HA Letter: Thames knows best - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Dec 24, 2004

HA Letter: Thames knows best

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Another call for letting Dr. Thames "lead." Well, son, he's leading -- right off a cliff.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Mal, Vict, Miss Information, #1 Groupie, and Mr. Wonderful: This letter would be a prime candiate for the weekly Creme de la Dumb award if such an award existed.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

"Dr. Thames is a proven, intelligent, results-oriented manager, and this is a bane to those on the faculty who wish to elevate themselves far above their level of competency."

Oh he is a results-oriented manager - that much is true. One of his results was a drop to Tier 4 and SACS probation. Hip hip hooray Shelby

And the slam to Amy Young speaks volumes about the writer.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

How many results-oriented managers have spent 16 years out of management?

The letter writer also referred to Amy Young as "Ms. Young" and Shelby Thames as "Dr. Thames"--though he was unable to maintain consistency.

Robert Campbell

Date: Dec 24, 2004

To this observer, the university is far better off with the departure of the two dissident professors, and will be better served if others of their ilk choose to sever their relationships with USM. Let the administrators administer and the teachers teach.

I would love to believe that I am of the "ilk" of Frank Glamser and Gary Stringer. Dissident professors. What a joke. Since when was Shelby F. Thames an administrator prior to becoming president. Who that's right - he administrated himself right out of a job on the Coast did he not many years ago. Shelby Thames knows nothing about being a good administrator. Nothing.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Sorry guys, Mal is trapped in the kitchen today trying to avoid the proverbial lump of coal. Her husband (me) has bribed her with promises of good things to come (babbels and trinkets of all shapes and sizes) if she will try to be a good little wife for the day. It's the only day of the year I have any influence over her so she may not have as much time to play as she normally would.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

If the faculty followed this guy's advice and restricted themselves to teaching for the next year, the SACS accreditation would go in the tank.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: educator
"Shelby Thames knows nothing about being a good administrator. Nothing."

And from what I've seen the IHL knows nothing about the selection and retention of university administrators. Nothing."

Date: Dec 24, 2004

"Given the fact that Dr. Thames was opposed by an overwhelming majority of the faculty at the time of his selection, why in the heck would Dr. Thames even consider consulting the faculty for their 'expert advice?'"

I'd say that would be a very good reason to listen to the faculty, Mr. Ramsey. I'd sure want to know what my opposition had to say. I might learn something from listening to them. Or do you believe the president should only listen to his "Yes" men?

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Venting is helpful, but I'm thinking it will be even more helpful if we continue to write letters to the editor.

A recent talk with an alumni has convinced me that many, many members of the community are still behind the learning curve on what's wrong at USM. They may well think otherwise if they have information other than the puff jobs they've been receiving.

Here's what I just sent to the Hattiesburg American:

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

I write in response to Donald Ramsey’s letter of today. While I applaud Mr. Ramsey’s concern to voice the truth as he sees it, I must respectfully note that his facts are wrong in a number of particulars.

First, Dr. Thames is also a professor, as are almost all American university administrators, though Dr. Thames has somehow persuaded the community otherwise. Dr. Thames has spent most of his long career in a laboratory, not at a desk. The faculty who initially opposed him did so because in his two short, previous terms in administration were not successful.

Second, we professors are as much members of the community as anyone. We have mortgages, pay taxes, and support local businesses. I myself worked my way through school with two teenagers and a bankrupt ex-husband. I also understand business, because my father was a successful and respected subcontractor. He taught me to respect authority–but to know when enough is enough. And if he had dropped the ball on a deadline, he would have honestly taken the blame and not blamed his crew.

Finally, and most importantly, Dr. Thames has not been successful. He makes many claims, but his primary task was to keep the university accredited, and now we are on probation because he was not minding the store.

Respectfully,

Jameela Lares

Associate Professor of English

and Hattiesburg resident

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Jameela makes a good point which has not been made often enough. Professors ARE just as much citizens of the community as anyone else. When USM goes belly-up, it's going to hurt every single person who lives here.

Also, it's time letter writers point out that Thames' has no history as a successful administrator, but was a miserable failure the last time he tried it. I wonder if Mr. Ramsey has to account for his time in 15-minute increments, or report to a secretary every time he goes to the bathroom? That was the Thames model in his last incarnation as an administrator.

Hope the HA prints your letter without mangling it too badly.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Did you guys catch the racist undertones of his letter?

Amy is an anthropologist specializing in African American archaeology. Gotta point that out for all the red-blooded American good old boys out there. How can she know what's good for the university if she's studying historic African Americans? (Wish there was an icon for rolling one's eyes here, because that was my reaction when I read his letter.)

Then, the author says that he did fine without ever taking an anthro class. Since, in fundamentalist religious minds, anthro is tied to evolution, (I know it's wrong, but I also know how people like this think) he is pointing out that just because he's educated doesn't mean that he isn't still a good old boy.

