From Faculty Senate Listserv:

March 24, 2005

Dear Faculty Senators,

     As many of you are already aware, the search for a new Provost at USM has
been terminated.  Dr. Susan Hubble and I are (were) both members of that
committee and attended yesterday's meeting.

     As I explained at the last faculty senate meeting, the provost search,
which had earlier moved at a fairly brisk pace, appeared to go into dormancy
over the last month.  About one to two weeks ago the members of that committee
were asked by Dr. Joe Paul (provost search committee chair) to attend a meeting
(yesterday's 4:00 PM meeting) at which we would be visited by Drs. Thames and
Exline.  At the meeting Dr. Thames stated that he had decided to terminate the
search, and gave two reasons: 1) SACS and 2) the budget.  SACS: It is the
inference of the administration that a change at the provost level would be
perceived negatively by SACS persons.  I should note that Dr. Thames explained
that neither he nor Dr. Exline had been told that, nevertheless it was their
impression that SACS personnel were suggesting such a message.  BUDGET:
Additional funds would have to be used to pay for a new provost.  Dr. Thames
mentioned that the SACS problem was, however, the main cause for the
termination of the provost search.

     Dr. Grimes will continue on as Provost, and his title will be changed from
"Interim Provost" to "Provost."  There are no plans to re-insitute the search
for a new provost in the near future (and there probably will not be such a
search until at least after the university's SACS status is determined this
coming December).

     The deans met with Drs. Thames and Exline immediately after our meeting
and
were also told that the search had been terminated.  The candidates for this
position were to be informed of this today via e-mail and a letter.  Dr. Thames
has also released a letter stating this.

     I noticed that Mrs. Virginia Kittrell sent a message to university staff
in
minutes form, which included a discussion of the Gulf Coast provost issue.  I
thought I would briefly address this, since it was "out."  At yesterday's
meeting one member of the search committee stated that he/she did not think a
two provost system, Hattiesburg & Gulf Coast, was necessary.  I replied that
whatever one might want to call him/her - Provost, Associate Provost, whatever
- that the Gulf Coast urgently needed a chief academic officer to look
over/focus on academic issues involving the Gulf Coast.

     If anyone has any questions about this meeting please feel free to e-mail
me or call me on the phone (64378).  I hope you all have a good Easter.  Thank
you for your efforts on behalf of the faculty and our university.

                                                  Dave Beckett

                                                  President, USM Faculty Senate