latest plan for Shelby - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Apr 10, 2005

latest plan for Shelby

Date: Apr 10, 2005

Does anyone know the timeline for hiring a permanent commissioner? Crofts is interim, after all.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"Does anyone know the timeline for hiring a permanent commissioner? Crofts is interim, after all."

LVN, reports have it that Crofts was to exit in August of this year. Haven't heard any more than that officially, but someone told me the other day he would stay till the end of the year if asked.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

If there's a shred of truth to this, it implies a much broader "conspiracy" than previously suspected. While we have long figured Klumb, Ross & Colbert to be ace conspirators, this scenario puts the presidents at JSU, the W, Valley & Delta State in the conspiracy, too.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

Which makes me wonder about the post which began this thread. Remember, FUD.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: tater
"LVN, reports have it that Crofts was to exit in August of this year. Haven't heard any more than that officially, but someone told me the other day he would stay till the end of the year if asked."

tater,

Does the fact that you are posting comments here mean that you are now officially a "commentater"?

Date: Apr 10, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"If there's a shred of truth to this, it implies a much broader "conspiracy" than previously suspected. While we have long figured Klumb, Ross & Colbert to be ace conspirators, this scenario puts the presidents at JSU, the W, Valley & Delta State in the conspiracy, too.
"

I sure do think you are so blinded by the surface that you can't see the bottom of the pond. Klumb, Ross, and the other IHL members who support them are not the true conspirators. They're just working for the true conspirators. Money = power, and those with the most money have the most power in MS. Look deeper to find some folks up north of I-20 who pull all the strings, and you'll find that Klumb abd Ross are just strings being pulled by big dogs.

As for the JSU, MVSU, MUW, and DSU presidents, they're not co-conspirators. They're just borderline incompetents who don't want to be evaluated in this manner. Wouldn't be surprised if RK and SR were told to help set Crofts up to fail on this one.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

If the faculty says NO (no confidence by a wide majority), does it really matter what these various other constituencies think insofar as a final decision is concerned? I'm not convinced the consequences of the proposed evaluation system been thought through very well.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

Desota FE: I think that you are on to something. All of the Big 5 University presidents were on the original board of the economic development workforce plan that A. Dvorak was president of before Thames hired her. There were some BIG Republicans in charge of the plan and on the board also. Don't know if they still are but it means that they are all aware of the plan.

Date: Apr 10, 2005

We think it's been made pretty clear that nobody at the IHL or above gives a damn about no confidence votes. No confidence votes are probably the only thing the IHL cares less about than education.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Flatt & Scruggs
" I sure do think you are so blinded by the surface that you can't see the bottom of the pond. Klumb, Ross, and the other IHL members who support them are not the true conspirators. They're just working for the true conspirators. Money = power, and those with the most money have the most power in MS. Look deeper to find some folks up north of I-20 who pull all the strings, and you'll find that Klumb abd Ross are just strings being pulled by big dogs. As for the JSU, MVSU, MUW, and DSU presidents, they're not co-conspirators. They're just borderline incompetents who don't want to be evaluated in this manner. Wouldn't be surprised if RK and SR were told to help set Crofts up to fail on this one."

Excellent post, F&S. The other presidents don't have to be conspirators to disagree with something Crofts is trying to do. They've got their own hides to consider/worry about, which is what they're doing. Their actions play into the hands of the conspirators, though. Lucid analysis on your part.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

You finally figured it out!!!! HOORAY FOR YOU!!!! This was told everyone back in 2001! Where was everybody? This would be funny if it was not so ridiculous. Was anyone listening back then?

Date: Apr 11, 2005

Lucid cynicism about why things won't change is all right in its place, I guess. But things do change. It's the nature of things to change, even as it is the nature of social systems to look eternal. We no longer live under the Roman Imperium, or an absolute monarchy, or any of a number of social systems we knew elsewhere or elsewhen in our composite histories.

There has been lots of talk in the papers this week about what the pope did to end the stranglehold of Communism in eastern Europe. He told people to stand up and not be afraid. They did. Communism came to an end in those countries. Other people had a hand, of course. Reagan said, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" And the wall came down. But the wall would not have come down without countless individuals commiting to change.

If a system is not working, if a system is not right, then it needs to change. If money and connections are running things in Mississippi, then they must stop doing so and cede to competence and justice. What will change that system is for enough people to refuse to go along with the system any longer.

I'd always rather be a thermostat than a thermometer. How about you?

Jameela

Date: Apr 11, 2005

Here we go again. A new poster relates a rumor with no sources that can be checked. Others posters, with names never before seen on this board, then begin discussing the rumor as if it were fact. A thread is born for those that are bored that distract those in the trenches with messages that there is no hope.

As usual, I only comment on this type of thread to point out the deception.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

PS: See one of Reagan's speechwriters on how many people tried to block the line, "Mr. Gorbachev, tear down this wall!" http://www.hooverdigest.org/974/robinson.html. I'm not intending any right or left political comment here. I'm just trying to point out why visions are good to have. JL

Date: Apr 11, 2005

Why do "local lawyer" and "doubles" and "F&S" sound like echoes of the same voice in a big, empty room?

Wouldn't a successful effort to bury the Crofts plan require the presidents of Ole Miss and Miss State to come out against it? Conspiracy theorizing has always given a central to place to those two privileged institutions.

Besides, here's the most effective argument that the other presidents could use against the plan:

"I'm not screwing up like Shelby Thames. You need to just fire him, instead of wasting your time and mine looking over my shoulder."

