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Post Info TOPIC: Interim Associate Coast Provost?
It only hurts for a little while

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RE: Interim Associate Coast Provost?
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This will be a marvelous opportunity for somebody - anybody - to build up their four year salary average prior to retirement. Pick me! Pick me!

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Coast Watcher

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A Library-Centric Theory of Why No One's Been Appointed: Week 4 of Provost Watch

Coast insiders report that the University leadership may be gearing up to pursue its plan for converting a significant part of the Coast library into classrooms. At Coast Watch, our theory is that the administration's failure to announce its choice for interim provost results from its irrational desire to carry out the Library conversion.

Here's our line of reasoning. The trigger for undertaking the library conversion plan will be, according to the minutes of the Gulf Park Master Planning Group, a 10 percent or greater surge in Coast enrollments for the upcoming Fall semester. Such growth will supposedly render the ratio of Coast seats to Coast students too low, neccessitating a radical increase of the number of classroom seats to match the enrollment growth. This radical increase would be effected by converting the third floor of the Library into 4-6 classrooms.

The appointment of a Coast associate provost, however, would almost certainly throw a monkey wrench into this plan because one of the immediate, primary tasks of the interim provost would be to conduct a survey of available classroom space and class periods at Gulf Park. This survey would reveal that there is, in fact, no classroom shortage at USM-Gulf Coast and that any appearance of such a shortage is the result of uncoordinated, ineffective scheduling practices for Coast programs, the responsibility for which can be laid at the feet of disinterested, uninformed Hattiesburg deans and chairs.

Without a genuine classroom shortage, there is no logical reason to convert the Library. Any problems with a lack of available classroom space at peak times--most notably on Tuesday and Wednesday nights at Gulf Park--could be eased much more economically by scheduling classes at times when there is currently less demand for space: Monday and Thursday nights, and mornings and afternoons at Gulf Park, and at USM centers at Jackson County and Keesler Air Force Base. In other words, a rational scheduling process at USM-Gulf Coast would undercut the administration's rationale for ruining the beautiful third floor of the new Library at Gulf Park. Hence, the administration is hanging fire on the appointment of any academic officer from whom such a scheduling process could reasonably be expected.

Readers of this board might recall that the Coast faculty senators who uncovered the plan for converting the Library were reprimanded for whistle blowing and that, although the reprimands were quickly rescinded, the Faculty Senate and other shared governance bodies passed motions decrying the library conversion.

The original reason given for the conversion was to accomodate a new academic program, an "Executive MBA." However, the planning process for this new program did not include actually garnering proper approval in the CoB or Graduate Council. After Coast senators Smith and Watson revealed the administration's poorly conceived and clandestine plans, both the "EMBA" program and the conversion of the Coast Library were put on hold.

If the administration now wants to convert the Library to classrooms, in academic year 2005-2006, it will have to find an associate provost who will ignore both the flaws in the administration's reasoning in favor of the plan and the harmful effects the Library conversion will have on the public image and and academic credibility of USM-Gulf Coast.

A candidate who'd actually do that is probably pretty hard to find, although, as an earlier Provost Watch alluded, the beating of bushes and tipping of rocks in search of one continues.

Stay tuned to Provost Watch for the latest developments.

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No Problem

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Dr. Shadhad Nagshpour


Fourth Floor Fixture



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hinds county

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Is this the new Associate Provost?  Who is he?

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Blondie 1980

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If true (?), the recently revealed replacement director of the IDV PhD program.

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Little old lady

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Is he that cute in real life? I may have to enroll in the program.

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Former Gulf Coast Prof.

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If Shadad Naghshpour is the interim provost, its a good thing. He's sharp, effective, and knows what a university should be doing. He will be an effective advocate for the Gulf Coast campus and a wise administrator.

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LOL Squared

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Little old lady wrote:


Is he that cute in real life? I may have to enroll in the program.


Yes, but why pay for the snack?  Just frame his picture and call BOGUS.



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No Problem

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Coast Watcher wrote:


A Library-Centric Theory of Why No One's Been Appointed: Week 4 of Provost Watch Coast insiders report that the University leadership may be gearing up to pursue its plan for converting a significant part of the Coast library into classrooms. At Coast Watch, our theory is that the administration's failure to announce its choice for interim provost results from its irrational desire to carry out the Library conversion. . . If the administration now wants to convert the Library to classrooms, in academic year 2005-2006, it will have to find an associate provost who will ignore both the flaws in the administration's reasoning in favor of the plan and the harmful effects the Library conversion will have on the public image and and academic credibility of USM-Gulf Coast.

