school of music - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Dec 1, 2005

school of music

Date: Dec 1, 2005

They don't have computers or electricity either, so none can respond. I hear a lot of unplugged blues music from over there.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

I haven't heard anything about music for a while, but evidently the dean's office was stating that it was never the intention that music would not have access to basics like photocopies and phones.

Amy Young

Date: Dec 1, 2005

I heard that iTech just provided 60 new laptop computers to the college and most of those suppose to go to school of music. Did they receive them?

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Amy Young wrote:

I haven't heard anything about music for a while, but evidently the dean's office was stating that it was never the intention that music would not have access to basics like photocopies and phones. Amy Young

soooo, music administrative decisions exclude support of the dean? where's the blame?

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Yes, the School of Music has copiers and telephones. The telephones were never disconnected. The financial crisis has been stabilized for now. I understand there may be some "belt tightening" before the end of the 2005-2006 fiscal year.

60 laptops have not been given or designated to be given to the School of Music.

I have been hearing "rumors" of an anticipated budget reduction at the beginning of 2006. The loss of the tax money generated from the casinos has affected the whole State and its supported entities.

Please be aware that the School of Music is not by itself in financial difficulty. Unfortunately, it is the only department/school that has been "aired" on this message board. I am aware of several other departments/schools on campus having financial difficulties right now.

Question for higher administration: Where are the funds still being generated from the classes formerly offered through Continuing Education going? Some departments/schools received funding from Continuing Education for classes taught through CICE. These same departments depended on these funds to be able to operate for the year and provide additional funding for faculty travel for presentations, research and continuing education in order to meet tenure and promotion requirements. Maybe Mr. Lassen needs to turn loose of the university's purse strings and give back to the areas generating these funds.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

the breakers are blowing....no one has turned off the electricty in the school of music. Please get your facts correct. Rumors are flying....and THAT'S THE TRUTH. The SOM is undergoing a transition in their budget (or lack of), but it is nothing that can not be resolved with the help of the Dean's office. Which be the way he has gone above and beyond to help the SOM. The director has been on sabbatical and will return next semester. They have an acting chair that is just does not know what he is doing and as a result it has been difficult for them. Maybe when the director returns problems will be solved.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

.......They have an acting chair that is just does not know what he is doing and as a result it has been difficult for them. Maybe when the director returns problems will be solved.

Sorry, the truth, but this is not the truth. The acting director has done an excellent job with what he was left with, which is little or no roadmap. The SoM faculty assistants (grad and undergrad directors) are untenured, assistant professors who have only been on the job a couple of years. The permanent director relied on Steve Moser to keep the house in order. Now that Steve is gone to the dean's office, I suspect that no one knows what is going on. In fact, the acting director has done a remarkable job.

By the way, the SoM has for years been without computers. Most of the ones it was using were discards from other areas. In fact, except for full professors, the faculty was without phones until Peter Alexander got Fleming to underwrite their installation.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

I agree that Steve Moser was great for the SoM. We could only hope that the Dean would return Dr. Moser to the SoM when the chair retires. However, it seems that most of the crisis in the SoM has been since their acting chair has arrived. As for the asso being untenured, i also agree with you, however, do you think that maybe the some changes will be made in the dept after your chair return. The asso dir has been there only with the "acting chair", could it be that he is not giving them direction that they may need.

From what i hear, your "acting chair" runs around totaly confused. Also most of your faculty is ready for the semester to be over

Date: Dec 1, 2005

An untenured assistant professor with two years experience in the university has no business being associate director--even with a competent, experienced administrator at the helm.

That said, there have been many crises in the SoM since the current director took office.
He is a nice guy, but he is not a good administrator. And he is willing to do almost anything to be liked by those in power.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

The acting chair is not a good administrator. But nice guys don't always win. Is it not better to do the job and get things done than it is to be liked by everyone?

Date: Dec 1, 2005

you said it wrote:

Is it not better to do the job and get things done than it is to be liked by everyone?

Based on what's in the Dome, I'd say that's the general attitude... Of course, if an administrator is going to be generally disliked, it's better to do the job and get things done properly.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

you said it wrote:

The acting chair is not a good administrator. But nice guys don't always win. Is it not better to do the job and get things done than it is to be liked by everyone?

You misunderstood what I was saying. I'm saying that the permanent director is not a good administrator. In fact, without the help of many others, it would be absolute chaos. Still, glad not to be in CoB

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Something similar to what is going on the CoB happened 2 to 3 years back in the SoM. The director and associate director decided to offer an online Masters degree in music education. They did even present this to the departmental graduate and catalog and curriculum committees, let alone to the entire faculty. Several faculty members not in music education but whose courses were necessary for the degree (theory, music history, etc.) was mightily, shall we say, angry. This actually led to the departure of at least two.

