HA: Let the Blame Games begin! - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Sep 3, 2004

HA: Let the Blame Games begin!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Who ya gonna blame?

Rank Busters!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

"If you talk to business leaders in this community, they'll tell you the same thing - and I don't understand it," Thames said. "I don't understand why the Hattiesburg American appears to alway

"If you talk to business leaders in this community, they'll tell you the same thing - and I don't understand it," Thames said. "I don't understand why the Hattiesburg American appears to always take a negative connotation relative to this institution."

Actually, this comment might actually help the economic development of the HA!! The man in the mirror isn't looking too chipper. Time wounds all heels.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Any chance that TH will now be inclined to reveal more of what he knows about the inside goings-on at USM? Or will he just ignore the big knife in his back?

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Emma
""If you talk to business leaders in this community, they'll tell you the same thing - and I don't understand it," Thames said. "I don't understand why the Hattiesburg American appears to always take a negative connotation relative to this institution." Actually, this comment might actually help the economic development of the HA!! The man in the mirror isn't looking too chipper. Time wounds all heels. "

Translation: Hattiesburg American, RESPECT MY AUTHORI-TAY! I'm Shelby Freland Thames, b****!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
"Translation: Hattiesburg American, RESPECT MY AUTHORI-TAY! I'm Shelby Freland Thames, b****!"

Actually, he DOES bear an odd resemblance to Cartland!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"Any chance that TH will now be inclined to reveal more of what he knows about the inside goings-on at USM? Or will he just ignore the big knife in his back?"

TH threw enough of his own knives that he probably doesn't want to play that game. New job, new boss, new colleagues...a clean slate for Uncle Tim. He's smart enough to make the most of an opportunity he was lucky to receive.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

I fail to understand how there could be any question about where those US News forms went. I have been informed by someone I believe to be very knowledgable about such matters that US News sends the forms directly to the office of the president at the respective schools.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Yes!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Seems to me there's a lot that SFT doesn't understand...

"If you talk to business leaders in this community, they'll tell you the same thing - and I don't understand it," Thames said. "I don't understand why the Hattiesburg American appears to always take a negative connotation relative to this institution."

Speaking at the monthly President's Council meeting, Thames said he was puzzled why Southern Miss would drop in the rankings when the university is making gains in other areas such as enrollment and research funding.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Who's on first?
"I fail to understand how there could be any question about where those US News forms went. I have been informed by someone I believe to be very knowledgable about such matters that US News sends the forms directly to the office of the president at the respective schools. "

While I don't know present SOP for USNWR or USM, I've previously been employed at three tier-1 universities, and in all cases, the USNWR ranking questionaires went directly to the President's office first (before being re-directed to the various schools and departments for data). Thames is acting like he scarcely knows what these rankings are, much less understands how they're derived.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

i think SLT doesn't have much of an idea about these rankings. to be fair, i don't think hudson did either.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Anonymous
"...Thames is acting like he scarcely knows what these rankings are, much less understands how they're derived. "

That's because he doesn't want to address the REAL reason for the tier drop, which is that, under his leadership, USM is faltering. Case closed.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"i think SLT doesn't have much of an idea about these rankings. to be fair, i don't think hudson did either."

Stinky,

You have consistently used SLT rather than SFT over the past several months, despite being reminded early on. Is there any significance to this or is it just a mental block? We've had so many anagrams, word games, cryptic messages, riddles and the like that I thought it was worth asking...

MM

Date: Sep 3, 2004

i don't remember ST's middle name, hell sometimes I don't remember my own. I'll stick with ST.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"i don't remember ST's middle name, hell sometimes I don't remember my own. I'll stick with ST."

Saves my little pea brain from going into overload trying to figure out your hidden meaning, thanks!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

(quoting SFT) "If you talk to business leaders in this community, they'll tell you the same thing - and I don't understand it," Thames said. "I don't understand why the Hattiesburg American appears to always take a negative connotation relative to this institution."

