HA Letter: Time for a Change - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Dec 24, 2004

HA Letter: Time for a Change

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Kudos to Shae Brady, a perceptive student. Would that more would speak out in similar fashion.

It's hard for me to me objective, I admit, but it seems that this letter is much better than the pro-Thames "counterpoint' also published today. Brady gives specific examples of why the current administration is failing; Ramsey just makes unsupported declarations about the credentials of SFT. At some point, folks stop talking about credentials and start looking at performance.

I think Brady has offered readers a truer and more accurate picture of what SFT has done to the students and the university. Here's hoping the readers notice the difference.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Excellent letter - more from students please!

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Speaking of students, has the current student government had ANYTHING to say about the SACS fiasco? If they are truly concerned with representing the interests of students at USM, this should be their number-one concern. Maybe they can devote an issue of the Varsity Voice to the matter.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

A fine letter!

Does SFT still conduct his "Tuesdays with Thames" encounters with students? Does the PUC still exist, and, if so, has it had anything to say on the SACS matter? Has the student newspaper editorialized at all?

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
Has the student newspaper editorialized at all?

Don't forget there are two newspapers. I'd like to know if they are approaching this crisis in different ways.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"A fine letter! Does SFT still conduct his "Tuesdays with Thames" encounters with students? Does the PUC still exist, and, if so, has it had anything to say on the SACS matter? Has the student newspaper editorialized at all?"

Sympathizer, the SACS news broke during the last week of school. Faculty Senate had to call a special meeting during exam week just to hear what the administration knew from Dr. Exline. The PUC had already met for December; their next meeting is in January. The Student Printz barely had info about SACS in their last edition of the semester.

What to expect in January? SACS is going to mail the details on Jan 10 (the day classes begin) and USM should get it Jan 12. Faculty Senate meets on Jan 14. I believe the PUC meets that first week also, but I need to check on that. F.S. had discussions of another “no confidence” vote. AAUP is suppose to conduct a survey and, base on the results, may conduct a general “no confidence” vote of the entire faculty.

So ends another year of our favorite soap, “As sand through an hour glass so flow Shelby’s Surprises”.

Date: Dec 25, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"A fine letter!
Does SFT still conduct his "Tuesdays with Thames" encounters with students? Does the PUC still exist, and, if so, has it had anything to say on the SACS matter? Has the student newspaper editorialized at all?"

Has the PUC had anything to say on the SACS matter?!? According to their minutes posted on SFT's "President's Update" page, David Johnson first raised the spectre of SACS accreditation problems with Joan Exline and requested she update the PUC at the July 28 meeting. At that time, she reported that "All will be well." The PUC has no more meetings until sometime in mid-January. If I am not mistaken (and I could be), both David Johnson and Bobby Middlebrooks have finished their terms on the PUC, along with half of the members. It will be interesting to see if the new bunch has anything to say in January.

Date: Dec 27, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: BellyFull
" Has the PUC had anything to say on the SACS matter?!? According to their minutes posted on SFT's "President's Update" page, David Johnson first raised the spectre of SACS accreditation problems with Joan Exline and requested she update the PUC at the July 28 meeting. At that time, she reported that "All will be well." The PUC has no more meetings until sometime in mid-January. If I am not mistaken (and I could be), both David Johnson and Bobby Middlebrooks have finished their terms on the PUC, along with half of the members. It will be interesting to see if the new bunch has anything to say in January."

With Myron Henry and Anne Wallace on the PUC, you can be sure there will be a lot said in January. Also I believe David Johnson is still on, but no longer secretary.

Date: Dec 27, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Reporter
"With Myron Henry and Anne Wallace on the PUC, you can be sure there will be a lot said in January. Also I believe David Johnson is still on, but no longer secretary."

Bellyfull was correct, Reporter. I am no longer on the PC. Bobby Middlebrooks, who was the first facilitator, and I both end our terms 12/31/04 along with half of the council. So, technically, I'm on for another 4 days, but effectively I'm off of it since no meetings are planned until mid-January.

Pam Posey was elected the new secretary at the December meeting. She will preside at the January meeting over the election of a new facilitator from among the new members who will serve a full year term. Assuming the council sticks to the plan that Bobby and I proposed (in order to have some continuity of leadership), a new secretary will be elected mid-calendar-year each year and a new facilitator at the beginning of each year.

I join in your confidence regarding Myron Henry and Anne Wallace. Neither of these good faculty are likely to let the SACS accreditation issue drop. There are many others on the PC who will be equally outspoken on this and other matters.

Thanks,

DJ

p.s. I have arranged for the minutes to be housed in the McCain archives collection. They will be submitted in January once the December minutes are approved and Pam will submit approved minutes monthly thereafter. This will allow for people to check their accuracy in the future about the PC meetings during this tumultuous time.

Date: Dec 27, 2004

David, do you know if Trellis Green and Tammy Greer have rotated off? They were was both a voice for reason on the PUC. Also I would like to see someone post the important parts of the minutes to this board. Maybe Myron or Anne would be willing.

Date: Dec 27, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Ray Folse
"David, do you know if Trellis Green and Tammy Greer have rotated off? They were was both a voice for reason on the PUC. Also I would like to see someone post the important parts of the minutes to this board. Maybe Myron or Anne would be willing."

Ray, both Trellis and Tammy remain on the PC until 6/30/05. I agree with your sentiment about both of them. It is possible that Myron or Anne would be willing to do as you suggest, but minutes aren't to be shared outside the group until they are approved. If Pam follows through on posting them to the web as they are approved, anyone could pick them up from the President's Update pages and post the relevant parts here.

Date: Dec 27, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Uno, Duo
"Don't forget there are two newspapers. I'd like to know if they are approaching this crisis in different ways. "

Has anyone addressed the issue of the cost of two separate newspapers?

