My Testimony - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 28, 2005

My Testimony

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Please condense this wonderful letter and submit to the newspaper as a letter-to-the-editor. My heart goes out to you as it is students like you that I (we) wish were the norm at USM. Best wishes for your future.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Welcome to this Board! You'll quickly learn from perusing the postings that all of the problems you describe,as well as any other difficulties ,are all due to Shelby Thames.The people who post on this board ( generally speaking and excluding me of course ) are the most intellectually dishonest people you'll ever find.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Ironic as it might seem, it sounds like Returning Rebel has profited greatly from his brief stay on our campus. The lessons he has learned from just being here could last a lifetime. Good luck, RR. You are leaving Hattiesburg a much wiser person.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

returning rebel is a "she" not a "he."

Date: Jun 28, 2005

stinky cheese man wrote:

returning rebel is a "she" not a "he."

I should have figured that out. Women do learn faster than men. Returning Rebel appears to be a fast learner.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Thanks, Returning Rebel, for an excellent post. I know of USM faculty who were asked by the administration to change classes because more than half of the students were getting "D"s and "F"s. The faculty member was trying to give students a real university education. You provide more evidence that USM has been sliding out of the status of a real university for some time now.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Returning Rebel provided a very subtle clue as to her gender in the sentnce from her testimony which read "I was a member of a sorority." As holder of a Ph.D., I quickly picked up on that clue.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Local Observer wrote:

Welcome to this Board! You'll quickly learn from perusing the postings that all of the problems you describe,as well as any other difficulties ,are all due to Shelby Thames.The people who post on this board ( generally speaking and excluding me of course ) are the most intellectually dishonest people you'll ever find.

You've obviously missed some brilliant writing on learning, education, life, and other such topics which have made this board one of the most interesting I know of. If it's so awful, please start your own, and you can keep your standards as high as you like.

By the way, you win the Sweeping Generalization of the Week award, one I started just for you.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Returning Rebel wrote:

One of my family's friends introduced me to this message board a few months ago. It was just after the Warren Paving meeting. I decided to post for the first time with my testimony as a student who has a viewpoint that is not solely based on USM.

I went to Ole Miss for over two years. At Ole Miss, I was very involved in campus life. I had over a 3.5 GPA, I was involved with intercollegiate athletics, and I was a member of a sorority. However, I was injured in an accident last fall semester and had to drop out of school while I did rehab for my injuries. My family lives in Hattiesburg, and I came home to rehab and planned to enroll at USM in the spring semester. If things went well, I planned to stay and graduate from Southern since I would be almost a year behind all my friends at Ole Miss.

I stuck to the plan and enrolled in January. Things went OK but I was immediately a victim of culture shock. USM is a much different place than Ole Miss. First, Ole Miss is separate and distinct from Oxford. When I was at Ole Miss, I felt like I was a part of a university campus. There was always something going on in the campus area that I could do. Concerts, parties, or just hanging out were part of everyday relaxation. At Ole Miss, I felt like I lived in Ole Miss and visited Oxford when I needed to go to town. In Hattiesburg, I feel like I live in Hattiesburg and then go to USM only for class. There's nothing going on outside of the scheduled athletic events. No bands on campus, no university sponsored events that are set up to draw the campus community together.

Then, there's the problems that USM has. I never thought about whether the president was good or bad at Ole Miss. I hear about USM's president all the time. There was no real strife in the faculty up there, whereas there is a lot of it here at Southern.

The students at Southern are much different as well. Not that Ole Miss students are more wealthy, because there are plenty of wealthy students at Southern. However, you just don't see that many hippies walking barefoot across campus in Oxford. You don't have students who work and go to school on the side in Oxford. Students here don't seem very well prepared and they expect the professors to hand them a copy of the test ahead of time so that they know exactly what to study. When it doesn't happen, they get upset.

I sit in my classes at Southern and don't have to study. My classmates are stressing out studying hours and hours every night, and still I make better grades than 95% of them. I feel out of place because it's like high school to me and everybody else is struggling. School here is not a challenge to me. What makes it that much worse is that there's nothing to do with all the extra free time I have. I even thought about getting a job, but my Dad said not to. He says that school is my job and that college life should be my priority. I have come to realize that there is no college life at USM compared to Ole Miss.

