Liberty and Power: Rebuttal to Thames' Letter

Date: May 10, 2004

Liberty and Power: Rebuttal to Thames' Letter

Date: May 10, 2004

Is there any possibility that someone in H'burg can take over for FS while FS catches up with his/her life? The announcement on the main page may lead some to mistakenly assume that the cause is shutting down and that the board no longer works, which would be an unfortunate signal to send. Perhaps, if nothing else, the annoucement can specifically indicate that the message board still works but that the "Latest Breaking News" page will not be updated for a while. Heck, we can post LBN annoucements here.

Meanwhile, I wish FS all the best. I have come to feel enormous respect and even affection for him/her and will miss his/her involvement with the board. Come back soon, FS!

Date: May 10, 2004

I just read your rebuttal, and it was brilliant. Thanks for all of your insights on these matters!!

Date: May 10, 2004

Lovely, Robert! You nailed him to the wall. Cheers!

quote:

Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"I just put my point-by-point rebuttal to Thames' awful letter from last Thursday on Liberty and Power. Looks like the link's gone cold again: http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/5101.html Meanwhile, I don't blame Fire Shelby for taking a deserved rest...but I look forward to seeing FS on the board again soon. Robert Campbell "

Date: May 10, 2004

One small (pedantic) correction: the "Institutional Statistics" unit is/was "Institutional Research." The enrollment "fraud" debacle is directly related to the complete lack of continuity in that office. Fleming canned everybody while he was in office & replaced 'em. Thames canned everybody when he came into office & replaced 'em. The replacement didn't know how to properly frame a database query. AFAIK, there is no director in the office now.

I have no idea how USM completed the spring IPEDS data collection. Presumably, the staff level analysts have been plugging right along...

The IHL professional staff doesn't think the situation is cute, BTW.

Date: May 10, 2004

Invictus, you seem to be well informed. What is your "take" on what is / is not happening on campus today and what is / is not likely to happen in the next few days?

Date: May 10, 2004

RE: RE: Liberty and Power: Rebuttal to Thames' Let

Date: May 10, 2004

RE: Liberty and Power: Rebuttal to Thames' Letter

Date: May 10, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"The board seems to have become a bit silent lately. I have images of SFT sending great big green pods to the homes of his critics in Hattiesburg, ala Invasion of the Body Snatchers!"

Well, there are those pesky exams to take and grade!

Date: May 10, 2004

Ahhhhhhhh . . . hadn't thought of that. Exams and graduation concluded last week at my school, but you are right that those factors may be influencing this board right now. Thanks for this suggestion!

Date: May 10, 2004

I got the name Institutional Statistics from a contributor on another thread. Institutional Research is what such operations are usually called--including the one at Clemson.

As soon as the History News Network site stops acting weird, I'll correct IS to IR on my blog entry.

Robert Campbell

Date: May 10, 2004

The Liberty and Power site stopped acting weird, so I made the correction (to Institutional Research).

Institutional Research at Clemson has been run for years by the same guy. My wife, on seeing a photo of him hovering around a finalist for president, described him as a "courtier."

He also knows virtually nothing about data analysis. I once asked him why he was reporting mean salaries for professors in different disciplines, instead of median salaries--and he gave me a blank look.

Fortunately, he has people on his staff who know how to analyze data. But I take him as a reminder that Institutional Research is a highly politically sensitive function, at a state university, and the upper administration generally prefers IR managers who will supply it with pleasing numbers.

Robert Campbell

Date: May 10, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"The Liberty and Power site stopped acting weird, so I made the correction (to Institutional Research). Institutional Research at Clemson has been run for years by the same guy. My wife, on seeing a photo of him hovering around a finalist for president, described him as a "courtier." He also knows virtually nothing about data analysis. I once asked him why he was reporting mean salaries for professors in different disciplines, instead of median salaries--and he gave me a blank look. Fortunately, he has people on his staff who know how to analyze data. But I take him as a reminder that Institutional Research is a highly politically sensitive function, at a state university, and the upper administration generally prefers IR managers who will supply it with pleasing numbers. Robert Campbell "

Just read your rebuttal Robert. Very good. Keep our little embattled flag flying out there!