Date: Dec 27, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Advocate
"Has anyone addressed the issue of the cost of two separate newspapers?"

I have a related question. Are copies of the two current campus newspapers shipped down to the Gulf Park campus for consumption there?

Date: Dec 29, 2004

Maybe the next president will crack down on faculty members who spend all day on their computers posting messages on the AAUP website - on university computers I would imagine.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Dr. Do Little
"Maybe the next president will crack down on faculty members who spend all day on their computers posting messages on the AAUP website - on university computers I would imagine."

Dr. Do Little, you better include the Faculty Senate listserv also, because the faculty often communicate via that mode. There may be other listservs that could be monitored. You may also consider hiring more campus police. That way USM can have them patrolling the halls to make sure faculty don't discuss these issues person to person. Someone made the outstanding suggestion of bugging the union and Seymour’s. That would really cut down on all of this communication.

Thanks for an excellent suggestion. I hope you write a letter about this to the Hattiesburg American.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

Hey, that's a great idea. Thanks.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Dr. Do Little
"Maybe the next president will crack down on faculty members who spend all day on their computers posting messages on the AAUP website - on university computers I would imagine."

Any next president who conducts such a crack down will be out of here before you can say Roy Klumb.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Dr. Do Little
"Maybe the next president will crack down on faculty members who spend all day on their computers posting messages on the AAUP website - on university computers I would imagine."

Dr. Do Little, I see that you and I need to have a Dutch Uncle talk. It is apparent from your posting that you do not understand that the days - perhaps years - of fear, intimidation, and retaliation at USM are nearing an end. It may not happen this week, or this month, or even this semester or this year, but it is inevitable. The attempted firing of Gary Stringer and Frank Glamser, coupled with the email monitoring and other treacherous events, ensured that it will happen. Its only a matter of time. Let's just hope that enough of our good faculty will stay around long enough so there will be something to salvage.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Dr. Do Little
"Maybe the next president will crack down on faculty members who spend all day on their computers posting messages on the AAUP website - on university computers I would imagine."

"Crack down"? CEO's don't even run coal mines or railroads that way anymore. That management style went out a century ago and has never existed at universities since the Middle Ages. If you are not careful, you are going to end up with the "university" you deserve.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

1. What university faculty member in his/her right mind uses university computers for ANYTHING personal, including this message board?

2. How does Dr. Do-Little know who is or is not faculty? A significant number of posters are not USM faculty.

3. In any case, use of the computer is part of the package and ought to be freely available to faculty who are seriously underpaid.

4. To forestall the good doctor's next snide remark, I just completed a miserable hitch as an adjunct professor -- the hardest money I've ever earned in my life. And I did not even get an email address. I had to set up my own account on my private computer for students to contact me and send work. In fact, I was unable to reply to students who used USM email, which caused several problems for students.

We've gone around and around on this board about the use of computers. You trolls should do your homework.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Dr. Do Little
"Maybe the next president will crack down on faculty members who spend all day on their computers posting messages on the AAUP website - on university computers I would imagine."

As if the continuing struggle for shared governance, academic freedom and integrity (not to mention mere accreditation) were not the professoriat's stock in trade.

Dr. Do Little: truly one of "the insects of the moment."

Date: Dec 29, 2004

You people need a hobby.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
" As if the continuing struggle for shared governance, academic freedom and integrity (not to mention mere accreditation) were not the professoriat's stock in trade. Dr. Do Little: truly one of "the insects of the moment." "

Dr. Do Little (aka Insect of the Moment), I spent dollar upon dollar on supplies, postage, and various other items for which USM should have legitimately footed the bill. I recall a time when our department was instructed not to send out letters of recommendation for students without the student defraying the cost. I was too embarrassed to ask a student for a stamp, lest the student discover just how miserly the people in control can be - so I invariably purchased and paid for the stamps myself. I can't count the number university-related long-distance calls I made in the evenings or during weekends at home (during the few times I was not back in the office working during those periods) - and I charged them to my personal telephone account. You are truly an uninformed ingrate.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

Are you people so naive as to think just because you work somewhere your communication is secure? I work for a company in which the boss told me point blank he checks up on his employees. You know that lovely little "tempory internet files" folder in Internet Explorer. That can be copied and dumped to another folder as well as the default folder in IE. Is it wrong, hell yeah its wrong. But, it's the choice of a company.

The university is no different. THey have the right to do anything they want on their property. Unless you bought your own computer, I'd be willing to be there a little silver sticker that says Property of the University of Southern Mississippi on your computer. So a word to the wise, careful what you say and do.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

Ingrate?

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: John Dohe
"Are you people so naive as to think just because you work somewhere your communication is secure? I work for a company in which the boss told me point blank he checks up on his employees. You know that lovely little "tempory internet files" folder in Internet Explorer. That can be copied and dumped to another folder as well as the default folder in IE. Is it wrong, hell yeah its wrong. But, it's the choice of a company. The university is no different. THey have the right to do anything they want on their property. Unless you bought your own computer, I'd be willing to be there a little silver sticker that says Property of the University of Southern Mississippi on your computer. So a word to the wise, careful what you say and do."

A couple of us at my compuer are wondering about something, Dr. John - why did you post your message on this particular thread, the content of which is rather innocuous?

Date: Dec 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Dr. Do Little
"Ingrate?"

Ingrate = Thankless wretch (DICTIONARY DEFINITION)

Date: Dec 29, 2004

Dr. John? I have no such title, nor is my name John.

I was writing in reply to Dr. Do Little's statement about the "new president" cracking down. Perhaps I should've made it clearer for the intelligence impared.

My statement was meant to mean that USM doesn't need a new president to crack down. They can do it now.

Date: Dec 29, 2004

You can't "crack down" when you are already cracked up!!!