CL, 8/19/07: College Board hires ex-Valley president as consultant - USM Forum -- Message Board

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CL, 8/19/07: College Board hires ex-Valley president as consultant

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http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=18720868&BRD=1838&PAG=461&dept_id=104621&rfi=6

Greenwood Commonwealth, 8/17/07

Newman hired as consultant by board

...In other MVSU news, three faculty members who were terminated prior to Newman's departure have been reinstated.

Dr. Orian Cathey has resumed his post as associate professor of mathematics, Vicki Curry is again assistant professor of education, and Timothy Holston has been reinstated as an instructor of computer science.

Also, Dr. Dae Sung Lee and his wife, Dr. Chung J. Lee, have rescinded their resignations. Dae Sung Lee is dean of professional studies and chair of business administration. Chung J. Lee is director of the SACS accreditation program.

Funding also was renewed for Bobbie Peoples' position as child welfare trainer and coordinator for social work.

Curmudgeon · Status: Offline

It's nice to see that the IHL Board made an effort to undo some of the damage the guy did. They really went to school on Thames.

Framer · Status: Offline

Very surprising. I wonder if Newman will really have assignments?

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CL, 8/21/07

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070821/NEWS/708210373/1001

Specifics of Newman's consulting job uncertain
Former Valley president's $275,000 salary coming out of university coffers

What former Mississippi Valley State University President Lester Newman will be doing as a $275,000 consultant for the state College Board and when the work will be done remains unclear more than a month after he was given the one-year job....

...The College Board didn't provide a copy of Newman's contract Monday.

The Clarion-Ledger filed a public records request for a copy.

Higher Education Commissioner Tom Meredith could not be reached for comment.

"The deliverables are under development," Mitchell [spokeswoman for the College Board] said when asked how Newman would help with implementing Ayers, a case that mandated equal funding among the state's eight state supported universities....

Curmudgeon · Status: Offline

IIRC Fleming had a year of "consulting" after he suddenly left USM. It's interesting to note that the Thames extra year was not handled the same way.

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CL, 8/22/07

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070822/NEWS/708220365/1001/news

Board chief: Newman's deal meant to be buyout
Consultant contract subs for presidency

Lester Newman's one-year, $275,625 consultant deal with the state College Board is essentially a buyout of the final three years of his contract as president of Mississippi Valley State University, the board president said Tuesday.

"The amount he is being paid is a negotiated price in lieu of him completing the remaining three years of his four-year contract," Dr. Stacy Davidson said in a statement....

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070822/OPINION01/708220329

College Board: Newman's fee an extravagance

After handing out hundreds of thousands of dollars in pay raises to the state university presidents a couple of weeks ago, now it's learned that the state College Board has authorized a president who quit to be retained as a consultant for more than what he was paid as a president!

Why the Board would choose to pay former Mississippi Valley State University President Lester Newman Jr. nearly $23,000 per month to stay on as a consultant after he resigned under fire as president is a question begging an answer, especially as administrator salaries keep going up, as well as tuitions that students must pay.

Newman is to be paid $275,625 as a consultant to the Board it was learned this week - more than the $183,750-per-year salary he earned as Valley's leader.

He is supposed to be helping implement the Ayers university desegregation lawsuit settlement, according to the Board. But it's not clear how....

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Marshall Ramsey's Cartoon

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/section?Category=OPINION04

Letter--College Board retaining Valley ex-chief 'outrageous'

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070823/OPINION02/708230315/1009

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http://www.ihl.state.ms.us/newsstory.asp?ID=511

IHL PRESS RELEASE
BOARD PRESIDENT COMMENTS ON NEWMAN'S CONSULTING SERVICE

Media Contact: Annie Mitchell
Phone Number: (601) 432-6493
8/21/2007
Jackson, MS - During its regular monthly meeting on August 15, 2007, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) voted to enter into a consulting services contract with former Mississippi Valley State University President Dr. Lester C. Newman. Dr. Newman resigned from his position of President at Mississippi Valley on July 15, 2007.

Dr. L. Stacy Davidson, Jr., President of the IHL Board, issued the following statement regarding the Board's decision: "Dr. Newman had three years left on his employment contract when he decided he had accomplished what he could for Mississippi Valley State University. The Board wanted to take advantage of his higher education expertise by offering him the opportunity to consult with the Board in relation to planning issues, Ayers implementation, and academic affairs. Specifically, the Board has asked Dr. Newman to examine and make recommendations for increasing African American male enrollment in Mississippi's public universities. There is an obvious national concernand one we share in the statethat African American males are not reaching the level of educational attainment necessary for our state to be successful."

President Davidson added, "Dr. Newman is working on a contract basis with no fringe benefits. The amount he is being paid is a negotiated price in lieu of him completing the remaining three years on his four-year contract. He will have periodic discussions with the Commissioner of Higher Education regarding progress on his various projects, and a report will be expected by the end of the contract."

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CL, 8/26/07

http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070826/COL0414/708260353

College Board should have announced Newman settlement

The state College Board, in its dealings with former Mississippi Valley State University President Lester Newman, has provided a case study in why openness is the best policy in spending tax dollars....

...It also would have been better for everyone if the College Board had addressed the issues that led to Newman's departure before it renewed Newman's contract.

The resolution - half the face value of the balance of his contract for a year, even if his duties are not clearly defined - is a good deal for the board.

There are constituent groups at Mississippi University for Women calling for President Claudia Limbert's head. Will Higher Education Commissioner Thomas Meredith and the College Board cave in to those demands?

When University of Southern Mississippi President Horace Fleming chose to gracefully resign rather than accept a one-year contract, the sentiment of the Hattiesburg campus seemed to be anybody but Shelby Thames for president. The College Board ignored those concerns. Thames' tenure was marked by controversy.

Even after the board decided to send Thames - a world class scientist - back to the classroom, it allowed him to remain as president for another year. This meant the school was likely standing still and Thames had the opportunity to wreak havoc for 12 months.

That was not smart....