The first sentence indicates that Dr. Thames is either naive, ignorant or disingenuous. Surely, he must realize that "business leaders" will tell him what they think he wants to hear. He is the CEO of the largest "business" in Hattiesburg. Business leaders want any business USM might send to them. Therefore, what business leaders -- or anybody else -- will tell "you" depends on who "you" are. We'd all like to pretend that the whole world is candid and forthright, but everyone tailors speech to suit the audience and occasion. Several people who have worked near Dr. Thames report that even his office vocabulary is somewhat more "flowery" (or was it "florid") than the language he uses in other venues.

His second sentence is really astounding. To say that the American "always" emphasizes the "negative" when reporting on USM is so completely inaccurate, wrong-headed, and counterproductive that it defies my comprehension. The American certainly makes mistakes, but to imply that their coverage is consistently in opposition to the interests of the university (or even SFT's administration) is so patently absurd as to beggar further comment. I can only hope that one of the editors will take the time to review just a few of the positive articles written about USM in the past few months and remind the president of the many and frequent ways that the newspaper has supported USM.

Do not fuss with people who buy paper by the ton and ink by the gallon.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

You would have thought Thames and back slappers would have learned their lessons when they assailed the USM newspaper a few years ago. One definition of insanity is doing the same thing over again with expectation of different results.

Do y'all remember how "concerned" Thames was with what The Student Printz was printing? He said it had taken the tone was The New York Times when it should be more "fair and balanced" like Fox News.

Maybe Lisa Mader will launch her own "world-class" city-wide newspaper next semester.

It's hard to be world-class university with a fourth-tier president and minions.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Minnie Minutiae
"You have consistently used SLT rather than SFT over the past several months, despite being reminded early on. Is there any significance to this or is it just a mental block? We've had so many anagrams, word games, cryptic messages, riddles and the like that I thought it was worth asking..."

I just assumed that SCM drove a GMC pickup truck (SLT model, to be exact

)

Date: Sep 3, 2004

For the beneift of this board's viewers who do not live in or near Forrest Count, and who have no opportunity to speak with faculty on campus, would someone indicate the extent of support for the notion that things at USM are going as well, or better, than they have in the past? I am sure there is no hard data available, except the no confidence resolution, but someone must have a feel for the extent the status quo is supported. I've seen the trolls' comments which I ignore. How about the "real" campus? What's that like?

Date: Sep 3, 2004

For those of you off campus, or on campus and missed it, there IS a new venue - I suppose it is the Printz antithesis. It is called "Varsity Voice" and is a very slick, magazine-type "newspaper" and presumably published by the SGA. I managed to look over a copy. There are only four ads to support the tremendous production cost. One ad is American Pride paint! One article on outsourcing - ironically entitled "Brave New World" refers to critics of outsourcing as "anti-Thames propagandists." There is another article called something like "22 minutes with President Shelby Thames" who responds to a couple of questions. At one point he gave his assessment of the A. Dvorak reassignment and said he preferred to call it "a promotion." The Varsity Voice, I understand, is supposed to be published every two weeks. So watch your newsstands next week!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

I heard this statement in the dome today. I assume it was just a strange echo bouncing around from a previous news conference or that I mis-heard:

"Of course Southern Mess has become a higher quality whirled class university under this administration. This rankings mess is all Tim Hudson's fault. If you try to blame it on the adminstration or challenge our qualifications, we'll sue you"

I started to speak, but then I heard a new voice:

"I realize Tim Hudson was my hand picked provost and that I brought him back to the Hattiesburg campus because Jay couldn't handle the job -- I mean because of my well thought out cross-training program. As I said at his farewell party, Dr. Hudson did an outstanding job. That outstanding performance as Provost is what allowed him to move into the President's position at such a fine institution as U of H - Victoria. You know we are a whirled class university because our administrators can make such outstanding career moves. In fact, the more good people we lose, the more whirled class we'll get!"

Southern Mess to the Top (of the 4th tier)!

