Happy New Year and........ - USM Forum -- Message Board

donedoneit · Status: Offline

Happy New Year and........

Interested onlooker · Status: Offline

I was talking with some friends, and they mentioned that both Joan Exline and Joe Paul are internal folks who are interested. Anyone else heard that?
I'm wondering if Steve Doblin might apply. I have no idea what kind of job he's done at Lamar, but in my experience (I wasn't in his college but was on other committees with him), he did a good job as dean. Of course, all is only speculation now, right? But what interesting times lie ahead.

LVN · Status: Offline

I would be willing to bet that we get a total outsider. There are good internal candidates, but so many people have baggage now that possibly a completely clean slate would be best.

Joe Olmi · Status: Offline

LVN wrote:

I would be willing to bet that we get a total outsider. There are good internal candidates, but so many people have baggage now that possibly a completely clean slate would be best.

A better question is what internal candidate would be acceptable to faculty and staff given all that has occurred over the recent years? or to IHL?

Godless Liberal · Status: Offline

MaryAnne Stringer

Southern Belle · Status: Offline

Personally, I would have a problem with Joan Exline.

LVN · Status: Offline

It would be great to have the Stringers back in any capacity. It will be interesting to see whether people come back to USM.

LVN · Status: Offline

Southern Belle wrote:

Personally, I would have a problem with Joan Exline.

I'm not sure that anyone associated with the present administration can give USM the sense of a fresh new beginning that is desperately needed. In fact, many of them could take their experience at USM and be highly employable elsewhere. Dr. Exline in particular is well-regarded in the two-year college realm and might be welcomed there with open arms.

Godless Liberal · Status: Offline

Hank Bound's name keeps coming up. He is a nice enough fellow, a decent Supe for K-12, but definitely an insider. Hope Meredith is not simply looking down the road in Jackson for our next Prez.

Joe Olmi · Status: Offline

Godless Liberal wrote:

Hank Bound's name keeps coming up. He is a nice enough fellow, a decent Supe for K-12, but definitely an insider. Hope Meredith is not simply looking down the road in Jackson for our next Prez.

Dr. Bounds is a fine person and professional. Notwithstanding, it remains that one who has no or very limited experience with higher education, no or limited experience with the tenure/promotion process, no or limited experience with the scholarship/peer review publication process, no or limited experience with the notion of shared governance, no or limited experience with the process of mentoring undergraduate students, no or limited experience with guiding a graduate student through the research to publication process, no or limited experience with the grant writing/grant administration process, etc. would not fit the bill. I have never been one to necessarily endorse the position that one should pay their dues (have experiences directly related to the management of those they lead) in order to climb the ladder, but in this case, I think such experiences are vital. Needless to say, since becoming an academic, I have changed my position on the matter. I find it difficult to have my vita professionally evaluated by one who has no or limited experience with the efforts that come with building an academic vita. Experience in a field does not necessarily qualify one to be an academic; it certainly does not qualify one to evaluate my record as an academic.

History · Status: Offline

Does this imply that the choice of Foglesong was a bad one?

donedoneit · Status: Offline

I have often wondered if Steve Doblin would be interested in being the next USM President. From all indications, he is doing a spectacular job at Lamar, loves what he is doing and probably makes close to the President's salary anyway. He would be a good bridge builder at USM though.

Joe Olmi · Status: Offline

History wrote:

Does this imply that the choice of Foglesong was a bad one?

Not being at State, it is difficult for me to comment. Others may suggest that the jury is still out.

LVN · Status: Offline

kick

Dr VanNostren · Status: Offline

Thanks to LVN for kicking this thread up.

In another thread, I stated that I have been told -- by someone with connections to the "good old boys" -- that Bounds is a serious candidate for the position and the "good old boys'" favorite. I see that Godless Liberal and others made similar assertions. My statements and the statements of others have been dismissed by several "legitimate" posters. Anyone who dismisses Hank Bounds as a candidate hasn't learned anything from the past 5-6 years at USM.

Aubrey K. Lucas is married to Ella Ginn Lucas. Ella Ginn Lucas is related to Bud Ginn. Is it such a stretch that Bud Ginn, an old-time kingmaker, was tied in to the Lucas administration professionally as well as personally? When Lucas retired the second time, Bud Ginn helped Shelby Thames attain the USM presidency. Bud Ginn has reportedly helped Hank Bounds attain positions in the past. Is it a stretch that Ginn would assist Bounds in attaining the USM presidency? Not hardly.

Joe Olmi makes some good points above. Experience in high-level higher education administration is a must for this position or any major university presidency. We see and have lived through the fallout from hiring an inexperienced candidate. So, yes, Fogelsong was a bad choice. If he turns out well, then Mississippi State is lucky; any success will have more to do with good fortune than anything else.

Some posters thumb their noses at the idea that Bounds would be the choice. Where have these posters been for the past 5 years? Under a rock? This isn't a progressive area or a progressive state. This is Hattiesburg, Mississippi, more akin to a 3rd world country in political system than it is to a real democratic republic. What the power brokers want, the power brokers will get, unless Bounds is somehow disqualified publicly and in such a way that the power brokers cannot override other candidates in his favor.

McCain was an insider. Lucas was an insider who knew how to play the game; he is polished. Fleming was an outsider who wouldn't play ball, and we see how he ended up. Thames is an insider whose downfall is lack of polish and a severe incompetence. Bounds fits the mold of an appropriate choice for the insiders. To suggest that Bounds isn't a viable candidate in the eyes of those who pull the strings at USM is to ignore 50 years of history. It's also to suggest that politics cannot overcome qualifications.

I don't want Hank Bounds as our next president. He'll be worse than Thames, and he'll turn us fully into a non-research degree mill. He'll do what he's told so that he can get the next job. If reports of Bounds' candidacy are dismissed by the USM Faculty Senate, the AAU, and other bodies, then we might very well end up with Hank Bounds as president.

Reporter · Status: Offline

Dr VanNostren wrote:
Thanks to LVN for kicking this thread up.
In another thread, I stated that I have been told -- by someone with connections to the "good old boys" -- that Bounds is a serious candidate for the position and the "good old boys'" favorite. I see that Godless Liberal and others made similar assertions. My statements and the statements of others have been dismissed by several "legitimate" posters. Anyone who dismisses Hank Bounds as a candidate hasn't learned anything from the past 5-6 years at USM.
...

With all due respect, Dr VanNostern, what you stated in the other thread was, " I was told today that the USM presidential search committee is considering Hank Bounds to replace Shelby Thames."

Now you are saying the rumor is actually coming from the "good old boys". Last time I looked the"Good Old Boys" are not the "presidential search committee". That was one reason why your earlier assertion was dismissed.