AAUP's honored guest - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Apr 11, 2005

AAUP's honored guest

Date: Apr 11, 2005

For those of us who live far away:

Please give us a report on what RC has to say - I hate it that I can not attend. Too many time zones away!!

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Amy Young
" Come join our celebration! "

A true celebration of the Academy!

Date: Apr 11, 2005

I, too, would love to come to the talk. Unfortunately, I'm 400 miles away. Dr. Campbell, let me know if you're ever in Nashville...you can find me in the Faculty Senate office at Vanderbilt.

Truth

Date: Apr 11, 2005

Amy,

Thanks for the reminder. I'm planning to be there!

DJ

Date: Apr 11, 2005

Shucks, I'd love to be there. Who is presenting the award to AMY YOUNG?

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: foot soldier
"Shucks, I'd love to be there. Who is presenting the award to AMY YOUNG?"

No award, she's being considered for sainthood.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

Third, why don't you try being more direct! Your swipes at certain people/posters lately has become pretty stale.

Date: Apr 11, 2005

I'll say that Amy Young has done a great service for USM and the people of Mississippi in taking a public stand for integrity, standards, ethics, and professionalism in the state's higher education system. Her actions with the AAUP illustrate the best in USM's faculty (and she's a darn fine scholar, too).

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Second Witch
"Third, why don't you try being more direct! Your swipes at certain people/posters lately has become pretty stale."

Swipes? I adore Amy Young and consider her one of the bravest people I know. I was perfectly serious!

Date: Apr 11, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Third Witch
" Swipes? I adore Amy Young and consider her one of the bravest people I know. I was perfectly serious!"

Not to worry, Third Witch. I didn't view your comment as a swipe by any definition.

Date: Apr 12, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Amy Young
"Don't forget that this Friday, at 2:30... We will meet in the College of Business, JGH, auditorium. Hope to see you all there. This will be our first annual awards day for AAUP-USM. Come join our celebration! Amy Young "

Dear Friends and Colleagues,

I regret to inform you that I won't be able to attend the AAUP meeting or personally accept my service award from Southern's AAUP chapter. I've asked Professor Walt Cain to accept the AAUP award on my behalf, and offer a few timely remarks on my vision for USM.

I guess I should explain the reasons for my absence. I think you'll all agree that they're very important for our university. On Thursday morning I'll be flying to Washington in the Lucky Shelby on special assignment for Dr. Thames. I'll attend a Friday brunch with the U.S. Under Secretary of Commerce for Economic Development, where I'll introduce a request for 29 million dollars in federal funding for our campus beautification and power plant-to-restaurant conversion initiative. Later I'll testify before the Senate Sub-Committee on Paints and Polymer Coatings. This concerns our bid on a new contract to provide USM-American Pride radiation resistant paint to all U.S. space stations in the known universe. We believe USM is the only institution in the country with the technology to provide this paint to the government. If we win the contract it could mean big money for Hattiesburg, and I'm talking millions folks, so get ready to get rich.

And finally, here's some exciting news for the university that you can all discuss at the meeting. At Dr. Malone's request, on the return trip I'll stop in Wetumpka, Alabama to meet with with officials of SACOCRAP ( Southern Association--Colleges of On-line Credit and Relaxed Academic Principles ). SACOCRAP is a brand new accrediting agency which we hope will replace the obsolete SACS organization. If we're successful in affiliating, USM will finally be free of SACS and those pesky reporting requirements and probations. Ya'll wish me luck. I'll report back with full details, soon as I land at Pine Belt International.

Yours truly,

W.J. Johnson, Professor of Business and Economic Development

Date: Apr 12, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: W.J. Johnson
" ......And finally, .... on the return trip I'll stop in Wetumpka, Alabama to meet with with officials of SACOCRAP ( Southern Association--Colleges of On-line Credit and Relaxed Academic Principles ). SACOCRAP is a brand new accrediting agency which we hope will replace the obsolete SACS organization."

Gotta love ya, W.J. Too funny!

Date: Apr 12, 2005

You can call me Ray, or you can call me Jay, or you can call me Johnny or you can call me Sonny, or you can call me RayJay, or you can call me RJ... but ya doesn't hafta call me Johnson.

