quote:

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Originally posted by: Chicken Soup Lady
"I have found a great place for Ken Malone to excercise his business talents.
Plus, it's a long, long way from Hattiesburg. and the Gulf Coast.

http://www.mum.edu/worldpeace/

"

---

Why slam the Maharishi™? It was Yoko. not the Maharishi™, who broke up the Beatles.

Is any further information available about this incident?

Did Diane Stevenson resign? Or was that just a rumor?

Has there been any press coverage? (I don't see any in the online edition of the Hattiesburg American.)

Robert Campbell

I've been hitting the Coast for awhile, but I think I've definitely been upgraded from a Tropical Storm!!!!!!

quote:

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Originally posted by: A matter of degree
""Professors dedicated to developing higher states of consciousness."  Didn't I hear that during the 60's? "

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I'm hearing it on the tour bus right now

But, y'know, I had a few profs at USM back in the McCain (Lower Paleoclassic) Era who were definitely into "higher" states of consciousness!

Pardon me if this was already discussed on the board, but what were the circumstances of the 10/16 incident in which the professor's wife was admonished? By whom and in what setting? 

I know nothing about Mississippi law, but here in Texas such conduct could be the basis for a civil action against the individual who made the threat and against the university.  What kind of bully would threaten the spouse of a faculty member anyway?  I know he's long gone, but this stunt is reminiscent of Mr. Hanbury's ham-fisted approach to management.

AE

Dr. Young...the AAUP is fortunate to have you. You are logical and articulate. Thank you for your leadership.

quote:

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Originally posted by: Invictus
"
I'm going,
I'm going,
I'm gone.
"

---

Just wish Shelboo would sing this song . . . .

Reading about this latest debacle at the Coast brings back poignant recollections of my own memorable Coast experiences.

During my last year on the faculty at Southern Mess (Hattiesburg campus, aka Camp Shelby North) I was given orders to teach a class on the Coast. Yes, orders! Late in the afternoon of the last day of fall semester 03 classes I found in my mailbox a "confidential" letter from my chair noting that he, my dean, the provost, and Dr. Denise von Herrmann had met and decided that our academic unit needed to "increase its presence" on the Gulf Park campus. Consequently my teaching load for spring semester had [already] been "adjusted," and I would be teaching a course on the Coast. At the end of the letter I was told whom to contact for further information. Period. (Incidentally, the Coast course was being added to my existing load.)

Obviously I didn't think this was how teaching assignments ought to be handled, and I said so, but I went ahead and taught the course. I promptly informed Dr. von Herrmann of the supplies and equipment I would require, and she assured me these would be provided. She also informed me by letter the dates on which I would receive payments for my services.

When the promised supplies and equipment were not provided and I had to borrow and beg for what I needed, I was annoyed. When the second of two scheduled dates for payment passed by with no sign of payment, I became upset to the point that I told Dr. von Herrmann that I would not return to teach the class until I had been paid. I also told my class this; I felt they had a right to know that they might have a different instructor the following week.

Of course, Dr. von Herrmann told me that I had to continue teaching the class. This is understandable. She also ordered me never again to bring up such matters in class. This I found disturbing.

I suppose I'm lucky that my classroom was not invaded nor were any of my students interrogated (to my knowledge). But in light of events during my last semester at USM, Ken Malone's invasion of the classroom, while profoundly disturbing, comes as little surprise. If this sort of "management" style is permitted to continue (and I believe that it will), it takes little imagination to foresee what Hitlerist/Stalinist tactics are to come.

When will Mississippi wake up? Do most folks down there think this is how a university should be run? And those of us who don't like it should just leave? Well, I did leave. No doubt some folks down there are quite happy that I'm gone, but let me tell you, no one could be happier about it than I am!

Someone writing in this thread noted that in some cosmic way things will eventually work out. Yes, if global warming, with concomitant melting of polar ice caps, continues, the rising waters will someday wash away USM's Coast campus -- along with all those lovely casinos that Dr. von Herrmann's research credits with having contributed so much to educational opportunities on the coast! So keep on burnin' them fossil fuels!

