Saunders

31st & Pearl, Bloggedy ... Blog ..Blog "Is it just us, or is USM President Martha Saunders’ blog becoming a daily grind that paints a picture of the job of USM’s CEO as a low stress minimal-sweat exercise?...".

Saunders Like Thames, Doty by Duane Cobb "After watching all of the new Student Powered Videos at usm.edu, it was interesting to see that USM chose to air(on local television) one featuring new President Martha Saunders playing piano and continuing to wear out the borrowed "ride all the rides" phrase...".

(February 16, 2009) Town Meeting Highlights: Spring Break "President Saunders announced - twice, for more applause, and clarity - that Southern Miss will be closed the week of Spring Break...".

(February 17, 2009) Town Meeting Highlights: Spring Break "President Saunders announced - twice, for more applause, and clarity - that Southern Miss will be closed the week of Spring Break...".

(February 17, 2009) D. for Dissembler: Martha D. Saunders Dissembles about USM Plane at USM Town Meeting "On 12-Feb-09, USM students, faculty and staff, along with other concerned citizens gathered on USM's Hattiesburg campus (USM-GC joined via webcast) for a Town Meeting to hear USM president Martha D. Saunders (shown below) speak about the budget crisis facing USM...".

(February 18, 2009) Leaders Lead, They Do Not Reiterate ". . . Morale is important. Being clear is important. Being perceived as caring and concerned is important. Flatly saying your precious airplane is not 'on the table' when everything else is, is poor planning, bad public relations, and more of a crystal clear insight into your true character than you ever wanted to reveal...".

(Update May 1, 2009) Aunt Martha's Coaches: Has Saunders Lost the Magic Touch? Or, Did She Ever Have It? "After the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater won the Division III national championship in 2007, USM President Martha Saunders blogged...".

(February 26, 2009) "a personnel issue" Documenting the Return to the Relationship Between Adams & Reese and USM "… As IHL meeting minutes indicate, Adams & Reese has been paid the nice sum of $155,966.78 since Aug-07 (or over the past 1.5 years). The largest portion of this payment, or about $137,500, represents Adams & Reese’s handling for USM of 'a personnel issue.'…"

(June 10, 2009) Underwater Professorships "The recent USMNEWS.net report, The Mermaid President, indicated that most of the student scholarships held by the USM Foundation are currently "under water," and that as a result the USMF will be able to award only 200 scholarships in 2009-10, down from the 620 of 2008-09...".

(July 10, 2009) Communication Between Administration and Faculty/Staff at USM "Deposition of Martha Saunders, May 15, 2008Q: And your Ph.D.? A: Communication theory and research. Q; Okay. Can you tell me what that is about? A: Well, communication theory are the--I guess goes to the heart of the discipline of communication. That particular program at Florida State also focuses on research surrounding communication from interpersonal research to mass communication...".

(July 23, 2009) This is Leading? "... It really is simple: leaders lead. Leaders can certainly be wrong and unpopular. What they cannot be is a non-leader; that is career suicide. On the bright side, you may not have to worry about working so hard on the centennial plans."

(July 24, 2009) Following the Boards "The news and discussion surrounding the USM financial crisis is heating up daily, and more and more USM faculty are chiming in about the Martha Saunders administration's lack of transparency concerning the situation...".

(July 28, 2009) Frivolous Expenditures Are Bad PR "Given President Saunders’ extensive education in communications and public relations, I would expect that she would have refrained from purchasing a two million dollar plane at the onset of a recession...".

(August 14, 2009) Martha, Martha, Martha "Sprucing up the campus August 11, 2009 5:53 AM | Permalink It is good to have so many students contributing time to help beautify our campus. Things are looking good for move-in day..."

(August 26, 2009) You Can't Handle the Truth "N777AQ may be familiar. If not, it should be. It is a tail number used for identifying and tracking airplanes. This particular number is the found on President Saunders’ plane...".

(August 29, 2009) Be sure to read "Questions Linger on USM Plane", by Ed Kemp. Lingering questions still remain, including why President Saunders now hides information about the flights of her plane, ID number N777AQ.

