Job Shadowing Tomorrow - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Mar 21, 2006

Job Shadowing Tomorrow

Date: Mar 21, 2006

kiln eagle wrote:

I am looking forward to my visit tomorrow. I just got home from work (I am not a USM student) and I am laying out my clothes for tomorrow. I will post a report of events either tomorrow night or Thursday night. We will see. I hope I am able to learn about how things work at USM, and I get to see what differences Dr. Thames has made.

Right. But be sure to tell us WHOM you shadowed so that your report may be verified, as otherwise your posting will be considered bogus, a shadow shadowing, and may even generate a degree certificate from BOGUS in shadow shadowing.

Date: Mar 21, 2006

kiln eagle wrote:

I am looking forward to my visit tomorrow. I just got home from work (I am not a USM student) and I am laying out my clothes for tomorrow. I will post a report of events either tomorrow night or Thursday night. We will see. I hope I am able to learn about how things work at USM, and I get to see what differences Dr. Thames has made.

Why don't you go shadow yourself?

Date: Mar 21, 2006

You guys want someone to shadow a professor and when someone sets out to you want him to go away. Get your story straight.

Date: Mar 21, 2006

town hall eagle wrote:

You guys want someone to shadow a professor and when someone sets out to you want him to go away. Get your story straight.

Nope, we want a real report on a real person, not some trollish invention. Hence the request that the professor be named and the account be verifiable.

Date: Mar 21, 2006

town hall eagle wrote:

You guys want someone to shadow a professor and when someone sets out to you want him to go away. Get your story straight.

town hall eagle, is "shadowing" a first cousin to "confiscating a hard drive"?

Date: Mar 21, 2006

town hall eagle wrote:

You guys want someone to shadow a professor and when someone sets out to you want him to go away. Get your story straight.

It would be interesting to have someone shadow a professor if that someone wasn't also a professor.
Go shadow Stephen Judd or Amy Young and I'll believe you're for real. Until then . . .

Date: Mar 21, 2006

LVN wrote:

town hall eagle wrote: You guys want someone to shadow a professor and when someone sets out to you want him to go away. Get your story straight. It would be interesting to have someone shadow a professor if that someone wasn't also a professor. Go shadow Stephen Judd or Amy Young and I'll believe you're for real. Until then . . .

What? Are we missing something?

Date: Mar 21, 2006

LVN wrote:

It would be interesting to have someone shadow a professor if that someone wasn't also a professor.

Couldn't that be considered "stalking" instead of "shadowing?"

Date: Mar 21, 2006

I was just expressing some doubt that "kiln eagle" is an earnest young person who is taking a day off work to drive up to Hburg and follow a professor around to see how much time said professor spends doing whatever. But hey, I could be wrong.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Wanderer is playing like he is the new threatmonger and this is a playground owned by his buddies. Ain't it wonderful what this place has become? Reminds me of a new supervisor that was appointed over us, who was the world's worst micromanager and horrible person who enjoyed using the appointed power to make your life miserable, or gone. The repeating of this personality type throughout the university system has led to the demise of this university. It has become all about POWER over others, rather than education and seeking truth.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

The following are facts:
***********************************************************************
USM is a public institution.

USM is supported in a large way by taxpayer money.

USM's Mission statement includes the following: "We make efficient and effective use of our resources, for we are accountable to our university communities, the Board of Trustees, and taxpayers."
***********************************************************************

Why, then, should I ever hear a university professor state that the public isn't welcomed at USM? A poster named Cossack actually was talking about restricting access to the campus on another topic I read last night. I went back and read more of the discussions that have taken place over the past year, and a central idea has come out in my mind. USM professors don't like to be told what to do and they don't like the idea that somebody might actually evaluate them based on their results.

