L and P on the Hybrid Plastics deal - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Apr 7, 2005

L and P on the Hybrid Plastics deal

Date: Apr 8, 2005

About three years ago there was a great deal of hoopla about the technology park, in fact wasn't Ken Malone originally brought in to fill it? At that time, was there a plan (x many companies in y many years) with a timeline that progress can be gauged against now? Are any of the players still the same? Is the ADP happy with the progress? What other companies besides Hybrid Plastics have moved in? Has Noetic moved to the technology park or is it still on campus? Has Noetic played its promised role in recruiting new companies? What role, if any, will the technology park play in the upcoming mayoral elections? Are USM graduates getting highly paid jobs in any new companies or is USM's role simply that of contract research?

Date: Apr 8, 2005

Robert, nice blog. You need one fix that I can see. You say, "Now this is the same USM that has closed a sociology professor's lab because water is leaking in and making the rooms unusable." I believe you're talking about Amy Young, who is an anthropologist. Her department houses both Anthropology (her field) and Sociology (Frank Glamser's).

Jameela

Date: Apr 8, 2005

Jameela,

Thank you for the correction. I did have Amy Young's situation in mind, because she mentioned the condition of her lab on this board. (I'm sure there are other USM faculty members in similar situations that I haven't heard about.)

I previously referred to Frank Glamser as a professor of anthropology and had to correct that one as well. I should know better, because we have the same institutional arrangement (anthropology housed within the sociology department) here at Clemson.

Robert Campbell

Date: Apr 8, 2005

"Now this is the same USM that has closed an anthropology professor's lab because water is leaking in and making the rooms unusable, while the administration is unable or unwilling to find money to pay for repairs. It is the same USM where the building that houses the School of Nursing is full of mold because the hot water pipes keep cracking, and no funds are available to renovate the former grocery store that Nursing was supposed to move into."

And Thames fired nursing's internationally respected dean (truly "wurl class") after she and her husband by themselves repainted much of the public space in that same nursing building because the accreditation team was coming soon.

Date: Apr 8, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Economic Boon or Disappointing Doggle?
"About three years ago there was a great deal of hoopla about the technology park, in fact wasn't Ken Malone originally brought in to fill it? At that time, was there a plan (x many companies in y many years) with a timeline that progress can be gauged against now? Are any of the players still the same? Is the ADP happy with the progress? What other companies besides Hybrid Plastics have moved in? Has Noetic moved to the technology park or is it still on campus? Has Noetic played its promised role in recruiting new companies? What role, if any, will the technology park play in the upcoming mayoral elections? Are USM graduates getting highly paid jobs in any new companies or is USM's role simply that of contract research? "

EBDD,

All excellent questions.

Do you think that Shelby Thames and his PR machine want their "economic development" efforts judged according to any measurable objectives?

Isn't their preference to declare victory regardless of the outcome?

Robert Campbell

Date: Apr 8, 2005

quote:

Originally posted by: Bedpan Charlie
"And Thames fired nursing's internationally respected dean (truly "wurl class") after she and her husband by themselves repainted much of the public space in that same nursing building because the accreditation team was coming soon."

I find this to be a very sad statement. It reminds me of how hard members of our own department worked to get things in order for an accreditation visit. Labor and materials at no cost to the university, and not a word of thanks from the higher ups who should have taken it upon themselves to see that the job was done at university expense and in the conventional manner.