Thames "Installation" - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 29, 2004

Thames "Installation"

Date: Jun 29, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Strange and Stranger
"Two related rumors that came up on the FireShelby website but that never went anywhere were these: 1) that there was a smear campaign against the female candidate...something about her religious affiliation maybe? 2) that there was documentation obtained by the media (and suppressed) about a "lovenest" paid for out of university funds. "

I recall rumor #1 stemming from the female candidate's visit to the Gulf Coast, and some people (not university employees, but alums or other such constituents) asking her about her religious affiliation, and her being taken aback (rightfully so) by the inquiry.

I remember rumor #2 from the FS board but never saw any elaboration about the "lovenest." However, there have been several discussions on the boards about a Persian rug (supposedly the one in the President's conference room) that was alledgedly purchased by SFT using grant money.

Speaking of "love shacks," I wonder if the Dvoraks pay SFT "rent" to live in his house on Darby Road.

Date: Jun 29, 2004

Of course he charges them rent! Do you really think SFT will miss a chance to make a buck? Or $1,500 or 'em?

It is all about the money! Plus the hefty tax depreciation on his 'rental' property.

Look at TH. He rents out his house in Hattiesburg, his wife lives in the USM house on the coast and he rents an apartment in Hattiesburg and is reimbursed by the university. Wha tis that smell?

Date: Jun 29, 2004

i thought TH sold his house in Hattiesburg.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Googler
"
However, there have been several discussions on the boards about a Persian rug (supposedly the one in the President's conference room) that was alledgedly purchased by SFT using grant money.
"

Anyone remember the love seat purchased about the same time as the Persian carpet?

Date: Jun 30, 2004

TH tried to sell his house for 2 yrs. He wasn't successful. Is now rented to a MD who is building a house.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

Both (meaningless) barrels on a Wednesday morning...

quote:
Originally posted by: Duh!
"Wha tis that smell?"

Well, I thought momentarily that the trucks were running again over at Marshall Durbin...

quote:
Originally posted by: Anon
"TH tried to sell his house for 2 yrs. He wasn't successful. Is now rented to a MD who is building a house."

Would you buy a used car from him? I'd demand "dirt cheap" prices myself.

I need more coffee, I think...

Date: Jun 30, 2004

The female candidate in question was said to have been an atheist (sp). I don't care how enlightened all of you think that you are on this board. That would not have gone over well in the community or among the alumni.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

the rumor i heard was that she was mormon. for some, same as an atheist.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: stinky cheese man
"the rumor i heard was that she was mormon. for some, same as an atheist."

The rumor I heard was that the media was actively involved in a smear campaign to spread the word that she was a member of an "alternative" religion. That was the specific word I heard was used.

I also heard that the "lovenest" issue was not about athletic association donations, rugs, loveseats or smarmy details of illicit relationships but about the misallocation of funds - specifically, the funding of an off-campus site (apartment?) out of university funds. Again, the issue was one of knowledge and suppression by local media.

If this is going nowhere, then I'm sorry to have brought up a red herring. It didn't go anywhere on FireShelby so maybe there is nothing to it. As I recall, however, there was an inside media source but no further confirmation.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

Dr. Hart is a Mormon. She is now president of a Tier II university and is doing quite well.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Religion
"Dr. Hart is a Mormon. She is now president of a Tier II university and is doing quite well."

And, from everything I've heard, USM's loss.

The point is that there are rumors about an underhanded, well-orchestrated, dirty campaign against her that the media may have been complicit in.

With the current attention on some questionable activities that led to Shelby's ascension, I thought the issue should be raised again, in an effort to seek confirmation.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

The Persian rug is now in the Dome - it was a very expensive rug that SFT acquired through grant money (obviously misallocated). Lucas discovered that the rug could not reasonably be considered as an "office equipment" expense and something was worked out to send the rug to the Dome. This is a sketchy summary of it but that's basically what happened. Another question: How can SFT own apartments on USM property. DT used one of the units as an unofficial "office" when she also lived in Petal. The apartment unit is near the Payne Center.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Religion
"Dr. Hart is a Mormon. She is now president of a Tier II university and is doing quite well."

Dr Hart was interviewing with UNH at the same time as USM. She was considered the front runner for the UNH job and the board did not want the embarrassment of offering her the job and to have her turn it down for another.

Seeker is right, the alumni didn't like her, but not as much as they did not like Dr. Hickey. They hated him.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

I do get depressed when I think of what USM lost in not hiring Dr. Hart. Hickey turned out to be a dud...but he would still have been a great improvement over Thames.

As to the search process, one thing that has not been mentioned anywhere...When the three candidates made their presentations to the staff (in Thames Polymer Building), the room was packed all three times with polymer grad students who all rated Hart and Hickey very low. Needless to say, they rated Thames all 5's! Two people collecting the ballots did collect the polymer student forms in one hand and true staff in the other, hence the awareness of the discrepancy. But the tally contained all votes, as it was the correct thing to do. After all, there had been no id requirement to get into the staff presentations. This was corrected for the faculty when Shelby presented...too late for Hart and Hickeys numbers thought.

