Economic Development - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Dec 21, 2004

Economic Development

Date: Dec 22, 2004

Help me understand the relevence.

Is this bad news?

Date: Dec 22, 2004

LONG BEACH - Kim Compton has been named the new director of the Center for Tourism and Economic Development Research (CENTED) at The University of Southern Mississippi. Located on the Gulf Coast campus in the heart of the gaming industry in Mississippi, CENTED strives to improve the tourism product, increase the benefits of the tourism industry and foster an understanding of the role tourism plays in economic development.

Before taking over for departing director Dr. Tony Henthorne, Compton served as the deputy director of the Harrison County Development Commission. In 1997, she began work with the commission as the industrial development manager and was promoted to deputy director in January 2001. She is a certified economic developer, one of only 24 in Mississippi.

In 1997, Compton developed economic impact analysis models to evaluate both ad valorem tax exemption application and land pricing discounts. Both mathematical models have been adopted by the Harrison County Board of Supervisors. These models are currently being utilized by other counties across the state.

Compton holds a bachelor's degree in economics from Millsaps College and a master's degree from Southern Miss in economic development, where she was awarded the 1991 Munro Oil Company Award for Outstanding Achievement by an Economic Development Graduate. She furthered her studies at Clemson University and was awarded a fellowship from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Economic Research Service. She is currently pursuing a doctoral degree in international development at Southern Miss.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: TheMan
"Help me understand the relevence. Is this bad news?"

Yes, TheMan. ED was in the College of Business and Economic Development. But Business is up for accreditation and ED is so bad, Business feared it would threaten the accreditation. (All of this is going on while the public is being told ED is "one of a kind", "unique", "world-class" and a building is planned just for ED."

So to protect College of Business, ED is divided up and moved out to CoAL and CoST. This is to "hide" it from the reviews until accreditation is approved and then it will be put back. Again this was done without input from faculty.

"Is this bad news?" You tell us TheMan. I guess it isn't for a tier 4 (heading for a tier 5) institution on academic probation.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

Actually, it might be helpful for someone to find that long thread on the value of a liberal arts education and kick it up, since it includes information on the high percentage of liberal arts degrees among CEOs of Fortune 500 companies.

I'm assuming that "useful" means productive of income, of course. While I don't agree that an supersized paycheck is the apex of civilization, I will point out that an English degree doesn't rule one out. My own position on learning and conspicuous wealth is summed up in a Latin proverb: Homo doctus in se semper divitias habet (The learned person always has riches within).

Jameela

Date: Dec 22, 2004

As participants on this board know, the program Edwards was hired to is very bad news.

Economic Development used to be in the College of Business and Economic Development. Until it became clear that a program with 2 faculty members and 60 grad students and countless false claims of "world class" uniqueness, run by Thames' henchman Ken Malone (PhD in Polymer Science), would get the Business programs deaccredited by their very demanding accrediting body, the AACSB.

So in October, the program was broken in two. The Masters program went to the College of Science and Technology, and the doctoral program in International Economic Development went to Thames' favorite punching bag, the College of Arts and Letters. And CBED went back to being the College of Business, to the relief of everyone there.

Trying to find this information on USM's website, I noticed that no one's bothered to update the information on which colleges the Economic Deelopment programs are in. One page even boasts that the program is in CBED and is therefore accredited by... the AACSB. Yeah, sure.

I had to rely on an issue of the Student Printz that's belatedly made it online.

Robert Campbell

Date: Dec 22, 2004

Just to pick on Reporter's point... the Printz story even quotes Lisa Mader saying that they can always move Economic Development back to the College of Business later.

Supposedly Harold Doty, the dean of the College of Business, has been relegated to Shelby Thames' doghouse for daring to bring up the danger of losing AACSB accreditation.

Further evidence, if anyone needs it, of Shelby Thames' deep respect, and high regard for keeping USM accredited.

Robert Campbell

Date: Dec 22, 2004

ED will not be moved back into the CoB. The AACSB accreditation cycle has changed to a 5 year cycle, and the ED program will not withstand public examinaiton. It is a joke, which is why Shelboo would not allow it to be discussed at PUC. The real problem was the faculty in the business school wanted to make the program a quality program, began to force some rigor into the program, and began to examine the faculty credentials of people teaching in the program. They were the first to discover the farce. Remeber, ED has been taught in Business Schools and in Economics departments for over 50 years. The oldest ED class offered in USM is still offered by the department of Economics.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

Sorry Reporter... that would be pick up on Reporter's point...

