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COMPARE THE QUALIFICATIONS I have more than a passing interest in University of Southern Mississippi and University of Albany and I am familiar with both universities. Compare their recent choices for president: USM-IHL chose Rodney Bennett: SUNY Board of Regents chose Robert Jones. Bios are provided by each university. Draw your own conclusions.

Dear usmnews.net, This morning's comparison between the president of the University of Albany and the president of the University of Southern Miss was very interesting, but hardly something the faculty doesn't already understand. ...

The Same Tired Ideas Continue to be a Danger to Unsuspecting Students University of West Florida recently announced with great fanfare a new education partnership with Stetson University College of Law. Martha Saunders, currently provost at UWF is involved in this partnership, too. She, before being "canned" as president of University of Southern Mississippi, set up a similar partnership program for USM and Mississippi College School of Law.

Dear usmnews.net, The recent comparison between the President of the University of Albany and the President of the University of Southern Mississippi was not interesting, as one writer claimed. It was very troubling.

Updated 7-January-2014 HELP WANTED A Look at Business Dean Openings from Around the Country With four current/former CoB deans moving around in the academic world, some USMNEWS.net readers have requested an ongoing report that tracks current b-school dean openings.

Dear usmnews.net, Last year Greg Lassen [former VP for Finance at USM] was in the market looking for a job as a university president. His second interview was at Eastern Kentucky University. Fortunately, for Eastern Kentucky, the search was "open". Take a look at the following link [entitled] Lassen's Sloppy Scholarship. Here is a quote from the link. "Finally, I was disturbed by the sloppy scholarship in Mr. Lassen's manuscript...".

Yeah, they got bachelor degrees from USM, but can they read and write? "Early in her career as a learning specialist, Mary Willingham was in her office when a basketball player at the University of North Carolina walked in looking for help with his classwork. He couldn't read or write. 'And I kind of panicked. What do you do with that?' she said, recalling the meeting"

Dear usmnews.net...(continued) This is a follow-up to a recent "Dear usmnews.net" report. In part, it says, "Last year Greg Lassen [former VP for Finance at USM] was in the market looking for a job as a university president. His second interview was on campus at Eastern Kentucky University. Fortunately, for Eastern Kentucky, the search was "open". Take a look at the following link [entitled] Lassen's Sloppy Scholarship.

Dear usmnews.net, Since copies are floating around the University, I had the questionable pleasure of reading Dr. [Rodney] Bennett's doctoral dissertation. It is far from academically rigorous. At base, it is a limited internal survey of reasons students in Bennett's program at his [doctoral granting] university complete or don't complete their doctoral program. It is the kind of thing one would expect of an undergraduate lacking the skills or resources to do original or quasi-original research...

Accreditation: A Waste of Time and Money, and a Fraud Upon the Public An article in The Chronicle of Higher Education, "Pressure on Accreditation Is Cause for Concern, Speaker Warns" by By Scott Carlson, is worth a read. "Ms. Eaton's organization, which represents...".

Dear usmnews.net, Thanks for reprinting the "Is Rodney Bennett Qualified to be President" series. The answer is pretty obviously, no. I have a question. If he [Dr. Bennett] has never published a paper, how can he evaluate our [the faculty's] research?

If UNC's big money athletes can't read, what are the odds that USM's athletes can't read? Regardless of USM administrators bragging about the graduation rate of its athletes, can they read? What are USM big money sport athletes doing after "graduation." Those that don't graduate, what are they doing? USM is silent on these very real measures of education success.

Accreditation Farce A comment worth reading in The Chronicle of Higher Education is: "It's Time for a New Definition of Accreditation By Milton Greenberg The impending review and renewal of the Higher Education Act will be a defining moment in the tumultuous relationship between higher-education accreditation and the political forces of government...".

Dear football fans, Last night's "Friday Night Tykes" (Esquire channel) offered a troubling portrayal of adults sacrificing their young sons to the football gods and creating, among other things, a culture of bullies.

Dear usmnews.net, The articles you have been running about the testimony of people in the College of Business have been very thought provoking. Ten years ago, I would have said that Alvin Williams [former interim dean] of the CoB was one of the most honorable men at the University.

Dear usmnews.net, You have previously published excerpts from President Bennett's CV. Would you please publish the entire document?

Clyde Kennard Should Be Remembered for More Than His Race You should read Eddie Holloway's Opinion, "Clyde Kennard: A portrait of honor," in the Hattiesburg American, February 13, 2014. The superficiality of Holloway's perspective of justice, ethics, and diversity should concern all of us, especially parents of students and students at the University of Southern Mississippi.