USM Foundation Board - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 24, 2005

USM Foundation Board

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Disgusted Donor wrote:

Just got my latest mailing from the foundation and was very disappointed to see that of the new appointments to the foundation board, not one is female.

Would you mind naming the new appointees for those of us who did not receive that mailing?

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Disgusted Donor wrote:

Just got my latest mailing from the foundation and was very disappointed to see that of the new appointments to the foundation board, not one is female.

On a brighter note, at least they've all taken gun safety courses!

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Enquiring Mind wrote:

Would you mind naming the new appointees for those of us who did not receive that mailing?

I had to dig this out of the trash, and it's difficult to read but looks like Raymond Thomas Arnold, Garland "Buddy" Braswell, John M. Deakle, Fred H. Drews III, William G. Giles, Todd Gregory, James Michael ----on (can't make it out), Rickey Darnell Jones, David B. Moffett Jr., Carl L. Nicholson, William Kenneth Stevens, T. Terrell Tisdale and Edward Arnold Williamson.

Two of these guys were among the hosts of the Warren Paving meeting.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Disgusted Donor wrote:

Two of these guys were among the hosts of the Warren Paving meeting.

I believe that of the names you gave is that of a former IHL board member.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Enquiring Mind wrote:

Disgusted Donor wrote:
Two of these guys were among the hosts of the Warren Paving meeting.

I believe that of the names you gave is that of a former IHL board member.

And who is NOT an alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi. Oh, I know that isn't a prerequisite for being a foundation board member -- making big donations (or at least big pledges) is the prerequisite -- but Nicholson is ultimately one of the biggest enemies the University of Southern Mississippi has. At least, we conspiracy theorists have believed that -- and had ample evidence -- for many years.

Why anyone in his/her right mind would appoint an MSU alumnus to a board position at USM is beyond me. But then, nobody really needs to think that SFT is in his right mind.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Invictus wrote:

And who is NOT an alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi. Oh, I know that isn't a prerequisite for being a foundation board member -- making big donations (or at least big pledges) is the prerequisite -- but Nicholson is ultimately one of the biggest enemies the University of Southern Mississippi has.

Invictus, do you know if any of these has one iota of academic experience? I know that academic experience is not necessary for managing money, but it seems that somebody on the Foundation Board should at least be conversant with academic language and the like. Otherwise it would be like having a hospital board comprised solely of non- medical people.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Political Appointee wrote:

Invictus wrote:
And who is NOT an alumnus of the University of Southern Mississippi. Oh, I know that isn't a prerequisite for being a foundation board member -- making big donations (or at least big pledges) is the prerequisite -- but Nicholson is ultimately one of the biggest enemies the University of Southern Mississippi has.
Invictus, do you know if any of these has one iota of academic experience? I know that academic experience is not necessary for managing money, but it seems that somebody on the Foundation Board should at least be conversant with academic language and the like. Otherwise it would be like having a hospital board comprised solely of non- medical people.

Let's make that step two. The first step is to eliminate people who might have ulterior motives. Medical or non-medical, I doubt that Wesley would put someone on its board who worked at FGH.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Actually, the board of FGH is made up of non-medical people. But I'm with Invictus, putting Nicholson on is nuts. Actually, putting several of these people on is payback, slap in the face meanness. Not an accident. Does ST make the choices himself?

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Invictus wrote:

PoliticaLet's make that step two. The first step is to eliminate people who might have ulterior motives.

Fair enough. Then could you tell me who makes the decision about who gets on the USM Foundation and who does the nominating?

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Political Appointee wrote:

Invictus wrote:
PoliticaLet's make that step two. The first step is to eliminate people who might have ulterior motives.
Fair enough. Then could you tell me who makes the decision about who gets on the USM Foundation and who does the nominating?

I suspect Mr. Toy McLaughlin drew up the nominations. What kind of input he got is beyond me, but again, the key factor is "how much have the donated?" or "how much have they pledged?" If USM is like any other institution, the president of the university approves the nominations. And since the foundation is "independent," there would be no need for IHL or any state-level approval.

ram may know better than I how this stuff works. I hope he chimes in with his

Date: Jun 24, 2005

HELLO???!!!! Who is writing the book about this mess? Carl Nicholson "(s)elected" to the board - what is wrong with this picture??

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Emma wrote:

HELLO???!!!! Who is writing the book about this mess? Carl Nicholson "(s)elected" to the board - what is wrong with this picture??

