H.A. Deal, fees cost USM $457,000 - USM Forum -- Message Board

Date: Jun 28, 2005

H.A. Deal, fees cost USM $457,000

Date: Jun 28, 2005

It appears Reuben Mees has picked up where Kevin Walters left off. Thanks for getting the information out to the public. Even Mrs Drews was surprised.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

I've got a gut-level feeling that $457,000 is but a drop in the bucket when compared with what Mississippi taxpayers may have to cough up in the future because of transgressions at USM.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Amazing, simply amazing. And this does not even include the fees to Pileum to monitor all of those emails.

Just a crying shame...

And, this is why we say NO QUARTER!

Date: Jun 28, 2005

truth4usm/AH wrote:

And this does not even include the fees to Pileum to monitor all of those emails.

You make an excellent point, Truth Fairy. And I'd also be willing to bet that the $457,000 figure didn't take into account the amount of time which other USM employees must have spent on the matter. Were in-house university salaried attorneys also involved? If all of the expenses were added up, the figure might be truly astronomical.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Amazing, isn't it, that these legal fees were incurred over a year ago and were only submitted to the IHL for payment after Shelby's contract extension. My attorney doesn't generally wait a year plus to bill me. Wonder if the IHL is outraged or in on the delay tactics.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Rich Dad, Poor Dad wrote:

I've got a gut-level feeling that $457,000 is but a drop in the bucket when compared with what Mississippi taxpayers may have to cough up in the future because of transgressions at USM.

Truth calls this sorry episode a shame, and it is. I'd also call it an outrage. I commend Mr. Mees for tackling the subject, and for his account so far as it goes. A follow-up piece should point out the following:

1. No wrongdoing by Dr's Glamser and Stringer, criminal or otherwise, was ever proved by Thames, or admitted to by the "accused." In fact, the settlement awarded them is on its face, exonerative.

2. The $457K identified by Mr. Mees is likely less than half the taxpayers' total tab for Thames' temper tantrum. I'd like to see an accounting that includes the added cost of salaries for those professors who ultimately taught the courses originally slated for Drs. Glamser and Stringer during the two years of their payout, as well as the economic hickey USM took for losing the Donne Variorium project. I think it would also be fair to include the compensation of Angie and Mark Dvorak, and Jack Hanbury, who collected fat salaries from Mississippi taxpayers while arguably providing services of little or no value to the university.

A logical HA editorial adjunct to this article would be a call for Shelby Thames to repay the taxpayers of Mississippi for his colossal blunders.

On any other day I'd be sorely tempted to end this rant with an appropriate quote from Bobby Dylan. At the moment, the refrain playing in my head is from old Jerry Jeff Walker, who might well have been describing the ill-fated Thames campaign against Frank Glamser and Gary Stringer when he sang "pissin' in the wind."

AE

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Local Alum wrote:

Amazing, isn't it, that these legal fees were incurred over a year ago and were only submitted to the IHL for payment after Shelby's contract extension. My attorney doesn't generally wait a year plus to bill me. Wonder if the IHL is outraged or in on the delay tactics.

Local Alum - Very percptive of you to note this delay. The $457,000 expenditure could make a nice series of newspaper articles. You have identified what an invesgative reporter might see as fodder for the second in a series of articles devoted to the topic.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

If the university can squander this much money on frivolous or unfounded charges against two of its faculty members it needs no contribution from me.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Could it be that "the next stupid thing" has been uncovered here? Unbelievable

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Local Alum wrote:

Amazing, isn't it, that these legal fees were incurred over a year ago and were only submitted to the IHL for payment after Shelby's contract extension. My attorney doesn't generally wait a year plus to bill me. Wonder if the IHL is outraged or in on the delay tactics.

I believe the H.A. article wasn't clear on this point. The recently released minutes of the IHL Board listed some expenditures from last year and this year. The payment to the law firm was in August 2004. Some speculate this information was withheld from the public in an effort to get SFT his contract extension.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Money Talks wrote:

truth4usm/AH wrote: And this does not even include the fees to Pileum to monitor all of those emails. You make an excellent point, Truth Fairy. And I'd also be willing to bet that the $457,000 figure didn't take into account the amount of time which other USM employees must have spent on the matter. Were in-house university salaried attorneys also involved? If all of the expenses were added up, the figure might be truly astronomical.

Where's my boy Seeker today? I'd be interested in his thoughts on the fat wad of taxpayer cash that Thames flushed down the toilet. Any corporate CEO who pulled this kind of lame stunt would have already been handed his walking papers.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Now I eagerly await some comment from Klumb or other IHL Thames apologist concerning this waste of taxpayer money in a state that's chronically strapped for cash. They probably have an emergency call in to Lisa Mader asking her how to whitewash the story.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Now let's see, do I add this $457,000 to the amount saved from reorganization or do I subtract it? No wait, I subtract it from Dr. Gunther's Reported savings of $754,575. That means we saved $297,575. No wait, according to Mader that has been spent, twice already, on all the wonderful renovations, etc. Oh well...

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Austin Eagle wrote:

I think it would also be fair to include the compensation of Angie and Mark Dvorak, and Jack Hanbury, who collected fat salaries from Mississippi taxpayers while arguably providing services of little or no value to the university.

I too am curious as to the exact length of employment at USM for Angie Dvorak, Mark Dvorak, and Jack Hanbury. If this is all in the public domain, could someone look up their respective dates of employment and approximate salaries while at USM? I'm thinking MD and Hanbury were there less than a year, and AD a bit more than a year, and all were making well in excess of $100K. Am I in the ballpark?

Date: Jun 28, 2005

SFT is careful that he acts according to the settlement:

"When this matter was settled, it was agreed by the parties that there would be no further comments about this matter and, therefore, I am precluded by the agreements from making comments," Thames said in a prepared statement.

