USM deparrtures 6/12/2004 - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 12, 2004

USM deparrtures 6/12/2004

Date: Jun 13, 2004

Just 113 leaving so far? I hear inside my college that more are expected over the summer. Some are waiting until just before the start of the fall term to announce they are leaving. Maybe all those with the upcoming "kissed or sucked up" raises will get off their backsides and do work for a change. Those playing golf during the day must be some of the "high raises" in the CBED since they are noted for early a.m. classes and out by noon daily. That often is CBED administrators that never take leave put use the leave system to punish those they don't like.

Waiting

Date: Jun 13, 2004

Waiting,

Can you explain this story a little more?

Date: Jun 13, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Waiting
"Just 113 leaving so far? I hear inside my college that more are expected over the summer. Some are waiting until just before the start of the fall term to announce they are leaving. Maybe all those with the upcoming "kissed or sucked up" raises will get off their backsides and do work for a change. Those playing golf during the day must be some of the "high raises" in the CBED since they are noted for early a.m. classes and out by noon daily. That often is CBED administrators that never take leave put use the leave system to punish those they don't like.

Waiting "

Waiting,
What concerns me is the CoST is aggressively hiring and very few of those leaving are from CoST. Is this what they mean by "cleaning house"?
Getting rid of Arts,Letters and CBED folks and replacing them with scientist and engineers will sure change USM into MIT (Mississippi Institute of Technology). Welcome and I hope you enjoy the work in this factory.

Date: Jun 13, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Waiting
"Just 113 leaving so far? I hear inside my college that more are expected over the summer. Some are waiting until just before the start of the fall term to announce they are leaving. . . ."

This highlights one thing that never made sense about USM's strange policy of issuing annual contracts to tenured faculty members. I am aware of no other major university which handles continuing appointments in that manner. The established policy at other universities is that, after tenure is earned, the faculty member is presumed to be on a continuous appointment. No annual contract is needed. Only a statement as to what the next year's annual salary will be. Those other universities simply assume that the faculty member will be returning unless that faculty member submits a letter of resignation in an ethically timely manner. The annual contract method, which USM uses, allows a tenured faculty member to wait right up until the day the contract is received before making the decision of staying or leaving. I have always wondered whyever an institution, or a College Board for that matter, would set things up like that. I have tried, unsuccessfully, to make sense out of that policy. No wonder that those faculty members, to which "Waiting" refers, may very well wait right up to the beginning of the Fall semester to announce their departure. Does the IHL really recognize the concept of tenure in thier bylaws governing Mississippi's institutions of higher learning? I don't know that answer to that, but if tenure is not acknowledged in their governing bylaws, then perhaps annual contracts are required. As I said, I don't know the answer to that, but I do wonder if anyone has ever looked into that matter. Just what does the IHL bylaws say about tenure, and what is the basis for annual contracts for tenured faculty members?

Date: Jun 13, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Lamont Cranston
""

Lamont,
If you think that is strange, consider the summer school arrangement. No contract at all. There is a flat rate for Ass. Asso., and Full Professors. Using that rate and the number of hours you teach, you can determine you salary. But at no time have I signed a contract to do summer teaching. I still wonder what happens when faculty decide at the last minute or during the first week that they will not teach. I guess the students are just out of luck.

Date: Jun 13, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Leaving ASAP
" Lamont, If you think that is strange, consider the summer school arrangement. No contract at all. There is a flat rate for Ass. Asso., and Full Professors. Using that rate and the number of hours you teach, you can determine you salary. But at no time have I signed a contract to do summer teaching. I still wonder what happens when faculty decide at the last minute or during the first week that they will not teach. I guess the students are just out of luck."

Thanks, "Leaving ASAP." After I posted, I went to the IHL website and did find information pertaining to tenure in sections 403.01 & 403.0101. I would post it here, but I can't seem to use cut-and-paste from that document which is in Adobe Acrobat. I still don't understand the rationalle underlying annual contracts for tenured faculty members. The lack of a formal contract for summer teaching is another enigma I, too, have noted. Most universities provide a written contract for summer teaching to all faculty, but no annual contract for 9-mo. tenured faculty. Strange indeed.

Date: Jun 13, 2004

Lamont,

I'm glad someone shares my incredulity at annual contracts for tenured faculty. We don't do that at Clemson, and I've yet to hear of a university outside of Mississippi where it is the practice.

At Clemson, we don't sign contracts for summer teaching. We make a request, if interested, and then we hear from a department committee or the chair whether we got a summer course, and when will be taught. Pay is usually a percentage of 9-month salary; if that would make a low-enrollment course a money-loser, there may be negotiations over salary with the Dean that lead to signing a contract. But only if the salary is the standard percentage.

Robert Campbell