You can bet the people who donate to the Ole Miss Loyalty Foundation would be up in arms if Carl Nicholson was appointed to their board. The insanity is insane.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Who is Carl Nicholson and why is this outrageous? I'm sure it is, just don't know all the connections.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Info please wrote:

Who is Carl Nicholson and why is this outrageous? I'm sure it is, just don't know all the connections.

Carl Nicholson is a local CPA (Nicholson and Company) who just completed a 12-year term on the IHL Board. He is a Mississippi State graduate, bleeds the MSU colors of maroon and white, and supposedly was a key player in the sham presidential "search" that resulted in Shelby Thames becoming USM's president. One of his primary goals was to "fix" USM, with "fix" = "neuter." Others may want to add to this.

Date: Jun 24, 2005

Thanks, Googler. Astounding. Well, nothing really is anymore, but in a sane academic universe it would be.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Info please wrote:

Who is Carl Nicholson and why is this outrageous? I'm sure it is, just don't know all the connections.

Nothing outrageous at all. This is just another example of a group of individuals who have too much time on their hands spouting off about something they know nothing about. They all should be ashamed, but then most of them have no shame. They just want to tear everything down.

These guys don't know how the foundation works. They don't know how the nominations are made or how the board members are selected. They don't know the roles of the board members. They don't know what Shelby Thames has to do with the foundation if anything. They don't know how planned gifts and current gifts work. They don't have any idea of what kind of shape the foundation is in, nor do they know whether it has made progress over the last few years or has declined. They infer gender bias, but they don't even know that the immediate past president was a woman. They don't even know the misson of the foundation. In short they don't know squat, but they criticize, criticize, criticize!

Date: Jun 26, 2005

Above the Mire wrote:

They don't know how the nominations are made or how the board members are selected. They don't know the roles of the board members.

You are very confused, Above the Mire. If I am not mistaken, the reference to Mr. Nicholson is about his previous role on the IHL Board - not on the USM Foundation Board. But you are not confused about one thing......"They don't know how the nominations are made or how the board members are selected." That information does seem to be a well kept secret.

Date: Jun 26, 2005

I have always called Nicholson the anti Christ. He was the sole vote against Fleming (when IHL voted onhim as president) and Nicholson called me after my letter in support of Fleming was published in the HA. When he called me by my first name I said to him: "Mr Nicholson, my friends, colleagues and those who may have the pleasure of sharing my bed, are entitled to call me by my first name. So, in chich category do you fall? Therefore, sir, let's keep this professional." He ranted and raved on about how little I understood about economics (I bitched in my letter about how IHL has screwed USM over in terms of funding and that the time had come to sue the IHL, severally and jointly). I responded to this that his degree from MSU does no justice to MSU as it was obvious that hedid not now the first principles of economics (as LSM knew NOTHING about PR/Marketing).

When the Printz got on Thames' butt he arranged for a meeting with the editor and the advisor in Nicholson's office. The editor and advisor were told they could bring along whomever they saw fit. This meeting was cancelled and never materialized. It would appear that even Thames, was not that stupid (to continue with the meeting).

Nicholson is a bully par excellence and HATES USM. So much for Thames' "love for USM." Dear Lord, am I glad I am gone. My heart goes out to you brave souls who still have to put up with the incompetent Thames for two more years. May the force be with you!

Date: Jun 26, 2005

God bless you, each and every one.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Left Too wrote:

I have always called Nicholson the anti Christ. He was the sole vote against Fleming (when IHL voted onhim as president) and Nicholson called me after my letter in support of Fleming was published in the HA. When he called me by my first name I said to him: "Mr Nicholson, my friends, colleagues and those who may have the pleasure of sharing my bed, are entitled to call me by my first name. So, in chich category do you fall? Therefore, sir, let's keep this professional." He ranted and raved on about how little I understood about economics (I bitched in my letter about how IHL has screwed USM over in terms of funding and that the time had come to sue the IHL, severally and jointly). I responded to this that his degree from MSU does no justice to MSU as it was obvious that hedid not now the first principles of economics (as LSM knew NOTHING about PR/Marketing).
When the Printz got on Thames' butt he arranged for a meeting with the editor and the advisor in Nicholson's office. The editor and advisor were told they could bring along whomever they saw fit. This meeting was cancelled and never materialized. It would appear that even Thames, was not that stupid (to continue with the meeting).
Nicholson is a bully par excellence and HATES USM. So much for Thames' "love for USM." Dear Lord, am I glad I am gone. My heart goes out to you brave souls who still have to put up with the incompetent Thames for two more years. May the force be with you!

