I don't understand the push towards making a stand at the March meeting when the IHL is meeting today and tomorrow in Jackson. What can happen then that can't happen now? The commissioner has clearly indicated that the university is being run in a way that is contrary to best practices at other universities, specifically that the actions of this administration have put both a college and the entire university at further accreditation risk. That from the highest educator in the state who was tasked by the IHL board to oversee the accreditation process after SACS put the university on probation in December. What MORE are we going to know in March other than the names of more faculty who choose to leave, more students who choose to go elsewhere, and more alums who choose to withdraw their support?
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Anne Wallace
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RE: What if the IHL does nothing at Thursday's mee
As I've said before, preparing to leave and continuing to fight are NOT mutually exclusive. No matter where we're working, there are always small battles of this kind to be fought. The difference at USM is that we're in the trenches in a full-scale war (and the stalemate of WWI seems a pretty exact analogy, though of course at altogether another level). Even Roy Klumb now says that there are TWO oppposed forces bent on "destructing" each other, apparently recognizing SFT's administration as a destructive force.
And because Klumb is beginning to say things like this, and because Crofts has openly said that SFT would endanger accreditation if he "supported" Grimes in the CoB matter (I find it hard to believe that the substance of that letter didn't originate with SFT in some way), it's possible--just possible--that the Board as a whole may swing against SFT, if not at this meeting, then in his evaluation (that's in April, right?).
Let's just stay with it, folks. As Ellen says, we're all tired--and as Jameela says, the race does not always go to the swiftest. Hang on, say the words, fight the fight.
NO QUARTER. Anne Wallace
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Advocate
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RE: What if the IHL does nothing at Thursday's meeting
If the IHL does nothing, then we should write more letters than we ever have. We should inundate them with letters. We should fill up their voice mail boxes with messages and overflow their e-mails with more and more letters -- clog their lines of communication. If the IHL does nothing, then we should just do more.
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Left (formerly Leaving Soon)
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RE: RE: What if the IHL does nothing at Thursday's mee
quote: Originally posted by: Offer Letter in Hand "I am having a real dilemma. I have the opportunity to go to another institution, one that has no accreditation problems but that is a step down from the pre-Thames USM I joined (probably a lateral move right now).
The problem is, I would only ever take that job to get out of USM (i.e., not to go there as much as to get out of here), and that's not something I would have ever done before this semester.
I will probably not take it...."
The choice is yours:
You can take it, and move laterally. You can not take it, and keep on moving down.
At least you have a choice. Many of your colleagues would envy you.
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More relevant today than yesterday
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RE: What if the IHL does nothing at Thursday's meeting
The accreditation issue (or Many Accreditation issues at different places on campus) will surely bring downfall. That is what we must focus on, and that is what he has treated so carelessly.
He has SAID that he doesn't care about accreditation, via Grimes' memo, but we know IHL DOES CARE. So, let's hit on this, over an over, with every coming accreditation visit we can muster. NCATE, the ALA accreditation of the library school, SACS, etc. It is obvious that Thames is NOT working toward keeping USM accredited, on a number of fronts, and this may be the ONLY thing that IHL and the general public can understand and rally behind.
By neglecting the many accreditations he is without a doubt killing this university and that is what needs to be publicized. "Moving forward" to no accreditation doesn't mean a whole lot, now does it?
Having fun yet, SFT? Yes? Well the faculty most certainly are NOT and they are the ONLY ones that can save USM, not you! Why don't you move "forward" to retirement and leave this school to the people who care enough to save it, not destroy it?
The best decisions ever made by myself and my children - go somewhere else besides Southern Miss. even though I worked there for many years. I am so very glad my children are not having to attend college at Southern Miss. at this point in its life. Keep up the struggle and remember that many around the world continue to hope that you are successful in returning the university to a path directed toward excellence in higher education.
Thames truly believes that he can turn the clock back and Southern Miss. will become the university of the '50 - '60s where greed and backroom deals were commonplace and everyone knew their "place." Everyone that is semi-intelligent know he is full of S___ but when you have a board with a similar outlook on life the result will always be a Southern Miss. Klumb and Thames would have been state heros during the civil rights years - standing in the doorway to keep those damn yankees from changing "our way of life" from the plantation view to one of progressive change. Lucas with all of his faults helped Southern Miss. move forward toward joining the rest of the country, but many of the "old plantation" era have continued to work to return make Southern Miss. to the past. At present they believe they are winning. But greed never wins in the long run.