ARTICLES CONCERNING
EVALUATION, TENURE AND FINANCIAL REWARDS
EVALUATION, TENURE AND FINANCIAL REWARDS
(October 22, 2007) Promotion Then, Promotion Now (Gunther + Klinedinst) < Marvasti Scrutiny of the research records
of those on the so-called “2007-08 P&T Jailbreak Train” continues to pervade Greene Hall water cooler conversations as
well as the news pages of USMNEWS.NET. One of the passengers on that train is associate professor of economics
Akbar Marvasti, who was hired during the spring of 2006 from Pomona College, where he was serving as a visiting
professor of economics. After just one year in USM’s College of Business, Marvasti submitted his application for
promotion to full professor in September of 2007.
(October 23, 2007) Special Report The EFIB’s “Quick-Strike Promotion & Raise” Program An Investigative Series on the
Use of the CoB for Personal Gain Usmnews.net has received tips indicating that a high-ranking member of the CoB has
gone on record in recent weeks describing the EFIB’s heretofore unmentioned policy of hiring faculty at low(er) ranks
with the intention of promoting them quickly, a process that allows EFIB and CoB administrators to funnel additional
monies to new economics, finance and international business faculty. According to sources contacted by usmnews.net
about these tips, EFIB administrators have been making (in recent years) verbal agreements for what sources are
referring to as “quick-strike promotions” with EFIB hires. Of course, these so-called “quick-strike promotions” are
accompanied by raises anywhere from $4,000/year to $5,500/year.
(October 27, 2007) Out-Published and Ousted A Look at the Departure of Daniel Michael UPDATED, 10/27/2007 In one
of our earlier reports about the "canning" of assistant professor of management, Daniel Michael, our reporters indicated
that another faculty member might be making a fall 2007 announcement of an intention to depart the CoB after the
2007-08 academic year. Sources now tell USMNEWS.NET that this individual has turned down an offer to move on after
2007-08, though other offers might arise between now and then. This represents a bit of good news for USM's CoB
because the faculty member in question would rank third in Table 1 below, having more than 11 journal publications
but fewer than 33. Having another 12-32 articles depart the CoB would have only added to the disastrous situation facing
the CoB's AACSB re-accreditation prospects.
(November 6, 2007) Special Report How Would You Like Your “A”? A Look at What the Sawyer-Carter P&T
Evaluations Say As the 2007-08 P&T season’s dossiers circulate further into the corridors of the CoB, word is
spreading about what former EFIB economist, Charles Sawyer, and current EFIB Chair, George Carter, are saying
about the research credentials of two of the EFIB’s P&T candidates – Sami Dakhlia and Akbar Marvasti. In both
sets of evaluations – Sawyer’s “external review” of Marvasti, and Carter’s “independent, professional judgments”
of both Dakhlia and Marvasti – the duo of Sawyer and Carter attempt to make the case that most academics in
economics never publish in an “A” journal. As such, Sawyer and Carter claim that by having 3 “As” and 2 “As,”
respectively, Dakhlia and Marvasti are truly unique characters on the academic landscape, at least among
academic economists.
(November 6, 2007) 31st & Pearl The Admission Behind Marvasti's P&T Gambit The idea that the CoB's Akbar
Marvasti, an associate professor of economics, sought and received an "external letter of review" for his promotion-to-full
dossier from Charles Sawyer continues to spark interest among usmnews.net readers. Sawyer, who spent approximately
25 years in USM's College of Business, retired from USM in May of 2007. One of his last acts was to assist EFIB Chair
George Carter in the hiring of Marvasti during the spring of 2006.