Vote? - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jan 31, 2005

Vote?

Date: Jan 31, 2005

That won't be known till the vote is actually taken on Wednesday.

RC

Date: Jan 31, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
"That won't be known till the vote is actually taken on Wednesday.

RC"

Is it certain that there will BE a vote, regardless of the anticipated outcome?

Date: Jan 31, 2005

I was really just asking if there will be a vote -- some around here feel that, from what we've been told, the FacSen President filibustered his own organization to delay any vote, hoping that the FacSen would lose steam on the No Confidence issue. By the way, I have heard his name and "shill for the administration" used in the same sentence about fifty times since Friday afternoon's meeting.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

i was encouraged by Anne Wallace's comment last week about FS members making sure to talk with their constituencies. unfortunately, it hasn't happened with me and some of my colleagues. it's very quiet and you would think that if an important vote was going to be taken that senators would be soliciting people's opinions.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Harry Potter and the Mismanagement of a University
" I was really just asking if there will be a vote -- some around here feel that, from what we've been told, the FacSen President filibustered his own organization to delay any vote, hoping that the FacSen would lose steam on the No Confidence issue. By the way, I have heard his name and "shill for the administration" used in the same sentence about fifty times since Friday afternoon's meeting."
HP,

The only legitimate reason Dave Beckett could have for delaying a vote is...

making sure the resolution of No Confidence will pass with an overwhelming majority.

NO QUARTER!

Robert Campbell

Date: Jan 31, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"i was encouraged by Anne Wallace's comment last week about FS members making sure to talk with their constituencies. unfortunately, it hasn't happened with me and some of my colleagues. it's very quiet and you would think that if an important vote was going to be taken that senators would be soliciting people's opinions. "

If your senator hasn't sought you out, by all means go and find him/her and let them know how you feel. The street has to be two way.

I have a friend who teaches there, to protect this person, I will not say which college or what subject. This person is also a faculty senator, and they were saying that at this point in time a vote of no confidence would be almost futile. This person did state that the number one priority is to keep accrediation, which I do agree with. However, I do disagree with the futileness of a no confidence vote, in order for it to get the attention of the IHL, you are going to need the students and their parents behind you. This is more than just a no confidence vote, the accrediation of USM is on the line. Don't your students realize that if USM loses SACS accrediation, their diplomas are worthless? Helloooooooooo, that would sure as hell get my attention in a heartbeat, especially if I were a parent shelling out tutition.

I sit on the outside looking in. If you as faculty and alumni are going to win the war against Thames you have to hit him where it hurts, the pocketbook. If students and parents were to be really informed as to what is going on, you would start to hurt him. And I do understand that you have to be careful as to what you say to the students. Look at Will Watson, and the fact that he was told to hush about the library on the Coast. Remember Frank and Gary and the humiliation they endured. Noel Polk, Dr. Berry, the list goes on and on. How many more good faculty members must USM lose before people start to wake up and smell the %%&* pile Thames has created for you?

As I stated in the beginning, if your senator hasn't come to you, for heaven's sake, go to them. This is WAR people, and you have to fight, or all hope is lost for USM.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

There will be a vote - the only issue is what exactly the resolution will say. At the least it will call for the IHL Board to begin the search for a new president (which they will have to do anyway IF SFT is not going to serve a second term because of the time frame involved, so the issue is whether or not SFT will serve a second term).

Date: Jan 31, 2005

so much of the communication has to be from faculty member to senator. when these people agreed to serve as a FS member, i assumed they assumed some responsibility for communicating to their constituency. why don't the college delegations have a meeting with the faculty in their college? years ago, college delegations were encouraged to do that. without more of an attempt to proactively communicate with their constituencies, i fear that the basis for any vote will represent the views of a very limited number of people.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

I've never had a U.S. senator or representative ask my opinion beyond a mass mailing. People with strong feelings should seek out their FS representatives.

Secondly, the argument that the Faculty Senate is not "representative" is a dodge. That's what the Baylor president said after his no confidence votes. When the whole faculty voted the same way, the truth was evident. The same thing happened at USM last spring.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

some politicians have town hall meetings. the meetings i suggested could work. also time saving. if not that, what about e-mail? FS has its listserv. why not share some of that information with faculty. sadly, some FS reps are willing to talk to the press than other faculty. what are the 19 items Bill Scarborough discussed? Mystery to me. I get aggravated when FS minutes are not posted in a timely manner (i know they have to be approved at a meeting before they can be posted, but a 2-3 meeting delay?). I get more info. from the HA and this message board than i do from faculty senate members.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"some politicians have town hall meetings. the meetings i suggested could work. also time saving. if not that, what about e-mail? FS has its listserv. why not share some of that information with faculty. sadly, some FS reps are willing to talk to the press than other faculty. what are the 19 items Bill Scarborough discussed? Mystery to me. I get aggravated when FS minutes are not posted in a timely manner (i know they have to be approved at a meeting before they can be posted, but a 2-3 meeting delay?). I get more info. from the HA and this message board than i do from faculty senate members. "

If you don't feel represented by your FS rep, then tell that person!

I do not think that any member of FS would feel right going into a vote knowing that people who he/she represents feel they are abandoned.

Don't simply explain your displeasure here - make it know to the person who represents you so this situation can be fixed! This goes for anyone in such a situation. Make FS work for you, on your behalf.

Date: Jan 31, 2005

i have. i've asked what the issues are and i get a "i'm not really sure." (to be candid i probably have a better sense of the issues than the senator in my dept. i test to see if they pay attention at meetings.) my department has had other faculty members who insisted they be on the dept. agenda. not this one, nor the prior one. of course, given the way the FS is organized, a person who might not get elected by their dept. can get elected by those outside of their dept. doesn't make for a real sense of responsibility to a constituency. i've always thought the FS ought to be like the US Senate--every dept. gets a rep. Let the politics be addressed at the dept. level. Might make the senator feel more responsible to a constituency. They'd see them more frequently.