Where there is a will there is a way.

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wtf?

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Former Gulf Coast Prof. wrote:


If Shadad Naghshpour is the interim provost, its a good thing. He's sharp, effective, and knows what a university should be doing. He will be an effective advocate for the Gulf Coast campus and a wise administrator.

what?

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current coast prof

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Former Gulf Coast Prof. wrote:


If Shadad Naghshpour is the interim provost, its a good thing. He's sharp, effective, and knows what a university should be doing. He will be an effective advocate for the Gulf Coast campus and a wise administrator.


Riiiight. Nudge Nudge Wink Wink. Actually Naghspour might fit the Provost Watch description of somebody who'll go along with the library conversion plan. If he hasn't been tapped yet, he might.


During the dust up over Smith and Watson's whistleblowing on Malone's library scheme, Naghshpour circulated an utterly bogus "Library Opinion Survey". The "survey"--a loose use of the term--was prefaced with some remarks by Malone about the librarythat SN said, in his cover letter to the survey, "should" influence respondent's thinking. One of the questions on the survey has stuck with me almost verbatim because it was so ludicrous and offensive: "The library is a sacred cow and should never any circumstances be modified or used for any other purpose." Could anyone in his right mind think this was an objective question? It even has a racist, or ethnocentric anyhow, flavor to it.


Other questions, as memory serves, were equally biased and insulting and the whole thing was so clearly a half-baked attempt to influence opinion against Smith and Watson and in favor of the administration's plan that most people just threw it away. At the time it was hard to see the "Library Opinion Survey" as anything but a blatant attempt by Naghshpour to, well, to look right at it, curry favor with Malone and his posse. It really was hard to see things in a more generous light on the Coast back then, early spring 2005. Watson and Smith had been officially reprimanded for speaking out and the memory of Diane Stevenson's classroom being invaded by Malone was still fresh. If I can find Naghshpour's "survey" I'll post it to this board and let y'all decide.


Well, anyhow, if Naghshpour IS the pick for interim coast provost--and no official word has been forthcoming yet--it's grist for Provost Watch's library theory of provost succession: Naghspour DID clearly indicate that he opposed those who opposed Malone's library revamp.


 



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No Problem

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current coast prof wrote:


Actually Naghspour might fit the Provost Watch description of somebody who'll go along with the library conversion plan. 

Expect a Recess Appointment.

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Former senator

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No Problem wrote:

current coast prof wrote:
Actually Naghspour might fit the Provost Watch description of somebody who'll go along with the library conversion plan. 
Expect a Recess Appointment.




He is a collaborator.

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can't believe this stuff

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Former Gulf Coast Prof. wrote:


If Shadad Naghshpour is the interim provost, its a good thing. He's sharp, effective, and knows what a university should be doing. He will be an effective advocate for the Gulf Coast campus and a wise administrator.


Good grief, who believes this stuff!  How would he know what a good university does, he has zilch meaningful experience with any other program.  If you work with him, you will find that he is a whining, self-agrandizing (sp?) mean person with a definite gender bias.  Makes you want to take a bath after meeting with him.  He was so obnoxious to those members of a local trade organization that he and the student group he represented were asked not to come back. 


On the other hand, if the administration is interested in the supreme brown-noser and yes man, he is just the one. 



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Klonebot

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Definately a faulty anemometer.

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Provost Watch

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can't believe this stuff wrote:


Former Gulf Coast Prof. wrote: If Shadad Naghshpour is the interim provost, its a good thing. He's sharp, effective, and knows what a university should be doing. He will be an effective advocate for the Gulf Coast campus and a wise administrator. Good grief, who believes this stuff!  How would he know what a good university does, he has zilch meaningful experience with any other program.  If you work with him, you will find that he is a whining, self-agrandizing (sp?) mean person with a definite gender bias.  Makes you want to take a bath after meeting with him.  He was so obnoxious to those members of a local trade organization that he and the student group he represented were asked not to come back.  On the other hand, if the administration is interested in the supreme brown-noser and yes man, he is just the one. 

Sounds like definite administrative material to me. Also, next time, Can't Believe, don't mince words OK? Just tell us exactly what you think!

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brown-noser supreme

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can't believe this stuff wrote:


 if the administration is interested in the supreme brown-noser and yes man

Hasn't this been the USM way?

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elmer

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Shahdad worked very hard at being one of Tim Hudson's proteges.  Obviously, he has overcome that misstep.  He always struck me as just a garden-variety opportunist with no sense of loyalty to anything other than the next paycheck.  Whoever has decided to put him in this position should keep in mind that he can be used, but not trusted.  Much like his original mentor.

