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An Update from the Provost and Executive Vice President | September 2025Academic Matters

I hope your fall semester is going well. I want to begin this month’s letter by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of Fall Convocation. It was a great event for our students, as well as the many faculty who participated. I think all of us enjoyed hearing from recent alum Paromita Mitra as we set the stage for another successful academic year here at MSU.

September 2025's Update Previous Updates
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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentSeptember 2025

I hope your fall semester is going well. I want to begin this month’s letter by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of Fall Convocation. It was a great event for our students, as well as the many faculty who participated. I think all of us enjoyed hearing from recent alum Paromita Mitra as we set the stage for another successful academic year here at MSU.

Image Alt Text: Dr. Shaw speaks at graduation

Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentAugust 2025

This week marks the start of something very special for our students and our larger academic community. I love the first day of class and the promise it brings as we start a new year together. I want to begin this month’s letter by thanking all of you who have offered prayers, encouraging words, and some delicious meals after my recent surgery. I’m well on my way to a full recovery, and I appreciate your support. With some required time away from the office, I’ve been grateful to have an exceptional team in place in the Division of Academic Affairs. It’s a team that’s seen a few changes over the summer, and I wanted to provide a brief update.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJuly 2025

We are quickly seeing the summer days count down to the start of the fall semester and a new academic year at Mississippi State. It’s a busy and exciting time as we prepare to welcome all of our students back to campus in the coming weeks, as well as new faculty who are joining the university. Please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJune 2025

I hope the summer is going well for all of you. While many students, faculty, and staff are away from campus, I still wanted to take a few minutes of your time to provide an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentMay 2025

I want to begin this month’s letter by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of our spring graduation celebrations and commencement exercises. These special events require incredible planning, attention to countless details, coordination, cooperation, and hard work. I think you would agree it’s all well worth it as we recognize and honor our newest graduates in Starkville and Meridian.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentApril 2025

The last few weeks have left me wondering what happened to April. It’s been a busy month with many special events as we near the end of the spring semester. I’ve enjoyed the opportunities I’ve had to visit with many of you and our students at the Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony, the opening of the Lincoln Assassination exhibit in Mitchell Memorial Library, and an Orientation session for Phi Theta Kappa transfer students – to give you just a few examples. These visits always remind me of how vibrant and interesting our campus community is. Of course, we have many more events to look forward to in the coming days. Please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentApril 2025

The last few weeks have left me wondering what happened to April. It’s been a busy month with many special events as we near the end of the spring semester. I’ve enjoyed the opportunities I’ve had to visit with many of you and our students at the Phi Beta Kappa induction ceremony, the opening of the Lincoln Assassination exhibit in Mitchell Memorial Library, and an Orientation session for Phi Theta Kappa transfer students – to give you just a few examples. These visits always remind me of how vibrant and interesting our campus community is. Of course, we have many more events to look forward to in the coming days. Please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

Image Alt Text: Dr. Shaw speaks at graduation

Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentMarch 2025

I hope you’ve all seen the recent news about Mississippi State University’s extraordinary economic impact. A comprehensive assessment by the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center, known by most of us as NSPARC, found that MSU supports $3.9 billion in wages and more than 80,000 jobs statewide, which is one out of every 15 jobs in the state. We’re delivering a great return on the investment taxpayers make in higher education. You can take great pride in this success story and your contributions to it.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentFebruary 2025

The spring semester – as it always seems to do – is racing by. It’s hard to believe we are only three weeks away from the start of Spring Break. I appreciate all of you who attended the recent Spring General Faculty Meeting or watched the livestream. We covered a lot of ground, and I enjoyed the opportunity to share a few highlights along with President Mark Keenum, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJanuary 2025

I hope everyone enjoyed the break for the holidays and that your spring semester is off to a great start. We’ve had a busy few days since the first day of class last week and that includes many special events and programs for Dr. Martin Luther King Day this past Monday [Jan. 20]. Kudos to Vice President Ra’Sheda Forbes and the Access, Opportunity and Success team for their efforts to expand and broaden community involvement this year. This month’s letter will be brief because I’m planning a more detailed update from the Division of Academic Affairs at the spring general faculty meeting coming up Monday [Jan. 27] at 2 p.m. in Colvard Student Union’s Foster Ballroom U.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentDecember 2024

