IHL Meeting - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jan 21, 2005

IHL Meeting

Date: Jan 21, 2005

If this is accurate, it would be helpful to understand it in greater context. Is it standard procedure for the university/college presidents and their provosts to attend the IHL Thursday board meetings? Where were the president and the provost yesterday if not at the meetings? Who participated on Wednesday when the actual committee work was being performed? What sort of input was solicited and not provided by USM that was provided by the other university representatives? What sort of outcomes resulted from this participation or lack thereof?

Date: Jan 21, 2005

One could well have asked the same questions of the SACS meeting the president chose not to attend, sending a proxy in his place. He should be there, even if he's not on the agenda. It's his job. Thames misses more IHL meetings than he makes.

Date: Jan 21, 2005

Here a proxy, there a proxy but nowhere to be seen was the proxy's proxy.

Date: Jan 21, 2005

This will definitely hurt USM in both the short and long term. I once had an old board member tell me that when McCain was president he commanded so much respect from the board they all snapped to attention when he came in the room and that Lucas was so beloved that they would do anything for him. I doubt the board has any respect or love for Thames and this will affect many funding decisions for many years down the road, no matter who is sitting in the dome.

(This is not an endorsement for McCain, I’ve read Exit 13 like most everyone else, just a comment on two past presidents' relationship with the IHL board.)

Date: Jan 21, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: asdf
"(This is not an endorsement for McCain, I’ve read Exit 13 like most everyone else, just a comment on two past presidents' relationship with the IHL board.)"

Thames does seem to miss an inordinate number of important meetings. Is this pure arrogance, or does he realize that he doesn't know what they're talking about & therefore has no real input to provide anyway? Oh, one other possibility: he is a chicken

who's afraid that he might be called on the carpet during the meeting.

SFT is paid quite well not to go to meetings, isn't he? In fact, he's paid to be at the meetings with whatever support staff he needs, information in hand, ready to stand up for the interests of his institution.

Another bit of evidence that SFT doesn't know his

from a hole in the ground when it comes to running a university & some circumstantial evidence that IHL expects him to concede to UM & MSU at every possible juncture.

The fact that IHL allowed him to send proxies is telling. Right now, were I a board member, I would expect him to be front and center at every meeting & if he couldn't answer my questions, he would have to tell me why he was unable to answer them. The fact that no trustee blew a gasket over Thames leaving the meeting is very much in line with my oft-stated "conspiracy theory" position.

THE IHL BOARD SIMPLY DOESN'T CARE WHO REPRESENTS USM. They aren't going to listen anyway.

Date: Jan 21, 2005

Dr. Thames does not relish appearances at IHL meetings. In times past, he has been subjected to ridicule by board members. As you may have noticed, Dr. Thames is small in stature, a genetically determined feature over which he has no control. When seated, his chin barely reaches the conference table, causing a distraction when he attempts to speak. Dr. Thames feels that he is more effective when represented by an emissary. Thank you for your understanding.

Date: Jan 21, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Not Clicking
"If this is accurate, it would be helpful to understand it in greater context. Is it standard procedure for the university/college presidents and their provosts to attend the IHL Thursday board meetings? Where were the president and the provost yesterday if not at the meetings? Who participated on Wednesday when the actual committee work was being performed? What sort of input was solicited and not provided by USM that was provided by the other university representatives? What sort of outcomes resulted from this participation or lack thereof?"

On Thursday I saw the provost. He was in Ocean Springs at least part of the day.

Date: Jan 21, 2005

If SHelboo is not respected the other presidents, by the IHL Board, by ANYONE other than his loyal circle of clowns, then WHY WON"T THEY FIRE HIM? I don't get this!!!! Who is in this guys corner? It just can't be simply explained that MSN and UM won't to take over the State, really. This isn't the cold war. Could someone tell me what is going on? And what is "no quarter"?

Date: Jan 21, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: concerned public
"Who is in this guys corner?"

It's not so much who's in his corner as who's in his pocket.

"With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give NO QUARTER, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost."

- William Lloyd Garrison

Date: Jan 21, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
" It's not so much who's in his corner as who's in his pocket. "With reasonable men, I will reason; with humane men I will plead; but to tyrants I will give NO QUARTER, nor waste arguments where they will certainly be lost." - William Lloyd Garrison"

Incidently Invictus --

your communication came though loud and clear the other night. Sorry I haven't replied but I had a little snafu in personal communications. However, I'm running again -- looking foward to some more back channel observations from your unique vantage point.

I might be able to bring you up to speed on this end as well.