http://www.usm.edu/president/

Favorite quotes and my responses:

"Gregg Lassen, chief financial officer, was invited to the President's Council meeting to address the rumor that he "swept departmental accounts." Gregg stated that the overall financial health of the university is his ultimate goal, and he noted that approximately $4 million is available for utilization by deans and department chairs for instructional, research, and service needs. As we work to achieve our goals and objectives during financially constrained times, it is important to utilize our resources wisely."

(So, did he sweep the accounts or not?  Hard to tell)

"Our latest "Tuesdays at 2 with Thames" session was, as always, fun and lively. Students asked about the removal of the banner currently hanging on Wilber (Panhellenic) Hall. The banner is scheduled for removal, and we are looking for an alternative location for it to be displayed. I was glad to hear students commenting favorably about our image and the branding and advertising initiated and carried forward by Lisa Mader and the staff of the Department of Marketing and Public Relations. They have been ably assisted by Danny Mitchell of the GodwinGroup."

(Yes, we have LSM and the Godwin Group to thank for creating the monstrosity that has been nothing but an eyesore, a health hazard, and now, simply a very expensive tarp). 

"I reviewed information this week from the Office of Institutional Research and Assessment at the University of Alabama. The information was the SUG survey on faculty and staff salary increases for 2004 - 2005. As you all know, The University of Southern Mississippi awarded an average of 4 percent merit-based raises to faculty and staff and gave additional across-the-board raises of $400 to assist with ever-increasing health insurance costs.  Comparatively, the University of Mississippi awarded merit-based raises of 5 percent to faculty and 3 percent to staff; Mississippi State University awarded 3 percent raises to faculty and staff, and if staff members' salaries were less than $40,000, they received a raise of $1200; Louisiana State University faculty and staff received 3 percent raises; University of South Carolina faculty and staff received 3 percent raises across the board; and University of Houston faculty received 2.25 percent raises based on merit and equity and staff received 2.25 percent raises across the board. I was pleased that we were so competitive with salary increases in a year of very tight budgets."

(Is this some more of that Mader Math?  An "average" of 4 percent raises is not the same thing as an across-the-board 4 percent raise for everyone.  This means some got more (Prima Dana) and some got less (everyone else not on the Good Ship Shelboo).

"I have repeatedly stated that my vision is to provide pay raises on an annual basis, but whether we are successful or not depends on our performance. If we are to look forward to annual raises, we must make the best use of our budgets, we must continue to secure federal dollars for research, contracts, and grants, we must be creative with our resources, and we must embrace the concept of economic development (commercializing intellectual property)."

(i.e. all you liberal arts-types better get on board 'cause the Good Ship Shelboo has set sail!)