Of course, it wouldn't suit Klumb and Ross and Colbert, and those who purportedly pull their strings.

Robert Campbell

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Robert Campbell
" Besides, here's the most effective argument that the other presidents could use against the plan: "I'm not screwing up like Shelby Thames. You need to just fire him, instead of wasting your time and mine looking over my shoulder.""

Excellent point! I suspect that Thames is (almost) even less popular right now with his fellow presidents than he is with most of the people who read this board. When the history of higher education in Mississippi is written, Thames may be remembered as the "(Inadvertent) Great Reformer."

Date: Apr 11, 2005

I think the way is being paved now for Jackson State to become the new 3rd flagship university for the state of MS. Today's editorial in the CL is part of that process. The meltdown at USM is fostering success of this. I'm not saying it was an original plan, but the way for it now is here and it would placate the JSU supporters and make up for past wrongs. It will also make many UM and MSU people laugh, another bonus.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
"Excellent point! I suspect that Thames is (almost) even less popular right now with his fellow presidents than he is with most of the people who read this board. When the history of higher education in Mississippi is written, Thames may be remembered as the "(Inadvertent) Great Reformer."
"

I would think that Shelby is very popular with the other presidents ... at least the ones who might prefer that the board spend all its time looking closely at USM & not at their own operations. He diverts the spotlight away from others.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: grant
"I think the way is being paved now for Jackson State to become the new 3rd flagship university for the state of MS. Today's editorial in the CL is part of that process. The meltdown at USM is fostering success of this. I'm not saying it was an original plan, but the way for it now is here and it would placate the JSU supporters and make up for past wrongs. It will also make many UM and MSU people laugh, another bonus."

It's beginning to look like the USM alumni will get their just deserts for being silent.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

As usual, Robert Campbell is talking without firsthand knowledge and accusing others of doing just that. What do you really know about the other university presidents, Robert Campbell? What do you know about the presidents of JSU, MVSU, MUW, and DSU? Or Alcorn? I'd bet you know next to nothing. I'll bet you don't even know where the most previous president of DSU is now or what he was doing just after he was "promoted" out of that job and why he was "promoted."

F&S is correct in that these individuals wouldn't stand a chance of being a university president in any other state. They aren't on board with the conspiracy; they are just caught in the game. And the game doesn't originate with Klumb. It goes much higher in the food chain. To use the word "purportedly" in your post just further illustrates your ignorance of the Mississippi landscape. Furthermore, those who blindly follow your "Crofts is the messiah" Pollyanna garbage will be sorely disappointed when this thing finally shakes out.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: 9 Pound Hammer
"... And the game doesn't originate with Klumb. It goes much higher in the food chain. To use the word "purportedly" in your post just further illustrates your ignorance of the Mississippi landscape. Furthermore, those who blindly follow your "Crofts is the messiah" Pollyanna garbage will be sorely disappointed when this thing finally shakes out. "

Please, 9 pound Hammer, please inform us as to the identity of those "much higher in the food chain". No one knows who your are, so why don't you "spill the beans" ? If you have been on this board for just a few weeks, you would know that we get bombarded with all sorts on theories, but very little evidence. Unless you provide something your post is still just FUD.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Reporter
" Please, 9 pound Hammer, please inform us as to the identity of those "much higher in the food chain". No one knows who your are, so why don't you "spill the beans" ? If you have been on this board for just a few weeks, you would know that we get bombarded with all sorts on theories, but very little evidence. Unless you provide something your post is still just FUD. "

Troll alert! Everyone, reporter is a troll working for the domers. 9PH hit a nerve and now reporter is nervous, even using the dreaded "FUD" to intimidate (I know that 'nym scares hell out of me when I see it).

Date: Apr 11, 2005

If I may address you as 9 Pound Hammer, before you change your nom again...

9PH,

I don't know a damn thing about the internal politics of Delta State. It would hardly surprise me if they are dirty; the politics of a great many universities are dirty. I do know that Mississippi holds no monopoly on university presidents who are poor leaders and lack a coherent vision for their institutions. Two of the last four at Clemson have been lousy, even though Clemson has its own governing board, 7 of its 13 trustees are not political appointees, and Clemson has been gradually improving instead of circling the bowl.

What we have all been trying to understand why the IHL Board installed a president who had been kept out of administraton for 16 years and kept him in office after he left a trail of destruction so wide that it that could be spotted from orbit... And whether it is now finally sick of him, because of his unerring knack for stirring up bad publicity. Claiming that Thames' prime backers on the Board are merely lying low, when Roy Klumb seems to have lost control before his presidency is officially over, has no credibility unless you can document your assertions.

And I said "purportedly" because if you really know of big shots, located north of I-20, who give Klumb, Ross, and Colbert their marching orders, then surely you can name them on this message board. Come on, 9PH, the big shots will never find out who you are, so what's the point of keeping such deep, dark secrets?

In the absence of specifics, we'll just have to proceed on the assumption that such characters as Klumb, Ross, and Colbert, in cahoots with local power-brokers along the lines of Bob Mixon, have been able to do plenty of damage all by themselves, because of the IHL Board's ingrained prejudices and overall dysfunctionality.

Robert Campbell

Date: Apr 11, 2005

talan (or are you 9PH, or F&S, or LL, or?),

You're kidding, right?

Next you'll be calling me a troll.

RC