This means that next year Glamser and Stringer will be free to comment all they want during SFT's last year. The trolls better get something to cover their ears for that year.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Austin Eagle wrote:

A logical HA editorial adjunct to this article would be a call for Shelby Thames to repay the taxpayers of Mississippi for his colossal blunders.

I believe your idea has merit. I'll have my people get in touch with the HA people and stir the pot.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Local Alum wrote:

Amazing, isn't it, that these legal fees were incurred over a year ago and were only submitted to the IHL for payment after Shelby's contract extension. My attorney doesn't generally wait a year plus to bill me. Wonder if the IHL is outraged or in on the delay tactics.

The law firm's bill is dated 8/31/04. The IHL chose not to authorize payment till the May 2005 meeting.

"Payment of legal fees for professional services rendered by Adams & Reese (Statement dated 8/31/04) from the funds of The University of Southern Mississippi. (This statement represents services and expenses in connection with the Thames v. Glamser case.) TOTAL DUE....................................................$107,589.05 "

Date: Jun 28, 2005

The hard copy of the Hattiesburg American supplied this data: Stringer's Salary $80,490

Glamser's Salary $65,068

20% fringes benefits $29,112

totals: 17,4669/year or $349,338 for 2 years

+ legal fees $107,589 = $456,927

Sources: Southern Miss 2003-04 Budget Book and recent College Board Minutes.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Next Year wrote:

SFT is careful that he acts according to the settlement:
"When this matter was settled, it was agreed by the parties that there would be no further comments about this matter and, therefore, I am precluded by the agreements from making comments," Thames said in a prepared statement.
This means that next year Glamser and Stringer will be free to comment all they want during SFT's last year. The trolls better get something to cover their ears for that year.

From the settlement agreement dated 4/28/04:

"7. The Professors agree to refrain from offering public criticism or commentary about the University�s internal administrative operations during the term of this agreement."

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Did the HA ever pick up on the fact that about $13k was spent on outside counsel (same firm) to handle a public records request from Mayor Dupree during the bond issue?

Date: Jun 28, 2005

it wasn't from Mayor Dupree. it was from a business professor.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Wonder what caused that confusion...

Date: Jun 28, 2005

stinky cheese man wrote:

it wasn't from Mayor Dupree. it was from a business professor.

Sorry - was relying on the IHL minutes:

Payment of legal fees for professional services rendered by Adams & Reese (Statement dated

10/15/04) from the funds of The University of Southern Mississippi. (This statement represents

services and expenses in connection with the Dupree public records request.)

TOTAL DUE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . $13,392.72

Date: Jun 28, 2005

I've posted a quick update on Liberty and Power about Reuben Mees' article.

http://hnn.us/blogs/entries/12741.html

It will be interesting to see how many of Thames' supporters in the local establishment now begin to back away.

Robert Campbell

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Robert Campbell wrote:

It will be interesting to see how many of Thames' supporters in the local establishment now begin to back away.

Maybe if $457K isn't enough, they need to add in roughly the same amount for the SACS probation & admit that SFT has cost the university about a MILLION DOLLARS due to boneheaded vindictiveness & an utter disregard for the rules that all universities have to follow.

How many faculty pay raises were blown?
How many student scholarships were blown?
How many student computer labs? Smartboards? Test tubes?
Hell, how many pairs of shoulder pads?

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Invictus wrote:

Maybe if $457K isn't enough, they need to add in roughly the same amount for the SACS probation & admit that SFT has cost the university about a MILLION DOLLARS due to boneheaded vindictiveness & an utter disregard for the rules that all universities have to follow. How many faculty pay raises were blown? How many student scholarships were blown? How many student computer labs? Smartboards? Test tubes? Hell, how many pairs of shoulder pads?

Here is another--How many library books?

Also, I think it can be said that due to an "utter disregard" for the importance of cultivating private donations SFT has cost the university a hefty sum (via the Foundation).

Date: Jun 28, 2005

Googler - Right on! These statements are 100% on the money.

you said = "Here is another--How many library books? lf so, I think it can be said that due to an "utter disregard" for the importance of cultivating private donations SFT has cost the university a hefty sum (via the Foundation). "

Also - No matter how you feel about construction on campus among other big expenses, things like the New Orleans lounge area near Cook Library (costing at least $250,000) would fund a $20,000 staff member's salary for 12.5 years! It's something to think about, and there are many such projects going on right now. I'm not saying they are all bad projects, but I am saying we should weigh the importance of such things against serving our students better with proper staffing.

Date: Jun 28, 2005

In the News wrote:

" Also - No matter how you feel about construction on campus among other big expenses, things like the New Orleans lounge area near Cook Library (costing at least $250,000) would fund a $20,000 staff member's salary for 12.5 years! It's something to think about, and there are many such projects going on right now. I'm not saying they are all bad projects, but I am saying we should weigh the importance of such things against serving our students better with proper staffing.

I thought Aramark was footing the bill for the NO lounge. If so, isn't that money coming from a different pocket than staff salaries?

Date: Jun 29, 2005

As the total " real cost" of the Thames-Dvorak trainwreck approaches $1,000,000, I wonder if anyone has considered filing a class action suit against Shelby Thames on behalf of Mississippi taxpayers. Is this a ridiculous notion? It seems to my non-legal mind that misfeasance could be easily proved. Isn't there a tort called misfeasance in public office? If he's as rich as he claims, recovery of the monies squandered wouldn't be unrealistic. Could the lawyers on board enlighten me on the feasibility of such a suit? If nothing else, simply filing the suit might accelerate Thames' retirement plans.