(September 2, 2009) USM President Throws Down Gauntlet on CoB "ECOers Reeling from the sting of being told that their academic programs are being cut and that the 9 tenured/tenure-track ECO faculty will be eliminated after 2009-10, the CoB's economists have been "takin' it to the streets" as it were, and telling every media outlet who would listen that the ECOers are being targeted as part of a subterfuge on the part of the USM administration...".

(September 3, 2009) Dr. Saunders, open the financial records. Let your faculty help. President Saunders presented her views about the University budget crisis before a highly select audience that was unlikely to ask difficult or unpleasant questions. However, IF President Saunders, is serious when she says, "[w]e are still looking for additional efficiencies and are in the discussion stage for most of the recommended changes... We are open to alternate solutions. Final decisions will be made on the basis of reasoned arguments, not public relations tactics.", THEN in the interests of transparency and shared governance we call on her to open USM Financial records in detail, including those of the USM Foundation so that we can make a meaningful contribution "on the basis of reasoned arguments." See open letter, August 31, 2009)

BREAKING NEWS (September 9, 2009) Judge Rules Suit against Saunders and University of Wisconsin at Whitewater to be Decided by a Jury "Litigation seems to follow President Saunders. While Chancellor at the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater [“UWW”], she supervised removal of long time Dean Howard Ross from his position based on false claims that Dr. Ross had misappropriated university resources and misused university funds. “The judge ordered a trial on [Former College of Letters and Sciences Dean Howard] Ross' claims that he was singled out by a racist auditor and later demoted because he is black.” [Associated Press]...".

(September 14, 2009) Consider three recent articles from The Chronicle of Higher Education. The first is entitled Support-Staff Jobs Double in 20 Years, Outpacing Enrollment. That article claims that USM has had one of the “biggest increases” in the nation in “growth in managers and support personnel relative to enrollment.”: 84%. The second is entitled Administrative Salaries Drive Rise in Higher Education Price Index . The third article is entitled UNC President Embarrassed by Report on Administrative Bloat. Dr. Saunders, in this time of financial crisis in which people are losing jobs and you have called on the IHL to increase the tuition burden on our students, what have you done to reduce administrative bloat? Since your public statements are silent on the issue, may we assume you have done nothing? Marc DePree, Editor

(September 16, 2009) USM Enrollment Up, But Not By As Much As Claimed, Comparing USM and IHL Totals "To hear the Martha Saunders administration tell it, USM’s total enrollment has risen from 16,008 students (Fall 2008) to 16,668 students (Fall 2009). Of course, as explained in Jana Bryant’s 11-Sept-09 presser entitled “Southern Miss Announces Largest Enrollment in University History,” the numbers used to come up with the 4.1% increase in enrollment are the dreaded “duplicated enrollment” or “duplicated headcount” that USM officials are so fond of...".

(September 30, 2009) Like We Said Before, Martha "... Now that we all warm and fuzzy, how many staff people are about to be terminated for the most recent round of budget cuts?...".

(October 8, 2009) Back to the Future: Saunders Administration Brings Back Faculty Club "The Martha Saunders administration of USM has retrieved the baggage of USM's past and resurrected the USM faculty club...".

(October 12, 2009) President Saunders Swipes at Becker, and More . . . -- A Look At Saunders’ 12-Oct-09 Blog "Former CoB tourism management chairperson, Cherylynn Becker, was an opponent of the USM Charcoal Room...".

(October 26, 2009) Re-arranging the Deck Chairs "... Nice job, Martha. We have been expecting this. When in doubt, look busy with (you hope) important-sounding busy work to spin into “great news at Southern Miss”. This is a president’s version of re-organizing departments for a new dean;...".

(October 19, 2009) "Mission Creep"? "During the current hard times, President Saunders finds money to spend on new projects she wants. Are the projects well considered or are they evidence of wasteful, ill-conceived “mission creep” discussed in a Chronicle of Higher Education article by Charles Miller?...".

