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(February 3, 2010) A Multiple Choice Test CNBC published a report of the “Biggest 2009 College Endowment Losses”. According to CNBC “[a]ccording to a new study by the National Association of College and University Business Officers (NACUBO) and the Commonfund Institute, endowments and affiliated foundations had an average investment loss of 19 per cent between July 1, 2008 – June 30, 2009.” According to Dr. Saunders, the USM Foundation awarded 620 academic scholarships during 2008-2009. However, she reported that the Foundation would only be able to award 200 scholarships – a drop of 420 or a decline of 67.7%. A few days later, usmnews.net reporters discovered that none of the CoB’s professorships will be funded in 2009-2010, either.

(February 6, 2010) Martha Saunders Expected to Face Tough Questions at Trial of Racial Discrimination and Retaliation Case 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.

(February 10, 2010) Air Farce One Continues to Hound Saunders USM president Martha Saunders' 2008-09 decision to lease a Beechcraft airplane from the USM Foundation continues to hound her USM presidency. Marika Smith's Feb-10 article for The Student Printz entitled House votes to sell Mississippi's state jet revisits Saunders' ill-advised decision in the context of growing pressure in Mississippi's legislative to sell the state's airplane.

(February 10, 2010) Klinedinst Continues to Soar CoB economics professor Mark Klinedinst (shown below) continues to engage USM president Martha Saunders (shown below) in one political battle after another. He also, as reports indicate, continues to hold his own.

(February 14, 2010) 31st & Pearl Parsing Plane Talk The recent Student Printz article about the USM plane raises more concerns than it actually addresses. First, USM president Martha Saunders appears to realize the ill-advised nature of the decision to lease the plane from the USM Foundation.

(February 15, 2010) From Where? I’m Back! By Dr. Martha Saunders on February 15, 2010 6:27 AM | Permalink
I will be back in the office today after a week away. Sorry I missed the snow day, but there was plenty of snow where I was.