I don't mind that professors get to work on their own schedules. I don't mind if they play golf every day. I don't mind that my next door neighbor professor goes to work late and gets home early most days. What i do mind is that the results at USM have slipped. USM graduates are not as well prepared as they used to be. Maybe this is because they are unprepared by the K-12 system. Maybe its because USM professors have spent the past few years fighting against their government appointed leadership. In any event there has been a slipping of the whole university. Things at USM are not good.

The Hattiesburg community has a vested interest in the survival of USM. I am not a USM graduate, but my business serves both the adult population and the student population of Hattiesburg. I have worked to raise funds for USM and am a member of the alumni association. I read posts here saying that there should be no oversight into the USM process other than an internal process. What a joke! Let the crooks discipline themselves rather than face a court trial! Ha ha ha. USM needs to be more open so that the public can see what's going on.

As for the poster Cossack, I will come to USM's campus whenever I want to. You cannot stop me. I will not cause a ruckuss, but I will take note of what I see. I will walk in the front doors of your classroom and office buildings. I will look around until my heart's content. I will stand outside of classrooms and offices listening to discussions. If I choose to, i will walk in and take a seat. USM is my university and I want to know why it's in trouble. Dr. Thames has been given his walking papers against the wishes of many citizens because the USM faculty said it was necessary. Why isn't the situation getting better? I may follow kiln eagle's lead and stop by for a visit this week.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

I Live In Oak Grove wrote:

The following are facts: *********************************************************************** USM is a public institution. USM is supported in a large way by taxpayer money. USM's Mission statement includes the following: "We make efficient and effective use of our resources, for we are accountable to our university communities, the Board of Trustees, and taxpayers." *********************************************************************** Why, then, should I ever hear a university professor state that the public isn't welcomed at USM? A poster named Cossack actually was talking about restricting access to the campus on another topic I read last night. I went back and read more of the discussions that have taken place over the past year, and a central idea has come out in my mind. USM professors don't like to be told what to do and they don't like the idea that somebody might actually evaluate them based on their results. I don't mind that professors get to work on their own schedules. I don't mind if they play golf every day. I don't mind that my next door neighbor professor goes to work late and gets home early most days. What i do mind is that the results at USM have slipped. USM graduates are not as well prepared as they used to be. Maybe this is because they are unprepared by the K-12 system. Maybe its because USM professors have spent the past few years fighting against their government appointed leadership. In any event there has been a slipping of the whole university. Things at USM are not good. The Hattiesburg community has a vested interest in the survival of USM. I am not a USM graduate, but my business serves both the adult population and the student population of Hattiesburg. I have worked to raise funds for USM and am a member of the alumni association. I read posts here saying that there should be no oversight into the USM process other than an internal process. What a joke! Let the crooks discipline themselves rather than face a court trial! Ha ha ha. USM needs to be more open so that the public can see what's going on. As for the poster Cossack, I will come to USM's campus whenever I want to. You cannot stop me. I will not cause a ruckuss, but I will take note of what I see. I will walk in the front doors of your classroom and office buildings. I will look around until my heart's content. I will stand outside of classrooms and offices listening to discussions. If I choose to, i will walk in and take a seat. USM is my university and I want to know why it's in trouble. Dr. Thames has been given his walking papers against the wishes of many citizens because the USM faculty said it was necessary. Why isn't the situation getting better? I may follow kiln eagle's lead and stop by for a visit this week.

Dear Sir,

The campus police may take an exception to your "invasion" of campus, be sure to notify them first. And, why do you belong to the Alumni Association when you are not a graduate of USM?

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Dear I live in Oak Grove,

Please walk into Dr. Thames office also and watch him do business.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Main Entry: alum·nus

Pronunciation: &-'l&m-n&s
Function: noun
Inflected Form(s): plural alum·ni

/-"nI/
Etymology: Latin, foster son, pupil, from alere to nourish -- more at OLD
1 : one who has attended or has graduated from a particular school, college, or university
2 : one who is a former member, employee, contributor, or inmate

Date: Mar 22, 2006

I Live In Oak Grove wrote:

Why, then, should I ever hear a university professor state that the public isn't welcomed at USM? A poster named Cossack actually was talking about restricting access to the campus on another topic I read last night.

