Lassen says let's share - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Nov 14, 2004

Lassen says let's share

Date: Nov 14, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Shearing, uh, sharing time??
http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/news/updates/10126.html

Date: Nov 14, 2004

I expect the article in tomorrow's Hattiesburg American to be very interesting. At the last PC meeting Faculty, Staff and even Students spoke out against this. Only Larsen and SFT spoke in favor. Once carryover money is taken from departments, they will no longer have an incentive to save for large ticket items. I fear the recent raises were funded in part by this and the money won’t be there next year. I believe that is why there is such a desperate drive for $$$, increase enrollment and grant funding.

Date: Nov 14, 2004

Here's the problem: Laasen raided departmental carryover accounts to cover Shelboo's "look what I'm doing to raise morale, you ignorant fools" raises. If he expects department chairs to be frugal, good stewards of university money this year, he's the fool. I'm certain that each department will spend down their allocation by June 30th and Laasen will have to feed at a different trough. Shelboo's showing perspiration marks on his shirt now, worrying about having to cover next year's raises absent any pilfered departmental carryover funds. So he's refusing to allow departments to advertise for vacant positions and....guess what.....by the end of spring semester he and laasen will be salivating at departmental development accounts - those are funds raised by departments through non-university funding. Heretofore they have been sancrosanct, but by this time next year development accounts will belong to the state. Viva Fidel!

Date: Nov 14, 2004

An idea: this time last year Dr. Dana G. Thames Chair of CISE and Full Professor who has already single handedly cost the univ. over 20 million dollars in lawsuits and who - as of Oct.1, 2003 already made 87,000 for a 9 month contract -- received the highest mid year raise (11 per cent do the math) and a MIDAS touch award for being the only chair to raise the bar in what we hire for attorneys. I think the MIDAS money well placed her over the hundred thousand mark at this great campus. I hope the chairs of other depts. fared as well.

Someone, please explain to me why she has accumulated so many awards and cudos.What has she really accomplished?? She's redefined the benefits of nepotism.

Date: Nov 14, 2004

This recent article appears to be much more dangerous that anyone understands. It appears that the CFO is now planning to take away from departments that money that the departments have built up over the years. First it was the rollover (the unspent operating budget from the fiscal year that just ended) now it's all of the departments' discretionary money. It really is not a matter of efficiency, it a matter of who has control. Looks like we will all be controlled by SFT and a PhD student in economic development!

Wasn't there something on another thread (Bower contract maybe?) about decentralization of responsibility and centralization of control?

Date: Nov 15, 2004

http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/news/updates/10126.html

Date: Nov 15, 2004

$4 million, eh? Sounds like just about the right amount to cover the shortfall (and a little extra) for the Trent Lott Center. If all the departments across the university are contributing, then will it count for everyone's economic development efforts on the FAR reports this year?

Date: Nov 15, 2004

What a horrible idea. I can think of nothing more demoralizing to chairs.

Date: Dec 1, 2004

Any more word on the plan to share? And what about the FOIA filed by the HA to get the goods on the funds suddenly found to finance the Lott Center? Hasn't it been 14 days?

Deadlines are looming... to take down that banner and to show the money.