Friends of AAUP,

AAUP had a meeting yesterday afternoon and Dean Pood was first on the agenda. His first topic concerned his letters to Noel Polk, formerly in the English Department at USM. He began his discussion by reading a communication from former chair of English, Angela Ball, who evidently accepts complete responsibility. Pood then outlined the steps he took. He said he had been in communication with Dr. Ball and in early August sent a message via Dr. Ball to have Noel resign so his position could be filled. Pood indicated that he understood - at that time - that Noel was either retiring or resigning. He related that by the third week of classes Pood had not heard from Ball or Polk and had no resignation so he called Lee Gore who dictated the letter recommending termination of employment and tenure. The letter,by the way, was copied only to Provost Grimes and President Thames. Upon getting a message from the new and current chair of English, David Wheeler, that Noel had indeed resigned, Pood sent a letter of apology to Noel, again copying only Thames and Grimes. During the course of the discussion yesterday, Pood acknowledged his role in the communication breakdown between himself and Noel. Pood never tried directly to talk to Noel about this matter.

While I personally understand that there was a communication problem between Noel and Dr. Pood, I have to say that my understanding of management practices places the burden on the manager/administrator.

Secondly, while I understand that Dr. Pood wanted to do "the right thing for English" and get a replacement for Noel, I fail utterly to understand how sending a letter firing Noel dated Sept. 2 (and not mailed until Sept 4), would have made any difference.

Third, while Dr. Pood may have wanted Noel to resign or retire in early August "for the good of the department" I have to say that Noel had the right to wait until the last day of the month to do so - which is the course he adopted.

These are my personal opinions. I am not speaking as President of AAUP-USM.

Then, Dr. Pood himself brought up the situation with Dr. Diane Stevenson on the coast. He presented documents that he claimed proved that Dr. Stevenson had misrepresented the situation with online courses on the coast. Evidently the alleged remarks were made in a composition class by Dr. Stevenson on October 7. Dr. Pood indicated that a number of attempts were made to contact Dr. Stevenson by Dr. Von Hermann, Chair David Wheeler, and by Dr. Tom Lansford, associate dean on the coast. Evidently they called her office, her home, and emailed her. Evidently Dr. Lansford taped a note on her door. Dr. Pood instructed Dr. Lansford to ascertain if the remarks made by Dr. Stevenson were those she heard from Ken Malone himself, regarding the future of the coast. For some reason that I fail to understand, Dr. Pood felt it was imperative to have the alleged remarks corrected in Dr. Stevensons next class meeting. October 7 is a Thursday and presumably her next class meeting was Tuesday, October 12.

After Dr. Pood's presentation, there was a heated discussion which included whether or not this was the appropriate place for a discussion of this nature given that Dr. Stevenson was not present to defend herself, and in the mind of many at the meeting had NOT been given an adequate chance to defend herself. Dr. Becket, President of Faculty Senate, spoke up in Dr. Stevenson's defense, quite forcefully.

The AAUP meeting adjourned since it was past 5:00 and we will resume this discussion next Friday at 4:00 in LAB 204. We have a number of other items on the agenda to address.

Listening to the remarks yesterday, and listening to my colleagues across campus since the beginning of this semester, I think there continue to be very serious issues. Many consider that the assault on faculty at USM continues. I wish things were indeed improved and we can move forward. But I do not understand how that can happen given stealth post tenure reviews, a tendency to move to a radical "solutions" to "troublesome" faculty like the recommendation of termination even knowing that the individual in question intends to resign or retire, and classrooms invaded by upper administrators.

Amy Young

Did Dean Pood say why Professor Malone was the one who went into Professor Stevenson's classroom? Even giving maximum credit to his version of events, this still looks like an inappropriate (to say the least!) action on Malone's part.

quote:

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Originally posted by: Going, going, gone
"Dr. Young...the AAUP is fortunate to have you. You are logical and articulate. Thank you for your leadership."

---

Amen, brother/sister. Amy has been a pillar of strength and the local AAUP chapter has been a guardian of faculty interests for the past few years.

I have just about stood on my head this semester to avoid making "questionable" comments to my students, but if I were teaching upper level or graduate students, I don't know how easy it would be to keep my peace.
And thank you, Amy Young, for your excellent summation of the meeting, and for all you have done these past months.

Below is a another version of the AAUP meeting last Friday. It was circulated among USM Library staff today. The source is apparently Mary Beth Applin. It begins with a quote from Amy Young's report and then advances a more detailed version of Dean Pod's explanation.

"Dr. Pood spoke to the AAUP on Friday (at his request) to address the
Noel  Polk issue.  I hope Amy Young doesn't mind, but I've copied below her
summary of the Noel Polk discussion.  The synopsis of the coast issue
is my own memory of the discussion. Because of the length of discussion with Dr. Pood, no other business was addressed.  AAUP will hold a second meeting next Friday, Oct. 29th at
4pm.