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LeftASAP

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An interesting note is that Naghshpour was on the Faculty Senate in 2003-04.  That is the Senate that had the unanimous vote "no confidence".   However I don't know if he was in attendance at that particular meeting or even if he was represented by proxy. 

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current coast prof

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LeftASAP wrote:


An interesting note is that Naghshpour was on the Faculty Senate in 2003-04.  That is the Senate that had the unanimous vote "no confidence".   However I don't know if he was in attendance at that particular meeting or even if he was represented by proxy. 

Unless I'm mistaken, Naghshpour resigned from the Senate sometime in 2004, but I'm not sure exactly when his resignation was effective. I seem to remember hearing that Dave Beckett was calling around asking coast faculty in Fall 2004 to finish out the last year of Naghshpour's term, which apparently was 2004-2005.

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Little old lady

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Uh, ok. Never mind about the cute part. Sometimes even cute ain't enough.

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coastliner

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Two pages to discuss a coast non-issue? What? Interim provost...not needed... being held up for a good reason.

Needed....and coming....a Chancellor for a Mississippi Gulf Coast Universities Center.

It is coming down with the new Meredith regime.....the coast operations will change.....no more USM dominance.....look for UM, MS, JS, DS, MVS, AS, MUW, and multiple other institutions (from out of state) to be involved in a Universites Center operation.

USM has lost their opportunity on the Coast. 1972-2005 is long enough to try to attempt to meet the needs of the Gulf Coast. USM has failed and has failed by design... miserbly. It is time for a new plan.

Let all the institutions in the state and others have an opportunity to deliver programs to the Gulf Coast.....this will satisfy UM, MS, JS, and will show USM that they have failed to deliver.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Universities Center. Sounds pretty good....

This is a move that will be made.....watch it....and USM H will fall further behind on the pecking order in the state and will be on the level of JS and DS.

Get on board....competition...are you afraid to compete? The Gulf Coast would be much better served by a "center" concept than by being held hostage by the Hattiesburg gang. It's coming.....

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Doubting Thomas

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coastliner wrote:

Two pages to discuss a coast non-issue? What? Interim provost...not needed... being held up for a good reason.

Needed....and coming....a Chancellor for a Mississippi Gulf Coast Universities Center.

It is coming down with the new Meredith regime.....the coast operations will change.....no more USM dominance.....look for UM, MS, JS, DS, MVS, AS, MUW, and multiple other institutions (from out of state) to be involved in a Universites Center operation.

USM has lost their opportunity on the Coast. 1972-2005 is long enough to try to attempt to meet the needs of the Gulf Coast. USM has failed and has failed by design... miserbly. It is time for a new plan.

Let all the institutions in the state and others have an opportunity to deliver programs to the Gulf Coast.....this will satisfy UM, MS, JS, and will show USM that they have failed to deliver.

Mississippi Gulf Coast Universities Center. Sounds pretty good....

This is a move that will be made.....watch it....and USM H will fall further behind on the pecking order in the state and will be on the level of JS and DS.

Get on board....competition...are you afraid to compete? The Gulf Coast would be much better served by a "center" concept than by being held hostage by the Hattiesburg gang. It's coming.....




You want to talk about failure? How about the failure of the Gulf Coast Community to buy into the Gulf Park campus? I have so many students from the "coast" in my Hattiesburg classes that I cannot count them on both hands and feet -- and these are freshmen and sophomores. Apparently, nobody from the "coast" wants to go to school on the "coast", unless you count the group that (according to what I have heard in faculty meetings) wants to take classes only at convenient times that will allow them to work full-time and take 18 hours so that they can graduate in 3 years.

I hope the IHL does take the "coast" away from USM. It will be like a 900-pound man losing 700 pounds of fat. It's ridiculous to think how often the "coast" campus is the tail that wags the dog around here.

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Hodge Podge

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coastliner wrote:


no more USM dominance.....look for UM, MS, JS, DS, MVS, AS, MUW, and multiple other institutions (from out of state) to be involved in a Universites Center operation.

This model would be a conglomeration of nothingness. There'd be nit-picking, back-biting, petty competition. Count me out, fellas.

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coastliner

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DT your mentality, which mirrors the USMH record of 33 years, is exactly what has brought about the need for a new delivery system on the coast. sorry you have been left behind in the piney woods....you won't doubt it when you see it....or maybe you will...

