(May 17, 2009) Who's On First? The Latest Comparison of USM and WCU A number of reports here at USMNEWS.net
have delved into institutional comparisons of one sort or another. One recent theme has been the comparison of the
business schools at the University of Houston – Victoria and the University of Texas – Tyler, the current professional
homes of former CoBers Farhang Niroomand and Harold Doty, respectively. These two individuals recently became
deans at these respective institutions. This particular report compares Hattiesburg's two main institutions of higher
education – USM and William Carey University.
ARTICLES CONCERNING
MISCELLANEOUS ISSUES AND THOUGHTS
For more articles and editorials concerning miscellaneous issues and thoughts, please click here.
(May 21, 2009) Dear USM news, I am hoping you can print this letter anonymously. I could run into some trouble with
certain members of my discipline in the COB otherwise. That is because I can tell you that [EFIB chairman] George
Carter told an assembled group of COB faculty back in May of 2007 that USM news had run its course and it had
nothing further that could threaten the "cushy existence" (my words) that COB administrators had built for themselves.
(June 5, 2009) The Games A USMNEWS.net source once stated that if you want to go to a serious institution of higher
education, you have to go to one that was founded before the 20th Century. That is because colleges and universities
founded after that time were basically desired and set up by local politicians as economic development projects, in
order to provide (somewhat) recession-proof industry to areas that could use some economic assistance.
(June 30, 2009) GH Chatter CoB faculty and staff can't help but chat these days about all the changes happening in and
around Joseph Greene Hall. Vending machines and an eating area are going in just outside of the School of
Accounting office, while new accounting director Skip Hughes is now moving in.
(July 6, 2009) New Era Dawns With all of the crises (e.g., budget, numerous interim administrators) facing USM these
days, one hardly noticed that the calendar turned on July-09 at midweek last week and that the "new CoB" was born.
Gone is the CoB that former associate CoB dean Farhang Niroomand told the world, or at least all of the colleges and
universities he applied to during the past 18 months, he alone created. Yes, 1-July-09 ushered in the "new [Lance] Nail
CoB," complete with about twice as many departments as the old version headed by former CoB dean Harold Doty.
There were no parades or fireworks, just new administrators, like Kirby "Skip" Hughes in accounting, moving into
their new suites.
(July 14, 2009) The CoB's New BEDS Reporters at USMNEWS.net have noted time and again that the CoB's webpages
have failed to note the presence of new faculty members since 2008 (and partially since 2007). Again, as of 14-July-09
there is no evidence of new CoB faculty like Barry Cumbie (MIS), Deniz Gevrek (ECO), Bret Becton (MGT), or Jamye
Foster (MKT), etc. Not only that, CoB dean Lance Nail's "Dean's Message" has yet to be uploaded, despite Nail having
been on board since 1-July-08.