(October 20, 2009) "Fair Share" Giver: Martha Saunders "Everyone loves a cheerful giver, Martha. You sure looked cheerful in trying to boost United Way contributions. You proudly said you are a “Fair Share” giver...".

(October 22, 2009) A quote from Martha Saunders on her Twitter account: “Sometimes you have to look reality in the eye, and deny it.” - Keillor (8:39 AM Sep 13th http://twitter.com/MarthaSaunders)

(updated January 7, 2009) Aunt Martha's Coaches: Has Saunders Lost the Magic Touch? Or, Did She Ever Have It? "After the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater won the Division III national championship in 2007, USM President Martha Saunders blogged that during the 2006-07 academic year while Chancellor at UW-W she had hired the first-year coach who led UW-W to the title...".

(November 6, 2009) Don’t you mean you? "... How about you, Martha? Not where is your office, but can anyone really find you and - the biggie - actually talk to you? We all know you only want to hear good news, but no one can get to you for even that...".

The Wisconsin State Journal reported the “Trial to Start on Demotion of UW-Whitewater Dean” to start on Monday, February 8, 2010. According to the WSJ, USM President Martha Saunders is expected to “fac[e] questions over her own credit card spending, including hundreds of dollars she once charged for a spa treatment.” If you have followed the antics of President Saunders since she arrived at USM, the story while she was Chancellor of UW-Whitewater will sound familiar: mismanagement of personnel and funds.

(March 3, 2010) 'Nuff Said "...We attach a third receipt for air travel by the First Husband, Joe Bailey, which appears to have been paid with Dr. Saunders’ UW-W credit card and reimbursed by the UW-W Foundation..."

(March 3, 2010) Traveling with Dr. Saunders and Mr. Bailey "As previously reported, usmnews.net has been receiving documents from the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater concerning Dr. Saunders’ use of state and/or UW-W Foundation resources during the brief time she held the job as Chancellor...".

(March 4, 2010) What Dr. Saunders Said, What Dr. Saunders Did "Dear Dr. Saunders, As we have looked through records of your chancellorship at University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, usmnews.net reporters have identified some troubling issues...".

(March 5, 2010) More Traveling "...We attach a fifth receipt for air travel by the First Husband, Joe Bailey, which appears to have been paid with Dr. Saunders’ UW-W credit card...".

(February 26, 2010) Put Joe Bailey on a Plane "The recent release of University of Wisconsin - Whitewater documents indicate that both Martha Saunders, then UWW Chancellor, and her husband Joe Bailey were travelling by air on the State of Wisconsin's dime...".

(March 11, 2010 - update) How Was London? "A sharp-eyed reader pointed out something interesting about the receipt for Dr. Saunders’ and Mr. Bailey’s luxury trip to London in September 2006...".

(March 12, 2010) What did UW-W Get for Its Money? "Reporters at usmnews.net continue to review records provided by colleagues at UW-W detailing Dr. Saunders’ use of UW-W and UW-W Foundation resources...".

(March 15, 2010) MGCCC Snubs USM, President Saunders "USM president Martha Saunders is angry that Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is allowing the University of South Alabama to use its facility rent-free during the upcoming 2010-11 academic year...".

(March 11, 2010) Three Days in D.C. "Dear Dr. Saunders, here are some questions about your trip: Did you and your “traveling companions” fly to DC in your plane that is costing taxpayers and students $16,662.98 per month for 59 months, with a $907,053.85 balloon payment due on the 60th month?...".

(March 29, 2010) Here’s What We Know About Martha Saunders "After usmnews.net reprinted an editorial by Duane Cobb entitled What do We Really Know about USM President Martha Saunders a colleague provided a copy of Dr. Saunders' vita...".

(April 29, 2010) Aunt Martha’s Country Club: A Look at How USM’s Prez is Managing Athletics "The 'Banner Year' series here at USMNEWS.net has pointed out that USM’s varsity sports programs appear to be slipping under USM president Martha Saunders’ stewardship...".

