Which Deans Will Leave This Year? - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jul 29, 2005

Which Deans Will Leave This Year?

Date: Jul 29, 2005

I wish Elliott Pood success and happiness in his next position

Date: Jul 29, 2005

You guys -- don't respond to this crap. The "I heard a rumor" beginning of a thread has now become a trite mechanism to spread disinformation and discord.

All we end up doing is taking each other apart over rumors that are generated for that very reason. Don't waste the energy.

Date: Jul 29, 2005

stephen judd wrote:

You guys -- don't respond to this crap. The "I heard a rumor" beginning of a thread has now become a trite mechanism to spread disinformation and discord. All we end up doing is taking each other apart over rumors that are generated for that very reason. Don't waste the energy.

I agree Stephen. However, I do remember there was some solid evidence that some (one?) deans were on the interview list at other universities. If posters can provide facts, not rumors, that would be news.

Date: Jul 29, 2005

If the deans aren't trying to leave, then there is something wrong with them.

Date: Jul 29, 2005

LeftASAP wrote:

stephen judd wrote: You guys -- don't respond to this crap. The "I heard a rumor" beginning of a thread has now become a trite mechanism to spread disinformation and discord. All we end up doing is taking each other apart over rumors that are generated for that very reason. Don't waste the energy. I agree Stephen. However, I do remember there was some solid evidence that some (one?) deans were on the interview list at other universities. If posters can provide facts, not rumors, that would be news.

I agree Left ASAP -- when they provide information. But those who start out by simply regurgitating rumors we all have already heard, and thereby simply simply stirring the water wthout contributing anything new are really only looking to provoke. They remnd me of arsonists who hang around to watch the aftermath of the fire and hope desperately that they might even have created casualities . . .

Date: Jul 29, 2005

It has to be a fraud. No one would want them.

Date: Jul 29, 2005

Based on the number of people rumored to be leaving or saying that they are leaving the total number of faculty is a negative number.

Date: Jul 30, 2005

JoJO wrote:

Based on the number of people rumored to be leaving or saying that they are leaving the total number of faculty is a negative number.

This is close to the truth, JoJO, if you use as your base the original faculty in place in May 2002. Didn't Roy Klumb state publicly that SFT would "clean house"? The Thames administration threw out the baby with the bath water, the tub and most of the plumbing.

Date: Jul 30, 2005

Leaving is an interesting term. Except for teaching, research, and drawing a paycheck, I've already left. I have a clock on my computer with days to retirement. Until then, it's just a game to see what happens to the place. USM is now the academic equivalent of a parade ground army. At some point even the facade may crumble.

Date: Jul 30, 2005

red wrote:

Leaving is an interesting term. Except for teaching, research, and drawing a paycheck, I've already left. I have a clock on my computer with days to retirement. Until then, it's just a game to see what happens to the place. USM is now the academic equivalent of a parade ground army. At some point even the facade may crumble.

Glad you are still "present" in those first two vital areas . . .

Date: Jul 30, 2005

Yeah, there's the issue of not stealing from your employer. PERS creates an interesting problem of wanting to leave but can't take the financial hit leaving at this point would involve. Fortunately, due to the nature of academia, students are students now matter where you're teaching and my research isn't institution specific.

My apologies for the tone, but all of my friends have left and the adminstrators in my unit are incompetent. About all that's left until my indenture runs out is to watch the show. Hope others fare better than I.

Date: Jul 30, 2005

Sorry, sorry, sorry.

Date: Jul 31, 2005

red wrote:

I have a clock on my computer with days to retirement. Until then, it's just a game to see what happens to the place.

Ths used to be called "retiring in place." These are those who continue to draw a paycheck but are biding their time. Some hang on for years. Many schools have them, but I have noticed that USM has been graced by an overabudance of them. This phenomenon is not new. It has existed here for many years.

Date: Jul 31, 2005

blue wrote:

red wrote:
I have a clock on my computer with days to retirement. Until then, it's just a game to see what happens to the place.
Ths used to be called "retiring in place." These are those who continue to draw a paycheck but are biding their time. Some hang on for years. Many schools have them, but I have noticed that USM has been graced by an overabudance of them. This phenomenon is not new. It has existed here for many years.

