Hundreds support suspended profs (USM)

Hundreds support suspended profs

By Riva Brown
rvbrown@clarionledger.com

HATTIESBURG — Something stinks at the University of Southern Mississippi,
hundreds of students and faculty said Tuesday, and they want to do something
about it.

"A fish rots from the head down,
and this administration smelled
funny from the very beginning,"
history professor Douglas
Chambers bellowed as a crowd
of hundreds roared during a
protest in front of the
Administration Building.

USM President Shelby Thames
caused an uproar here last week
by suspending with pay and
taking steps to fire two tenured
faculty members, sociology
professor Frank Glamser and
English professor Gary Stringer.

Protesters chanting, "Eenie
meenie miney mo, who will be
the next to go?" and waving signs saying, "Over Throw Dictator Thames"
overshadowed the handful of Thames supporters at the protest. Seven USM
police officers were present but no arrests were made.

more
http://www.clarionledger.com/news/0403/10/ma01.html


There is an earlier thread about this.

Power to the people!

since USM is part of my experience
and I know many profs there,
including Mary Ann Stringer, wife of Dr. Stringer
who is one of the two professors in this situation/

this story was reported in the Chronicle of Higher Education
and I'm glad to see there is a massive protest!

It's awesome that students are standing behind the fired faculty. So often students are accused of straddling the border between conservatism and outright ignorance, but there are still those who care.

When the students are on your side, you tend to get your way.

See also this thread by jchild for an insider's take on the situation:

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_topic&forum=104&topic_id=1201810

"The Students at Southern Miss Gulf Coast are tired of the political nightmare that has been occurring on both campuses since the ascension of Shelby Thames as President of this university.

Regardless of fault, reason, or purpose, the value of our education is in a dramatic and unavoidable decline.

As such, students of Southern Miss Gulf Coast will be peacefully assembling in front of the Library at the Gulf Coast campus on Thursday, March 11th, 2004 at 5:30 p.m.

We sincerely hope that the faculty will join us in our support of the Faculty Senate and their show of no-confidence in the administration of Shelby Thames. It is only through solidarity that we can get back to the business and purpose of this campus, teaching students.

Again, please make plans to join the students in front of the Library on the Gulf Coast campus at 5:30p.m. on Thursday, March 11th, 2004.

With Respect for the Integrity of our University,
The Gulf Coast Student Body"