HA: Thames to Step Down - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: May 20, 2005

HA: Thames to Step Down

Date: May 20, 2005

"We need to start healing, but instead we're only treading water." Great quotation from Amy Young.

HUGE thanks to Amy for everything she has done during this entire crisis.

Date: May 20, 2005

I was quite disturbed by Mrs. Drews' comment that Dr. Thames "streamlined" the faculty.

Streamlined? Streamlined? Losing senior faculty of the caliber who have left is "streamlining"?? This statement is so offensive, so incorrect, so inappropriate that it nearly leaves me breathless.

Date: May 20, 2005

From the HA article:

"Then in early 2004, his attempt to fire two professors who challenged a vice president's credentials spurred a 40-0 Faculty Senate no confidence vote and a 430-32 facultywide vote against his leadership."

What has dropped off the radar screen as various reporters have continued to recycle their own prose is this: After "two professors" challenged "a vice president's credentials," an ad-hoc committee of the Faculty Senate and, eventually, the full senate confirmed that the VP in question has indeed misrepresented her credentials, having "never held tenure at a four-year college or university." The repeated write-ups, in other words, overlook the substance of this issue, turning the whole thing into a kind of referendum on Thames's popularity.

Date: May 20, 2005

It's a shame Kevin isn't still here for this write up. I think Mr. Mees is doing a good job of being objective, but he's very new to the situation, and for a lot of this stuff "you hadda been there" to get the whole picture.

Some letters to the editor need to go out to counter Mrs. Drews', Mrs. Lacy's and Mr. Jones' comments.

Date: May 20, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"I was quite disturbed by Mrs. Drews' comment that Dr. Thames "streamlined" the faculty.

Streamlined? Streamlined? Losing senior faculty of the caliber who have left is "streamlining"?? This statement is so offensive, so incorrect, so inappropriate that it nearly leaves me breathless."

I know...she's pathetically misinformed as evidenced by this quote (what a mangling of the English language):

Bonnie Drews of Hattiesburg said she sees this as one of Thames' strengths. Drews helped organize an invitation-only meeting in March to rally support for Thames.

"He's streamlined the faculty out there. He told the College Board that's what he would do, and I think that's part of why they hired him," she said. "Maybe the way he did it was a little brunt, but he's saved a lot of money and brought outside money to the university."

Last time I checked, Bonnie Drews, "brunt" was a noun, not an adjective.

Sheesh.

Date: May 20, 2005

Truth, I was going to give her a pass on that "brunt" thing - could've been a typo or a misquote. I thought the other was so outrageous I didn't want to distract attention from it. The more I think about it the more upsetting it is.

Read Babbs' lists and think "streamlined" beside some of those names, and see if steam doesn't start coming out of your ears too.

I hope these folks understand they've almost streamlined some whole departments out the door, including our once-great College of Nursing, College of the Arts, College of Marine Science and on and on.

Date: May 20, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: USM Sympathizer
" Great quotation from Amy Young. HUGE thanks to Amy for everything she has done during this entire crisis."

When Thames went after the AAUP president (Glamser) last year, he must have thought his problems with AAUP were over. Little did he know what a bulldog Amy Young is. Her courage and energy level are astounding. The USM community owes her much.

Date: May 20, 2005

LVN, in complete agreement with you -

"He's streamlined the faculty out there. He told the College Board that's what he would do, and I think that's part of why they hired him," she said.

Open mouth again, Bonnie, and continue to insert ignorant foot. I'm wondering if the College Board agrees with that statement. I think there are a few people out there who will be interested in subpoening Drews when their court cases come round.

Date: May 20, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"I was quite disturbed by Mrs. Drews' comment that Dr. Thames "streamlined" the faculty.

Streamlined? Streamlined? Losing senior faculty of the caliber who have left is "streamlining"?? This statement is so offensive, so incorrect, so inappropriate that it nearly leaves me breathless."

LVN,

I wasn't surprised by Bonnie Drews' remark, since she has applauded every bite that Thames has taken out of the Liberal Arts.

I wonder, though, whether she realizes how many programs outside of Liberal Arts have been subjected to Thamesian streamlining.

Robert Campbell

Date: May 20, 2005

quote:
Originally posted by: The Bulldog of Nitchampburg
" When Thames went after the AAUP president (Glamser) last year, he must have thought his problems with AAUP were over. Little did he know what a bulldog Amy Young is. Her courage and energy level are astounding. The USM community owes her much. "

Courageous as a Bulldog and Tenacious as a Doberman. We love you Amy