Someday I hope we know the full extent of the conspiracy to get rid of
Fleming and get Thames in. Nicholson was surely one of the major organizers.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Left Too wrote:

(as LSM knew NOTHING about PR/Marketing).

Actually, Lisa Mader was well qualified educationally and experientially for the USM PR post. And she was good at the PR job as defined for her by Shelby Thames. Her capabilities and successful performance of assigned tasks really weren't the problem. It was rather her blind obedience to and disingenuous promotion of the Thames agenda. Mader never really functioned as one who's mission was the advocacy of USM, but rather as Thames personal propagandist, flack, and apologist.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

"propagandist, flack, and apologist. " isn't this the dictionary definition of Public Relations?

Date: Jun 27, 2005

spinmeister wrote:

"propagandist, flack, and apologist. " isn't this the dictionary definition of Public Relations?

Uhhh, yes, I believe it is. I was just attempting to exercise some Monday morning diplomacy.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Contrarian wrote:

Left Too wrote: (as LSM knew NOTHING about PR/Marketing). Actually, Lisa Mader was well qualified educationally and experientially for the USM PR post. And she was good at the PR job as defined for her by Shelby Thames. Her capabilities and successful performance of assigned tasks really weren't the problem. It was rather her blind obedience to and disingenuous promotion of the Thames agenda. Mader never really functioned as one who's mission was the advocacy of USM, but rather as Thames personal propagandist, flack, and apologist.

I challenge you to explain how LSM was qualified educationally or by experience for the PR director's job she obtained through political influence. She was a speech communication major who initially worked in the development office at USM, before being thrust into a series of PR jobs--including serving as a flak for former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove--that were all handed to her on a silver platter without demonstrating adequate qualifications. She once bragged to a colleague that, "It's not what you know. It's who you know." She is the poster woman for that corrupt philosophy.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Interpreter wrote:

Above the Mire wrote: They don't know how the nominations are made or how the board members are selected. They don't know the roles of the board members. You are very confused, Above the Mire. If I am not mistaken, the reference to Mr. Nicholson is about his previous role on the IHL Board - not on the USM Foundation Board. But you are not confused about one thing......"They don't know how the nominations are made or how the board members are selected." That information does seem to be a well kept secret.

Then perhaps you will be so gracious as to explain exactly how this process is being kept secret. It is well accepted that ignorance is not a result of knowledge being kept secret, and neither is ignorance justification for unfounded and hurtful idle gossip.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Roscoe Thorndyke wrote:

I challenge you to explain how LSM was qualified educationally or by experience for the PR director's job she obtained through political influence. She was a speech communication major who initially worked in the development office at USM, before being thrust into a series of PR jobs--including serving as a flak for former Gov. Ronnie Musgrove--that were all handed to her on a silver platter without demonstrating adequate qualifications. She once bragged to a colleague that, "It's not what you know. It's who you know." She is the poster woman for that corrupt philosophy.

What's that? Corrupt philosophy? And political influence you say? Duhh Roscoe, Welcome to Mississippi. Actually LM was more than Musgrove's flak, she was his "main squeeze," as was our own Robin Robinson. Uh oh, I think I see those tell-tale veins popping out from your forehead again. Better go pop a couple of Xanax and take a cold shower.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Disgusted Donor wrote:

Just got my latest mailing from the foundation and was very disappointed to see that of the new appointments to the foundation board, not one is female.

That's because there aren't any females who have the credentials to sit on that board who will do it. I hate to see a "housewife" situation develop on the USM Foundation Board for the sake of diversity. Anyway, you've got Mrs. Ken Malone over there.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

Above the Mire wrote:

Then perhaps you will be so gracious as to explain exactly how this process is being kept secret.

Maybe the whole world knows except me. I'd like to know the answer to both of those questions. If you're not willing or able to tell me could you refer me to an available written source that contains the information? Is it on a website somewhere? I'll not beg anymore.

Date: Jun 27, 2005

I went to the USM Foundation's Website and found that it is "administered by a volunteer board of directors."

If somebody wants to serve, to whom do they volunteer?

The Website information also indicates that the USM Foundation that an "elected" 39-member board of directors governs the corporation.

Is the election conducted among those who are currently on the Board?

I know about as little now about the mechanism for Board membership as I did when I first accessed their Website.