Now, I am looking for an icon that shows me going GRRRRRRRR!

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Thanks to all of the letter writers. However, I think many in Hattiesburg have a view of the faculty similar to that of Mr. Ramsey. As a result they shut their eyes and put fingers in their ears when the faculty speak. To them the faculty are the "outsiders". Some of this goes back to the '60s and the fight for civil rights, when "Those liberal faculty troublemakers from up north caused all of the trouble" mentality prevailed.

So let's encourage non-faculty to write letters. I believe alumni, students and citizens interested in this university can make a larger impact with their letters than the faculty. Please ask others to help in the letter writing.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Newgirl
"Thanks to all of the letter writers. However, I think many in Hattiesburg have a view of the faculty similar to that of Mr. Ramsey . . . So let's encourage non-faculty to write letters. I believe alumni, students and citizens interested in this university can make a larger impact with their letters than the faculty. Please ask others to help in the letter writing. "

Yes, please!

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Fire Shelby, I did catch the racist undertone. It wasn't very far under!! Does anyone know who Mr. Ramsey is?

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Please send the half-million dollar bill for the SACS cleanup to Mr. Ramsey.

Has anyone on the board totalled up the amount of money wasted because of Shelby's ineptness? I bet the final figure would be astonishing.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

There is a Donald Ramsey who is an accountant in Hattiesburg - same person?

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Angeline
"There is a Donald Ramsey who is an accountant in Hattiesburg - same person?"

Check the telephone directory to see if his office is with that other Hattiesburg accountant who was a former college board member.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Don't think so. Mr. Ramsey failed to register with the state board of public accountancy:

http://www.msbpa.state.ms.us/licsearch/lname18.html

Everybody at the Nicholson firm would be registered.The phone book shows the same address for Don & Donna Ramsey as for Donald Ramsey. That would indicate the possibility that he works out of his house. Perhaps he still does bookkeeping, tax preparation, etc. out of his home without keeping his CPA designation current?

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: FireShelby
"Did you guys catch the racist undertones of his letter?
"

Boy you leftist hippies can find racist undertones in anything now days cant you?

Date: Dec 24, 2004

Theman. So happy you aren't Thewoman. Go away.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

A Christmas wish for USM - a state auditor that does his job well to root out corruption, mismanagement, questionable expenditures of tax dollars, and to ensure the integrity of state operations.

Sorry USM you won't get this wish. The State Auditor has his nose of Shelby's ass too far. Such a pity for the honest, hard working USM employees and the taxpayers of the state.

Gone Never Returning

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: TheMan
" Boy you leftist hippies can find racist undertones in anything now days cant you?"

It doesn't take a seer to see "racist undertones" in Ramsey's letter.

"Dr. Young is an associate professor of anthropology, focusing on the anthropology of African-American sites in Mississippi." -- Donald Ramsey

Absent the racial subtext, Ramsey's statement is irrelevant and immaterial. Granted, it doesn't have much relevance anyway, but what little it has would just be to show her interest in African-American matters.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

If he knew the difference between a bauble and a babble, I might spend more time in the kitchen! Love to you all...back to my guests!

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Hamilton Burger
"
It doesn't take a seer to see "racist undertones" in Ramsey's letter.
"Dr. Young is an associate professor of anthropology, focusing on the anthropology of African-American sites in Mississippi." -- Donald Ramsey
Absent the racial subtext, Ramsey's statement is irrelevant and immaterial. Granted, it doesn't have much relevance anyway, but what little it has would just be to show her interest in African-American matters."

Had her specialty been the Laplanders of Sweden and Finland, I don't think it would have been mentioned.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: TheMan
" Boy you leftist hippies can find racist undertones in anything now days cant you?"

It was the students, not the faculty, who were hippies your little twirp.

Date: Dec 24, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Mal-content?
"Sorry guys, Mal is trapped in the kitchen today trying to avoid the proverbial lump of coal. Her husband (me) has bribed her with promises of good things to come (babbels and trinkets of all shapes and sizes) if she will try to be a good little wife for the day. It's the only day of the year I have any influence over her so she may not have as much time to play as she normally would."

That's the spirit, Mr. Mal. Just keep hummin' that famous Kinky Friedman ditty, "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven"...

Happy Christmas, ever'body.

Vic

Date: Dec 25, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: TheMan
" Racism only truly exists as a fundraiser mechanism for the NAACP and ACLU. KEEP RACISM ALIVE..."

Like I said before: the chasm may be just too wide. Merry Christmas.

Date: Dec 25, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: ram
"Like I said before: the chasm may be just too wide. Merry Christmas."

This troll (TheMan) may be untrainable. He has made a puddle in the middle of the rug again.