Woodrick given 5-month contract - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Aug 22, 2004

Woodrick given 5-month contract

Date: Aug 22, 2004

My name is reactivated. Becky Woodrick is one of the most competent, most ethical people on this campus. What a loss.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

Anne, if you are absolutely certain that what you have posted is correct, you might want to consider sending a copy to Eric Stringfellow (his email address appears as a hotlink on two other threads). In view of his editorial regarding the Klumb and the IHL, your the comments in your posting (above) might be very meaningful to him.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Eric Stringfellow regular reader
"Anne, if you are absolutely certain that what you have posted is correct, you might want to consider sending a copy to Eric Stringfellow (his email address appears as a hotlink on two other threads). In view of his editorial regarding the Klumb and the IHL, your the comments in your posting (above) might be very meaningful to him. "

I spoke to Becky last Friday. Anne's post is essentially the information Becky mentioned to me. Becky did her job in a way that both upheld standards AND made it easy for me to do my job. Pretty unique and impressive. I strongly encourage Dr. Guinn reconsiders his decision. From a "risk management" perspective, having a competent and sane AA/EEO officer is worth it's weight in gold.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

USM may save a few paltry dollars in the short haul but my prediction is that they will lose many bucks in the long haul, and in the hard way,without a full time Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Officer. Maybe the university thinks it might get smaller and anyAA/EO business that falls their way can be handled on an informal "let's just be friends" basis. Like the old saying goes, Pay me now or pay me later."

Date: Aug 22, 2004

This is appalling. I have much respect for Becky Woodrick and the job she has done. She is intelligent and highly professional. God help us all.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

This makes me so mad all over again...Becky Woodrick is an asset to USM in so many ways. Not only is she a great person (intelligent, forward-thinking, able to do so much with so little), but the fact that her job will now simply "disappear" is exactly the opposite of progress. Does either Ole Miss or Miss State have an AA/EEOC officer? If so, perhaps we could use that fact in any info to reporters, etc. (maybe shame Shelboo into keeping Becky, though the jury is out on whether he can feel shame at all that he's done to hurl USM back to the stone ages).

NO QUARTER!

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Magnolia

God help us all

God bless us each and every one.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

I'm totally puzzled by this situation. Why is a person in this position working on a yearly contract? Isn't it a staff position, or do all the staff at a certain level have to have new contracts? BTW, I talked with somebody tonight who will be teaching as an adjunct and she was worried that she didn't have a contract. All she has are two emails, and they don't tell her the same section numbers.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: LVN
"Isn't it a staff position, or do all the staff at a certain level have to have new contracts?"

Yes, to both parts of your question.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

regular reader, thanks for the suggestion--

Mr. Stringfellow's editorial was exactly on point, in my opinion. And who knows? Perhaps he reads this board.

NO QUARTER
Anne Wallace

Date: Aug 22, 2004

i will probably add to the muddle, but the nature of contracts depends on your EEOC level. Woodrick may be a staff member, but she has a yearly contract.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
"This makes me so mad all over again...Becky Woodrick is an asset to USM in so many ways. Not only is she a great person (intelligent, forward-thinking, able to do so much with so little), but the fact that her job will now simply "disappear" is exactly the opposite of progress. Does either Ole Miss or Miss State have an AA/EEOC officer? If so, perhaps we could use that fact in any info to reporters, etc. (maybe shame Shelboo into keeping Becky, though the jury is out on whether he can feel shame at all that he's done to hurl USM back to the stone ages). NO QUARTER!"

Truth,

I agree that Becky is an asset that USM will surely miss. Someone other than me may have more info, but I heard a rumor from another (last month) regarding her stepping on some (administrative) toes during some of the searches this past year. I think her departure is related to SFT and company being told by Becky that one or two of their searches did not meet AA/EEOC guidelines. Sounds like SFT is removing yet another that did not play by his rules...............

Date: Aug 22, 2004

I am appalled, but not surprised, given the sorts of comments Shelboo is known to make in private about persons who are not white males. Speaking of that . . .ever noticed how all of the "outside the box" billboards advertising USM have men on them, and no men of color? (I think one might be Asian-American, but it isn't really clear, because his face is covered up.) Looks like we're only interested in recruiting white males, with a few Asians to work in the polymer science labs.