Season’s greetings from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. Before we officially start winter break in just a few days, please let me share a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs with you.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentNovember 2024

The fall semester will soon be coming to an end, and we have a full calendar the next few weeks with a brief break for Thanksgiving followed by final exams, commencement, the Winter Express session, and many other activities on campus and in the community. Please let me take a few minutes of your time from what I know is a busy schedule for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentOctober 2024

I hope everyone had an opportunity to enjoy Fall Break last week. I wanted to begin this month’s letter with an update about our search for a new dean of the Bagley College of Engineering. The search firm assisting the search committee and our chair, College of Business Dean Scott Grawe, reports a strong and growing pool of applicants. The committee members will soon begin their review of the applications, and we will then host candidates for campus interviews the week after Thanksgiving. We’re confident that we’ll be able to announce our new dean before the break begins in December. I appreciate Dr. Grawe and the committee members for their commitment to this critical undertaking, and I also thank Interim Dean Robert Green for his strong leadership of the Bagley College through this leadership transition.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentSeptember 2024

I hope you all weathered the tropical weather last week as the remnants of Hurricane Francine made their way through Mississippi. My thanks to Campus Services, MSU Dining, Housing and Residence Life, and many others, including MSU Police, Emergency Management, and Public Affairs who helped keep everyone safe and informed and essential services running. I want to begin this month’s Academic Affairs update by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of Fall Convocation. This annual event is a special milestone in the academic journey our students are undertaking, and I especially appreciate the faculty who joined us.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentAugust 2024

The fall semester is off to a great start, and I am looking forward to another successful academic year. August has been a busy month — New Faculty Orientation, New Maroon Camp, MVNU2MSU, Bid Day, the first day of class, and so much more. It certainly is a busy and exciting time on our campus, and before it gets even busier, I’d like to give you an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJuly 2024

It’s been another busy summer here on campus with classes, camps, countless Orientation sessions, and a number of major construction projects continuing through the heat and humidity. All of these activities are setting the stage for the start of a new academic year in just about four weeks, and I am looking forward to the first day of class on August 21st – and some cooler weather too! Here is an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJune 2024

I hope summer is going well for all of you. While many students, faculty, and staff are away from campus, I still wanted to take a few minutes of your time to provide a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentMay 2024

I want to begin my message by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of commencement season this spring. We held multiple special events and ceremonies in Starkville and Meridian earlier this month, and all of them were extraordinarily successful thanks to the incredible teamwork, coordination, and cooperation of so many of you. I was also happy to see so many faculty members in attendance. Your presence is much appreciated by our graduates, and I thank you for taking time to be there.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentApril 2024

The end of the spring semester is quickly approaching. The last regularly scheduled class day is April 29, with exams set to begin on May 2. And then we’ll “commence” with our commencement celebrations. Graduation is a very special time for our students, their families, and the entire campus community. It’s especially meaningful for our faculty who have taught and mentored our new graduates, and I encourage all of you to participate in your college’s designated commencement exercise on May 9 or May 10. I hope to see many of you there.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentMarch 2024

I hope you all had an opportunity to take some time to enjoy Spring Break last week. I want to begin this month’s letter by thanking everyone who contributed to our incredibly successful Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) site visit the last week of February. This in-person review is a critical part of the reaffirmation process for our SACSCOC accreditation, and it really could not have gone any better. The site team members were very complimentary of the work we are doing and were also impressed with the new Bulldog Experience Quality Enhancement Plan. We look forward to good news when the SACSCOC Board of Trustees meets in December. Kudos to Associate Vice President for Institutional Strategy and Effectiveness Tracey Baham, our accreditation liaison, for leading us through this process!

