Wikipedia for USM - USM Forum -- Message Board

Bookie · Status: Offline

Wikipedia for USM

HEST · Status: Offline

Wow. That's one interesting recollection of events. . .

"Angie Dvorak was named vice-president for Research and Economic Development for her ability to work with businesses for monetary and machinery donations. Her first day on the job, she was able to report a large donation. Two tenured professors, Frank Glamser and Gary Stringer[husband to a recently removed dean in a cost cutting measure already mentioned], slid a document under Dr Thames door alleging that Dvorak's past employment credentials listed on her vita were inaccurate. Dr Thames did look into the matter and was satisfied with her credentials(Dr Thames was Dvorak's immediate supervisor). The professors continued their attack on Dvorak, curiously never attempting to even meet with her. In a lengthy interview with the HATTIESBURG AMERICAN,it was documented that her vita was accurate. As a community college president and teacher , she was tenured under the university of Kentucky system which included community college professors in its system at that time. She never listed being tenured at the University of Kentucky at Lexington as was alleged by the above professors. Dr Thames then attempted to fire the two professors, locking them out of their offices on March 4, 2004. The backlash from President Thames's actions resulted in a 39-1 vote of no-confidence in Dr Thames by the Faculty senate. The full faculty responded days later with a vote of 430-32. The state college board considered these votes as a mere popularity contest since the facts of the case were unknown to the faculty due to a gag order from the judge of the case. Unfortunetly, their was a rush to judgement in a university setting which is suppose to be open to ideas. The HATTIESBURG AMERICAN reported approximately 100 students and faculty protested against Dr Thames and approximately 250 students and faculty rallied for Dr Thames."

LVN · Status: Offline

Gosh, who in the world could have submitted THAT? Thanks Bookie, for calling it to our attention.

Later edit:

There was no judge and no gag order until after the hearing, was there? And whoever wrote this trash can't spell either.

-- Edited by LVN at 22:44, 2006-08-30

Austin Eagle · Status: Offline

Bookie wrote:

I just noticed for the very first time that USM has a Wikipedia entry:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/University_of_Southern_Mississippi

Some information on the site is at the very least misleading. Sometimes it is completely wrong.

You're being much too kind. This is the biggest load of crap I've seen in some time. I just wish I hadn't read it first thing this morning and ruined a perfectly nice day. Aren't Wikipedia entries easily modified? On second thought, deleting the entire piece and starting anew might be the better course.

AE

Angela Cutrer · Status: Offline

... and my students wonder why I won't allow Wiki Wiki as a source ...

Curmudgeon · Status: Offline

I'll go first. The vote was 40-0. The materials were slid under Glamser's door. The student demonstration estimate was 1000. The pro Thames "demonstration" was a joke. There was no gag order prior to the hearing. The judge had not even been assigned. This is much too sloppy for Lisa.

LeftASAP · Status: Offline

Did you catch this bit of truth?

"On May 1, 2002, Dr. Shelby Freland Thames became The University of Southern Mississippi’s eighth president. ... His previous administrative positions at Southern Miss were chair of the Department of Polymer Science, dean of the College of Science and Technology, vice president for Administration and Regional Campuses, and executive vice president (which he was forced to resign from for behavioral problems). "

truth4usmAH · Status: Offline

Someone is messing around with the entry on Shelboo at the Wikipedia site...we should keep an eye on it.

Truth

ram · Status: Offline

truth4usmAH wrote:

...we should keep an eye on it.

Truth

Just "keeping an eye on it," I notice that it has been "cleaned up" quite a bit. The typography has been improved and the hyperbole moderated somewhat. A stranger would still likely think that SFT is a good man who's just been placed in a tough situation.

Is this statement true? "USM was recently assigned the 'Doctoral / Research Extensive' designation by the Carnegie Foundation, a category that includes the largest, most important research universities in the nation, which number approximately 150." The word "recently" -- and the sentence's inclusion in a paragraph about SFT's accomplishments -- makes it seem the Carnegie designation was his personal achievement.

Also, I was surprised to learn that "[Professors Glamser and Stringer] were placed on paid leave for two years, with instructions that they could be fired after their leave ended." (emphasis added.) When I check the cite given as authority for that statement, I fail to reach the same conclusion.

LVN · Status: Offline

ram wrote:

Is this statement true? "USM was recently assigned the 'Doctoral / Research Extensive' designation by the Carnegie Foundation, a category that includes the largest, most important research universities in the nation, which number approximately 150." The word "recently" -- and the sentence's inclusion in a paragraph about SFT's accomplishments -- makes it seem the Carnegie designation was his personal achievement.

Also, I was surprised to learn that "[Professors Glamser and Stringer] were placed on paid leave for two years, with instructions that they could be fired after their leave ended." (emphasis added.) When I check the cite given as authority for that statement, I fail to reach the same conclusion.

How puzzling. How can you fire someone who has already retired and/or is working elsewhere. If anybody got "fired" it was Dr. Thames himself when the Board did not give him a new term.

As for the Carnegie designation, we all know what a lot of stuff that is. It's a quantitative designation, not a qualitative one. The person bragging about it only reveals his own ignorance.

-- Edited by LVN at 16:15, 2006-09-04