Date: Sep 3, 2004

There are many remarks/comments in this thread that call for annotation. (1) IF--and I stress the uncertainty--Tim was responsible for not submitting informatiion on USM's no. of upper 10% graduates AND on it's alumni giving rate, he actually did the institution a favor. It sucks in both these categories and would rank lower if the truth were known. (2) Shelboo's observation that both the coast and the Jackson newspapers give USM better coverage than the HA is true, in a curious sense: both give USM LESS coverage than the HA, which--given the state of things--IS better. The truth, especially with regard to the Clarion-Ledger, is that that they simply IGNORE what's going on at USM. That it is now officially a 4th-tier institution will simply confirm what they have "known" all along and justify their refusal to notice the events of the last year. (3) Don't worry over the psychology that purportedly explains which businessmen tell Shelboo what. Consider the possibility that he hasn't really even talked to anyone about this issue. It's as if I were to say, "None of my friends can understand why this guy is still in office." What force would that have? (Even though it's true.) (4) Look at the last quotation from Shelboo in the HA and tell me this person is literate: what is that about "giving" the "connotation"? A non-verbalized molecule shuffler (is he really is capable of doing any science?) is by definition unqualified to be a university president. Only in Klumbland . . . .

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Stunned but not Surprised
"The truth, especially with regard to the Clarion-Ledger, is that that they simply IGNORE what's going on at USM. That it is now officially a 4th-tier institution will simply confirm what they have "known" all along and justify their refusal to notice the events of the last year. "

Actually I think the Clarion Ledger was not that bad last year--perhaps it could have been better? At least Marshall Ramsey was terrific.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

I agree with foot soldier about the CL.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

It's true that Marshall Ramsay did a clever cartoon or two, but look at the CL's overall performance. A major academic scandal was unfolding in Hattieburg (one that made the Chronicle and blackened USM's reputation the world over), and where was their coverage? It simply didn't exist. They had a cub reporter (Riva Brown) on the trail, not Jerry Mitchell or one of what with them passes for heavy hitters, and many of her stories were rejected before ever getting into print.

What USM went through last spring was the equivalent of having a hurricane strike. The CL people essentially ignored it. In their own way, they're as responsible for Mississippi's last-tier status in education as Roy is. Once in a while, particularly on racial issues, they'll hit the right note or take a progressive position, but when it comes to understanding and advocating educational progress at the university level (which would entail acknowleding USM's role as a major player), they always fall short. They got excited about Roy's attempt to intervene in MSU athletics, but where were they when morale on the Hattiesburg campus plummeted to a 430-32 no confidence vote? You didn't see them editorializing that the Board needed to look into the continuance of Shelboo's contract, did you? It seems to me that they agree with the average Mississippian, who thinks the only group that doesn't constitute a real constituency is the faculty.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

I have the same trouble with the CL that I have with the HA. They are not local papers, they are owned by a big chain, Gannett. Their editors and publishers get moved around a lot, and they don't have the loyalty or feeling for their native ground that we would like them to have. The papers are a business first and foremost. I have seen really bad stuff happen locally and never a word in the HA (no first hand reportage) and then read articles about lesser stuff in distant states (picked up off the wire service.)

Date: Sep 4, 2004

There is reason to believe that the fix was in at the CL last spring. A couple of stories never made it into print. Also, sometimes the HA coverage was used.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: New Adjunct
"I have the same trouble with the CL that I have with the HA. They are not local papers, they are owned by a big chain, Gannett. Their editors and publishers get moved around a lot, and they don't have the loyalty or feeling for their native ground that we would like them to have. The papers are a business first and foremost. I have seen really bad stuff happen locally and never a word in the HA (no first hand reportage) and then read articles about lesser stuff in distant states (picked up off the wire service.) "

Great analysis, New Adjunct. The HA is neither a Washington Post nor a Hudunk Herald. It is somewhere inbetween.

There was a time when Jackson had two major daily newspapers: The Clarion-Leger (morning) and the Jackson Daily News (evening). The competition was vigorous and healthy. The newspaper business in mid-size towns such as Hattiesburg and Jackson is not what it used to be.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Curmudgeon
"There is reason to believe that the fix was in at the CL last spring. A couple of stories never made it into print. Also, sometimes the HA coverage was used."

Yes, now I remember that. That irritated me at the time, too. Though I do think that Riva Brown did a far better job than Janet Braswell (and she looked like a mere child, though perhaps that says more about me than her . . .).