MSU leaders discuss university’s positive impact, advancement at spring general faculty meeting

MSU President Mark E. Keenum discusses the university’s many recent accomplishments during the spring general faculty meeting on Tuesday [Feb. 19]. (Photo by Logan Kirkland)

Contact: James Carskadon

STARKVILLE, Miss.—��Ƶ leaders discussed several important accomplishments, and the university’s impact on the Magnolia State, during Tuesday’s [Feb. 19] spring general faculty meeting.

MSU President Mark E. Keenum noted that 2018 was a year that saw the university achieve record enrollment and a record high average ACT score for entering freshmen, as well as earn a chapter of the prestigious Phi Beta Kappa honor society and designation as a “R-1 Very High Research Activity” university by the Carnegie Foundation.

“This university has a very bright future and the state of Mississippi has a very bright future because of ��Ƶ and the work that our faculty and staff are doing, not only on this campus, but in offices all across the state of Mississippi,” Keenum said. “MSU is working every single day to help improve the lives of the citizens and taxpayers of this state. We are truly making a difference to move Mississippi forward, and it would not be possible without the talented, bright and capable leaders we have amongst the ranks in our faculty.”

Keenum noted that MSU is working with the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning to pursue several priorities in the Mississippi Legislature, including funding for capital projects. Several facilities projects are currently underway or have been recently completed on the MSU campus. These facilities will help MSU accommodate a growing student population and advance the university’s research, teaching and outreach missions, Keenum said.

Three new buildings are growing the university’s capabilities in agricultural teaching and research. Last year, MSU opened a new Meat Science and Muscle Biology Laboratory in front of the Wise Center on Blackjack Road. Adjacent to the Meat Science building, work is also underway on the new Animal and Dairy Science and Poultry Science buildings. Together, the three new buildings will form an L-shape complex at the intersection of Blackjack Road and Stone Boulevard.

The $67 million College View housing and retail development at the old Aiken Village site remains on track to be completed before the fall 2019 semester. In December, MSU broke ground on the $34 million Richard A. Rula Engineering and Science Complex on Hardy Road, which will house the Department of Civil and Environment Engineering and provide much-needed research and laboratory space.

MSU Vice President for Research and Economic Development David Shaw discussed MSU’s ongoing research initiatives. For fiscal year 2017, MSU was once again ranked by the National Science Foundation among the top 100 research institutions in the country. With over $240 million in research expenditures, MSU accounts for over half of Mississippi’s university research funding. MSU is ranked ninth nationally in agriculture research and No. 17 in social science research, which leads the Southeastern Conference.

“We have seen significant improvement in the research dollars that we are generating and the impact those dollars are having on this institution and on this state,” Shaw said.

MSU Provost and Executive Vice President Judy Bonner reflected on the academic milestones MSU has achieved during her time as provost. Last month, Bonner announced her plans to retire at the end of June. She said she is proud of the growth of MSU’s online course offerings, participation in the statewide Complete 2 Compete Initiative and seeing the student body grow in both quantity and quality. Bonner also has been leading the process to update MSU’s strategic plan.

“When we work together, we demonstrate that there is absolutely nothing we cannot achieve,” Bonner said. “Our progress can, and has been, and will continue to be transformational.”

Greg Bohach, MSU vice president for agriculture, forestry and veterinary medicine, said he is proud of the many ways MSU contributes to the state’s $7.7 billion agriculture industry. He noted that enrollment in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine is at an all-time high, with almost all students who graduate from DAFVM programs finding jobs upon graduation or pursuing post-graduate training.

“I’m proud that $109 million in research funding comes through the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine,” Bohach said. “I think that contributes to the record harvest that we had this year.”

MSU is Mississippi’s leading university, available online at .

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