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Originally posted by: Reporter
"Thames is no Jackie Robinsonhttp://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050314/OPINION03/503140324/1014/OPINION"

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Great letter, Joey.  Does anyone know if Joey Ponthieux is an alumni or former faculty? 

Your welcome, and thanks for the kind comments. For the record I am alumni. 88. It may interest you to know that I have been reading this board, and prior to that the Fire Shelby board since the Glamser/Stringer debacle earlier last year. I am seriously concerned about the current state of USM and I've been trying to stay up to date with events in Hattiesburg, but it's been real difficult being so far away. I regret to say that even from this distance, it's becoming very clear since the SACS probation that things are getting worse, not better.  Unfortunately I have the problem of having too much to say on this matter.

My feelings on the situation are extraordinarly complex since I grew up in Mississippi and as such am acutely aware and understanding of the culture and society. I believe that the majority of the folks who attended this meeting last week, many of whom I am aquainted with, had their best intentions in mind. I think they genuinely believe they are working in USM's best interest, but I fear they do not realize how having private meetings of this nature appears. I certianly believe they have the right to organize and have their point of view considered, but I think they do themselves a great disservice by attempting to cloak their ideas and point of view rather than be open about them.

Ultimately I am sympathetic to their way of life and culture, but I am in dramatic disagreement with this foolish idea that a modern comprehensive University can be divorced of it's Liberal Arts college. This is an unreasonable position and it appears to have support in Jackson.  A development which is most disconcerting. My irony is that I am also sympathetic to what you must be going through at the moment. I think it is difficult for most people to understand that research and teaching environments are supposed to be, by design, comfortable, quiet, but engaging atmospheres where ideas are cultured and created, not just replicated or repeated.  

I am dismayed that the peaceful USM environment, that I have such good memories of, seems so embattled with dissent. I sincerely hope that a solution to everyone's satisfaction is reached on this matter soon. For USM's sake as well as Mississippi's.

Best wishes to you all,

Joey Ponthieux

Again, thank you for the kind comments. I had excellent faculty in 88, some of whom are still at USM. However, I understand that some have left in the last year, a truly unfortunate loss for USM. I admit that it is impossible to know how long this controversy may continue, but I am certian that it will pass. It may even provide a unique, if not rare, opportunity for the University body to demonstrate the value and and importance of Liberal Arts education. 

I would suggest to you that there are a majority of people within the community, even within the state, who would agree with my point of view.  I think however, that it is more a case of being within the eye of the storm, it is difficult for them to undertsand the severity and possible consequences of the event which they find themselves embroiled in. I fear that the argument up until now has centered solely on the state of the Univeristy, and see the controversy as one they can solve as a private matter. For most in the community while it is a personal and empassionate issue which they have the highest regards for, and best of intentions, I think they fail to realize how this controversy appears outside of the community, if not outside the the state.

I further fear that a "battle" mentality has now been imparted into the controversy at a community wide level. If so, this is indeed truly unfortunate. I say this in regards to the most recent statements regarding the Liberal Arts college. There is no reasonable or logical argument which can be made for the idea of terminating Liberal Arts studies at USM or any comprehensive MS educational institution. No matter how you theorize a possible future for education in the State of Mississppi, education will and must include a greater emphasis on technology, but it is illogical to assume that you can teach a student only technology and adequately equip students to compete with the rest of the nation for technology jobs, especially the types of technology jobs which are currently evolving.

I agree that it will be a very long time before people forget this controversy, which may ultimately prove be the silver lining of this unfortunate event. It could prevent it from recurring in the future and ultimately conclude this silly argument over Liberal Arts. The outcome of this controversy does not need to be disastrous. And as much as the community might wish that it could be resolved as a personal matter, it will ultimately require the involvement of more than just the local Hattiesburg community. USM after all does not only belong to Hattiesburg, it also belongs to the State, every Alumni, every Student, every USM employee, every Mississippi taxpayer, and even some entities ouside the State who either contributed grants, funds, out-of-state students, or other resources. This will be a hard thing for many whom grew up in the Hattiesburg community to accept, as they tend to see USM as the community's personal legacy. But it is bigger than that and as such so is the responsibility of being the caretaker of USM's current location.

Bear in mind that these people genuinely believe that they are doing what is best, but may not yet have realized what is best for Hattiesburg may not be best for the State or the University. This is reasonable behavior to expect under current circumstances. It is survival. I fear however that they do not realize that their survival will require them to open up the matters of their community beyond the confines of just Hattiesburg, USM and the even the IHL. This will be extraordinaly difficult for them, but with reasonable and considerate debate they can be convinced of this. They are good people. They just need to understand that Liberal Arts is not the same thing as Liberalism, and that they will not be able to compete outside their State for modern technology jobs without providing their children with an education that includes Liberal Arts as part of it's mission.

Joey Ponthieux

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Originally posted by: Anne Wallace
"Hi, Joey-- just joining in the general thanks for your thoughtful and eloquent remarks. Welcome back to YOUR university! NO QUARTER Anne Wallace"

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