From a cached file in Google:

Hattiseburg American, Sunday, May 11, 2003

USM Adviser Raises Faculty Concerns; Thames-hired Lawyer Says he Only Analyzes

Janet Braswell
American Senior Writer jbraswell@hattiesb.gannett.com


Nobody knew who Jack Hanbury was when he showed up at a special Faculty Senate meeting last month at the University of Southern Mississippi.

Many faculty and staff still don't know him but they've heard of the new lawyer who drives a gray BMW convertible with the Kentucky license plate that says APPEAL.

Hanbury's official title is director of resources and risk management, a new position USM President Shelby Thames created and only the second at a state-supported university.

"I advise the senior administration on a wide variety of legal issues," Hanbury said. "I'm generally involved in analyzing situations and helping the university to avoid legal liability."

Hanbury denied he was hired to find a legal way to fire tenured professors.

"That is absolutely incorrect," he said. "I have not been instructed by anyone to fire anyone, nor anything to that effect."

Hanbury attended a special meeting of the Faculty Senate April 23, 10 days after starting his new job. He tried to stop the group from holding an executive session, pointing out that the senate's constitution states all meetings shall be open.

"People are just kind of wondering, a new person, an attorney who's at the Faculty Senate meeting," said Myron Henry, senate president-elect.

Hanbury also sat in on the senate's May 2 meeting when the group debated and approved a resolution asking Thames to meet with faculty and a facilitator to improve communication.

"Being a professionally trained mediator myself, I have discussed that with President Thames," Hanbury said. He wouldn't say what advice he gave Thames.

And he couldn't provide an answer when asked how attending Faculty Senate meetings is part of the risk management job.

"Anytime that an institution, whether it's a corporation or a university, has to undergo significant changes that are necessary to improve the institution, that's necessarily going to create legal issues and cause concerns among members of the institution," he said.

Understanding the issues is a major part of risk management, said university spokeswoman Lisa Mader.

"In response to questions that have been raised to the administration by Faculty Senate members, it is appropriate for Mr. Hanbury to attend Faculty Senate meetings so that he can provide clarification," she said.

Lee Gore remains university counsel, Mader said.

"There was one vacant attorney's position under legal counsel, but that position hasn't been filled," she said. The position has been open since April 2001.

Hanbury is admitted to practice in the courts of Kentucky and Ohio but hasn't been admitted in Mississippi.

The University of Mississippi Medical Center is the only other state-supported university with an attorney hired specifically for risk management, said Pam Smith, assistant higher education commissioner. The state College Board will officially approve USM's new position and Hanbury to fill it this week, she said.

Conversations about Hanbury reflect the uncertainty change generates, said Dave Duhon, associate marketing and management professor.

"We've talked that it's interesting that we have another attorney," he said.

Hanbury practiced in his own firm in Ashland, Ky., before USM hired him for $140,000 a year. Since taking on the job April 14, he has spent much of his time rewriting the faculty handbook with the help of personnel and human resources staff.

The administration discontinued the work of a handbook committee after a disagreement with the Faculty Senate about the number of faculty on the committee. Both the USM chapter of the American Association of University Professors and the Faculty Senate have discussed the issue repeatedly.

"I don't know the guy, but I can't imagine that he has much of a background in higher education," said Frank Glamser, president of the AAUP chapter. "This represents a dramatic change in how we do business here. As a policy matter, this represents a dramatic change if it's going to be imposed."

But Hanbury may bring needed expertise to the project, Duhon said.

"It may be a good thing because he has some experience in contract law," he said.

The original resolution considered by the Faculty Senate on May 2 called for a moratorium on five issues, including the handbook, last revised about six years ago. But the language was removed before the resolution was passed.

His first review of the handbook is almost finished, but Hanbury doesn't know what will happen when he completes the first draft.

"It's really premature for me to say what the administration will do once it gets drafted," he said.

Hanbury said he sees his role as resources and risk manager as part of the restructuring Thames has orchestrated since he became president a year ago.

"I have a broad range of experience on different legal issues," he said. "Any given situation can often present multiple legal issues that the lay person might not realize. So my job is to assess the situation and tell senior administration what legal issues may or may not be presented and advise them of the appropriate course of action so that we do things the right way."

Changes as well as concerns voiced by the Faculty Senate create the possibility of a variety of issues coming up, he said.

"As an attorney, you often advise clients on matters that are more practical than purely legal," he said.

Note to Hanbury: Analyze these posts. I think the days of free hand-outs are about to dry up!!