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USM Forum -- Message Board -> AAUP-USM MESSAGE BOARD -> daily rumor mill #35
Post Info TOPIC: daily rumor mill #35
gurunuburg

Date:
daily rumor mill #35
Permalink Closed

This mill focuses on how USM's troubles are playing outside the circle.  Reports are from ntlk, gorod, grapevine, ladysader and crusader.  Thanks a bunch.


1. Reports are coming out that William Carey trustees and influential alumni are extremely pleased with the job the WC administration is doing right now to improve the college. They have reportedly remarked about the way WC has "moved on" the USM debacle to "grow the university" in every way, and with the fact that WC's central administration has done so in a very dignified manner.  Stories continue to pour in about student recruitment successes over at the WC.


2. How is USM trouble playing with student recruitment elsewhere around the state?  Word has it that, among the state's 4-yr. public colleges, MSU is tearing into USM's enrollment thanks to the troubles.  Among private schools, Belhaven is said to be doing a nice job making some inroads in "eagle country," although we now hear the Miss College is "catching up."


3. One of the tales we keep getting from WC officials is that the growth of the size of the admin at USM is really compounding the SFT debacle, and aiding their recruitment efforts in "eagle country."  Reports already in across town from USM last night indicate that the 'saders are further bolstered by the move to keep AD and her $150K salary on board, to move Cecil B. up to a VP at $145K, and then to initiate a "national search" for an Assoc. VP, which they believe will "suck up" another $100K or so. 


4. As an appendix to item #3 above, both crusader and ladysader attribute some of the admin growth in USM's "business college" (a topic you all have discussed at length on this board) to the "demise of USM's MBA program," and they indicate that this is just one of the many areas they are making inroads in "eagle country."  [gurunuburg must apologize on this one, given that we have not reported anything on the "demise of USM's MBA program."  Certainly seems like something "mill worthy" to us.  Sounds like a little motherly discussion with envelope and compaq is called for.  I'll see why they dropped the ball.]


5. As everyone has noticed, there is absolutely no hollering from Oxford or Starkville (or Tuscaloosa, etc. etc.) about "economic development".  Word from sources at our two 'sister' institutions is that the longer USM shouts about "economic development," and the longer USM remains the only school screaming out stuff about ed, the better they seem to do (of course, given the bad fiscal situation).



__________________
Bad News

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: gurunuburg
"This mill focuses on how USM's troubles are playing outside the circle.  Reports are from ntlk, gorod, grapevine, ladysader and crusader.  Thanks a bunch.
14. As an appendix to item #3 above, both crusader and ladysader attribute some of the admin growth in USM's "business college" (a topic you all have discussed at length on this board) to the "demise of USM's MBA program," and they indicate that this is just one of the many areas they are making inroads in "eagle country."  [gurunuburg must apologize on this one, given that we have not reported anything on the "demise of USM's MBA program."  Certainly seems like something "mill worthy" to us.  Sounds like a little motherly discussion with envelope and compaq is called for.  I'll see why they dropped the ball.]
situation)."


I don't think the MBA program has officially closed down, but from what I hear around CBED, enrollment has been steadily dropping, best teachers have walked away in disgust, etc. The post degree hire rate for CBED MBAs is low.

The only thing Doty seems interested in is ... Well except for himself, I can't think of anything.

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Robert Campbell

Date:
Permalink Closed

If USM's enrollment drops and MSU's increases...


that will be pretty strong support for the "conspiracy theory."


Robert Campbell



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Pirate

Date:
MBA/Undergrad Enrollment
Permalink Closed

Let's us not forget that enrollment can be "managed" by changing the admission "standards".  Fall numbers may find that enrollment in both undergraduate programs and graduate programs like the MBA do not decline, but the test scores of these entering classes do.  There is already clear evidence that USM is accepting more marginal students in the last two years than before. 


This trend has important implications since metrics talked about at the IHL include increasing the retention rate of the student body and decreasing the time-to-degree.  This will more difficult with a growing number of marginal students.


Since SFT has said USM needs to attract students to keep tuition flowing (and hence raises) and since USM is certainly not going to attract the top end student with the situation as it stands, lowering standards will seem like a simple solution for this administration.


Pirate


 



__________________
onlooker

Date:
RE: daily rumor mill #35
Permalink Closed

Pirate, and don't forget SFT admonished the PUC faculty the other day that it was their job to keep enrollment numbers looking good.  This is also code language for grade inflation.

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texas eagle

Date:
Permalink Closed

The MBA fiasco is sad.  I keep hearing that fewer and fewer students are applying, and those that are have lower and lower test scores.  I'm told that the worst part of it is that with all the faculty leaving, the newest group of MBA students is being called on to teach classes to undergrads in the college. 

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stinky cheese man

Date:
Permalink Closed

unless those MBA students have a masters degree already in some business related discipline, that could be a serious SACS violation.

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Bookie

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"unless those MBA students have a masters degree already in some business related discipline, that could be a serious SACS violation."
SACS...what about AACSB?  I am not normally a "betting person" but anyone want to wager on how long it takes for an administrator with no business degrees to buy one from one of the diploma mills?  May be in the works already...

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stinky cheese man

Date:
Permalink Closed

SACS trumps AACSB.  can't have AACSB without SACS.

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Invictus

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"unless those MBA students have a masters degree already in some business related discipline, that could be a serious SACS violation."


Ahem. You would be correct, except that the "instructor of record" will be a regular faculty member. The otherwise unqualified classroom instructor is just a "teaching assistant." This is a lot more common than anybody wants to admit.

People here ought to know my bias by now, so I can say this with impunity. If you are a freshman in college & want to be instructed in the classroom by people who have at least a master's in the teaching discipline, you are probably going to be better served at a community college.

What percent of USM's freshman classes are actually taught by TA's? Be honest.

For that matter, what percent of USM's freshman classes are taught by TA's who are not native speakers of English?

__________________
Question

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: texas eagle
"The MBA fiasco is sad.  I keep hearing that fewer and fewer students are applying, and those that are have lower and lower test scores.  I'm told that the worst part of it is that with all the faculty leaving, the newest group of MBA students is being called on to teach classes to undergrads in the college. "


I haven't heard about TA's teaching. Faculty know that fewer and fewer students are applying and too many of those who are applying are ill qualified for an MBA program. I imagine qualificatios is a decision may be Dean Doty and the director of graduate studies.



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Flash Gordon

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Invictus
"

People here ought to know my bias by now, so I can say this with impunity. If you are a freshman in college & want to be instructed in the classroom by people who have at least a master's in the teaching discipline, you are probably going to be better served at a community college.

What percent of USM's freshman classes are actually taught by TA's? Be honest.

For that matter, what percent of USM's freshman classes are taught by TA's who are not native speakers of English?"


That varies greatly by discipline. Beyond English and math, many if not most freshman courses are taught by full time faculty. That used to be something that USM stressed in recruiting students.




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Emma

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Flash Gordon
" That varies greatly by discipline. Beyond English and math, many if not most freshman courses are taught by full time faculty. That used to be something that USM stressed in recruiting students. "
Apparently they can't say that anymore.

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Invictus

Date:
Permalink Closed

quote:
Originally posted by: Flash Gordon
"

That varies greatly by discipline. Beyond English and math, many if not most freshman courses are taught by full time faculty. That used to be something that USM stressed in recruiting students.
"


Go check the undergraduate lab sections in almost any of the sciences. SACS permits these type classes to be taught by people with bachelor's degrees. I'll betcha that almost all the freshman biology & chemistry labs are taught by master's students. There is a "professor of record" on those sections, but the grunt work is done by grad students.

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