What can students do? - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jan 9, 2005

RE: What can students do?

Date: Jan 9, 2005

If I were a student at USM right now, here are a number of things I would do:

(1) write letters to the newspapers, identifying myself AS a student, and encourage other students to do the same. I think the public, legislators, newspapers, etc. would be more concerned if they saw many letters from students rather than from faculty and perceived supporters of faculty.

(2) try to link up with other concerned students and then stage protests.

(3) call my student representatives to account for not taking a more active role in this matter.

(4) write not only to the newspapers but to the IHL, the governor, and the legislature, always being sure to identify myself as a student. There is little if anything that the administration can do to penalize students; I don't think students appreciate just how much leverage they have in a situation like this.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: PO'd
"Sorry I didn't read through everything but so far I do know of quite a few students who have gone to William Carey. I probably would myself if I were not so close to graduation. I am telling anyone who will listen to stay away from USM at all costs, though I doubt it is doing much good. I am probably like many of you....afraid of what my speaking up would cause. (for me that is). Thanks for the tip about H.A. but this is still all being kept very quite, I didn't know about half of this stuff until I stumbled upon this place (by googling Dana Thames, btw, I wanted to know HOW she was related to ST) "

Far be it from me to sound a negative note against another town campus. but Carey has problems of its own. I'd much rather deal with our problems, bad as they are, then have to deal with British lit texts that are having Jacobean poets ripped out for being too "earthy."

I'd rather encourage students to stay -- if your program is good and you believe in it then stay. You are needed. Everyone makes a decision about where to draw the line and what battles are important -- but this is a great training ground for trying to clarify one's beliefs about ethics and academia.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stephen judd
"
Far be it from me to sound a negative note against another town campus. but Carey has problems of its own. I'd much rather deal with our problems, bad as they are, then have to deal with British lit texts that are having Jacobean poets ripped out for being too "earthy."
"

Stephen is correct. If you decide to transfer, look at another state school or a solid private school like MC or Milsaps. For coast residents South Alabama is an economical choice.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stephen judd
" this is a great training ground for trying to clarify one's beliefs about ethics"

For students maybe. The students can model a faculty that has integrity. But not for new faculty by any means.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Ma Perkins
"For students maybe. The students can model a faculty that has integrity. But not for new faculty by any means. "

Maybe . . . . it depends. I think some programs can weather the storm. And it depends on the individual incoming faculty member and what they bring to the table or hope to get out of their experience here. I'm going to be rigorously honest with the people we bring in on our search -- but if I didn't believe there were good reasons to come here I wouldn't even go through the ritual of a search.

This may not be true in every program.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stephen judd
" Maybe . . . . it depends. I think some programs can weather the storm. And it depends on the individual incoming faculty member and what they bring to the table or hope to get out of their experience here. I'm going to be rigorously honest with the people we bring in on our search -- but if I didn't believe there were good reasons to come here I wouldn't even go through the ritual of a search. This may not be true in every program. "

My concern is that the first academic job for a brand new Ph.D. is a very important and formative period in their life. I fear that when new faculty members witness the bizarre goings on at USM they might come to believe that everything here is a normal state of affairs. Monkey see, monkey do. It doesn't matter where monkey was trained. Some of them come in as innocent and uninformed about the academic life as some of the sincere citizens who write those uninformed letters to the editor. Students, on the other hand, can be protected from all of that. Students aren't usually aware of the good or bad things that occur at the upper administrative level at any university. For example, student's don't usually know what tenure is all about, much less know whether the administration abuses that principle.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Ma Perkins
"My concern is that the first academic job for a brand new Ph.D. is a very important and formative period in their life. I fear that when new faculty members witness the bizarre goings on at USM they might come to believe that everything here is a normal state of affairs. Monkey see, monkey do. It doesn't matter where monkey was trained. Some of them come in as innocent and uninformed about the academic life as some of the sincere citizens who write those uninformed letters to the editor. Students, on the other hand, can be protected from all of that. Students aren't usually aware of the good or bad things that occur at the upper administrative level at any university. For example, student's don't usually know what tenure is all about, much less know whether the administration abuses that principle. "

I agree with Ma. In fact, if they thought all of academia was like USM, they would probably run screaming into another field. Perhaps there are depts. at USM that are good at mentoring new faculty members--mine wasn't one of them--but it's hard to mentor someone as to "how things work" when "things" are in total chaos, change daily, and are often ridiculuous and absurd. If you're a new faculty member at USM, I'd advise:

1) Read the Chronicle of Higher Education regularly.
2) Read the AAUP Red book.
3) Go to as many professional meetings and make as many professional contacts outside of USM as you can. Then you can call your buddies (from your own phone, of course), and say, "Has this ever happened at your school?" and listen to them either gasp or roll on the floor laughing. This is what kept me sane for a while--seeing the reaction on colleagues' faces to things everyone at USM merely shrugged at or tried to rationalize.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: foot soldier
" I agree with Ma. In fact, if they thought all of academia was like USM, they would probably run screaming into another field. Perhaps there are depts. at USM that are good at mentoring new faculty members--mine wasn't one of them--but it's hard to mentor someone as to "how things work" when "things" are in total chaos, change daily, and are often ridiculuous and absurd. If you're a new faculty member at USM, I'd advise: 1) Read the Chronicle of Higher Education regularly. 2) Read the AAUP Red book. 3) Go to as many professional meetings and make as many professional contacts outside of USM as you can. Then you can call your buddies (from your own phone, of course), and say, "Has this ever happened at your school?" and listen to them either gasp or roll on the floor laughing. This is what kept me sane for a while--seeing the reaction on colleagues' faces to things everyone at USM merely shrugged at or tried to rationalize."

Very good advice.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"If I were a student at USM right now, here are a number of things I would do: (1) write letters to the newspapers, identifying myself AS a student, and encourage other students to do the same. I think the public, legislators, newspapers, etc. would be more concerned if they saw many letters from students rather than from faculty and perceived supporters of faculty. (2) try to link up with other concerned students and then stage protests. (3) call my student representatives to account for not taking a more active role in this matter. (4) write not only to the newspapers but to the IHL, the governor, and the legislature, always being sure to identify myself as a student. There is little if anything that the administration can do to penalize students; I don't think students appreciate just how much leverage they have in a situation like this. "
All good points stated by "USM Sympathizer". Students need to take an active role. I may add to the post from "USM Sympathizer" that students need to include in any letters to the editors or public officials, a statement that the writer is a mature individual making an intelligent, and free decision to voice their opinion and further, that their decision to write this letter is based on the actions (or lack there of) of this administration and not on the influence of our faculty.

Date: Jan 9, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Green Hornet

Also very good advice (see Hornet's post which did not print here).

Date: Jan 10, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stephen judd
" I think some programs can weather the storm. And it depends on the individual incoming faculty member and what they bring to the table or hope to get out of their experience here. I'm going to be rigorously honest with the people we bring in on our search -- but if I didn't believe there were good reasons to come here I wouldn't even go through the ritual of a search. "

Amen, Stephen.