Academic Research
Over the past several years, usmnews.net has published literally thousands of reports from current and former faculty who share my belief that USM has ineffectively and inefficiently employed far too much of its resources, both in terms of money and people. The purpose of usmnews.net is not to provide a public relations view. That is amply supplied by The University of Southern Mississippi's public relations department.

Chauncey M. DePree, Jr. Editor
marcdepree@gmail.com (Click here for editorial policy.)
Fiction
"TobaccoPharm, A Divine and Deadly Green Factory"

If you had the knowledge to put an end to the plague of diseases caused by cigarettes and tobacco, would you use it? Given the current knowledge of transgenic use of tobacco plants, TobaccoPharm will leave you wondering when, not if, the plague of tobacco will end. Click here for preview.

Purchase at:

Barnes & Nobles

or

Amazon

Current research by Chauncey M. DePree, Jr., DBA can be downloaded free from SSRN (several projects are Top Ten downloads on SSRN):

"A General Theory to Test Social Reality"

"Is Accreditation a Reliable Authority on Academic Quality?: Testing Social Reality"

"University and AACSB Diversity: Testing Social Reality"

"A Sound Foundation: The FASB Got Its Conceptual Framework Right, The IASB Didn't"

"An Evolution of Form and Content: A Practical Guide to Use of the FASB's Conceptual Framework"


usmnews.net
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"The fun money is private money. At Southern Miss, I've got state dollars and I've got Foundation dollars. It's real easy to tell them apart. I tell people I've got two checkbooks. I've got my booze account and my non-booze account. Out of the state money I'm pretty constrained what in I can do. ... Foundation dollars, that's when I take my money out of my booze account, I can pretty much do anything I want with it." D. Harold Doty, former Dean, College of Business, University of Southern Mississippi, current Dean, University of Texas at Tyler
In August 2011, Martha Saunders smiled as she presented Galaxy Tabs to selected students. Now, three senior adminstrators have been suspended. Will Saunders be next? (For more reports re "Tabletgate", click here.)
January 27, 2012, 8:00 AM
Updated Aunt Martha’s Coaches: Has Saunders Lost the Magic Touch? Or, Did She Ever Have It?

