Frustration and dissension reign on the campus of the largest college at the largest University in South Carolina, according to excerpts of a disastrous internal review obtained exclusively by FITS.
In fact, faculty reviews of the University of South Carolina’s College of Arts and Sciences and its dean, Mary Anne Fitzpatrick, came back 2-to-1 negative.
A source tells FITS that the most common descriptors applied to the leadership of the college were “stupid,” “inflexible,” and “arrogant.”
The results of the study, which have yet to be published, were reportedly provided to USC provost Michael D. Amiridis on Tuesday. FITS has submitted a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request to obtain them.
The College of Arts and Sciences is easily the University’s largest, with more than 500 faculty members and 8,200 students. That’s nearly a third of the University’s total student population.
The poor internal reviews come as USC is under expanded scrutiny for its costly involvement in the failed “Inept-o-vista” research campus, which itself is part of an expanded focus on government-run economic development which many (rightfully) believe falls well outside the school’s core mission of educating students.
“Inept-o-vista” has already wasted over $150 million tax dollars, with more to come as University officials cling to their failed vision of a hydrogen fuel cell-based campus.
The excerpts from the USC report also reveal rank-and-file University employees who are livid with the astronomical salaries of upper level administrators, which have continued to rise in spite of the economic recession and alleged “budget cuts.”
That mirrors a trend of faculty outrage seen at South Carolina’s other major (and under-performing) research university, Clemson.
For more information on that scam, click here …
By CNSYD December 17, 2009 at 12:10 pm
Clemson is under performing in research? How so? What measurement are you using?
By Billy Bob December 17, 2009 at 12:48 pm
The school (“college”) is just too damned big. It needs to focus on educating a reasonable number of students in an exemplary manner and forget about Hydrogen. What is the College of Business doing in Hydrogen research in the first plane?????? It’s still a basic research field. It’s WAY too early for practical applications. It may never be a viable major source of energy?!?
By Soft Sigh From Hell December 17, 2009 at 12:49 pm
I overheard faculty complaints about her aloofness and lack of involvement and concern two years ago.
But just imagine if the staff of say DHEC could review its middle management. You’d need asbestos gloves or foundry tongs to hold that report. Which is exactly why we will never see one in that or other agencies or rigidly hierarchical organizations.
I applaud USC for having the survey. Every organization should do so, or at least all the public ones.
By No Name December 17, 2009 at 1:39 pm
Harris or your wonderful wife…
You are not dumb…you are not thick…..but damn….can you not see that this economic situation is not only different ……
but under appreciated by the Legislature\BCB and BEA.
Seriously, in a Depression….the very relevance of a college education may begin to come under question at these prices and the poor results experienced.
So just use these results and begin to stop that which is not working or seems questionable.
The very severity of the economy will mask or give you some latitude in actions….. but do something….
and don’t go the “Commission to ask who’s ass gets saved” route.
How about a tuition reduction combined with a well thought out cost reduction in personnel or unnecessary projects.
It is what adults do when they face with the reality of a State revenue picture that is going to only get worse.
Be bold or you will be gone….gone after many nasty years of finger pointing and recriminations for things you had no real control over.
By Not Sayin', Just Sayin' December 17, 2009 at 1:40 pm
Clemson can’t possibly be underperforming in research. Their blue cheese has been refined to near perfection, and their advances in NASCAR research are cutting edge.
By Commonman December 17, 2009 at 2:34 pm
I am shocked that there could be any arrogance at USC or in higher education. Preceding remark is totally sarcastic. Imagine they will try to rebuff any FOIA as a personnel issue. Should not pass muster. From what I have heard, the description of the Dean is right on point.
By tom rany December 18, 2009 at 1:16 am
Parks, Teagan, Fitzpatrick
Now we have a hatrick.
While Harris’ flagship has hit solid ice
no one at the captain’s table will pay a price.
Their seats in the life boats are well reserved
While the lower deck will be purged
By Philip branton December 18, 2009 at 7:52 am
LOL…..ROFL…!!!
