Office of the Provost and Executive Vice PresidentDear Colleagues

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateMarch 2023

I hope you are able to take some time to enjoy Spring Break, which is on the academic calendar for March 13-17. After sharing a monthly “Dear Colleagues” letter with our faculty and staff for more than a decade, I’ve decided to make a change this month. Moving forward, I’ll be using “Academic Matters” as the name of my monthly messages in order to sharpen the focus on why academics matter here at Mississippi State University.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateFebruary 2023

I want to begin by thanking everyone who attended the Spring General Faculty Meeting on Tuesday, February 14, as well as those of you who watched the livestream. I appreciated the opportunity to share an update from the Division of Academic Affairs, as well as to hear updates from President Mark Keenum, Vice President for Research and Economic Development Julie Jordan, and Vice President for Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine Keith Coble.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJanuary 2023

I hope you enjoyed a restful and productive holiday break with friends and family and that your new year is off to a great start. As we begin spring classes this week, I wanted to give you a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateDecember 2022

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.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateNovember 2022

It’s hard to believe that another successful fall semester is quickly drawing to a close with Thanksgiving, final exams, and commencement on the horizon. It certainly is a busy time of year, and we’ve had a number of special events and activities the past few weeks — the official ribbon-cutting of the new Music Building, the opening of the Mississippi Cyber Center with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College and our state and federal partners, and a meaningful Veterans Recognition Ceremony on the Drill Field, to name just a few examples. Before we enjoy a brief break next week, please let me take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateOctober 2022

As you may recall, we have had a number of task forces taking a look at issues, areas, and operations throughout the Division of Academic Affairs and the university since I started serving as provost in 2019. I appreciate the commitment of our task force chairs and members. Their work has led to changes and enhancements that have made us better. Most recently, the Faculty Development Task Force chaired by Wes Burger wrapped up its report, and I appreciate their focus on this important topic. I’d invite you to review their findings and recommendations at https://www.provost.msstate.edu/initiatives/task-forces.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateSeptember 2022

The new school year is well underway on our campus, and I hope your fall semester is going well. I also hope you had the chance to attend the general faculty meeting September 13 or watch the livestream. President Keenum provided a comprehensive update and important insight into a number of topics, including enrollment, a new branding initiative, and major capital projects.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateAugust 2022

I hope you’ve all had a great summer and are ready for the official start of a new school year on Wednesday. We had a highly successful new faculty orientation last week, and I want to thank everyone who attended as well as everyone who contributed to the day’s success. 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.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJuly 2022

While there’s no denying it’s still summer thanks to the relentless heat and humidity we’ve seen the past few weeks, the start of the fall semester is quickly approaching. Please let me take a few minutes of your time for a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJune 2022

I hope your summer is going well. While many of you are away from campus this time of year, I still wanted to share a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs with you.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateMay 2022

We have a busy and exciting week underway on campus as we wrap up final exams and prepare to celebrate the achievements of our spring graduates with their families and friends during several special events and commencement ceremonies beginning Wednesday. As we near the end of the semester, I’d like to take a few minutes to give you an update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateApril 2022

I hope your spring semester is going well as we move ever closer to final exams and commencement in May. This time of year is always busy on our campus, and before we take a short break at the end of the week, I wanted to give you a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateMarch 2022

With Spring Break just a few short days away, I’d like to give you a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs. I’ll begin by mentioning that the MSU International Institute continues to closely monitor the current situation in Ukraine.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateFebruary 2022

I want to begin by thanking everyone who attended or watched the spr

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJanuary 2022

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateDecember 2021

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateDecember 2021

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateNovember 2021

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateOctober 2021

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateSeptember 2021

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateAugust 2021

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJuly 2021

It’s hard to believe that summer break is soon coming to an end, and that we’re only a few weeks away from the start of a new academic ye

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJune 2021

I hope you are having a productive summer, and also taking time to relax and reset before the start of a new academic year in August.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateApril 2021

It’s hard to believe that we find ourselves in the last few days of classes with final exams starting next week and commencement at the e

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateMarch 2021

In my monthly letter to you in March 2020, I wrote, “While we face great uncertainty, I have the utmost confidence that Mississippi State

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateFebruary 2021

I want to start my letter this month by saying thank you for the many thoughts and prayers as my wife and I have been recovering from COV

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJanuary 2021

Preparing for a successful spring semester.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateDecember 2020

Wishing you happy holidays and all the best in the upcoming new year.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateNovember 2020

Thank you for the hard work put in to make our fall semester successful and prioritized meeting the needs of our students in a safe and effective manner.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateOctober 2020

It’s hard to believe that we reached the mid-point of the fall semester this week, and that classes end in less than six weeks.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateSeptember 2020

Amid all of the unique challenges we continue to face this fall, I hope your semester is going well.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateAugust 2020

Even as we continue our work to meet the significant challenges posed by COVID-19, I’ve appreciated the undeniable energy and excitement

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJuly 2020

In my weekly “Insights and Updates from the Provost,” I’m focusing on the many COVID-related planning activities we have underway.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJune 2020

We face no shortage of challenges these days – as a university, in our state, and across the country.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateMay 2020

We’ve completed another successful academic year at Mississippi State University, and without question, one of the most challenging sprin

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateApril 2020

Thank you, thank you, thank you!

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateMarch 2020

It was my intent to send my March update to you before now, but the rapidly changing challenges presented by the coronavirus/COVID-19 pan

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateFebruary 2020

I hope your spring semester is going well.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJanuary 2020

The start of a new semester is always an exciting time to be on our campus, and I hope your spring semester is off to a great start.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateDecember 2019

Season's greetings from the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateNovember 2019

As I’ve mentioned, we have eight task forces examining key areas on campus: Bachelor of Applied Science Implementation and Graduate Schoo

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateOctober 2019

With our students away for Fall Break for a couple of days, I hope that you are enjoying a brief pause in the semester too.

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateSeptember 2019

Fall is my favorite season of the year, and while it may still feel like summer, the fall semester and the new academic year are well und

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateAugust 2019

While it certainly hasn’t felt like fall the past few days, the start of the fall semester at Mississippi State is just around the corner

Dear ColleaguesAn Academic Affairs UpdateJuly 2019

Thank you all for the kind words over the past few weeks as I have prepared to move into my new role as provost and executive vice presid