Date: Apr 12, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: W.J. Johnson
" I'll stop in Wetumpka, Alabama to meet with with officials of SACOCRAP ( Southern Association--Colleges of On-line Credit and Relaxed Academic Principles ). SACOCRAP is a brand new accrediting agency which we hope will replace the obsolete SACS organization. If we're successful in affiliating, USM will finally be free of SACS and those pesky reporting requirements and probations. ...Yours truly, W.J. Johnson, Professor of Business and Economic Development"

W.J., any idea when the initial on-campus visit by SACOCRAP officials might take place, or will it be conducted over the internet? By the way, just so I won't embarrass myself, is the acronym pronounced as three syllables, i.e., sack-o-crap, or two syllables, i.e. sacko-crap?

Oh, and thanks for all your hard work on behalf of USM. Let's get together for a beer some time.

Date: Apr 13, 2005

Give 'em hell, Robert! Enjoy your stay in the 'burg...

Date: Apr 13, 2005

Much like Emma, I am a time zone or two away and cannot get there. I wish I could, as I so enjoy Robert's posts, they always make me think.

So please, someone give us folks who are far away in distance, but close in heart a report on what he has to say.

Date: Apr 13, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: W.J. Johnson
"This concerns our bid on a new contract to provide USM-American Pride radiation resistant paint to all U.S. space stations in the known universe."

W.J.,

It's always great to hear from you, but I have to confess that I am disturbed by the sentence quoted above. Why is USM limiting its ambitions to "the known universe"? This seems unduly restrictive, weak-kneed, and unimaginative. Please remember that President Thames always aims high, as when he said that he wanted USM to be the best school in the whole country. USM to the top, always and everywhere!!! -- even in multiple universes.

Date: Apr 13, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
" W.J., It's always great to hear from you, but I have to confess that I am disturbed by the sentence quoted above. Why is USM limiting its ambitions to "the known universe"? This seems unduly restrictive, weak-kneed, and unimaginative. Please remember that President Thames always aims high, as when he said that he wanted USM to be the best school in the whole country. USM to the top, always and everywhere!!! -- even in multiple universes. "

USMS,

I can't give you a full explanation right now because I'm packing for my upcoming trip. As you know, I'll be talking to the big dogs in D.C. about economic development at Southern, and then to the nice people over in Wetumpka about our gettin' accredited by SACOCRAP. All I can say about Dr. Thames and his ambitions for that paint is what I already told you all. I've heard some folks say that Dr. Thames lives in an alternate universe, but I don't quite understand what they means. I can tell you for sure that he's not weak-kneed. Ole Shelby is a big game hunter and a fisherman, a real man's man. You might say that he's a 100% red-blooded American male. Anyway, I need to tell the little woman which socks to pack. We can talk about this more when I get back next week. Come by my office for coffee any time, or if it's after noon, hell, we'll just open up my mini-bar.

Your friend,

W.J.

Date: Apr 13, 2005

Dr. Campbell's visit is exciting. I hope that it is okay if undergraduates attend.

Date: Apr 14, 2005

By all means, disgusted student, you (and any other undergraduate) should feel free to attend! No one should feel excluded from such an event.

Date: Apr 14, 2005

Kick for tomorrow.

Date: Apr 14, 2005

To quote Bob Dylan, "I can't wait."

Date: Apr 14, 2005

Has anyone invited Rueben Mees to the talk?

Date: Apr 14, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"To quote Bob Dylan, "I can't wait." "

I have heard that Professor Campbell's flight has departed Clemson and is now passing over Detroit, so you shouldn't have to wait too long, Invictus.

Date: Apr 14, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: Navigator
"I have heard that Professor Campbell's flight has departed Clemson and is now passing over Detroit, so you shouldn't have to wait too long, Invictus."

Why, I didn't know he was flying one of the MSU airplanes

I thought he was being shuttled in on the "Shifty Shelby"... (as AE said, give or take a letter or two)...

Date: Apr 15, 2005

(music)

He's making a speech

He's checked more than once

Gonna tell us

'Bout the Dome and its Dunce

Robert Campbell's coming to town.

