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A vote of no confidence in University of Southern Mississippi President Shelby Thames by faculty in 2004 was followed by his returning to the classroom after the expiration of his contract.
Sources say 33 faculty members voted no confidence, one voted in favor of Newman and one abstained.
"The fact that we have approximately 150 faculty, and had the number been 140 to 10 or something to that nature, then I would be able to respond, but that number ... is not an assessment to the broad thinking of the faculty at this university," Dr. Curtis Baham, interim vice president for academic affairs, said this morning.
The faculty Senate meeting Tuesday, called by Senate president Dr. Francis Showi, began with a discussion of handbook revisions. Then non-faculty members were asked to leave the room.
Afterward, Showi declined to comment on the content of the meeting.
This morning, however, he said, "The faculty has spoken. I have no additional comments."
A document stating reasons for Newman to resign included:
Students being allowed to register after the 14th day of class and as late as five weeks into the semester.
Lack of professional courtesy to faculty and staff.
Faculty contracts being issued late and with incorrect positions and salaries stated.
Disregard and frequent change of the academic calendar.
Inconsistency in faculty pay, with some faculty members being paid differently for summer school classes and overloads.
Blatant disregard for chain of command, such as removing a department chair without consultation of the department dean.
This morning the university department of public relations said it had received no official letter from the faculty Senate regarding such a matter.
"Dr. Showi asked me to be present at a meeting where he wanted to update the faculty with some of the work being done, especially on the faculty handbook," Baham said.
None of the items on the meeting agenda included a vote regarding Newman, he said.
Baham said he attended the meeting but was called out due to another concern.
Regarding the end of the meeting, Baham said, "I am not familiar with any of the details that came out of that."
The vice president for academic affairs and the university president are the only officials able to call a mandatory meeting of all faculty members, Baham said.
The faculty Senate president can call a meeting on his own, as Showi did, Baham said. Showi asked other faculty to come to the meeting for input, which is why people who were not Senators were present, Baham said.
Faculty Senate members plan to submit the result of the vote and reasons to remove Newman to Institutions of Higher Learning commissioner Dr. Thomas C. Meredith, sources said.
