FARHANG NIROOMAND, FORMER ASSOCIATE DEAN,
COLLEGE OF BUSINESS, CURRENT DEAN, UNIVERSITY OF
HOUSTON AT VICTORIA
(October 19, 2006) What was a “Black Tuesday” Proxy Worth? A Look at Circumstances Suggesting a Potential
Vote-for-Benefits Arrangement "In the course of their investigations into the spring 2007 EFIB teaching loads,
investigators have put together a cases that suggests there may have been a vote-trading arrangement in the EFIB
regarding the now infamous “Black Tuesday” EFIB governance re-vote. In carrying the day on 19 September 2006,
George Carter needed every bit of the help that CoB Associate Dean Farhang Niroomand’s vote, and those of the two
proxies that Niroomand held that day from Weihua Shi (visiting assistant professor of economics) and Farooq Malik
(assistant professor of economics). As USMPRIDE.COM readers are aware, the Chair-only governance option (III) won by
an 11 to 8 decision, with Niroomand casting three votes himself. USMPRIDE.COM readers will also recall that Carter’s
announcement of the meeting, via e-mail and memo, failed to mention anything about a vote being taken at that (then
upcoming) meeting. Yet, Niroomand sought the two proxies from the USMGC campus...".
(November 1, 2006) The Curious Case of the Missing Economics Line Or, Anatomy of An Administrative Deal "It starts,
of all places, at USMGC. In May 2006, newly promoted Associate Professor of Economics David Sharpe resigns from
USM to take an industry job. This is a crippling blow to the economics fiefdom carefully constructed over fifty years by
the likes of Joseph Greene, Ty Black, George Carter, Charles Sawyer, and Farhang Niroomand. Having just lost Assistant
Professors Sunny Wong and Melody Lo from the Hattiesburg faculty, Sharpe’s departure leaves economics short 3
members overall. Lo and Wong’s departures were expected, however, and Sawyer and Carter were able to make two
hires – Akbar Marvasti and Sami Dakhlia – but were denied the opportunity to hire a replacement for Sharpe, even on a
Visiting basis...".