Concerning Noel Polk (from Amy Young):

`He [Pood} began his discussion by reading a communication from
former  chair of English, Angela Ball, who evidently accepts complete
responsibility. Pood then outlined the steps he took. He said he had
been in communication with Dr. Ball and in early August sent a message via
Dr. Ball to have Noel resign so his position could be filled. Pood
indicated that he understood - at that time - that Noel was either retiring or
resigning. He related that by the third week of classes Pood had not
heard from Ball or Polk and had no resignation so he called Lee Gore who
dictated the letter recommending termination of employment and tenure. The
letter, by the way, was copied only to Provost Grimes and President Thames. Upon
getting a message from the new and current chair of English, David
Wheeler, that Noel had indeed resigned, Pood sent a letter of apology to Noel,
again copying only Thames and Grimes. During the course of the discussion
yesterday, Pood acknowledged his role in the communication breakdown
between himself and Noel. Pood never tried directly to talk to Noel
about this matter.'

Concerning the issue on the coast with Dr. Stevenson (MBA):
Dr. Pood began by stating that on Oct. 7th, Dr. Stevenson sent a
written communication to Dr. Wheeler saying that she would be resigning
effective May 2005.  That same day, Dr. Stevenson allegedly had an in-class
discussion with her English composition students and told them that
the gulf coast campus would be admitting no more freshmen, was going
towards on-line learning, and advised them to go to another school to
complete their degrees.  Dr. Pood said he heard this from 2 different students
and from 2 different faculty who had heard it from 2 students.  Dr. Pood
contacted Dr. Wheeler and told him that he felt that Dr. Stevenson's
comments were "inappropriate material for an English composition
course."  He felt that Dr. Stevenson had "violated ethical behavior"
as outlined by the AAUP.  Dr. Pood then contacted Dr. Lansford (asst.
dean of A&L on the coast) and asked him to "send somebody" by Dr. Stevenson's
classroom the next class period (Oct. 12th) to explain the truth to
the students.  It was unclear if Dr. Lansford or Dean Pood asked Ken
Malone to go by the class. Dr. Pood said that Dr. von Hermann and Dr. Lansford
made several attempts to contact Dr. Stevenson to let her know that
someone was coming to her class.  [From another source I have heard that Dr.
Stevenson was away that weekend visiting her husband in NY].
>
The appropriateness of this discussion was questioned by faculty
concerned that Dr. Stevenson was not here to defend herself.
>
Faculty Senate President Dave Beckett addressed the issue of the
attempts > to contact Dr. Stevenson.  He spoke with Dr. Stevenson himself (and
he had no problem contacting her - he simply left a message on her answering
machine and she returned the call) who said that the only contact she
received was from Dr. Wheeler.  Dr. Beckett and several faculty also
question the need for such haste to address Dr. Stevenson students
and why Dr. Pood did not let the chair of the dept., Dr. Wheeler, address the
issue himself instead of sending someone who was not even in the academic
chain of command.  Dr. Pood had no answer for this and accepted the
responsibility for his actions.  Faculty wanted to know if this would
be an  on-going policy of the administration to send people to classrooms to
"talk to students" every time students reported that they had been told information that the administration deemed incorrect.

Dr. Beckett also brought up the issue of Mr. Farley returning to Dr. Stevenson's second class.  Dr. Pood said he didn't know anything about  that.  Dr. Beckett also asked if Mr. Farley was being investigated for his > alleged comments to an interviewee whose husband was a new faculty on the coast (the "stick to teaching" remark).  Dr. Pood said that the
interviewee was advised to talk to the AA/EEO officer about that issue."

TITLE   COMMUNICATION AND CONFLICT: AN EXPERIMENTAL STUDY OF TWO TYPES OF CONFRONTATIONAL BEHAVIOR IN A NEW CONCEPTUAL PARADIGM FOR THE STUDY OF CONFLICT.
AUTHOR   POOD, ELLIOTT ALAN
DEGREE   PHD
SCHOOL   THE FLORIDA STATE UNIVERSITY
DATE   1977
PAGES   127
SOURCE   DAI-A 38/09, p. 5126, Mar 1978



Only 127 pages. No wonder he's not good at either communication or conflict.