(April 14, 2010) Gone and now remembered "USM News Item: On April 23, 2010 the Advanced Education Center at the
Gulf Park Campus will be dedicated and re-named the Horace Weldon Fleming, Jr. Education Center." All too many
people like to revise history to suit their own personal desires. When Horace Fleming was President of USM he was a
man ahead of his time. Coming out of a non-state university environment, he started looking for ways to raise private
money for USM. That is now expected. He was mostly disliked because he was not Aubrey Lucas. He thought wearing a
suit just to be seen wearing a suit – especially in many months of summer – was silly and added nothing to productivity.
It seems his stock value has now risen after the Shelby Thames administration, and perhaps, even during the Martha
Saunders administration. Once again, as has so often happened at Southern Miss, people in the past start looking better
as their successors administrate.
ARTICLES CONCERNING
MARTHA D. SAUNDERS, PRESIDENT
UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN MISSISSIPPI
(April 15, 2010) 31st & Pearl Bad President Fatigue The recent USMNEWS.net editorial about the dedication of a
USM-GC education center to former USM president Horace Fleming struck a chord with many. Fleming may have
become USM’s greatest president if only the USM family had properly accepted him. He fought hard for USM’s share of
public support, and he sought to augment that with private donations. Sure, he was not Aubrey Lucas. But then again,
Lucas sat in the stands and watched the Shelby Thames administration dismantle just about everything that was good
about the institution. It’s difficult to imagine Fleming doing the same, as it is to imagine Fleming choosing to hold the title
of president emeritus and drawing a near-six figure salary for years in that position.
(April 15, 2010) One Hundred Minus Ten by Duane Cobb Institutions that get to 100 years deserve to celebrate. This
year, 2010, Southern Miss made it to that point. During the first few months of this year there were celebrations here
and there. Then, on 30-March-10, there were numerous celebrations, including Founders’ Day 2010, the Centennial
Convocation, dedication of the Centennial Gateway, and more.
(April 20, 2010) Updated, 20 April 2010 – Aunt Martha’s Seasons 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. This report examines how Saunders has been
managing, or as the data below suggest, mismanaging, the fall and winter athletics programs at USM. The numbers in
Table 1 below make the case that USM’s fall and winter sports programs have been awash in mediocrity since
Saunder’s arrival back in spring of 2007. The win percentages range from a low of 31.8% in soccer to a high of only
59.4% in volleyball. USM’s football program (53.8%) has even fallen below its lackluster men’s basketball program
(54.5%) under controversial head coach Larry Eustachy.
