Noel Polk - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Sep 1, 2004

Noel Polk

Date: Sep 1, 2004

Why don't one of you guys who know him well call him up and ask him? We would all like to know.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Sad
"Why don't one of you guys who know him well call him up and ask him? We would all like to know. "

The people who know him well already know. Be patient.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

He hasn't posted any copies of his surprisingly underwhelming nastygrams for a while.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: uw
"He hasn't posted any copies of his surprisingly underwhelming nastygrams for a while."

Oh, just stop. Noel is a class act even if you fail to recognize it.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

I wonder if Professor Polk looked up and realized that he was at an age and in a position where he could say whatever he wanted to, or needed to, and I suspect he intended to speak for others who were not so free. I didn't like everything he said, but sometimes his comments were bracing, like a blast of cold fresh air. I felt the same way about his book, Outside the Southern Myth. Parts I disagreed with, but the book was interesting and worth reading. It's a shame that he apparently feels he cannot stay at USM. Obviously some people on this board dislike him vigorously, but I don't think right now we have any scholars of his stature to spare.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

To quote John Goodman's character from "O Brother Where Art Thou?"

"It's all about the money boys."

Date: Sep 1, 2004

People in their 50's and 60's (that's me and Dr. Polk and a lot of the people who felt they had to leave) do not pull themselves up by their roots just for money. People Seeker's age (my own child's age) move all over the place, but at near-retirement, other things are as important as, or more important than, money.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Seeker
"To quote John Goodman's character from "O Brother Where Art Thou?"

"It's all about the money boys.""

As usual, you just don't get it. Professor was very well compensated at USM.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Seeker
"To quote John Goodman's character from "O Brother Where Art Thou?" "It's all about the money boys.""

You have no idea what you are talking about. Polk did not/would not leave for money--just like many of the others who have gone but who thought they would be here till they retire. It shows your lack of understanding of what is going on--and your cynacism.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

Seeker - all I can say is that your USM education has not served you well.....

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: The Rock
"Seeker - all I can say is that your USM education has not served you well....."

Enlighten me....although I am not the subject of conversation.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

Professor Polk has spent the bulk of his adult life at USM and in Hattiesburg. He is from south Mississippi. His children grew up in Hattiesburg. A Faulkner scholar, he turned down a lucrative and attractive offer from Ole Miss in the 80's to stay at USM. He is approaching retirement age. People do not go into higher education or English to get rich. If Professor Polk elects to leave USM at this stage of his life, it is not because of money.

Seeker, consider yourself enlightened. Now grow up.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Curmudgeon
"Professor Polk has spent the bulk of his adult life at USM and in Hattiesburg. He is from south Mississippi. His children grew up in Hattiesburg. A Faulkner scholar, he turned down a lucrative and attractive offer from Ole Miss in the 80's to stay at USM. He is approaching retirement age. People do not go into higher education or English to get rich. If Professor Polk elects to leave USM at this stage of his life, it is not because of money. Seeker, consider yourself enlightened. Now grow up."

Amen to that.

Date: Sep 1, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Curmudgeon
"Professor Polk has spent the bulk of his adult life at USM and in Hattiesburg. He is from south Mississippi. His children grew up in Hattiesburg. A Faulkner scholar, he turned down a lucrative and attractive offer from Ole Miss in the 80's to stay at USM. He is approaching retirement age. People do not go into higher education or English to get rich. If Professor Polk elects to leave USM at this stage of his life, it is not because of money. Seeker, consider yourself enlightened. Now grow up."

Mr. Wonderful...this is my weekly nomination so far. Brilliant and succint. Love it.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

So what is the final story about the future of Professor Polk at USM?

Date: Sep 3, 2004

i hear his office is pretty bare and his house may be on the market soon.

adds new meaning to southern miss – to the top – oxford or starkville

Date: Sep 3, 2004

If NP does leave, I hope someone alerts the Chronicle of Higher Education. Shelby needs to feel some more national heat for the damage he is doing to the international reputation of USM.

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Devastating though it is, Noel Polk is indeed leaving. He is going to Mississippi State, in part, I believe, to take over the editorship of the _Mississippi Quarterly_. I cannot speak to his full responsibilities there, but I can say that his loss is huge for the English department and for this university. Noel is truly "world class."

I have posted this elsewhere, but want again to reiterate what this year has meant for English: we've lost Noel, Gary, Susan Malone, DC Berry, Susan Malone, and Tamara Harvey, all of whom made amazing contributions to our department and to USM.

No quarter!

Ellen Weinauer

Date: Sep 3, 2004

OOPS--in place of the second Susan Malone, I meant to name Mary Robison.

EW

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Any word yet, if you know and are willing to share, what official communication has been exchanged between Professor Polk and the USM administration? I continue to be very interested in how this will play out legally and what implications it may have on future "tenure contracts".

Date: Sep 3, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: flying the coop like an eagle
"adds new meaning to southern miss – to the top – oxford or starkville "

Password Wannabe:

"To the top" = To the top of the Mississippi map (Starkville, Oxford, and beyond)

Date: Sep 3, 2004

Noel Polk is a gentleman, a scholar, and a supportive colleague who has contributed greatly to the University of Southern Mississippi for three decades. He will be sorely missed.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

He has not died: he has simply moved on to more tranquil pastures. Pastures perhaps with less barbed wire and firmer soil. Why not?

Date: Sep 4, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: doubleough
"[Noel Polk] has not died: he has simply moved on to more tranquil pastures. Pastures perhaps with less barbed wire and firmer soil."

doubleough,

I prefer to look at it another way: [Noel Polk] has not died: he has simply moved from a plantation to a pasture.

Date: Sep 4, 2004

I like the analogy.

Date: Sep 6, 2004

I've had it confirmed from someone close to Polk that he is resigning his position at USM and accepting one at State.

Have any of the newspapers picked up on this?

Date: Sep 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Going, going, gone
"Polk that he is resigning his position at USM and accepting one at State. Have any of the newspapers picked up on this?"

I doubt that a newspaper would view a faculty member moving from one school to another as newsworthy. After all, Noel Polk was not involved in an off-campus high-profile manner such as S & G. Polk's unfortunate departure is important to us, of course, but the reading public - would probably say "Ho hum" and move on to the sports page. Sorry, but I doubt the cause will get much if any press coverage out of this unless there is more to the story than that.

Date: Sep 6, 2004

The story as I understand it is that Polk would never have left for another school in Mississippi unless he were completely fed up with the situation at USM. According to one of his friends, he had been serving as graduate director in English and had been willing to serve as chair of the department, but SFT said "no way." He finally just had enough. He can't take Mississippi retirement because he'll be staying in the system. There is no financial gain. There is only the bother of selling a long time home, leaving old friends, and going to Starkville.

Date: Sep 6, 2004

quote:
Originally posted by: Interested bystander
"The story as I understand it is that Polk would never have left for another school in Mississippi unless he were completely fed up with the situation at USM."

Interested bystander, lots of faculty members (including myself) left because they were (as you say) "completely fed up with the situation at USM." Noel Polk is only one in a long line. No newsworthy item on me or the others (although I could have provided enough newsworthy material to fill up an entire edition).