Why isn't there an emoticon for :cynical:?

Date: Aug 22, 2004

foot soldier--you've clearly indicated you left town. to say "all of the 'outside of the box' billboards advertising USM have men on them, and no men color" i find incredulous. i drive into campus with a billboard showing a woman of color on a billboard. it's also a picture that rotates on the USM webpage. (don't respond by saying it's not an "outside of the box" billboard). i dont mind your criticisms, i have plenty of my own, but make sure you are up-to-date on your criticisms.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:

"On Friday morning, Rebecca Woodrick, the University's Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Officer, was told that her new contract would be for five months only (last month is December 2004). The reason given was that the administration plans to "reorganize" and that they do not expect that there will be any role for her in the new structure.

From what I'm reading in this thread, Ms. Woodrick would have no role in "the new structure," not that the AA/EEO officer position wouldn't. Perhaps that was said, too, and not related here?

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: foot soldier
"Why isn't there an emoticon for :cynical:?"

foot soldier, there is. Right on the list of emoticoms provided on this board. It is on the 2nd page of emoticons. Here it is:

Date: Aug 22, 2004

Sorry! I never saw that one. I haven't been gone that long, and I had not seen any women on billboards in the past year. At least someone at USM has thought about it.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Pea under the mattresses
""

Erik Marie Remark's World War II epic All Quite on the Western Front (the book and the movie) depicted Pea under the mattress. Pea, however, was spelled a little different than you spell it.

Date: Aug 22, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Bottom Bunk
"Erik Marie Remark's World War II epic All Quite on the Western Front (the book and the movie) depicted Pea under the mattress. Pea, however, was spelled a little different than you spell it."

Correction to spelling of author's last name:

REMARQUE, Erich Maria (1898-1970)

Remarque was a great and popular writer for over four decades, but will be remembered always for his first gigantically influential novel, All Quiet on the Western Front.

Date: Aug 23, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Sad
" Becky Woodrick is one of the most competent, most ethical people on this campus. What a loss."

I couldn't agree more. So now we see......he starts off the new school year with yet another shi**y move.......

NO QUARTER!!!

Date: Aug 23, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: Pea under the mattresses

"From what I'm reading in this thread, Ms. Woodrick would have no role in "the new structure," not that the AA/EEO officer position wouldn't. Perhaps that was said, too, and not related here?"

I read your post to mean that the administration is simply terminating Ms. Woodrick, not eliminating the position. If that is the case, I would think that Ms. Woodrick would have previously been given notice of this possibility.

One of the most valuable assets of any organization, business or university, is its human capital. I hate that term, but it puts into financial argot this truth: trained, skilled, educated people cost money. Individuals are worth something -- individually -- to the organization. People are not fungible, one-size-fits-all cogs in a wheel. (And even fungible, one-size-fits-all cogs cost something to replace.)

Given the cost of human capital, most businesses and universities, struggle and strive to keep that which they have, that in which they already have an investment, that which will cost something to replace.

If Ms.Woodrick's performance has not met the standard set by her employer, it would behoove the employer to manage her so that her performance improved. If there have been attempts to manage Ms. Woodrick, she would know. (At least I have never heard of any sort of stealth management; but at USM, who knows?) If good faith attempts to help the employee improve are fruitless, then the employee might have to be terminated. But a good manager would consider termination only as a last resort, not the first.

Date: Aug 23, 2004

There are two very clear reasons for this outrageous action:

1. Shelby does not accept "because it is the right (legal? ethical? professional?) thing to do" as a proper response to his query of why a person of honor takes a stand.

2. Shelby asks of everyone "how are you helping me?" If the answer involves how one is helping the university, but not the man himself, then it is the wrong answer.

The less apparent, but likely more important, reason is the third.

3. Some of the files were getting a little too thick.

This action against Becky Woodrick is NO DIFFERENT in rationale or intent from what happened to the two professors - same reason (questioning the chosen), same result (get rid of the questioner) - only difference is that it is being better planned this time. And, have no doubt, it is meant to send out the chilling message that some do not have to play by the same rules as others.

