University of Southern Mississippi on probation

[dhfr]

SACS has placed University of Southern Mississippi on probation, in part because of concerns about DL programs.

USM placed on probation (http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20041209/NEWS01/412090364/1002)

Snippet:SACS raised concerns about USM's assessment of institutional effectiveness, strategic planning in academic units and assessment of distance learning programs.

[Redlyne Racer]

This is a shame because they have a neat online PhD in International Development. In describing the program their website contains this quote from P. J. O'Rourke: "Why do some places prosper and thrive while others just suck?” (http://www.usm.edu/idv/pages/prog_descr.html ) You gotta appreciate that down to earth approach, but it does cause one to suspect that perhaps SACS did not.

According to the November 22, 2004, USM President's Message, the "Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship has been approved for construction." (http://www.usm.edu/president/) Is the SACS action politically motivated? Gee, ya think?

For those who don't follow US politics, see the sort who don't like Trent Lott very much: http://www.gay.com/news/article.html?2002/12/13/2

[Jabbezzz]

SACS has placed University of Southern Mississippi on probation

Quick, has anyone notified the Office of Degree Authorization in Oregon? USM needs to be immediately placed on one of the ODA's lists............ :o

[dhfr]

University of Southern Mississippi has a full-page color ad (http://www.usm.edu/idv/images/Economist_041216_FINAL_Flat.pdf) in this week's edition of The Economist for the online International Development Ph.D. (http://www.usm.edu/idv/index.html) program.

I was amused by this line: "We also have a fine football tradition - Conference USA champions in 2003 and New Orleans Bowl Champions in 2004." This seems out of place in an ad for an online program (and in a British magazine). But I guess it's so important that they include that in all promotional material for the university.

[adamsmith]

Maybe they think that if a country embraces all things American, including football, they will develop!

[Jimmy Clifton]

I thought the opening lines in the article were somewhat telling:


The University of Southern Mississippi has 12 months to fix problems at the Hattiesburg institution or risk losing access to federal student loans and financial aid.

Is this all accreditation is? :D

Seriously, as a Mississippian the University of Southern Mississippi has never been one of my favorite schools and Hattiesburg is not one of my favorite towns but this is a sad story.

Hopefully, the school will get its act together. Wonder what other schools were placed on probation. I will check out the SACS site and see if the info is there.

[Denver]

Redyne Racer
“You gotta appreciate that down to earth approach, but it does cause one to suspect that perhaps SACS did not.”

Good point. I talked to the admissions staff after the first Economist advertisement and they were extremely helpful and businesslike (for those that have contacted other “traditional schools” this is not always the case). The CD they sent on the program shows significant academic rigor and the need for a substantial time commitment in order to complete the program. The information was also in clear language - something that is also lacking from other programs. To my knowledge, this would be the first true distance PhD offered by a traditional state university and perhaps that did set off alarm bells for those that are trying to hold the gates against alternative doctorates.

I hope the program continues, I am seriously considering joining it after I finish my current program.

DHFR
“…was amused by this line: "We also have a fine football tradition - Conference USA champions in 2003 and New Orleans Bowl Champions in 2004." This seems out of place in an ad for an online program (and in a British magazine). But I guess it's so important that they include that in all promotional material for the university.”

I have been through a few distance programs and in all of them I have been asked at some point “is that a real school?” For some reason, having an athletic team seems to shut the rubes up.

[dhfr]

An update from the Clarion-Ledger: USM must supply info on distance learning - Complying with group's mandate could help end probation (http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050115/NEWS01/501150347/1002)

[dhfr]

Another follow-up: Dean says he'll warn group about new MBA program (http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050210/NEWS01/502100303/1002)

Snippet:The dean of the University of Southern Mississippi's College of Business says an effort to launch a master's degree program by this fall could affect the accreditation of the entire university. ...

Southern Miss is already on a one-year probation by SACS for failing to meet standards for its distance learning programs. The business degree program to which Doty referred would be a mixture of traditional classroom instruction and online coursework. ...

[dhfr]

The debate continues: Grimes letter 'risky' (http://www.hattiesburgamerican.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20050212/NEWS01/502120301/1002)

Snippet:The state College Board's interim commissioner says the University of Southern Mississippi risked losing its overall accreditation and an almost certain loss of accreditation for its College of Business if instructions from interim provost Jay Grimes had been followed by business dean Harold Doty. ...

Doty, who responded in his own letter to Grimes, was worried Southern Miss would lose both its accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and the college's separate accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business.

Southern Miss is currently serving a one-year academic probation from SACS for problems in its distance-learning programs. The new MBA program would be an off-campus program and qualify as distance learning, as Crofts said.The proposed MBA program was seen as a money spinner. Who says only the for-profits are inappropriately driven by the prospects of a lucrative program?