Permission to Advertise/Interview/Hire - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Mar 4, 2006

RE: Permission to Advertise/Interview/Hire

Date: Mar 4, 2006

Does this qualify as the next stupid thing?

You'd better believe it, Baby.

Date: Mar 4, 2006

stinky cheese man wrote:

mitch--i'm in a doctoral degree granting unit where we direct dissertations as overloads. standard load is 3 per semester, with no 400/500 games played. research expectations are consistent with those of a doctoral unit here. sadly, until the first staffing analysis was done about 3 years ago, we had not been able to hire in years. our junior faculty member was a full professor, having gone through the ranks while here (try 12 years). we had retirements but no lines. i think what is happening to psych is criminal at best. but, i've been here long enough to see this happen in other colleges for years.

As another poster noted, if you are at a 3/3 in a doctoral granting unit, and you are expected to publish at the same level as similar departments at peer institutions (which may be a better goal than the doctoral expectations within your college if you are to get better), you are probably way out of kilter and at a big disadvantage in attempting to compete for external bucks, increasing enrollment, and attracting better students. But I know this has been going on in many colleges for years (COST has generally been the only college to have teaching loads comparable to peer institutions). SFT has not been in a rush to put in place a strategic and rational work load policy (heck, the drug and alcohol policy we put together a long time ago went down a black hole somewhere). You may hit the 300 SCH/FT ratio index this way, but it is a penny wise and pound foolish way to operate. Doesn't make it smart or right (funding formulas are tied to SCHs, but this needs to be accomplished in a smart way that also allows the institution to get better).

To put your plight in context, one of my grad students just took a job at Appalachian State with has just masters students, and his teaching load will essentially be 2/3. Millsaps is 3/3-zip masters or doc programs in my area.

Perhaps another reason to speak up. You will be at the AAUP meeting, I hope?

Date: Mar 4, 2006

mitch, joe, et al.--it's getting late so i'll respond now and maybe in the morning.

mitch--about GAs being in a staffing formula. if you have GAs teaching courses that could be taught by faculty, then why do you need faculty? imagine english having tenure track faculty teaching freshman composition.

sit down mitch! (i'm kidding!) i know that you don't have GAs do that. then why not?

i'm tired will see responses in the morning and see if there's something that i can respond to.

Date: Mar 4, 2006

I am actually weighing in tonight. I have a 3/2 load with pretty nice perks, so they still exist at an assoc. prof. level. What's your incentive to buck this system?? I admire you, but - like all people stung by the SFT bumblebee - I wonder how you have the resolve to stand up. What you've done is admirable, and I'm in your corner of the ballfield applauding.

Date: Mar 4, 2006

stinky cheese man wrote:

joe--your response came through while i was responding to mitch's response. i wish all doctoral programs had graduate assistant support to help get grants. mine doesn't. they teach. they have to teach. but this makes me wish for a college of social and behavioral sciences (hey mitch--been discussed for 20 years--want to make it happen?! my department would go in a microsecond from COAL).

Do it, SCM! Seriously, it would make more sense comparing Granny Smith to Washington apples when trying to come up with the nuts and bolts of T&P, resource allocation, and so on. I hear it is a nightmare trying to come up with a fair way to deal with both the Arts and Social Science folks in your college. It would also allow us to make better use of interdisciplinary opportunities -- When do we move into our new building, Dean SCM?

Date: Mar 4, 2006

. . . if Tom Meredith reads this board?

. . . what the SACS implications of this situation are?

Date: Mar 4, 2006

geez--this has become a thread where a slow typist gets blitzed by multiple responses. to answer one question you asked--no i will not be at the AAUP meeting. i could bitch about the AAUP and the apparent failure of the national organization to give a "rats hind quarters" about USM, but i won't.

Date: Mar 4, 2006

stinky cheese man wrote:

geez--this has become a thread where a slow typist gets blitzed by multiple responses. to answer one question you asked--no i will not be at the AAUP meeting. i could bitch about the AAUP and the apparent failure of the national organization to give a "rats hind quarters" about USM, but i won't.

Okay-get a good night's sleep SCM. You earned it.

Date: Mar 4, 2006

mitch--i'm sleepy but your comment on a social and behavioral sciences college raised my blood pressure. there are lots that would support it. with the next administration it's something that needs to be pursued.

Date: Mar 5, 2006

LOL wrote: Someone told me not long ago that ST never forgets and never forgives and always seeks retaliation, even years later.

You better believe it.

Sometimes I wonder what life is like if you are obsessed with revenge, with always going for the jugular, for having 10,000 people you consider enemies to each one you trust (notice I didn't say is a friend.)

Date: Mar 5, 2006

No psychologist wrote:

Sometimes I wonder what life is like if you are obsessed with revenge, with always going for the jugular, for having 10,000 people you consider enemies to each one you trust (notice I didn't say is a friend.)

Well dearie, I would say it's a pretty miserable life, in spite of the tiny little power in the tiny little kingdom. But frankly, and according to his own professed belief system, it's not this life Dr. Thames needs to be worrying about. And at that Trial, there will be a far, far different Judge.

Date: Mar 5, 2006

Joe Olmi wrote:

I find it difficult to believe that we in the Psychology Department are deserving of having ALL our searches suspended.

You don't seem to know for certain that your college dean went to bat for your department when all of your positions were jerked. What action did your department chair take in this matter other than report it to the faculty?

Date: Mar 6, 2006

He has a meeting scheduled with the provost early this week.....

Edward

Date: Mar 6, 2006

Joe Olmi wrote: I find it difficult to believe that we in the Psychology Department are deserving of having ALL our searches suspended.

I'll bet that the Polymer guys don't have any searches suspended, they are adding 1/2 dozen new positions.

Date: Mar 6, 2006

Edward wrote:

He has a meeting scheduled with the provost early this week.....

Isn't he the chair who wrote that strangely supportive letter to the editor at the time when things were beginning to deteriorate? Let's hope he's changed his tune.

Date: Mar 6, 2006

Edward wrote:

He has a meeting scheduled with the provost early this week..... Edward

Let's hope your dean will accompany him and lend his support in a matter as important as this one.

Date: Mar 7, 2006

update?????

Date: Mar 7, 2006

King Edward wrote:

Isn't he the chair who wrote that strangely supportive letter to the editor at the time when things were beginning to deteriorate? Let's hope he's changed his tune.

update?????