tech.

Thames isn’t a lone wolf, but a puppet of the IHL board itself. If you really want to change things you have to go above the board. Of course the current governor is of the same mind as IHL, but the only saving grace is that politicians are always watching the polls. (If you don’t believe me, search the records of the Lt. Governor, she makes a habit of prostituting herself with ever poll release)

Public demonstration on USM grounds does nothing, what you need to do is have them at the state capital. At the very least you’ll get better press coverage.
Sure, you are more likely to get arrested, but if you would work together, I’m sure you can raise the money to post bond.

(or you could just keep driving around in an imagery van try to spook someone that isn’t even listening.)

The Vietnam War wasn’t ended because Nixon was concerned about people dropping quarters.