Click here for reports and editorials from December 27, 2011 - January 13, 2012
Click here for reports and editorials from December 27, 2011 - January 13, 2012
January 16, 2012
USM-CoB's Recent AACSB Reaccreditation: What does it mean? Professors of accounting and business throughout the country will tell you that AACSB accreditation is a very expensive waste of time.
The Farm News Briefs from Southern Miss 14-Jan-2011 Program Appeals Done; Saunders Contradicts Herself As higher education reporter Ed Kemp indicates in his 13-Jan-2010 story for The Hattiesburg American entitled “Appeals process under way at USM,” the nine-member USM appeals committee has essentially completed its hearings on program cuts enacted by USM president Martha Saunders (during Fall-2010) in an effort to address an expected $15 million cut for FY2012.
January 19, 2012
Special Report Series Bandyed About Former CoB Dean in Hot Water Once Again PART 17 As installments 1-16 of this series indicate, Doty sought to harangue the St. Johns until they departed UT-T.
Corrupting the Language of Ethics, Integrity, and Right Conduct Past is Prelude In a January 5, 2012 "message from the President: Southern Miss Hotline" to "All-facstaff," Martha Saunders announced "Southern Miss has long maintained a strong commitment to our core values of integrity and ethical behavior...".
Update: Will 2011-12 be a Banner Year?
January 17, 2012
High Maintenance THE COSTS OF MARTHA’S PLANE IN NOV-2010 AND DEC-2010 Piles of new documents are arriving at USMNEWS.net each day, many pertaining to the cost of the USM Beechcraft King Air airplane. The insert below highlights many of the direct costs attached to the plane over the last two months of 2010.
January 18, 2012
USM Galaxy Tabs Crashing back to Earth: Students Report Little Use of Tablet Devices Tyler Hill’s 16-Jan-2012 report for The Student Printz reminds the USM community that the Mississippi State Auditor has set a mid-January 2012 deadline for USM officials to tag/inventory the 700 Samsung Galaxy Tab
. . . breaking news . . Interim Title Scores Big for Wiesenburg HATTIESBURG – At its 19-Jan-2012 meeting, the Mississippi IHL Board approved a large raise for USM’s new interim provost Denis Wiesenburg. As the insert below indicates, in adding the “interim provost” tag to Wiesenburg’s vice president for research title, the college board added a nice raise of $35,000 per year to Wiesenberg’s paycheck.
January 20, 2012
Dear usmnews.net, A couple of days ago, I got a copy of the new Southern Miss anti-smoking policy. I don't smoke, so I think it's a great idea. However, the question a lot of us in the CoB have is who's going to monitor Mary Anderson [associate professor of accounting] for compliance with the new policy?
Communicate Directly with the IHL Dear University of Southern Mississippi Faculty, Many years ago, under IHL rules, faculty were permitted to address grievances directly with the IHL. That was changed. As a result, Southern Miss communications with the Institutions of Higher Learning come from President Saunders.
January 24, 2012
. . breaking news . . . Coffman Out as USM Chief Information Officer HATTIESBURG – Speculation that Homer Coffman’s recent assignment to administrative leave by the Martha Saunders administration – coming as a result of his participation in what is now infamously known as USM’s “Tabletgate” scandal – would become permanent appears to have come true.
The Farm News Briefs from Southern Miss Ours is Bigger than Theirs
A billboard war between fans of Mississippi State and Ole Miss has been brewing for weeks now.“Tabletgate” scandal – would become permanent appears to have come true.
January 23, 2012
It's not President Saunders' money. Why should she care how she spends it? Ed Kemp at the Hattiesburg American reported on January 22, 2012: "The University of Southern Mississippi intends to build a fence along the Hardy Street side of its campus, with pedestrian safety cited as the key factor in the brick-and-mortar upgrade...".

Martha’s Podium An Editorial Cartoon Series from USMNEWS.net I am so happy to announce that a beautiful wrought iron fence will be installed around the outer borders of campus, as well as around the liberal arts building.
January 25, 2012
Springing Forward? Ancillary Expenses from USM’s Beechcraft King Air for April-May of 2011 The ancillary expenses associated with USM’s airplane are largely unknown to the USM and Hattiesburg communities. USMNEWS.net is working to change that. This report examines some of the April-2011 and May-2011 expenses, the bulk of which appear to be associated with a trip to Peachtree City, Georgia.
. . . breaking news . . . Willis Out, Driskell In . . . Even Deeper HATTIESBURG – USM vice president for administrative affairs Russ Willis communicated with USM faculty and staff (via e-mail) late on 23-Jan-2012 (4:23 pm) about his recent decision to leave the VPAA position for another in the USM Foundation.
January 27, 2012
Martha’s Podium An Editorial Cartoon Series from USMNEWS.net Thank you all for showing up each week to watch me spin the ‘Saunders Administration Wheel of Destiny.’ It truly means a lot to me, as I love this university more than anyone. Please rest assured that the person fate eliminates will be replaced in short order.
Special Report Series, Hop on Gus, Former CoB Dean in Hot Water Once Again, part 18 The final portion of Jeremy St. John’s complaint against UT-T business school dean Harold Doty and other UT-T officials is inserted above. It begins with St. John’s recounting of his EEOC and UT System complaint against Doty and UT-T management chairman Stephen Bushardt, both formerly of USM. (editor's note: U-T has denied the allegations of the complaint.)
January 26, 2012
DEAR USMNEWS.NET I just couldn't believe it! Whenever I think things at Southern Miss can't get more bizarre, somebody ups the ante.

Updated Aunt Martha’s Coaches Has Saunders Lost the Magic Touch? Or, Did She Ever Have It?