My younger departmental colleages at the assistant rank are motivated to publish as much as possible so that they can leave USM. So far the strategy has worked. My department has seen an exodus of asst. profs--many of them making lateral moves just to get out of here. We tried hiring one-year replacements, but were turned down by all our choices. And this is in a field where there is an oversupply of qualified Ph.Ds.

The word is out in my field that USM is very damaged goods--SACS probation, uncompetitive salaries, lousy benefits, administration from hell-- and is to be considered only for the desperate who have no other options. That is a big change from the past when we were able to hire some first-rate scholars.

There was a time when we would bring a candidate to USM and our pitch would be: "Yeah, Mississippi's got a bad rep, but its changed. Come and see all the good work that 's going on at USM." We would bring candidates here, and they would be impressed. Ah, the old days.

Date: Jul 31, 2005

blue wrote:

Ths used to be called "retiring in place." These are those who continue to draw a paycheck but are biding their time. Some hang on for years. Many schools have them, but I have noticed that USM has been graced by an overabudance of them. This phenomenon is not new. It has existed here for many years.

Yep, I've seen that too, not good. This time around, there's a twist. We have faculty nearing the magic 25 years that had no real intention of leaving. They were just going to stay at USM and leave the PERS money on the table because it was a good place to work. With that game plan shot to hell, many in this group are hustling to get resumes tuned up for reentering the job market in their 50s. You've got some 50 somethings now outworking the assistant profs. The downside is that this group has little interest in doing anything that won't enhance their resumes. Normal for an assistant but a bit wierd for fulls, but then again we all work in a wierd place.

Date: Jul 31, 2005

red wrote:

blue wrote: Ths used to be called "retiring in place." These are those who continue to draw a paycheck but are biding their time. Some hang on for years. Many schools have them, but I have noticed that USM has been graced by an overabudance of them. This phenomenon is not new. It has existed here for many years. Yep, I've seen that too, not good. This time around, there's a twist. We have faculty nearing the magic 25 years that had no real intention of leaving. They were just going to stay at USM and leave the PERS money on the table because it was a good place to work. With that game plan shot to hell, many in this group are hustling to get resumes tuned up for reentering the job market in their 50s. You've got some 50 somethings now outworking the assistant profs. The downside is that this group has little interest in doing anything that won't enhance their resumes. Normal for an assistant but a bit wierd for fulls, but then again we all work in a wierd place.

Your analysis is right on target. If it were not so, I would not be among the lucky ones who managed to escape.

Date: Aug 6, 2005

Red,

Sounds like to me that you have no pride in yourself. Just sitting there doing nothing and collecting a paycheck. What about being the best that you can be just to be the best? Otherwise SFT et al have won more than you know -- they conquered your soul.

Date: Aug 6, 2005

Blud,

So you worked hard for one time in your life, and only for yourself? Again pretty pitiful. Hope the university that got you knows that it got little for its money. USM is on hard times certainly. However, that gives me no reason not to be the best prof that I can be -- PERIOD. Not for SFT, not for USM even maybe, but just for me. Maybe you were not raised to be the best, I was.

Date: Aug 6, 2005

Blue (sorry)

Date: Aug 6, 2005

purple wrote:

Red, Sounds like to me that you have no pride in yourself.

I was fortunate enough to get out before they drained all of my pride.

Just sitting there doing nothing and collecting a paycheck.

I earned every penny I'm now receiving. Your assumption that I am doing "nothing" is unfounded. Believe me, purple, life and work doesn't end when you leave USM.

What about being the best that you can be just to be the best?

I chose to be the "best" in better organization.

Date: Aug 6, 2005

Red, I think I posted under the wrong color. Sorry about that.

Date: Aug 6, 2005

purple wrote:

Red, Sounds like to me that you have no pride in yourself. Just sitting there doing nothing and collecting a paycheck. What about being the best that you can be just to be the best? Otherwise SFT et al have won more than you know -- they conquered your soul.

thank you for your invaluable input.

Date: Aug 7, 2005

Red,

Now -- no need to be overly bitter as well as retired in place. Send out that giant resume and see who bites.

Date: Aug 7, 2005

purple wrote:

Red, Now -- no need to be overly bitter as well as retired in place. Send out that giant resume and see who bites.

You can't read? Red has a better job in a better place. Some are marketable, others are not. I assume you are still at USM.