More from the Chronicle re: Noel Polk - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Sep 21, 2004

More from the Chronicle re: Noel Polk

Date: Sep 21, 2004

The real and symbolic loss is simply too great for the Chronicle to capture although I'm glad that they tried. It is not just Dr. Polk, it is the (what was it - 227 referred to by Curmudgeon?) composite loss of a culture. Whether good people stay or come after this debacle is becoming irrelevant. Irrelevant because what was and could have been is forever changed.

For what it's worth, I used to be one of the board's chief optimists...I was naive.

Date: Sep 21, 2004

What was and could have been is gone forever........

You are right on. There were tough times at USM but there always was the underlying sense that faculty were pulling together, that they were doing good in educating the children of Mississippi, that important and interesting scholarly and creative activity was going on, and that there was potential to become a very good university. Also an optimist by nature, I fear that in this matter I have become a pessimist. What "could have been" may not be gone forever, but it will be a long, long time before it becomes possible again.

227 gone--the administration believes that the replacement faculty will fall into line--will do exactly what they want--will not cause any trouble. If they get their wish, the future will be even bleaker.

227 gone--the statistics cannot begin to reflect the huge number of early retirements just to get out of this mess.

Date: Sep 21, 2004

The Chronicle has a good track record of responding (or at least of seeming to respond) to e-mail alerts about serious developments at USM. I have to say that I am very favorably impressed that they have stayed on the story as they have. This is at least the second time that e-mail alerts to the "Peer Review" column seem to have generated some coverage. Members of the board may want to keep this outlet in mind as future important developments (such as the Whiting case) come to a head. The Chronicle DOES seem willing to give national coverage to developments at a school in Mississippi -- even if it is (thanks to SFT) now only in the fourth tier. (My sarcasm is aimed at Shelby, not at USM or its long-suffering faculty, students, and staff.)

By the way, I wonder how Professor Polk feels about being the latest "toe" that Shelby has shot off? I would say he is one of the bigger toes to have been dispatched.

Date: Sep 21, 2004

As anyone who understands foot care knows, when the great or 1st toe is gone, one cannot balance or walk very well. Unfortunately, with the loss of Dr. Polk, the English Department and the university will be left tottering around with no chance of replacement. It's off to the foot specialist and then to the orthotist to have a special shoe, and off to rehabilitation. This could become very costly as well as time-consuming, and one will never be a agile as before the toe was lost. I believe the old adage that says that a an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Too bad this administration does't understand this. We'll miss you, Dr. Polk.

Date: Sep 21, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: medic wannabe
"As anyone who understands foot care knows, when the great or 1st toe is gone, one cannot balance or walk very well. Unfortunately, with the loss of Dr. Polk, the English Department and the university will be left tottering around with no chance of replacement. It's off to the foot specialist and then to the orthotist to have a special shoe, and off to rehabilitation. This could become very costly as well as time-consuming, and one will never be a agile as before the toe was lost. I believe the old adage that says that a an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. Too bad this administration does't understand this. We'll miss you, Dr. Polk."

Mr. Wonderful, the above post is worthy of consideration for the award this week!

Date: Sep 21, 2004

I'm reminded of a story I tell my students to illustrate the instability of human life. I tell them that once, while driving to campus, I came upon the aftermath of a car accident. I tell them that as I pulled up to the scene, I noticed an ambulance driving away and then noticed, on the side of the road, a cooler with a large red cross on the side. I tell them that I assumed that the ambulance had mistakenly driven off before the cooler had been placed inside. And I tell them that when I opened the cooler I saw, packed in ice, a large human toe that had apparently been sheered off in the accident. Inevitably, this revelation is met with very vocal expressions of disgust and amazement. Just as inevitably, someone asks in an excited tone, "What did you do?!" I then respond: "I called the toe truck." At this point I usually beat a hasty exit from the classroom to avoid the flying books, pencils, etc.

Date: Sep 21, 2004

USM Sympathizer -

Aw, ya didn't really say "toe truck" now didja?

No Quarter!

Date: Sep 21, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" Mr. Wonderful, the above post is worthy of consideration for the award this week!"

Duly noted.

Date: Sep 22, 2004

I pity Dr. Polk, he has made a false choice in his attempt to run away from evil. He viewed evil as being the local incarnations - Pood and Thames, however the real evil is the system as administered by the IHL. The head of the monster may have arisen in the Hub City, but its tenticles extend to Jackson, Oxford and yes, Starkville. In a world of real checks and balances, the IHL should be heard as a voice of reason, but low and behold they come out as boosters of anarchy. Much better if he were to go to Texas or even across the border to Alabama. I fear that Dr. Polk will find anarchy biting at his heals, with Starkville being overrun with rabid attack dogs within the year as budget cuts force Shelboid tactics to be preferred.

Date: Sep 22, 2004

And I fear that the IHL board has only begun to hear from Dr. Polk.
In fact, I hope the IHL board has only begun to hear from him.

Now, because he has removed himself from hattiesburg, he will be able to continue the fight on a different front. Fear not, my friend, Polk is not gone and going to Alabama would have been fruitless in this fight.
As someone duly noted before, Polk is now at Klumb's favorite university, and Polk has only gained ammunition.