RC

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"One page even boasts that the program is in CBED and is therefore accredited by... the AACSB. Yeah, sure. "

Worse yet, it is rumored that Ken Malone and David Butler actively recruited students into the PhD IDV program by telling them (and their academic supervisors) that the program was AACSB accredited and that they would be fully qualified to teach in AACSB accredited programs once the graduated.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Jameela Lares
"Actually, it might be helpful for someone to find that long thread on the value of a liberal arts education and kick it up, since it includes information on the high percentage of liberal arts degrees among CEOs of Fortune 500 companies. I'm assuming that "useful" means productive of income, of course. While I don't agree that an supersized paycheck is the apex of civilization, I will point out that an English degree doesn't rule one out. My own position on learning and conspicuous wealth is summed up in a Latin proverb: Homo doctus in se semper divitias habet (The learned person always has riches within). Jameela "

Sorry, I meant to post this on the Glamser Update string. I'll do so now. That's what I get for quoting Latin before I've had sufficient coffee!

JL

Date: Dec 22, 2004

False Advertising,

If the pitches that Malone and Butler made to prospective doctoral students can be documented, they, along with the statements on the web page, can be used to prove that USM is guilty of fraud.

Charming.

Robert Campbell

Date: Dec 22, 2004

Yup.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

i've met some of the doctoral students in the program, and they seem "happy-happy" with it. i think they like it most because they're interested in the area and it accomodates their schedules. the ones i met seem unlikely to sue.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"i've met some of the doctoral students in the program, and they seem "happy-happy" with it. i think they like it most because they're interested in the area and it accomodates their schedules. the ones i met seem unlikely to sue."

Isn't Greg Lassen one?

Date: Dec 22, 2004

yep.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

scm,

I realize these ED students will each be getting a nice diploma, suitable for framing.

Doesn't the accreditation crisis poses an interesting dilemma, though?

If Thames remains in power, the ED program will continue, but all USM diplomas may lose their value through deaccreditation.

If Thames is ousted, ED will either be shut down or turned into a legitimate Business program... which means that many of the students currently enrolled will have trouble completing it.

Robert Campbell

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"If the pitches that Malone and Butler made to prospective doctoral students can be documented, they, along with the statements on the web page, can be used to prove that USM is guilty of fraud. "
For only $136, you too can become an online expert in (click here) -->The Elements of Fraud.

Seriously though, you may be right. The tricky part is proving intent.

A successful fraud prosecution requires that:

an individual or an organization intentionally makes an untrue representation about an important fact or event;

the untrue representation is believed by the victim (the person or organization to whom the representation has been made);

the victim relies upon and acts upon the untrue representation;

the victim suffers loss of money and/or property as a result of relying upon and acting upon the untrue representation.

source: Mark R. Simmons

To the third element, I would add that the victim has to reasonably rely on the untrue representation; often those representations are determined to be "mere puffing." For example, the use of phrases like "the very best on the market," "nobody beats our price," or "we are world class" would be judged such patent nonsense that no one could reasonably believe they are intended to be literally true. The burden would be on the plaintiff to show that Malone and Butler knew or should have known that their statements about AACSB accreditation were misleading.

On the other hand, just having reasonable grounds to sue for fraud might be enough to curtail some of these behaviors -- if the administration was inclined to avoid the expense of defending such suits. An inclination that has not been evident thus far.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

robert--correct. SACS trumps it all. if we don't get reaffirmed, USM diplomas will be most appropriately be used to line bird cages.

Date: Dec 22, 2004

Let's also remember that this hire is yet another essentially "internal" hire accomplished without any apparent search procedure (though perhaps there was a putative search, as in the case of Joy Hamiliton--see below).

There are reasons for the long-standing tradition of universities not hiring their own graduates for any sort of permanent position (temporary lecturers, etc., are a different matter). Obviously it has nothing to do with the quality of graduates at any given school, since this sort of thing is no more considered sound practice at Princeton than here. The problems are the potential concentration of power in the hands of a few, and the exercise of undue influence by former teachers and/or bosses over the new employees.

A similar case, of course, is the hiring of Joy Hamilton to assist Joan Exline (at what, $72,000/year?). Faculty Senate asked a series of questions of Dr. Exline about this hire, which I will try to reproduce accurately here:

Was JH once your student? Answer: Yes (a long explanation of JH's intervening work record followed, in which Dr. Exline brought us up to the point where she had recruited JH for this Center for heaven knows what, the purpose of which has never been clear to me--economic development, you know).

Does JH have experience with SACS or with any accreditation process? Answer: no, I was looking for "skill sets" when I hired (meaning that JH has managed and trained people, apparently, and that this general sort of experience was what was most needed).

Was there a search for the position? Answer: We posted the position description.

Were others intereviewed for the position? Answer: yes.

Were any of the others interviewed external candidates? Answer: no.

And there you go.

I'm sure we graduate many fine people who would do well in many jobs at USM. But there are good sound management reasons to not hire your own. And where the expertise is actually lacking--well. 'Nuff said.

