HA, 4/16/06: Thames raise draws concerns of favoritism - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 4, 2006

RE: HA, 4/16/06: Thames raise draws concerns of favoritism

Date: Jun 4, 2006

Taxpayer wrote:

How does this work in the summer when she is off?

In the summer when she is off to a conference in Hawaii (2 years ago)

In the summer when she is off to a conference in the British Isles (4 years ago)

Taxpayer, we all paid for those trips too.

Date: Jun 4, 2006

Taxpayer wrote: How does this work in the summer when she is off?

Swan Song wrote: In the summer when she is off to a conference in Hawaii (2 years ago) In the summer when she is off to a conference in the British Isles (4 years ago) Taxpayer, we all paid for those trips too.

I would expect that some professional travel would be supported at a Division I level university and it appears that this travel is planned so as not to conflict with duties during the regular academic year. The trips to Hawaii and to the British Isles took place before she was awarded this most recent raise. She must pinch every penny of her 9 month salary to make ends meet for a whole year.

Is there something that I am missing?

Date: Jun 5, 2006

Taxpayer wrote:

Taxpayer wrote: Is there something that I am missing?

What a dumb question?

It isn't just that we are paying for the trips.

Dr. Thames is also getting paid for another three months in the summer too, right?

Does this new raise affect her summer pay and the pension that she will collect when she is no longer chair?

Date: Jun 5, 2006

The raises affect her pension.

Date: Jun 5, 2006

Emma wrote:

The raises affect her pension.

What about Dr. Thames' summer pay?

Is that increased too?

Date: Jun 5, 2006

I have many friends who know her well (I was a passing acquaintance at one point), but in any event I think that her summer salary might be part of the p.b."grant" that she continues to run. She also has some summer reading conference in July purported to be "3rd oldest in the nation" although many people have told me that there is no evidence backing up that premise.

Date: Jun 5, 2006

Emma wrote:

I think that her summer salary might be part of the p.b."grant" that she continues to run. She also has some summer reading conference in July purported to be "3rd oldest in the nation" although many people have told me that there is no evidence backing up that premise.

"P.B." grant that she continues to run. Am I paying for that too?

How can she do justice to that and the department that I am paying for her to run?

If Dr. Thames is getting paid more does that mean that I will be getting less "P.B." for my money?

Date: Jun 5, 2006

P.B. is the well-documented Pork Barrel. A straight line to Uncle Thad Cochran. It is not a competitive grant.

Date: Jun 6, 2006

Emma wrote:

P.B. is the well-documented Pork Barrel. A straight line to Uncle Thad Cochran. It is not a competitive grant.

So, the amount of Pork that I get for my money will remain constant.

Date: Jun 6, 2006

As a taxpayer, pork barrel is a Mississippi "perk" that taxpayers all across the country get to pay for. I'd just like to know if we will ever see the reports on this million dollar a year endeavor.

Date: Jun 6, 2006

Hmmm.

Well, I think that literacy is a good thing.

I'm reading Quest For The Mace, but that didn't cost $1,000,000. The download and the paperback only cost me about twenty bucks total. I bet when it comes out in DVD the most that I'll have to pay for that will be $19.95.

What makes this literacy assessment pork so expensive?

Date: Jun 11, 2006

Taxpayer wrote:

Hmmm. Well, I think that literacy is a good thing. What makes this literacy assessment pork so expensive?

Is literacy assessment a secret recipe, something like Corky's BBQ Sauce?

What is the ratio of reading that is produced for every literacy assessment that is administered?

Where can we see all the literacy that we are getting for our money?