Compare the SoF faculty list this year to the one three years ago. There has been a huge turnover, and a large percentage of it (even retirements) has been the direct result of the Thames, Pood, Elliott chain of command.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

I agree there has been a huge turnover in the faculty in the SoM, some have made the decision to move forward and others retire. But don't you think that is was time for new blood? There are still some that should consider retirement. As for the chair of Som, I disagree. I believe that Elliott has the Som best intrest at heart. Maybe he has made wrong decisions, and one of those is the new asso director (asst, untenured). But I believe that he has done an outstanding job for SoM, besides who are the ones that you consider that are carrying him along. It's a job that few would want or could do.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Did the Kimbers and Dr. Stringer make the decision to "move forward" -- I guess that's one way to put it. Our loss, other schools' gain.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Dr. Stringer did move forward, our loss their gain. But her decision to leave had nothing to do with the SoM. The Kimbers chose to leave, their decision again, nothing could have made them happy.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Music wrote:

Dr. Stringer did move forward, our loss their gain. But her decision to leave had nothing to do with the SoM. The Kimbers chose to leave, their decision again, nothing could have made them happy.

Mary Ann's decision to move certainly had EVERYTHING to do with Southern Mississippi. In addition to being unceremoniously being dumped from an interim deanship she was married to a husband who was barred from campus and then subsequently moved on (or forward, as you note). The Stringer's were not looking to move before that.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

My bad.

SoM means school of music -- I should have caught that. Sorry.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Mewsician wrote:

I'm saying that the permanent director is not a good administrator. In fact, without the help of many others, it would be absolute chaos. Still, glad not to be in CoB

Sorry, Charlie (Elliott). The truth hurts.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Do creative people, artists and musicians especially, tend to make good administrators? My experience with physicians was that they tended not to be good administrators, in some degree because they are trained to act independently and always have the last word. I realize these are gross generalizations, but does the artistic, independent, sees-the-world-differently mind function well as a bureaucrat?

I don't know any of the people now in the School of Music, I'm just curious.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

LVN---My experience is that music is just like any other area of the university. There are people who are devoted only to their research/performance, others that have either no desire or no ability to be an administrator. But there are others that are very good at it. All the ensemble directors in the SoM--band, orchestra, choir, jazz--have to be administrators of some sort.
I can't speak for art, theater, and dance, but I sure do think I'd like to have Stephen for my chair.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

musician II wrote:

LVN---My experience is that music is just like any other area of the university. There are people who are devoted only to their research/performance, others that have either no desire or no ability to be an administrator. But there are others that are very good at it. All the ensemble directors in the SoM--band, orchestra, choir, jazz--have to be administrators of some sort.
I can't speak for art, theater, and dance, but I sure do think I'd like to have Stephen for my chair.

I'd like to have Stephen as my DEAN!

Amy Young

Date: Dec 1, 2005

musician II wrote:

LVN---My experience is that music is just like any other area of the university. There are people who are devoted only to their research/performance, others that have either no desire or no ability to be an administrator. But there are others that are very good at it. All the ensemble directors in the SoM--band, orchestra, choir, jazz--have to be administrators of some sort. I can't speak for art, theater, and dance, but I sure do think I'd like to have Stephen for my chair.

I am complimented (and Amy below!) but I am a marginal administrator at best. My recent stint as director of theatre left me in little doubt about both my limitations and my desires.

But thank you.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

I saw how exhausted and stressed Dr. Judd got, and how administration interferred with his creative life, was glad for him when it was over, but understand why people would want that energy and dedication in a chair or dean.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

If someone has seen me "running," I would like to know the days and times. Since birth, I have never been able to "run." I have been known to walk in 5/8 time, however.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

For the record, all copy privileges have been restored. No office phones have been eliminated. We are honoring our commitments. We are able to do this largely due to the support that has been extended by all those in the Office of the Dean. Thank you and good night.

Date: Dec 1, 2005

do we not need to get the overall picture cleared up...get the snow out...and the veritical lines....before we address specific issues

Date: Dec 1, 2005

SoM threats, lies, self-absorption - any concern for students in this picture?

Date: Dec 1, 2005

Music wrote:

The Kimbers chose to leave, their decision again, nothing could have made them happy.

No, that simply isn't true. Michael and I moved to Mississippi with the full intention of spending the rest of our professional lives there. We were very happy at USM for several years, and we deeply respect many of our former colleagues there. Michael even used to call the town "Happiesburg." But after the last two years or so, we got incredibly tired of incompetence and lies on the part of every administrator we encountered. I will spare you the gorey details, but please understand that we are no different than the other people on babbs's list who left after Thames arrived. Just ask my current chair at Iowa if "nothing will make me happy." She will probably laugh and tell you that I seem incredibly happy.