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentFebruary 2024

I want to begin this month’s letter with a few reminders about upcoming events. I hope many of you will be able to join us for the Spring General Faculty Meeting on Feb. 12 at 2 p.m. in Colvard Student Union’s Fowlkes Auditorium. I’ll provide an Academic Affairs report, and President Mark Keenum, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble will also share updates.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJanuary 2024

It’s great to see everyone back for the start of the spring semester, and to have campus busy again with the energy and excitement the first week of classes brings. Of course, we certainly had an interesting few days last week, and I hope all of you managed to weather the winter conditions. I appreciate your patience and understanding as we dealt with the ice, snow, and unusually low temperatures.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentDecember 2023

Season’s greetings from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President. Before we officially start winter break in just a few days, please let me share a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs with you.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentNovember 2023

It’s a busy and special time of year on campus as we anticipate the end of fall classes, final exams, commencement, and the holidays. We are excited about returning to a new and improved Humphrey Coliseum for Starkville commencement in December following an extensive renovation. As you’ll recall, that project required us to shift last spring’s graduation ceremonies to Davis Wade Stadium. It was a remarkable success thanks to the thorough planning and hard work of so many. We had enthusiastic participation by large numbers of students and faculty, and I hope we will continue to see this excitement this fall.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentOctober 2023

Although the weather still seems to think it’s summertime, I hope you all were able to enjoy our recent Fall Break. I thought I’d begin this month’s letter with a final reminder encouraging faculty, staff, and students to apply for a 2023 Mississippi State University Excellence in Community Engagement Award on behalf of a project in the following categories: Community-Engaged Service, Community-Engaged Research, Community-Engaged Teaching & Learning, and Scholarship of Engagement. Project submissions are due by this Friday – October 27 – at 11:59 p.m. Community Partner feedback forms are due by November 3 at 5 p.m.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentSeptember 2023

I hope your fall semester is going well as we quickly approach Fall Break in just a few weeks. It’s always hard to believe how quickly the days go by with the start of a new academic year. We had a great first day of classes, followed by an exceptional Fall Convocation at Dudy Noble Field – and the weather cooperated too! I want to thank the entire team for their work to once again organize another successful outdoor event to celebrate academic life on our campus. From Spring Commencement in Davis Wade Stadium to Fall Convocation in Polk-DeMent Stadium, the challenges were many, but these events were very successful and meaningful to our students and all who participated. Of course, I think we’re all ready to return to Humphrey Coliseum for future events! While it is a busy time on our campus, please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentAugust 2023

Welcome back! I know some of you have been around campus the past few months, but many of you have been away with research or creative discovery work or on vacation. And some of you are brand new to Mississippi State. To our new faculty and staff, I extend a sincere welcome — we are glad you’re here! I had the chance to meet most of our new faculty members during their orientation last week, and I enjoyed that opportunity. I appreciate everyone who joined us for New Faculty Orientation and all who made it a resounding success this year. As we anticipate the first day of fall classes on Wednesday, please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJuly 2023

I’m reminded daily by the heat and humidity that it’s still summertime in Mississippi, but checking my calendar, I see that we are only about five weeks away from the start of the fall semester. While I’m looking forward to the fall semester – and cooler weather! – we have had a busy and productive summer with no signs of it slowing down. Please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentJune 2023

I hope you are having a great summer and finding time to spend with family and friends. Campus continues to be busy with many activities such as camps and conferences, Orientation, and summer classes, and while we are looking forward to the start of a new academic year in August, I want to again say thank you to everyone who contributed to the success of commencement last month. It was exceptionally challenging to move our Starkville ceremonies to Davis Wade Stadium, but I don’t think it could have gone any better.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentMay 2023

I want to begin by thanking everyone who attended the Reimagining MSU special event or watched the livestream on April 11. It was an exciting and impactful program as we officially launched the university’s new Transforming MSU strategic plan and Taking Care of What Matters branding initiative.

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Academic MattersAn Update from the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentApril 2023

I hope you all enjoyed a brief break the past few days. This Tuesday [April 11] at 10 a.m., I invite you to join us for a very special Reimagining MSU event. President Keenum and I, along with several members of our campus community, will share details about the future of our university and how we are going to get there. It takes place in Bettersworth Auditorium, and if you can’t attend in person, it will be livestreamed at https://www.msstate.edu/transformation.

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Mississippi State University also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of Mississippi State University may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

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