Oak Grover, I would like to invite you to attend one of my classes. You can be a guest speaker and talk with the students. As for Cossack, he is really an O.K. guy, maybe a little crusty at times. If I had a child at USM, I would want them to take a class with him as they would learn a lot of useful information and how to think. By the way, I may be your next door neighbor, so let me know if you would like to be a guest in my class.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Just as a note on joining the Alumni Association: the last I knew anyone could join it and gain certain benefits, such as limited use of the USM Libraries. A friend of mine who was here for the summer in 2000 did so. I even took her over to Alumni House for the occasion. JL

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Dear Oak Grover, you can walk around campus all you like. You can eat in the various eateries, use the library. You can even get community check-out privileges. You have to get a visitor permit to park, however. You could easily slip into a large lecture session unnoticed. However, if you had walked unannounced and uninvited into my classroom, back when I was teaching, I would have invited you to leave, and called security if you refused. You are not allowed to simply walk into classrooms, although most professors would be happy to let you sit in if you ask in advance.

You are repeating something we on this board have heard ad nauseaum -- that Shelby Thames is our "government-appointed" leader (well, not mine of course) and that means that everyone should sit down and shut up, and do whatever he says. I don't think you are really in touch with what's happened at USM under his watch. Unless you don't think USM needs a School of Nursing, for example.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

From what I heard, this shadow thing is for real. Everyone should calm down (until the report comes out) and keep your fingers crossed.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Membership in the USM Alumni Association is open to all who support USM, whether they atended USM or not.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

USM Alum wrote:

Membership in the USM Alumni Association is open to all who support USM, whether they atended USM or not.

OK - thanks.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

joright wrote:

From what I heard, this shadow thing is for real. Everyone should calm down (until the report comes out) and keep your fingers crossed.

I don't understand the reason for this whole exercise to begin with. Everyone on campus knows what professors do. They know who works and who doesn't. They know that most of you work long grueling weeks, and that many of you could go to better places for more money.

If this person shadows someone outside the College of Business, who will then come on this board, or will at least contact another known poster, and verify the fact, then I will believe it. Otherwise, I will have to believe it's another COB internal issue.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Why, then, should I ever hear a university professor state that the public isn't welcomed at USM? A poster named Cossack actually was talking about restricting access to the campus on another topic I read last night.

Wrong, I did not talk about restricting access to campus; I talked about the existing rules on access to the campus. These rules have been in place for some time and did not originate with SFT. Most campuses have similar rules. Some campuses are lax, some are not. Some private universities are more concerned than public universities. From observation, it is more difficult to get on the campus at Millsaps then at USM. All campuses have concerns about security since they are quasi responsible for hundreds of student's safety. Fortunately, USM is in a part of the city that has been historically safe, and in a city that is reasonable safe by current US standards. I can assure you that parents with children living on campus would not look kindly at someone who posted on a site anonymously that they were going to visit a dorm to check and see if their daughter was there. Most of the jousting on this board is done in a good-natured way since most of us routinely challenge the ideas and statements of others, and are in turn challenged. Some of these posters, such as Kiln Eagle, have taken it a bit further with not so veiled threats that he/she was going to check up on faculty. I do not take him/her seriously because I would hope he/she would have more of a life than to bird dog a boring faculty member. However, those responsible for the safety of students, faculty, administrators, and staff are often rather humorless. It is not funny to them. If, god forbid, a faculty member was attacked, there is no doubt in my mind that the campus police would track down posters on this Board who have made statements that could be construed to be threatening. It likely is time to call a halt to posts that are combative about how faculty operate or perform their job. No group is loved and admired by everyone. Faculty have many detractors. We should look on the bright side. While not held in the highest esteem, we have rank above lawyers, car salesman, and elected representatives of both parties.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

LVN, if my source is accurate, it will not be someone from COB who gets shadowed. But, let's wait and see.

