An excellent letter!

Thanks, Mary Beth, for speaking up for all of the inmates.  The warden sure doesn't.

Just wanted to add my voice to the chorus of praise and thanks.  That last paragraph is especially fine.

Thanks to Professor Applin for this fine letter.

Speaking of letters, since it doesn't look as if the CL will publish the one I sent them early last week (they haven't contacted me to verify that I exist, so now I am experiencing existential anxiety), I thought I'd post that letter here, FWIW:

The Clarion-Ledger's editorial of May 23 says that the decision by the state's College Board to let Shelby Thames step down as president of USM by May 2007 is "mutually beneficial."  I must respectfully disagree.  Instead, the decision leaves USM treading water for two years under the leadership of a man who has brought national disgrace not only to his school but also to his state.  The disastrous Thames presidency is now widely known among academics throughout the country, most of whom cannot believe that this situation has been allowed to fester for so long.  Now it will fester even longer, reflecting poorly on USM in particular and on Mississippi in general.
 
Even if it were wise to operate a university as if it were a conventional business, Shelby Thames has proven himself an inept and bungling chief executive.  He does not know how to manage people.   If USM really were a business, the stockholders would have removed him long ago.  To allow him to remain in office for another two years is simply to allow him twenty four months' worth of opportunities to make a further mess of things.  He will increasingly be seen as an ineffective (and perhaps vindictive) lame duck; he will inspire even less long-term loyalty than he has already; the administrators who serve directly under him will abandon ship even more quickly than has already been happening.  For the sake of USM and the reputation of Mississippi, President Thames should return to his lab much sooner than by May 2007.

quote:

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Originally posted by: Voter
"By way of seeking clarification ...."

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It was Hattiesburg resident William Johnson who wrote in the Clarion Ledger of Feb. 15, 2005, of faculty "inmates" and the "warden" of USM, for those people keeping a metaphor scorecard.

I received no call from the C.L. either, Robert.  Below is my letter:

"As a retired faculty member, who served 37 years at Southern Miss, I must respond to comments made in your editorial of 5/23/05, “USM’s Thames, Board decision is mutually beneficial”.  Your statement, “Thames' detractors can now focus their attention not on attacking the university administration, but on doing their jobs.”,   is disturbing.  You characterize standing up for common academic principles with “attacking”.

Journalists also have standard principles of operation.  Recently Newsweek had an article concerning the desecration of the Koran, which it now appears was reported from only one source, violating a principle of journalism. 

Do you characterize the media as “attacking” the journalist when they point out this violation?  Why then do you say the faculty ‘attack” the university administration?

Your editorial mentions, “…reducing administrative bureaucracy” as an accomplishment of Thames. Have you more than one source to support this statement? 

Faculty investigations of these claims leave much in doubt .  Although the number of deans was reduced, Thames added to the bureaucracy by hiring two provost, a risk manager, a Chief Operating Officer, and an Assistant to the President for Accreditation, Planning, and Articulation to name a few.  These were new positions.

I see nothing in your editorial that indicates the action of the IHL Board will be beneficial to USM.  The only evidence I have, previous performance, leads me to the opposite opinion. "

 

What an absolutely wonderful letter! All the "inmates" thank you, especially the students I know.

Amy Young

An excellent response to a miserable letter!

Robert Campbell

quote:

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Originally posted by: disgusted student
"Great letter! Thank you for expressing the student's views. Many are afraid to speak out. "

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I don't understand why students would be afraid to speak out, unless grad students of a few particular professors might be afraid. Otherwise, you should be the most outspoken people on campus. There is very little that can be done to you.

Your situation may be unique, ds, but there are many other students. Perhaps you can encourage some of them to be more outspoken.

quote:

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Originally posted by: disgusted student
"LVN, you still do not understand. Their situation could happen to all students and the students know it."

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I'm sorry, but out of >10,000 students there are at least a few who can speak out. Truth is a student, for heaven's sake. There are students on campus who are 45 years old!

LVN, have you written a letter to the editor? I haven't seen one.

Yes, I have written several, and one was published early on. I also used to write a column for the HA. However, my last letter was pretty badly mangled, so I quit. I also wrote to the Governor and never got an acknowledgement.

Here's another one, which MAY have been printed, I don't remember. Again, my personal draft, not the HA version (if any.)

To the American:

I am appalled at the letter from Mr. Kenneth Shearer, in which he castigates opponents of Dr. Shelby Thames for “disrupting the learning environment” of USM by their protests and other actions. For Mr. Shearer’s information, Dr. Glamser was teaching over 130 students when he was fired in the middle of the semester. Dr. Stringer, a world-renowned scholar, was engaged in a project which brought significant scholarly attention, prestige, and grant money to USM. Mr. Shearer should take note of the “disruption” of entire programs as faculty leave USM in droves. It’s disruptive to lose department heads, deans, long-time dedicated faculty and staff because of the abuses of the Thames administration over the past two years. Mr. Shearer may be a dedicated alumni, but he has clearly lost touch with the situation at USM.