I used to think that there wasn't a lot of difference between Ole Miss, State, and Southern, that it really was basically the same experience at all three schools. I know now that I was wrong. Growing up in Hattiesburg, I used to hear how stuck-up Ole Miss people were, etc. I didn't notice that so much, but I did notice that Ole Miss is a campus community. College life is the focus. Classes are more challenging in general and there's a lot more to do. Nobody in Hattiesburg does very much outside of school because they treat school like a secondary priority. Work comes first, then school. I like many of the people I have met while in school here, but I can't continue to lose out on educational and life experiences.

After a semester and a first session of summer, I have decided to return to Ole Miss. I hope USM gets it problems straightened out, but I just can't afford wait on that to happen.

No concerts? No university sponsored events? Hello! Where were you Returning Rebel? Southern Miss has weekly, dare I say daily, arts and theater events on campus during the fall and spring semesters! Plus the UAC also schedules events as well. I also really have to comment about the statement you made"we don't have students who work and go to school on the side in Oxford." Well I am so happy for you! That my dear friend IS what adds to your aforementioned snob factor perception. Perhaps some of the students here at Southern Miss HAVE to work, perhaps they don't have a choice about it. Happy Trails to you.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Sparkplug wrote:

I also really have to comment about the statement you made"we don't have students who work and go to school on the side in Oxford." Well I am so happy for you! That my dear friend IS what adds to your aforementioned snob factor perception. Perhaps some of the students here at Southern Miss HAVE to work, perhaps they don't have a choice about it. Happy Trails to you.

The statement about Ole Miss students not working grabbed my craw also. I saw somewhere that between 50% and 70% of college students held jobs while enrolled.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

I read the long post to say that USM students rank work #1 and school #2, while Ole Miss students rank school #1 and work #2. Sort of like saying that at USM school is the part-time thing, while at Ole Miss work is the part-time thing.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Could it be that this student is also having to live at home? She is not allowed to go out and party or booze it up with her sorority sisters. Maybe if she joined a sorority here at USM she would find a more active campus life. Sounds to me like she has not given Southern Miss a chance.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Sparkplug wrote:

No concerts? No university sponsored events? Hello! Where were you Returning Rebel? Southern Miss has weekly, dare I say daily, arts and theater events on campus during the fall and spring semesters! Plus the UAC also schedules events as well. I also really have to comment about the statement you made"we don't have students who work and go to school on the side in Oxford." Well I am so happy for you! That my dear friend IS what adds to your aforementioned snob factor perception. Perhaps some of the students here at Southern Miss HAVE to work, perhaps they don't have a choice about it. Happy Trails to you.

I think you missed RR's points here.

USM doesn't do a good job of getting broad involvement from the campus community for its programs, and the slate of activities is fairly meager in comparison to other universities.

Also, RR said that many USM students are working first and students second. I do not think it was a swipe at working, just a statement about misplaced priorities that lead to a decline in the quality of the educational experience.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

my take wrote:

I read the long post to say that USM students rank work #1 and school #2, while Ole Miss students rank school #1 and work #2. Sort of like saying that at USM school is the part-time thing, while at Ole Miss work is the part-time thing.

You are welcome to your own take, after reading her post, my perception is that she feels superior to the the us in every way.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

I don't know what I did there, it should just say, she feels superior to us in every way. Sorry...I got carried away on the keyboard!

Date: Jun 28, 2005

RunningEagle wrote:

She is not allowed to go out and party or booze it up with her sorority sisters. Maybe if she joined a sorority here at USM she would find a more active campus life.

If a student has to "booze it up with her sorority sisters" in order to have an active campus life your university is a sorrier place that I thought it was.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

At Ole Miss, I felt like I lived in Ole Miss and visited Oxford when I needed to go to town. In Hattiesburg, I feel like I live in Hattiesburg and then go to USM only for class.

We can take that two ways. One interpretation -- and I think there's probably some truth to it -- is that "RR" lived on-campus at Ole Miss & with the 'rents at USM. This does work against getting involved in campus activities. But the other interpretation -- and there's some truth to it, too -- is that USM is just a place you can go when you're in Hattiesburg, while Oxford is a place you can go when you're in University. The fact that USM is in a much larger city with many competing "attractions" works against students becoming involved in campus activities.

Oh well, I hope "RR" does well & is happier returning to UM.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

RunningEagle wrote:

Could it be that this student is also having to live at home? She is not allowed to go out and party or booze it up with her sorority sisters. Maybe if she joined a sorority here at USM she would find a more active campus life. Sounds to me like she has not given Southern Miss a chance.