Billy BOB…”What is the College of Business doing in Hydrogen research in the first plane?????? It’s still a basic research field. It’s WAY too early for practical applications. It may never be a viable major source of energy?!?”
LOL….!!
Billy, how does the SPACE Shuttle get into SPACE…!? And you really believe that Hydrogen will never be a viable energy SOURCE..!?! Dude, what is the SUN made up of…!? It does a pretty good job right NOW running EARTH…!!
By Soft Sigh From Hell December 18, 2009 at 8:44 am
How did College of Arts and Sciences get read as College of Business?
And hydrogen as a fuel would largely be just a convenient conveyor of energy, not a source. It would take a lot more energy to produce the hydrogen (e.g., “nuke” electrical power to release hydrogen from water). Finally, anyone who thinks fusion is involved (as in the sun) is living in la la land.
By Tank McNamara December 18, 2009 at 11:13 am
CNSYD, relax dude. i don’t think he’s talking about the Fighting Tater football team this time. Seriously though, I’m a graduate of USC and I’m very concerned about being financially able to send my daughter there due to the exorbitant cost of tuition. Personally, I think the University should be more concerned with providing an AFFORDABLE education to the citizens of South Carolina and not spend an astronomical amount of money and time trying to raise their status as a research university.
By Snowdog December 18, 2009 at 11:53 am
Think this one is negative…..wait till you see the review on Dean Esin Gulari for the College of Arts and Sciences at Clemson.
By Fred December 18, 2009 at 1:33 pm
My God. How did USC become so top heavy with it’s administration? Provost this, dean that and veeps everywhere. No wonder higher education costs so much. Whoops forgot about the coach’s salaries!!
By JohnnyDangerously December 18, 2009 at 2:02 pm
The factual errors in this comments section are like that scene in Johnny Dangerously, where the message changes with each person at the lunch table. The dean of the College of Architecture, Arts and Humanities at Clemson is not Esin Gulari.
By Soft Sigh From Hell December 18, 2009 at 2:08 pm
The science side of that college has become widely too snooty to do anything in or for South Carolina or the wider region and god forbid not anything of applied usefulness. That would be demeaning. It’s amazing that some of them don’t wear mortarboard hats in daily life. Oh, you can find a few fine souls who care about where they live, a handful, and these doing excellent work here, but all too often there is the “we are above that” attitude: “We DO SCIENCE, not anything useful. How plebian. Do I look like a common tradesman?” Engineering and public health there have a much better attitude about their responsibilities to the society and state that support them.
In part due to these attitudes, USC is unfortunately creating an ever larger group of citizens and SC professionals who don’t really like it.
By Will December 22, 2009 at 11:42 am
Soft Sigh,
Where do I begin; your preceding comment makes no sense. You equate “doing science” with being useless?!?! Just look around…..electronics, medicines, cancer treatments, agriculture, etc. all came about from “doing science”. Granted, much of the science being performed is considered basic; but it is from this work that almost all of the wonders of modern society evolved. The university research model is what made the USA the technological giant it is today. You suggest that the College of Engineering and School of Public Health have a much better attitude about their societal responsibilities than those in the sciences; How so?? Just because their professions put them closer to practical applications, does NOT make science less important to society. Most of the research carried out in the fields of engineering and public health had their roots in basic scientific research.
By Soft Sigh From Hell December 26, 2009 at 6:10 pm
I write specifically about attitudes–attitudes–and just in one college in one university, and Will disagrees citing the place of all science in America’s modern technological advancement. “What we have here is a failure to communicate.”
I stand by my comments, if properly read.
By Will December 27, 2009 at 11:42 pm
Soft Sigh,
Please provide some specifics to back up your opinion of the poor “attitudes” found in the college of Arts and Sciences. I am most familiar with the department of Chemistry and Biochemistry; and as far as I can see, the vast majority of the faculty are well rounded with respect to research, scholarship, and community service. As a matter of fact, the department has spawned and supports several start-up companies located in the state.
By Amber June 16, 2010 at 2:45 pm
How much did she put into his campaign? Faculty aren’t the only ones revolting…