quote:

---

Originally posted by: Amy Young
" Dr. Shelby Thames can’t seem to decide whether he knew about our impending problem. He can’t get his story straight . . . . . . . . . ."

Well written, Amy. But it can also be said with music. Here's my nomination as to what we should sing - an old Ames Brothers favorite:

Undecided

You say yes
Then it's no
You say you'll stay
Then you go
Your undecided now
So what are you going to do

First you say you do and then you don't
And then you say you will and then you won't
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

Now you want to play
And then it's no
And when you say you'll stay
That's when you go
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

I've been sitting on a fence
And it doesn't make much sense
'Cause you keep me in suspense
And you know it
You promise to return
When you don't I really burn
Well I guess I'll never learn
And I show it

If your gotta heart
And if you're kind
Then don't keep us apart
Make up your mind
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

First you say you do then you don't
No you don't
And then you say you will and then you won't
No you won't
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

Now you want to play and then it's no
Then it's no
And when you say you'll stay that's when you go
When you go
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

I've been sittin' on a fence
And it doesn't make much sense
'Cause you keep me in suspense
And you know it
You promise to return
When you don't I really burn
Well I guess I'll never learn
And I show it

If your gotta heart and if you're kind
Then don't keep us apart make up your mind
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

You say it's yes and then it's no
You say you'll stay then you go
Your undecided now
So what are you gonna to do

 USM AAUP Members and friends, below is an email message I sent to Dr. G. Lord, who is the SACS liasion to USM.  Dr. Lord's response to me was that "of course I can't comment".  I think it's unconscionable that your president doesn't understand the intimate connection between SACS reporting and student education/ faculty teaching..what does he think SACS is about? Keep up the good work and please be aware that faculty members all over the state, nation and world are in solidarity with you.

from the Hattiesburg American, USM gets probation for a year
Thames: 'We have to do a better job'

By Kevin Walters

Dec. 9, 2004:

"The areas of concern do not have anything to do with faculty teaching," Thames said. "This status does not in any way negatively affect our students and their education."

from Hattiesburg American, Sanction's impact on hiring debated on USM campus

By Natasha Smith

Dec. 13, 2004:

"Since the reason for the academic probation had nothing to do with students or faculty, Provost Jay Grimes said it was not a deterrent to recruiting.

"The status had nothing to do with our integrity or the quality of our academic programs," Grimes said."

Dr. Lord, do these statements tell you what they tell me, that President Thames doesn't understand the purpose of SACS accreditation standards and procedures, that he is treating documentation and reporting of quality assurance data and analysis as unrelated to the student learning experience and to the faculty teaching experience??   As a tax payer in Mississippi and a member of the professoriate myself, I hope that you and SACS have taken note of the attitude conveyed in these and other quotes, attitude that is demonstrated in the latest egregious behavior of Dr. Thames and his administration.  These statements tell me that Dr. Thames is not a person who can even bring USM into token compliance with SACS standards (which apparently he would like to do), let alone instill respect for the practice and meaning of accreditation.

As an academic, it's hard enough for me to explain the underlying principles and practices of higher education to the public, but when a university president makes statements like this, it severely undercuts public respect for those principles and practices and undermines all of our efforts, including yours, to guarantee quality in our institutions of higher education and to retain the trust of our public.

Savina Schoenhofer