Alright, I'm tired of all the depression and glumness I've been seeing on the board lately.  I'm going to attribute it all to barometric pressure, finals, grading, and unfavorable planetary positions.  Because, folks, here are the GOOD THINGS that we have accomplished:

1.  Remember that the IHL Board took the hearing process ENTIRELY away from SFT, revealing a lack of confidence in him.  That was a huge victory that we cannot overlook.  Public pressure made that a reality, and, most likely, changed the course of the whole process for Glamser and Stringer. 

2.  SFT's petty "email snooping" scheme was made public at the hearing at great cost to him (both at USM and in the larger community).  Remember that the anti-SFT side got tons of support from otherwise unfriendly areas because of this revelation at the hearing.  This would not have happened if SFT had been in charge of the hearing, as was originally planned.

3.  Glamser and Stringer WERE reinstated, albeit under restrictions that we wish were not in place.  The good news is that they are still on campus, regardless of what SFT says, and they still have the opportunity to be offered new contracts when (and I say WHEN!) a new president comes on board.

4.  The firing of Jack "Hack" Hanbury.  Folks, this is HUGE!  And I don't think it would've happened without the diligence of those on this board providing information and pressure to the media to release that horrible email.

4.  The two Faculty Senate "no confidence" votes (and one of them a unanimous one at that, including members of Thames' own college and department) and the faculty-wide no confidence vote.  This is also HUGE as anyone who works at a university knows.  It is extremely difficult to get faculty to agree on much of anything...the fact that 100% of Faculty Senate and almost 70% of the total USM faculty agreed that SFT MUST GO speaks volumes, and is unprecedented!

5.  It's been 3 weeks since the hearing, and letters to the editors of local papers are still being written on this issue.  We haven't let it die and neither has the academic community at USM or at large.  Plus the IHL Board is at least nominally holding SFT accountable at their next meeting.

6.  SFT's PR-induced PUC is also a victory for us in that he (SFT) felt the need to create it at all.  Someone told him that he needed to "make nice" with the faculty and staff who are so mad at him, so he created PUC.  I think this demonstrates that he is feeling the pressure from IHL and others. 

7.  Others on various threads have spoken about the solidarity among faculty members created because of SFT's actions.  Even though it was created by a negative situation, I still count this as a positive. 

Okay, I've done my part.  Now, it's up to you to add to the list.  When we're feeling down, let's refer to these accomplishments and understand that, as one poster who I can't remember right now is fond of saying:  it's not a sprint, it's a marathon.  And my money is on the creative, energetic, down-but-not-out faculty and staff of USM any day (and "anywhere, any place, any..." well, you get the picture!

Pat yourself on the back, and then let's get back to work!

NO QUARTER!!