(/music)

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Please, you guys left on the shady side but hoping to cross over soon, please let those of us who are far away (but who still deeply care) have a detailed report of today's happenings. Thanks. NO QUARTER!

Date: Apr 15, 2005

The 2:30 talk was all right. Maybe 25-30 there, mostly faculty with a sprinkling of students.

(It's been a long time since I took notes at a lecture. Any error is entirely my fault, and I apologize in advance to Dr. Campbell.)

Amy Young (I think) opened with a video to "Paint it Black" by Rolling Stones. Anonymous, but had See More's "prints" all over it. Maybe I'm wrong, but it certainly incorporated a lot of SM's work. I hope it becomes commercially available. Destined to be a cult classic.

Prof. Cambell spoke:

Shared governance has been taken for granted. Much variation among universities. Events at USM make one "stop and think." What will happen?

Shared governance has been around in American universities since c. 1915, the time AAUP founded. Prior to that time, most campuses small; Presidents micro-managed; knew, hired and fired all faculty, individually.

Traditionally certain responsibilities were those of administration, others that of faculty. Some responsibilities negotiated between the two. Deans at the "interface" sometimes had to represent one to the other. No "Golden Age" when faculty decided all. Faculty never prepared budgets, made final hiring decisions, built buildings, etc.

Faculty may have some input hiring within a department. Always had final say in curriculum. (Other stuff I missed.)

Different "models" have been proposed for university governance. One is the University of Phoenix. Probably not good example, no pretense at doing research). Another example is "Business Model" of which USM is an "extreme example." Use of business titles like Chief Financial Officer, Chief Operating Officer. BUT universities are generally not profit making entities. They have "no bottom line." Are not likely to become profit-making entities in the future.

Likely reason for adoption of "business model" is centralization of authority in administration. Ironically, this is dis-analogous to corporate world where trend is toward less emphasis on "top down" management. (Example, since 1970'(?), Clemson has increased percentage of administrators, while Coca-Cola has reduced central management in Atlanta by 40%.

Why shared governance? In the unrestricted search for truth, people have to be free to speak. Each side, faculty and administration, has to be free to criticize the actions of the other.

Difficult to track university financial reporting. Terms can be used in very vague manner. There are no standards for what is "administration." Few for "research" or "instruction." Generally, it is not politically expedient to report accurately all that is spent on administration.

There tends to be less erosion of shared governance at more prestigious universities. One of the "pillars" of shared governance -- tenure -- is eroding due to direct and indirect attack. Direct attack is not particularly successful. Cost in bad publicity and lawsuits. Indirect attack the result of hiring cheaper, more convenient non-tenure positions, such as adjuncts, instructors, etc. (note; during Q&A, RC pointed out that hiring adjuncts is more frequent in urban areas where there is a deeper pool of talent. At Clemson, a relatively small town, there are a limited number of persons available to serve as adjuncts.)

Faculty must push for better financial reporting from university, get to know administrative expense. Even administrators who advocate more administrative authority tend to low ball administrative expense. Minimize administrative expense while exaggerating faculty expense. Can include within "instruction" the salaries of administrators who "once" taught or teach on a very limited basis. Can also include with in "faculty" numbers, those not traditionally thought of as faculty (e.g., graduate students, instructors of record (?).

There are problems to be faced with shared governance. Universities tend to have ill defined "mission statements." There can be contention among faculty and faculty bodies for limited resources. Faculty senates historically have not been particularly effective at resolving resource-sharing issues. This can present opportunity for administrators to take control of issues that faculty seem unable to handle.

Date: Apr 15, 2005

Thanks, "A Usual Suspect". The talk Dr. Campbell gave at the 4 pm AAUP meeting was about the same as you summarized, although he went into some depth on some of the issues. (You still take excellent note.) After the AAUP meeting there is a reception for Dr. Campbell at Dr. Henry's home. After dinner I may see if I can add anything from the 4 pm talk.

One thing I can add is that Reuben Mees of the Hattiesburg American interviewed Dr. Campbell before the talk and then left. I expect there will be something in tomorrow's H.A. One positive thing Dr. Campbell said we have going for us is that the local media covers the issues. This is not the case in other university towns.