i am quite uncertain why i kept this, but parts of it are quite interesting...especially where tenure, the faculty handbook and controlling our own destiny.
be sure to note the enrollment and faculty departure numbers.
(i added the bold)

Open Letter from Dr. Shelby F. Thames . September 23, 2003

Dear Colleague,

Record Enrollment and Accomplishments

Welcome to the 2003, academic year at The University of Southern Mississippi. 
We are having a record breaking semester in enrollment.  With 16,662 students, we now have the largest student body in the history of our university, and we have become the largest university in the state of Mississippi.  It is exciting to realize that so many students have selected Southern Miss as their
university of choice.  Their choice should not be surprising to us though, because we know the outstanding caliber and reputation of our faculty, staff and students.  We know that more and more students will look to Southern Miss as the place to advance their education, and the place to call home.

It is important that we continue to grow our student body.  The revenue created from student tuition is helping to stabilize our budget.  We have a commitment from our Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning to allocate funding according to student population.  With the largest
student body, Southern Miss is better positioned for revenue allocation and to influence policy.  For the first time in three years, we have not suffered from budget cuts.  We must continue to create our own revenue streams rather than
relying on state funding.  Despite this record-breaking student growth, we remain within our service capabilities.  We are meeting student needs in housing, and we are better utilizing classroom space and instructional resources, allowing for better efficiency in the delivery of services.

Golden Eagle Revelry was a great opportunity for us to celebrate our accomplishments of the past year and to set the tone for the future of The University of Southern Mississippi.  I would like to once again thank the members of the Southern Miss family who have given 10, 20, 25 and 30-plus years
of service to this institution.  They have made a substantial
investment in this university, it has become an important part of their lives, and their work here has made a positive difference in Southern Miss.

New Deans and Faculty

We have had the opportunity to welcome our new college deans: Dr. Harold Doty, Dr. Joan Exline, Dr. Rex Gandy, Dr. Willie Pierce, Dr. Elliott Pood.  Each has impressive academic and research backgrounds and they will help Southern Miss
reach even higher levels of accomplishment.  I congratulate and thank the many faculty and staff members who took an active role in their selection.  I hope that if you have not done so already, you will take time to visit with our deans.  Share with them your ideas and challenges.  They are poised to help
make your time at Southern Miss the best it can be.   

We are always looking at our faculty ranks throughout the year.  Compared to other university reports, we are pleased to have had only 89 faculty members leave the university: 36 faculty retired, 30 left for a new job, 12 faculty reached the end of a 1 year contract, 4 died, 1 faculty member relocated, 1 had unsatisfactory performance, 2 left for personal reasons, and 3 faculty members listed "other" as their reason for leaving.

We welcome 86 new faculty members to Southern Miss this fall, of which 29 are tenure-track faculty members.  Their credentials are outstanding, and we look forward to the positive impact they will have on the educational experiences
of our students.

I would like to congratulate those faculty members who achieved tenure.  The achievement of tenure is a significant milestone in the career of any professor.  It indicates that the university values the intellectual contributions made by these faculty members.  It places them in a unique status
among their counterparts nationwide, and it says to current students and to generations of students to come that this professor is critical to their learning experience.  We look forward to their continued positive contribution to our university mission.

Faculty Handbook Draft
The Handbook Committee was convened on June 30, 2003. 
The section of the current handbook describes the makeup of the committee as follows: "There shall be a standing committee composed of an Assistant or Associate Provost, the President of the Faculty Senate, and Assistant or Associate Vice President for Research, the Director of the Department of Human Resources, a member of the faculty appointed by the President, and the University Counsel as a nonvoting member."
The membership consists of: Assistant Provost, Dr. Bradley Bond; Faculty Senate President, Dr. Myron Henry; Associate Vice President for Research, Dr. Cecil Burge; Appointee by Vice President for Business and Finance for Human Resources, Mr. Jack Hanbury, Dr. William Taylor, faculty representative
appointed by President Thames; and University Counsel, Mr. Lee Gore.

Through the course of 15 meetings, the committee has reviewed the current draft of the existing Faculty Handbook, provided input to its content and developed a revised draft for review by the entire faculty.  The Handbook Committee has
worked hard to improve the handbook and should have the revised draft ready this week. 

Copies of the draft will be made available to each college dean.  Deans will be responsible, with the assistance of department chairs, to gather input from faculty.  This process allows all faculty to review and have input into the final document.  Suggestions and recommendations will be forwarded by the deans to the Handbook Committee by the first week of October. 

The Handbook Committee will consider the recommendations submitted, make changes deemed appropriate, and deliver a final recommended draft to me for review by the end of October.  It is anticipated that the new Faculty Handbook
will become effective at the beginning of the 2004 Spring Semester.

Your input to this review process is encouraged because it will assist in defining and implementing our level of excellence in teaching, research, service, and economic development at The University of Southern Mississippi.

The Year Ahead

The University of Southern Mississippi was highlighted at the National Governor's Association meeting on higher education.  The theme of the conference is "Closing the Gaps with Higher Productivity."  We have been asked to present our plan for innovation, efficiency and effectiveness.  More than 31 states will have participants in the conference, which is designed to
assist policymakers with higher education issues.

We will be presenting with the University of St. Thomas, University of Nebraska and Champlain College.  It is fulfilling to get national attention for our efforts to place more emphasis on the classroom and less on administration.  We should be proud that people across this nation are taking notice of
Southern Miss for the steps we are taking to enhance all aspects of higher education.

I hope each of you will challenge yourselves to excel in teaching, research, service and economic development throughout the year ahead.  Our students' education must be our number one priority, and it should be the impetus
for every decision we make at The University of Southern Mississippi. 

While our number one priority is our students, our number one goal is to improve the salaries of our people.  We are actively seeking increased funding for raises.  We are pressing this issue forward in the board process.  We are talking with legislators about the need to increase funding on a statewide
level.

In the meantime, remember that you control your own destiny.  We have given you opportunities for involvement and increased incentives.  It is up to you to take advantage of these opportunities, and we will be there to help. 
We want to have the best faculty in the South, and we want to have the highest paid faculty and staff in the state of Mississippi.  We are working to that end, but we need your involvement and your energy.  We are only as good as we
believe ourselves to be.  I believe we can be the best. 

Very Truly Yours,
Shelby F. Thames