Cossack, I'm not completely sure, but looking back at older postings on the board I think you are confusing "Kiln Eagle" with "Wanderer." The second is the (possible) dome student worker that is keeping tabs on faculty for SFT.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Cossack wrote:

Wrong, I did not talk about restricting access to campus; I talked about the existing rules on access to the campus. These rules have been in place for some time and did not originate with SFT. Most campuses have similar rules. Some campuses are lax, some are not. Some private universities are more concerned than public universities. From observation, it is more difficult to get on the campus at Millsaps then at USM. All campuses have concerns about security since they are quasi responsible for hundreds of student's safety. Fortunately, USM is in a part of the city that has been historically safe, and in a city that is reasonable safe by current US standards. I can assure you that parents with children living on campus would not look kindly at someone who posted on a site anonymously that they were going to visit a dorm to check and see if their daughter was there. Most of the jousting on this board is done in a good-natured way since most of us routinely challenge the ideas and statements of others, and are in turn challenged. Some of these posters, such as Kiln Eagle, have taken it a bit further with not so veiled threats that he/she was going to check up on faculty. I do not take him/her seriously because I would hope he/she would have more of a life than to bird dog a boring faculty member. However, those responsible for the safety of students, faculty, administrators, and staff are often rather humorless. It is not funny to them. If, god forbid, a faculty member was attacked, there is no doubt in my mind that the campus police would track down posters on this Board who have made statements that could be construed to be threatening. It likely is time to call a halt to posts that are combative about how faculty operate or perform their job. No group is loved and admired by everyone. Faculty have many detractors. We should look on the bright side. While not held in the highest esteem, we have rank above lawyers, car salesman, and elected representatives of both parties.

I don't think we should go down this road of fearmongering. It sounds too eerily familiar --- just what the Warren Paving crowd did when faculty asked to attend their meeting. They accused faculty of threats of violence, etc. If a crime should be committed on the day someone is purported to be shadowing, there is no reason to suspect the shadower. There are enough bad elements to parse before getting that far.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

joright wrote,

Cossack, I'm not completely sure, but looking back at older postings on the board I think you are confusing "Kiln Eagle" with "Wanderer." The second is the (possible) dome student worker that is keeping tabs on faculty for SFT.

Have you checked the first post on this thread?

Date: Mar 22, 2006

devoe wrote,

I don't think we should go down this road of fearmongering. It sounds too eerily familiar --- just what the Warren Paving crowd did when faculty asked to attend their meeting. They accused faculty of threats of violence, etc. If a crime should be committed on the day someone is purported to be shadowing, there is no reason to suspect the shadower. There are enough bad elements to parse before getting that far.

Stating the obvious is not fear mongering. Let us assume you are married and someone states that they are going to shadow your wife at work. Would you think it is a big joke? More importantly, would your wife think it is a big joke or would it make her apprehensive? I am sure your wife would be reived when you stated: "dear, now we do not want to be fear mongers."

Date: Mar 22, 2006

I believe Kiln Eagle has permission, according to other posts. I don't think he/she claimed they were going to show up and "shadow" someone without their permission.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

And just what will a report on one faculty member's single day through the eyes of just one observer provide? Several different observers each observing many faculty might provide some useful information. Inter-rater reliability could be assessed, and it would not be based on a sample of 1. Shadow man or woman is wasting board space.

Date: Mar 22, 2006

Outside Observer wrote:

And just what will a report on one faculty member's single day through the eyes of just one observer provide? Several different observers each observing many faculty might provide some useful information. Inter-rater reliability could be assessed, and it would not be based on a sample of 1. Shadow man or woman is wasting board space.

So Jane Goodall's solo observations of a single group of apes was inconsequential?