weeklyreports_10_01

Editorial Sami Dakhlia As you can see, a visitor to usmnews recently reviewed reports about Sami Dakhlia, possibly looking into his background. Or, maybe it was Sami, himself. If that's you Sami, are you behaving yourself? If it's not Sami, read on.

Updated HELP WANTED A Look at Business Dean Openings from Around the Country With four current/former CoB deans moving around in the academic world, some USMNEWS.net readers have requested an ongoing report that tracks current b-school dean openings.

Imagine� Previous Governor Barbour suggested reorganizing Mississippi's universities. Not a bad idea. See, "So goes football, so goes USM," below. It prompted "Imagine." Mississippi university football teams may be exhibit No. 1 in support of reorganizing Mississippi universities.

USM's enrollment is down significantly -- again According to the IHL, USM's "unduplicated headcount" once again dropped from 15,249 (Fall 2013) to 14,845 (Fall 2014). This change represented a 2.6% drop in enrollment. usmnews.net readers may recall that enrollment dropped from 16,468 students (Fall 2012) to 15,325 students (Fall 2013) for a devastating 2013 6.9% drop in enrollment.

Editorial Let's Not Forget The Frightened, Powerless Toadies In the following report, John Brown (accounting instructor at USMGC) demonstrates that instructors, without power or standing, frequently succumb to pressure applied by administrators and a mob. A year-to-year contract, no meaningful research record, perhaps instructors believe they have no choice.

USM has "higher admission standards," Mr. Bennett? Consider a recent Hattiesburg American article: "HPD investigates 9 other suspects in flamingo case." According to the report, at least one and as many as 10 students stole a Chilean flamingo from the local zoo. As a consequence, while the investigation goes on, one student and Delta Mu chapter of Pi Kappa Alpha have been suspended.

Dear usmnews.net, A lot of us have read the Message from the President [University Budget Update] and wonder why he can't see the obvious: TUITION IS TOO HIGH! WE CAN'T AFFORD IT!! [emphasis in original] Every year the tuition goes up. Every year fees go up. Every year books go up. Every year more money is wasted on a losing football team. If the University cut costs and reduced tuition and fees, I think there would be a dramatic turnaround in enrollment.

What is the Quality of USM's MBA Program? Carefully crafted representations made by USM must be carefully assessed. As indicated in the multitude of reports contained on usmnews.net's webpage, USM does not have a stellar reputation for quality or candor.

Dear usmnews.net, So glad to hear that Dean Gilbert thinks USM's unranked MBA program is so great. If I stretched the truth to the point of breaking, I would be embarrassed. If she is proud of the program, do you think she's proud of Cheri Becker?

Dear usmnews.net, Even though many years have passed since Mary Anderson claimed a prestigious Accounting Horizons pub, non-accounting faculty continue to giggle behind her back. As you previously reported, rumor has it that some of the non-accounting faculty are STILL trying to work up the nerve to ask her for the citation.

Dear usmnews.net, The Faculty union gave Bense a "No Confidence" vote. Bense responded by making Saunders UWF's Executive V.P.
This is a ridiculous response in light of how much damage Saunders cost USM...see attached ILH minutes that contains additional evidence of why Saunders and Gore "resigned."

Playing the Game? If you haven't read Widespread Nature of Chapel Hill's Academic Fraud Is Laid Bare by Jack Stripling in yesterday's Chronicle of Higher Education, take a few minutes to do so. It is well worth your time. As you read the article, ask yourself, is UNC-CH the only university "... to create no-show classes that would keep underprepared and unmotivated players eligible. ..."

Must reading for all college big-money sports fans: "Welcome to the Big-Time College-Sports Sausage Factory." If you think USM and other colleges' sports programs are different, you're naive. "Welcome to the Big-Time College-Sports Sausage Factory At midafternoon on Wednesday, on a day that had dawned crisp and clear, with fall clearly in the air, Carol L. Folt, chancellor of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, spoke to the press...".

Same Old Song In an April 2014 Hattiesburg American article entitled "Bennett's first year at USM a busy one," Ed Kemp reported, Rodney Bennett says he's had to bring the surgeon's clamp to his first year as president of the University of Southern Mississippi. "I think this was a year when we just had to stop the bleeding," he said. "We haven't done the surgery yet." Apparently, Bennett decided to postpone the "surgery" until faced with yet another drop in student population.

Dear usmnews.net, I don't know what you are hearing from campus, but the situation is bad and expected to get worse. Southern Miss has lost almost 10% of its student body. Some of us think the number is even higher and total enerollment is even lower, but is hidden behind the way the IHL and the school counts the number of students.