NO QUARTER.
Anne Wallace

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Googler's Little Helper
""

Go back a little further, Googler's Little Helper, to the original article in a small Alabama town newspaper last summer about that same subject. Compare it to the USM press release - the stories don't quite match. Someone is not being honest about ED...surprise, surprise!

Date: Dec 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: False Advertising
"Worse yet, it is rumored that Ken Malone and David Butler actively recruited students into the PhD IDV program by telling them (and their academic supervisors) that the program was AACSB accredited and that they would be fully qualified to teach in AACSB accredited programs once the graduated. "

What's more, neither of these guys have degrees in AACSB accredited program areas.

Date: Dec 23, 2004

I've not met any of the ED graduate students, but I wonder if they were drawn to the program with intentions to teach in an AACSB school once they are finished. If they have been led to believe that by Malone and others, they are doomed from the start. As I understand it, AACSB schools, when they advertise, EXPLICITLY state a "graduate from an AACSB program." I guess if they want to teach at a non-AACSB school they could, but that may not be the case.

In fact, I just looked up a couple of advertisements, and everyone of them said that.

This is a terrible disservice to students who have entered a PhD program under some falsely created illusions.

Count

Date: Dec 23, 2004

kick

Date: Dec 24, 2004

again

Date: Dec 26, 2004

kickin'

Date: Dec 26, 2004

Doc Goebbels: Danke schön, mein Führer.

Lorenzo St. DuBois: Hey, you're a German.

Doc Goebbels: We're all Germans.

Lorenzo St. DuBois: That's right.
[gasps]
Lorenzo St. DuBois: That means we CANNOT invade Germany.

Date: Dec 26, 2004

I'm trying to make sure I understand what the Department of Economic Development consists of, besides its Chair who does no teaching or research in the field (Ken Malone), and the VP for Research and Economic Development (now Cecil Burge) who I presume has also been parked there.

The USM website lists the faculty as David Butler, Richard Hadden, and Mark Miller.

Butler teaches 2 courses a semester and supervises theses and dissertations. He seems to be carrying a lot of responsibility for an Assistant Professor.

Hadden does what, exactly? (His vita is online but it doesn't indicate any teaching...) He has some experience with startup companies but his academic background is in medicine.

Miller's vita isn't online. He is listed as a Full Professor, which suggests that he has been in Economic Development (or some predecessor to it) for a while. What sort of work does he do in the field, if anyone knows? Also, is the same Mark Miller who served on the Faculty Senate recently?

Robert Campbell

Date: Dec 26, 2004

That should be...

Is he the same Mark Miller...?

RC

Date: Dec 27, 2004

Robert, the holidays are a good time for puzzles. This is the best that I can piece together for you.

Dr. Mark Miller was rumored to have been "scrooged" in the infamous reorganization (was he then Dean of International?) Don't think he's part of the problem but also don't think he's been allowed to be part of the solution (is there a solution?) Folks seem to think highly of him. Dr. Richard Hadden became "affiliated" with the university in the Fall of 2003 in conjunction with the VA Hospital (what is the real story there?) Whatever he's doing with the VA is apparently the real job and directing dissertations in ED may be but a part of it (don't know). You neglected to mention Dr. David Butler's Call Center affiliation, in addition to his direction of the IDV PhD program, and assistant professor status. Although this program appears to have landed in COAL and there are rumors of it moving to the new International building in Hattiesburg - there are other rumors that it now resides at the coast (maybe not yet resolved?) A long-time coast economist will join (has already perhaps?) the IDV group to bring some economics credibility to the team. Judson Edwards, an IDV graduate and former geography assistant professor and economic developer, seems to be Butler's counterpart for the Master's program. He has been recognized in the newspaper a couple times as head (Director?) of the ED Master's Program. If the university has such a position, it certainly hasn't been made clear in a particularly transparent way. That Master's program may officially have landed in COST. It seems to be identifying individuals working in economic development as its target market although there is also a growing emphasis on technology commercialization. Dr. Cyndi Gaudet, third leg of the of the ED department stool, who also runs the Workforce Learning and Performance Center located on the Southern Miss Gulf Park Campus, was recently featured in an article in The Independent when one of her ex-students (Dr. Patti Phillips) donated $1.1 million to Dr. Gaudet's Center. All of these people appear to still report to Dr. Ken Malone as Chair of Economic Development. I would not take the new college assignments (IDV to COAL and Master's to COST) too much to heart, the faculty and administration overlap and teach in both programs. This appears to still be very much an independent department. Wasn't there another recent thread that talked about branding fees? With each of these individual faculty members directing 50 or 60 dissertations on-line apiece, the current goal of 300 should be met in no time, thus creating a wealth of newly minted PhDs who, while also keeping their day jobs, can direct more of the same. This program is going to be big...BIG (and profitable), which was after all the goal.