(May 7, 2010) 'The Morgan Resignation' - Does Something Smell? A Guest Editorial by Victoria Tyler "With Ed Kemp’s 6-May-2010 article for The Hattiesburg American entitled “Morgan leaving USM post,” we now have a good bit of information about the surprise resignation of USM chief financial officer Joe Morgan...".

(May 5, 2010) President Saunders Accepts CFO Morgan’s Resignation "USM president Martha Saunders informed the campus community on 4-May-2010 that she had accepted “the resignation” of USM chief financial officer Joe Morgan, effective 30-Aug-2010..."

(April 29, 2010) Former USM Provost Jay Grimes Implicated in USM Research Foundation Scandal "In a 28-April-2010 news story by The Hattiesburg American’s higher education reporter Ed Kemp entitled “Auditor investigating $860K stock purchase,” the USM family learned that former USM provost Jay Grimes is alleged to have been involved in the breaking scandal in the USM Research Council...".

(May 17, 2010) Aunt Martha’s Money Pits: A Look at How USM’s Prez is Managing Athletics (track) "The “Banner Year” series here at USMNEWS.net has pointed out that USM’s varsity sports programs appear to be slipping under USM president Martha Saunders’ stewardship...". (golf and tennis) (baseball)

(June 8, 2010) Aunt Martha’s Coaches Has Saunders Lost the Magic Touch? Or, Did She Ever Have It? "After the University of Wisconsin at Whitewater won the Division III national championship in 2007, USM President Martha Saunders blogged that during the 2006-07 academic year while Chancellor at UW-W she had hired the first-year coach who led UW-W to the title...".

(September 22, 2010) an update to Will 2010-11 be a Banner Year? In light of the interest in the cost of sports to our students, usmnews.net is offering a previously unpublished report concerning the success of USM's various sports programs.

Special Report (September 3, 2010) Do You Think President Saunders is Overly Concerned with the 29 Terminated Faculty "Many members of the USM faculty and wider community are doubtful that USM president Martha Saunders’ show of concern for the plight of the 29 tenured and tenure-track faculty that she terminated on 26-Aug-2010 is genuine. The news that she hurried out of the state - to the USM vs. South Carolina football game on 2-Sept-2010 - after announcing the cuts to the general public on 30-Aug-2010, and dealing with them a bit more on 31-Aug-2010, has bothered many over the past day or so. The USM family’s feelings, at least with regard to Saunders’ escape to South Carolina, may be injured even more by this report, which is a one photo illustrated history of Saunders’ last 24 hours. That single photo is inserted below:..".

Guest Editorial (December 10, 2010) It's Official -- USM is Out of Control "The recent on-campus beating saga involving Stuart Ramsey (the victim) and members of USM’s Sigma Chi Epsilon fraternity has been akin to something ripped from Law & Order, whose own scripts are ripped from real headlines. The latest news in the saga is that Chase Gerard LeGarde has been arrested on aggravated assault charges and is already out on a $15,000 bond. Jesse Bass of The Hattiesburg American reports that USM police believe that LaGarde acted alone in beating Ramsey outside the Sigma Chi Epsilon house on Nov-4-2010, despite the fact that Ramsey’s father, Tom, told police early on in the investigation that his son was met by multiple assailants. USMPD chief Bob Hopkins disputes Tom Ramsey’s allegation, saying that witness interviews and a videotape point to LeGarde as the sole assailant in the case...". ..

A Short Story by a USMNEWS.net Reader (January 20, 2011) One Verdant Tree Hill ". . . Fans of USM athletics, including USM president Martha Saunders, are not unlike the young scholar. They long for that unattainable “next level” in athletics. In their efforts to reach such an elusive goal, academics (funding) falls by the side, while support for athletics is, at worst, maintained, and possibly even ratcheted upward. The unattainable seems attainable when the football team heads into the 2010 season with plans of being C-USA champions and Liberty Bowl participants. Those plans are nearly dashed, however, when South Carolina destroys the Eagles on a national stage (ESPN) in early September...".