No one cares, not even the state citizens.  One in four citizens are on Medicaid.  We are a state going down in financial flames.  Party's over.  Shelby, when everyone is gone, will you remember to turn out the lights?  USM will make a nice park and monument to the state's ignorance. 

quote:

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Originally posted by: No one cares about MS, in or out
"when everyone is gone, will you remember to turn out the lights? "

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Please let us know when the lights have been shut off for the final time and the campus is permanently vacated. We can then put in our order for the historical marker to be mounted beside the highway: TWO MILES FROM THIS SPOT ONCE STOOD A GREAT UNIVERSITY.

quote:

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Originally posted by: Pretty Marker
"Please let us know when the lights have been shut off for the final time and the campus is permanently vacated. We can then put in our order for the historical marker to be mounted beside the highway: TWO MILES FROM THIS SPOT ONCE STOOD A GREAT UNIVERSITY."

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AUCTION ITEMS:

One petrified log

One bubbling fountain

Several like- new lamp poles

Several colorful three-story art flags

Two slightly used basketball goals

1/3 interest in airplane (we will remove the Screaming Eagle logo if purchaser so desires)

AUCTION BEGINS PROMPTLY AT 10:00 AM. BUILDINGS TO BE SOLD SEPARATELY

 

 

 

 

How true it is that students expect to work 30+ hours per week and take 15+ hours of academic studies and make nothing but A's and B's.  Then it becomes the instructor's fault for requiring too much or giving exams that are "too hard."  In the CoB I thought it was just a few of us that believed there was a problem.  Now from this thread I learn the problem is university-wide.  Students are encouraged by advisors and administrators too often to beg instructors for a second and sometimes a third chance to re-do or improve their grade.  Often they believe that they should never be penaltized for missing class or an assignment due date.  But listen to them and they will let you know that they will never miss work.  LeavingASAP - you have company moving on to a better situation. 

quote:

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Originally posted by: Business One
"How true it is that students expect to work 30+ hours per week and take 15+ hours of academic studies and make nothing but A's and B's.  Then it becomes the instructor's fault for requiring too much or giving exams that are "too hard."  In the CoB I thought it was just a few of us that believed there was a problem.  Now from this thread I learn the problem is university-wide.  Students are encouraged by advisors and administrators too often to beg instructors for a second and sometimes a third chance to re-do or improve their grade.  Often they believe that they should never be penaltized for missing class or an assignment due date.  But listen to them and they will let you know that they will never miss work.  LeavingASAP - you have company moving on to a better situation.  "

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The problem goes even deeper. Not only must our students work 30+ hours a week, but they must also go to school full time to get financial aid. It's a lose-lose situation for our students who often come into our classes with inadequate background. They lack the writing, math, and critical thinking skills necessary to be successful at the university level (through no fault of their own), need to work AND receive financial aid, AND get through our classes. As we take more students with lower ACT scores, the problems are compounded.

While I am glad that the Honors College seems to be doing well,most of our students will receive little to no benefit at the Honors College presidential scholarships.

The list ofgood things happening at USM does NOT include any benefits to the average student trying to gain a university education. There are no accomplishments in the realm of academics.

Amy Young

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Originally posted by: Outside Observer
"It's not just university wide...it's nation wide!"

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Amen!

It's closely related to the increasingly popular concept that "getting an education" is fundamentally about "obtaining certifications for a job" rather than "undergoing a change in one's behavior."

(That last bit of quotes was from an old definition of "learning" I once encountered...)

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Originally posted by: Bad Ad-itude
"Notice what has gone uncorrected on this thread...worse yet, what was even acknowledged as true in today's HA editorial, "We know enrollment is growing." The slowest growth among major universities in the state - a growth rate less than the average - growth rate less than the increase in the number of college bound students - total enrollment far less than the mis-reported numbers of Fall, 2003 - total enrollment far less than the 16,000 that continues to be bandied about... Guess it's just another example of saying something often enough that it becomes accepted as true."

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What is the total USM enrollment now, Fall of 2005?  When that 16,000 figure is cited in the media and elsewhere, is that supposedly an all inclusive number for Hattiesburg, Gulf Coast, Stennis, and so on?  What's the current enrollment for the Hattiesburg campus.  I'd look this up myself if I knew where to look, but alas I don't. Thanks in advance.

Do any of you find that a large percentage of the students seem to have many personal problems in their life?  Maybe I'm seeing too many non-traditional students.  Too many students I see have never made a good choice in preparing for university.  In fact, some tell me they never intended to go to college and never prepared for it.  Now they are at USM, in debt, family to support, working full time and a full time student.  A colleague told me a student in his class never had a high school education.  The story was the student went to high school for 3 months and quit.  After six years he decided to get a GED and then entered Community College.  He got through C.C. and is now at USM with essentially no working knowledge of math, or other basic high school core subjects.  This is a true story because I checked it out with the student's major department.

Out-of-Towner and Disgusted Student,

From the 1/26/05 university press release with contact names Malone and Paul:

"Unduplicated enrollment at Southern Miss grew by 92 students, climbing from 14,099 students last spring to 14,191 students in spring, 2005.

Unlike duplicated enrollment totals, which count students multiple times if they are enrolled at multiple locations, unduplicated totals count students only once for their enrollment at a specific location.

With 418 new students, the Gulf Park campus saw the greatest overall increase, growing from 1,733 students this time last year to 2,151 students this spring.  The Hattiesburg campus netted 62 new students, increasing from 12,374 last spring to 12,436 this spring."

quote:

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Originally posted by: Bad Ad-itude
"Notice what has gone uncorrected on this thread...worse yet, what was even acknowledged as true in today's HA editorial, "We know enrollment is growing." The slowest growth among major universities in the state - a growth rate less than the average - growth rate less than the increase in the number of college bound students - total enrollment far less than the mis-reported numbers of Fall, 2003 - total enrollment far less than the 16,000 that continues to be bandied about... Guess it's just another example of saying something often enough that it becomes accepted as true."

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I'd suggest that this failure to refute obviously erroneous information is also an example of a lack of focus, and a flawed strategy.  There are many blatant misrepresentations emanating from Thames and his minions that could, and should be immediately and publicly challenged.  Instead we seem to consistently  bog down in pi$$ing and moaning about outsourcing of food services and why Tim Hudson was in town and football stadium expansion and extraneous boondogles such as the recent plane purchase.  I do as much gratuitous griping as anyone, probably more than most,   but whining about petty BS  and name calling rather than publicizing Thames' lies and misdeeds seems to be a rut we find ourselves in.  I believe the anti-Thames forces should have a formal "opposition research" operation to immediately refute bogus claims, such as the inflated enrollment figures, with cold hard facts, and see that the real story is promptly provided to the media.  Expose Thames for the disingenuous buffoon he is.

Here is the best way to counter the Lisa SLAY Mader campaign. Take out an add under the sponsorship TRUTH FOR USM. List all the deficiencies. I think that will turn heads. Those who oppose SFT have to become that active. You see, this is where they think they have us. They will spill all the ink they can afford to save Shelby's a$$. That's how they save their own!