"A search committee for the next president of USM is expected to be appointed by the College Board in October with the search beginning in November, said Communications Director Annie Mitchell.
Mitchell said the Institutions of Higher Learning College Board is now reviewing search processes and will discuss the best option in their regular meeting next month.
"The board wants to be from the public's point of view and make the process as transparent as possible," she said. "The end result is to have the best person possible for the president position at USM."
I couldn't help but notice that this article refers to the firing of two professors, Frank Glamser and Gary Stringer. To paraphrase Mark Twain, reports of our firings are greatly exaggerated. The settlement reached at the hearing agreed to by all parties included the dropping of all charges and the cessation of termination proceedings. An accurate description of what transpired in the spring of 2004 would refer to the unsuccessful attempt to fire two tenured faculty members. It is because of the tireless and unselfish efforts of many faculty, staff, students, and community members that the effort was, indeed, unsuccessful.
Thanks for the reminder, Frank. Have you received clearance from USM's attorney to "speak out against the Thames mismanagement"?
I enjoyed Myron Henry's comment on the second page of the article:
"Not all your decisions are going to be right," he said. "But if you make a decision that's wrong, learn from it."
That was a hope for Faculty Senate President Myron Henry.
"I would've hoped he would've expressed some regrets," said Henry, referring to the firing of Glamser and Stringer and other decisions regarding the university. "I think it caused a rift between administration and faculty and caused us to lose many good faculty over a period of time."
"The president has just got to reach our and involve those they lead and serve," he said. "The president doesn't remake the university in his or her image but builds on its strengths."
Shelby Thames TRIED to fire Prof. Stringer and Prof. Glamser. He couldn't. His hotheaded foolishness cost the university nearly half a million in direct court and settlement costs and much more in loss of faculty and reputation.
Executive Editor David McRaney says: 8/25/06 @ 1:24 PM EST
Thank you. We will run a correction concerning the wording of that sentence.