But Shelby did everything possible to get an edge. (Lie, cheat and steal is his mantra). And I am sure Billy Hewes' religion question on the coast was also set in motion by Shelby AND the athletic department. I know the people in the Athletic Department just loved it! Dick Vogel was boasting that they (the a. d.) had gotten that in the presentation and they were sure that would eliminate Shelby's true competitor. They were proud to have Hewes ask illegal questions to get the 'true Christians' to go against Dr. Hart.

The gestapo would have been proud of this Confederacy of Dunces.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

My opine on this subject I know matters little to the masses here, but here goes.

Thames was the strongest in a weak pool of applicants. Hart would have never been accepted by the alumni, and wouldn't have lasted very long. I doubt that she would have been very good at Southern Miss. Hickey was not impressive either.

Bottom line, I don't think the pool to choose from was very strong.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

Seeker wrote:

"The female candidate in question was said to have been an atheist (sp). I don't care how enlightened all of you think that you are on this board. That would not have gone over well in the community or among the alumni."

Q: Is there anyone out there who doesn't think Shelboo is one, too?

Date: Jun 30, 2004

Seeker, did you hear Dr. Hart speak? Everyone who did was enthusiastic. She would have been a great choice.

Cut the atheist crap, she was a Mormon. They are not what I would classify as Christian, but they are not atheists.

And I think that the alumni would support anyone who would exhibit a plan and some vision for our university. If you look around south Mississippi now, Christians are not what they once were. The buckle on the Bible Belt is worn and very rusty. I would support a Hindu for president of USM if that person had a vision and a plan for our future.

It would be a welcome relief from the despot we currently have in place.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Religion
"
Cut the atheist crap, she was a Mormon. They are not what I would classify as Christian, but they are not atheists.
"

I never said she was an atheist, I said that was the rumor at the time. I don't know what she is, and frankly don't care. Would she have been a good choice on paper, no doubt. I was working out of state when the interviews took place, so I didn't hear the presentations.

But, I am smart enought to know that the alumni wasn't going to support her. The same people who just put Fleming out of office, would have done the same to her, like it or not it would have happened. I am not saying that it's right, but it's what would have happened. The Mormon or atheist thing was just a kicker.

Many of you are so disconnected from the almuni and community you have no idea what the "common man" thinks about anything.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Seeker
"
...
The same people who just put Fleming out of office, would have done the same to her, like it or not it would have happened. ...

Many of you are so disconnected from the almuni and community you have no idea what the "common man" thinks about anything."

Seeker, what you state here may be THE PROBLEM with USM? The IHL Board has no one with academic credentials, the "common man" and community have a BIG say so in university business, and alumni have more influence that the faculty. Is there any wonder that USM is being run like it was a used car business? This is NOT the way prestigious universities are run. You are saying that real estate people, car salesman and attorneys are dictating decisions without input from the intellectuals that provide the leadership at REAL universities. Welcome to Hardy Street High.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Otherside
" Seeker, what you state here may be THE PROBLEM with USM? The IHL Board has no one with academic credentials, the "common man" and community have a BIG say so in university business, and alumni have more influence that the faculty..."

Excellent point, Otherside. This is nuts.

NO Quarter!

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Otherside
"

Seeker, what you state here may be THE PROBLEM with USM? The IHL Board has no one with academic credentials, the "common man" and community have a BIG say so in university business, and alumni have more influence that the faculty. Is there any wonder that USM is being run like it was a used car business? This is NOT the way prestigious universities are run. You are saying that real estate people, car salesman and attorneys are dictating decisions without input from the intellectuals that provide the leadership at REAL universities. Welcome to Hardy Street High. "

Maybe you guys are starting to understand things now. I think that a middle ground can be reached, but it won't happen with Thames or the current faculty leadership.

The faculty leadership (read the letters to the editor) has somewhat alienated a large part of the general public and alumni. You've made yourselves out to be the only one capible of doing anything right, and put the rest of us far below you. You've called us stupid (Joe Parker), and told the public that your job is far more important than anything we do, so you need to be treated differently. This is why you have so little support from the community. You can cry about this being 'SFT's home town" or whatever.

You guys could have SFT out the door so quick it's not funny, but you don't have the support to get it done. He has clearly done so much wrong it's not funny, but with every thing he's done wrong, the facutly leadership has reacted poorly. Thus you have nobody in your corner pulling for you.

I'm her to help you, you just can't see it.

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Seeker
". . . You've made yourselves out to be the only one capible of doing anything right . . "

Well, Seeker, academics has been my profession for quite a few years. That is my area of expertise. When I need brain surgery, I don't tell the brain surgeon where to cut. When I need legal services, I don't tell the lawyer what the law is all about. When I have my roof replaced, I don't tell the roofer what height of ladder or brand of roofing nails to use. When tax time rolls around, I don't tell my accountant which of the many complex forms to use, or which deductables are allowable. They are the experts. Those are their fields. Now, I am capable of making judgments in academics. That is my field. I can make judgments in my field - but not in medicine, law, roofing, or tax accounting. So just why does everybody and their brother . . . . . [you can finish this sentence].

Date: Jun 30, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Big Bad Wolf
"Well, Seeker, academics has been my profession for quite a few years. That is my area of expertise.

So just why does everybody and their brother . . . . . [you can finish this sentence]."

Maybe for the same reason that USM's dome management wants to run USM like a business but they have no business knowledge?