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coast;iner

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and the new name for USM H.....USM PineyWoods Only

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Center for Excellence

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Doubting Thomas wrote:


 You want to talk about failure? How about the failure of the Gulf Coast Community to buy into the Gulf Park campus? . . . . . . .  I hope the IHL does take the "coast" away from USM. It will be like a 900-pound man losing 700 pounds of fat. It's ridiculous to think how often the "coast" campus is the tail that wags the dog around here.

You might be on to something here, D.T. Assuming a good administration and no undue tampering from Jackson, the Hattiesburg campus could thrive very well by itself. Just don't estblish a Chancellor system where Hattiesburg is part of that system.

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Donald Trumpet

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UM, MS, JS, DS, MVS, AS, and MUW could each have their own casino management program on which, in some people's eyes, the coast campus seems to be based.

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Doubting Thomas

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coastliner wrote:

DT your mentality, which mirrors the USMH record of 33 years, is exactly what has brought about the need for a new delivery system on the coast. sorry you have been left behind in the piney woods....you won't doubt it when you see it....or maybe you will...



I sincerely hope you're correct. That will mean no USM faculty will be driving HWY 49 to teach 6 people!

By the way, my money's on the IHL leasing the Gulf Park campus to Tulane for a hefty sum.

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Coast Watcher

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coastliner wrote:


Two pages to discuss a coast non-issue? What? Interim provost...not needed... being held up for a good reason. Needed....and coming....a Chancellor for a Mississippi Gulf Coast Universities Center. It is coming down with the new Meredith regime.....the coast operations will change.....no more USM dominance.....look for UM, MS, JS, DS, MVS, AS, MUW, and multiple other institutions (from out of state) to be involved in a Universites Center operation. USM has lost their opportunity on the Coast. 1972-2005 is long enough to try to attempt to meet the needs of the Gulf Coast. USM has failed and has failed by design... miserbly. It is time for a new plan. Let all the institutions in the state and others have an opportunity to deliver programs to the Gulf Coast.....this will satisfy UM, MS, JS, and will show USM that they have failed to deliver. Mississippi Gulf Coast Universities Center. Sounds pretty good.... This is a move that will be made.....watch it....and USM H will fall further behind on the pecking order in the state and will be on the level of JS and DS. Get on board....competition...are you afraid to compete? The Gulf Coast would be much better served by a "center" concept than by being held hostage by the Hattiesburg gang. It's coming.....



Breaking development: Below is a job description for a new Associate Dean in CoEP, just posted to the Professional Education Faculty List, from CoEP Dean W. Lee Pierce. Note the italicized portion: the new CoEP Associate Dean will be "helping with the expansion of our educational offering on the coast . . ." The original had a link to a place in the USM website where the full job posting's just been put up, but I somehow lost the link when I cut and pasted. Has anybody else gotten this message, somebody with hot-linking chops? Here's the quote:


"I am very pleased to announce that we have just posted a new position
in the Dean's office for the College of Education and Psychology.  The
position is for a second Associate Dean.  This will be a great help to
Mitch Berman and me as we work to better support and nurture the
academic programs in the College. We are particularly looking forward
to this position helping with the expansion of our educational
offerings on the coast as well as the Hattiesburg campus
.  Please
review the position posting at the website below and consider
encouraging suitable candidates. "


OK Coastliner and Doubting Thomas, what do you make of this? Another coast non-issue? Another sign that USM is pulling out of the Coast? That MSU and MU and JSU and Yahwah knows who else, maybe MIT, is moving in? Another instance of "failure by design"? The last isn't necessarily out of the ballpark, of course; there's no mention anywhere in the ad of a requirement for actual residence, or even presence, on "the coast" as DT likes to call it. Or is this another elaborate ruse, such as most recent thread respondents think the Associate Provost non-hire is? Would the CoEP really try to hire an administrator with responsibility for "the coast" if s/he was going to be supplanted by some "Chancellor" for a multiuniversity Coast center? Could it be, perhaps, that nobody at USM-Piney Woods knows "It's coming" as Coastliner put it? Not even the Dome Gnome? Hades knows, with that crew, it's possible.


I guess the answer to these and other "non-issue" questions will come when we see who, if anyone, steps forward to scoop up this ripe administrative plum.


Whoever does, be sure to bring your driving gloves and night vision gear. Hwy 49 grows ever more dangerous and crowded as more and more people flee the pine barrens of Forrest and Lamar Counties, and kindred upcountry hinterlands, to live and work on the beach in what will, within ten years, be the largest urban area in the state. Provided we don't get another Camille, I guess . . .


 


 



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