Dr. Thames,

Why was the paperwork for the US News & World Report rankings survey "lost in the shuffle?"  Do you feel that the 'mishandling' of this paperwork is an embaressment to the university?

Now that USM is nationally listed as a 4th Tier institution, do you think that this will have a negative effect on the recruitment of faculty, staff members, and students?  How does this ranking affect your assertion that USM is a "world class" university?

Many faculty members have asserted that you steadfastly refuse to meet with the Faculty Senate.  It has been noted that a period of several months (not including the summer months) has passed since your last meeting with that body.  Will you ever resume meetings with the Faculty Senate?  Do you believe that meetings of this type have any significance or value to yourself, the faculty, or the university as a whole?

Will USM faculty and staff members ever have a complete Handbook that they can refer to?  How long will it take to finally complete the Handbook?

Why have faculty members been leaving in such large numbers under your administration?  Do you believe that this exodus has anything to do with your policies and proceedures over the last two years?  Will this effect the quality of education recieved by the students at USM?

Do you feel that it is a conflict of interest to have your daughter, Dr. Dana Thames, remain as a member of the USM faculty under your administration?  Do you think that other faculty and staff members have a legitimate grevience when they suggest that this could be considered cronyism, especially in light of the overly large 'merit' raise she recieved last semester?

Finally, Dr. Thames, you have stated on numerous occasions that the main focus of your administration has been on economic development as related to the university in particular, but also to the surrounding community as well.  You have also stated, again on numerous occasions, that this transition to an 'economic development model' university was necessary due to an expected decrease in available funding from the state and federal governments, as well as a possible decrease in private donations.  With this in mind, could you please answer the following series of questions:

1)  Has there been an increase of a decrease in state and federal funding for the university?  If so, how much was this decrease, both in dollars and as a percentage as compared to past government funding?  Has there been an increase of a decrease in the number of federal and/or state funding programs for the university?  Which programs, if any, were discontinued?  Were there any new funding programs instituted?

2)  Has there been an increase of a decrease in the amount of private donations to the university?  If so, how much was this decrease, both in dollars and as a percentage as compared to past private donations?  Was there an increase or a decrease in the number of individual donars?  Will you make available to us a list of the individual donars to the university for the past 5 years, listing their names and the amounts of their donations?

3)  Has there been an increase or a decrease in the amount of scholarship monies made available to students at USM?  How much was this increase or decrease, both in dollars and as a percentage as compared to past scholarship funds?  Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of individuals or groups providing scholarship funds?  Will you make available to us a list of the individual scholarship donars to the university for the past 5 years, listing their names and the amounts of their scholarship funds?

4)  Has there been an increase or a decrease in the amount of grant money made available to faculty members at the university?  How much was this increase or decrease, both in dollars and as a percentage as compared to past grant funding?  Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of individual grants awarded to faculty members?  Will you make available to us a list of the individual faculty members who have been awarded grants for the past 5 years, listing their names and the amounts of the grants they were awarded?

5)  Under the recent reorganization of the university, the nine previously existing colleges were reduced to five new colleges, resluting in the elimination of four dean positions.  Were there any other faculty, staff, or administration positions that were also eliminated as a result of the reorganization?  If so, how many?  What were these positions and who were the faculty or staff members who were excused?

6)  At the time of the reorganization, you stated on several occasions that this process was necessary in view of recent decreases in state funding for the university system.  You also stated that this process would save USM a great deal of funds, in the neighborhood of some two million dollars.  However, it is widely asserted that such a major reorganization could not take place without some types of costs involved, such as printing new business cards, etc. How much, if any, were the costs involved with the reorganization?  How many and what specific types of costs were they?  What was the exact amount of savings realized by the university after accounting for these costs, if any?  How did the university specifically utilize those funds saved?  Will you make available to us an official financial statement showing the specific costs and savings involved with the reorganization, as well as how the funds saved were utilized?

How do you reconcile the many public statements that USM has the only comprehensive economic development program in the country (previously defined as bachelors, masters, and doctoral) and that the Trent Lott Center will be the only economic development center in the country when the following are true:

• USM does not offer a bachelors degree in economic development and economic devlopment is only an emphasis in the IDV PhD program


• There are at least a dozen universities around the country that do offer comprehensive economic development programs


• There are scores of universities that offer emphases in economic development


• Many of these universities have economic development centers


• Many of these universities are tier 1, tier 2, or tier 3 universities

Dr. Thames.......

The USM Department of English, already reeling from the loss of faculty over the last 3 to 4 years, has now this year lost five SENIOR people.   Two of these (Polk and Stringer) actually have international reputations (and excellent ones at that).   Two of these are respected creative writers who have published widely (Robison and Berry).   And the last (Malone), was one of the most gifted English ed faculty to be found anywhere--a woman who understood technology, who could write successful grants, and who  could train future teachers. 

Was that your plan for English, Dr. Thames? If so, has the plan now been finalized or is there more in store for that department?

quote:

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Originally posted by: Trollus Detectus in Extremis
"...4)  Has there been an increase or a decrease in the amount of grant money made available to faculty members at the university?  How much was this increase or decrease, both in dollars and as a percentage as compared to past grant funding?  Has there been an increase or decrease in the number of individual grants awarded to faculty members?  Will you make available to us a list of the individual faculty members who have been awarded grants for the past 5 years, listing their names and the amounts of the grants they were awarded? 5"

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I think this is a great set of questions, but I do have agree with Research Associate that there are some questions more equal than others! (insert light sarcasm here).  This one above, in particular, needs to be reworded, because, essentially, grant money is not made available by the university, but by the granting institution (be it state, federal, private, etc.).  Now, there is an eensy, weensy bit of grant money available directly from the university to faculty members in the form of fellowships and such (I think they used to be Lucas Grants or Fellowships), but this is not much $. 

If you want information on external research monies generated, you should be able to find that amount quite easily...there is usually a press release right at the end of the fiscal year (I think it just came out).  I believe USM is at $67 million in external funding as of this year.  It's been on a steady increase over the past 5 years or so, but the gains this year were a little less than years past (I think it went from $62 m in 2002 to $67m in 2003, while there was a much larger increase the year before...can't remember exact figures).  USM is doing quite well in this area, but I would ask Thames why he isn't focused more on increasing USM's endowment...that money has less conditions on it, and can actually be banked and have interest drawn on it.  Is Thames that fiscally inept that he doesn't see the difference between potential gains from private donors vs. potential gains from externally-funded research?  Both are important, but neither can be neglected.

quote:

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Originally posted by: truth4usm/AH
" but I would ask Thames why he isn't focused more on increasing USM's endowment..."

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What's the date and time of this meeting? Is it, as rumored earlier, a brief breakfast meeting?

AE

Here's something I still don't quite understand. Maybe somebody could let me know the answer right here on this thread. If not, maybe these three questions should be asked at the PUC meeting:

I was led to believe that USM acquired the Albertson's building in order to house nursing. After the purchase, however, the plan was discarded. According to the news media the old Albertson's building will be rented by USM to Hudson's for about two months for its furniture store.

My first question: why was the plan to locate nursing in that building abandoned?

My second question: what is the alternate plan, if any, for nursing's location?

My third question: what, if not for nursing, what is the long range plan for the Albertson's building now?