financialissues26

(August 10, 2009) CoB News, 10 August 2009 The Bad Column The recent USMNEWS.net report, "Another Nail Pal in the Bad Column," reporting on CoB dean Lance Nail's decision to hire Brian Lee from UAB, indicated that Lee's Rate My Professors score was an underwhelming 2.9 (out of 5). This finding followed on the heels of reports that the previous Nail hire, Arthur Sorochinsky (also from UAB), has an even worse RMP score of only 2.6. CoB News is following up on these stories by listing the 10 worst RMP scores across current CoB faculty. The "bad column" data are shown in Table 1 below.

(August 26, 2009) Why is a new College of Business building needed? Dean Lance Nail, like former deans Doty and Gunther before him, has been chasing the money to find donors for a new business building. There are rumors he has been somewhat successful, but no announcement has been made about such money. Is there any sense in sending out your business dean to raise money while the college faculty is being partially eliminated? Who will survive to be in the hypothetical new building? How is that an incentive for donors to give? Is Dr. Saunders new motto for the CoB like the old Red Cross slogan that said “Give so that more will live”?

(October 7, 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. The new University Club is set to hold an open house on 13-Oct-09. The admission is free, and visitors will have access to complimentary hors d'oeuvres and a reduced-rate cash bar. As one USMNEWS.net source stated, however, now (amidst economic turmoil and budget crises) isn't exactly the best time for the Saunders administration to support alcohol consumption across the USM faculty/staff ranks. On the other hand, that administration isn't widely known for sound judgment and critical-thinking skills. Enjoy the invitation below.

(October 15, 2009) Mississippi Could Learn From North Dakota Mississippi taxpayers and lawmakers could learn a few lessons from North Dakota. See The Chronicle of Higher Education report: “North Dakota State University President Resigns Amid Uproar Over New House.”

(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? First, consider one of the many new Saunders’ spending initiatives the IHL reported from its October 14-15, 2009 meeting:

(October 21, 2009) GH Chatter Chatter about the five mostly senior economists who are retiring so that the four so-called junior economists can continue their USM careers over in the CoAL has turned humorous. Given that CoB dean Lance Nail will save the better part of $1 million by having the five leave is being referred to by some as the CoB's (USM's) own version of cash for clunkers.