Why does it have to be her problem? Why do you automatically assume that she is an alcoholic? I love that her perspective cannot be right since it is unflattering to USM.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Perception is reality and her perception is that this is a hellhole. So she needs to get on out of here and head north.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Having been on a good number of college campi, USM admittedly does not have that "feel" of an energetic college community. To me, it is like an apathetic high school environment. There are many reasons for this, from the reliance on JUCO transfers to economic realities of both students and the school. Not that any of these reasons are bad, but the campus just doesn't have that intangible spirit that inspires and motivates. It is what it is. It serves its purpose and that is all one can ask for.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

All USM faculty members attended an undergraduate school where they experienced undergraduate life. Most USM faculty members know in their hearts that Returning Rebel is right.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Returning Rebel wrote:

I went to Ole Miss for over two years. At Ole Miss, I was very involved in campus life. I had over a 3.5 GPA, I was involved with intercollegiate athletics, and I was a member of a sorority.

Then, there's the problems that USM has. I never thought about whether the president was good or bad at Ole Miss. I hear about USM's president all the time. There was no real strife in the faculty up there, whereas there is a lot of it here at Southern.

The students at Southern are much different as well. Not that Ole Miss students are more wealthy, because there are plenty of wealthy students at Southern. However, you just don't see that many hippies walking barefoot across campus in Oxford. You don't have students who work and go to school on the side in Oxford. Students here don't seem very well prepared and they expect the professors to hand them a copy of the test ahead of time so that they know exactly what to study. When it doesn't happen, they get upset.

I sit in my classes at Southern and don't have to study. My classmates are stressing out studying hours and hours every night, and still I make better grades than 95% of them. I feel out of place because it's like high school to me and everybody else is struggling. School here is not a challenge to me.

These excerpts from Returning Rebel's post are what grabbed my attention. Are we challenging our best students adequately? Are we allowing our students to set our academic standards? Is our lack of selectivity driving away good students? And what prescient student wants to spend time on a campus whose atmosphere has been poisoned by an inept and tyrannical administration?

Date: Jun 28, 2005

The availablity or unavailability of booze, hell raising, sororities, fraternaties, pool halls, vaudeville, Hooters, hookers or other entertainment on or near campus is not relevant. What is relevant is Returning Rebel's description of the academic atmosphere and course rigor at Ole Miss as compared to USM. I've had quite a few students who spent time on both campuses convey to me the same perception.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Mr. Wizard wrote:

These excerpts from Returning Rebel's post are what grabbed my attention. Are we challenging our best students adequately? Are we allowing our students to set our academic standards? Is our lack of selectivity driving away good students? And what prescient student wants to spend time on a campus whose atmosphere has been poisoned by an inept and tyrannical administration?

I'd be curious to see some faculty response to this as well.

I see RR's post as a combination of (a) a student "losing" connection to an institution, (b) a young person who's tasted "freedom" & finds that the 'rents ain't what it used to be, and (c) a good student who doesn't feel challenged. In fact, RR's post seemed like a run-through of the reasons she presented to her parents for wanting to return to UM.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

My sister and brother both went to Ole Miss and they had better instruction. At USM the AAUP faculty is more interested in other activites than instruction. I graduated under Flemming and our faculty sucked.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

JoJo wrote:

I graduated under Flemming and our faculty sucked.

If you graduated under Flemming [sic], most if not all of the faculty under whom you studied were hired by a former president.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

One observation is that USM has a much higher percentage of first generation college bound students than UM and MSU. The tradition and the "awareness" of why they are at college is different. Whether that observation is valid or not I do not know, just an observation after 20+ years at USM. Another thought that the migration from the community college system into the senior colleges is such that students that continue at UM and MSU are ready to be challenged, while at USM we attract at higher percent of those students that still need to have their hands held alittle longer. While I am not sure either of these are correct there still appears to be that subtle difference between our students and theirs. I do know that I enjoy teaching our students and yes I have taught elsewhere in the state in the past.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

JoJo wrote:

At USM the AAUP faculty is more interested in other activites than instruction.

JoJo, I seriously doubt that you know who among the USM faculty is even a member of AAUP.

And while we're on the subject of AAUP let me call your attention to the fact that Ole Miss acknowledges AAUP principes to an extent much more than does USM. AAUP principles are actually incorporated in a meaningful way in the Ole Miss Faculty Handbook. You really should get more information before spouting out like you do.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

JoJo wrote:

At USM . . . . . . . .faculty is more interested in other activites than instruction.

JoJo,

Thanks so much for your evaluation of the USM faculty's interest in teaching as compared with the Ole Miss faculty. Would you now provide your assessment of the USM student body's interest in learning as compared with the Ole Miss student body?