Becky Woodrick has been trying to be a person of honor in a den of iniquity - hope she finds a better job.

Date: Aug 23, 2004

The loss of Rebecca Woodrick is huge and deeply disheartening. As others have said, she's been a model of professionalism and high ethical standards throughout her years here. Her job is, of course, incredibly important--and she has done that job well, and thoughtfully, and with great integrity and courage. I had some hopes that we'd see things begin to improve as we inaugurated a new year. This is a sobering reminder of how illusory those hopes are, while the root of our problems remains.

NO QUARTER.

Ellen Weinauer

Date: Aug 23, 2004

I just sent an email off to Janet Braswell about this. Anne, I hope you don't mind, but I gave your name as a local contact for quotes, if needed.

This is an outrage. Also, have any other staff been advised of this impending "reorganization?" What other offices, depts., etc. will be affected?

Date: Aug 23, 2004

I'm responding to several posts that suggest that the position of AA/EEO officer will continue--

It's my understanding (but I'm no legal scholar, folks) that universities that accept federal funds must have an AA/EEO officer. But my point was that this position used to be "snowballed" (do I have that term right, FS veterans?) into another larger position, and that it would be typical of the Thames administration to do this again.

If they intend to hire a new full-time AA/EEO officer, then why would they not be advertising right now? Five months is a real short time to look for someone in this area, especially since many potential candidates are probably on year-long contracts. And if the adminstration intends to continue with a full-time AA/EEO officer, then they would have to produce some reason other than "reorganization" to truncate Ms. Woodrick's contract.

These are among the reasons that I suspect we'll hear that this "reorganization" will add the duties of AA/EEO officer to some other existing postion or office.

History teaches us a sad truth of academic life, and of life in the American workplace generally: without strong legal and procedural structures to protect employees and those who aspire to become employees from discriminatory practices ranging from preferential hiring to sexual assault, those discriminatory practices become accepted parts of our workplace. Hell, even WITH such structures, discrimination and harassment are commonplace.

Thames just "reorganized" the office of VP for Research and Economic Development, spending an additional $140,000 (not counting benefits, new staff, remodeled offices, etc.) to take care of what he clearly regards as essential work. I don't know what Ms. Woodrick's salary is, but doesn't it seem reasonable to spend that relatively small amount, plus the salary of a single adminstrative staff person to assist her, to fully protect the rights of our employees?

NO QUARTER
Anne Wallace

Date: Aug 23, 2004

Southern Miss_ogyny is worl' caste

Bye, Becky. Let us know where you land.

Date: Aug 23, 2004

As a former colleague of Becky's who worked closely with her on AA/EEO issues, I can attest to her high level of skill and professional judgment. Also as the former counseling center director at USM, I can attest to the vast difference she made in the lives of many faculty and staff. Before she was hired the counseling center staff often had to deal with the emotional trauma of harassment issues that faculty, staff and students experienced knowing there was really no safe avenue to address these issues within the university structure. It is yet one more very sad day for the USM community.

The most important asset that I thought USM once had was its community/family atmosphere. It is the thing that I miss the most after leaving the institution. Unfortunately, it is an asset the university no longer possesses due solely to the actions of Dr. Thames. I admire all of you who are hanging in there and fighting to bring back that since of family and community.

Date: Aug 23, 2004

quote:

Originally posted by: ram
" I read your post to mean that the administration is simply terminating Ms. Woodrick, not eliminating the position.

Please, read nothing from my post but what I said; I know nothing else but what was written here, which was

... The reason given was that the administration plans to "reorganize" and that they do not expect that there will be any role for her in the new structure."

I was just asking if the position itself was going away, too, since that was implied in the posts that followed, though it wasn't in the initial post (see above, again).

I don't even know Ms. Woodrick. I was just asking because I couldn't figure out where the idea came from that the position itself would be gone, too.

Date: Aug 23, 2004

Sorry, Pea. In my first sentence, I said "is" when I should have said "may be." I really was not trying to put words in your mouth. My sincere apologies.