As I’ve mentioned, we have eight task forces examining key areas on campus: Bachelor of Applied Science Implementation and Graduate School, both chaired by Peter Ryan; Clinical/Instructional Faculty, chaired by Mary Ann Jones; Evaluation of Teaching, chaired by Jeff Dean; Faculty Performance Evaluation, chaired by Jim Dunne; Non-Traditional Course Offerings, chaired by John Dickerson; and Student Success, chaired by Regina Hyatt. I’m leading a Recruiting Task Force. I very much appreciate all of you who are leading these reviews, as well as those of you who are serving as members. A complete list is available at https://www.provost.msstate.edu/initiatives/taskforces.php

The month of November and our fall semester are quickly drawing to a close, but before they do, I’d like to take a few minutes of your time for an update from the Provost’s Office.

Five years of enrollment growth.

The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning released enrollment numbers last week, and we were very pleased to be able to make our official enrollment announcement. For the fall, we have 22,226 students, an increase of 252 from last year, and the fifth consecutive year of enrollment growth for Mississippi State. We are the only public university in the state to grow each of the past five years, and it is an incredible statement about the remarkable work of you – our faculty and staff -- who are making a difference in the lives of our students every day. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/numbers-show-fifth-consecutive-year-enrollment-growth-mississippi-state-0

First MOU for BAS program signed with Hinds

As we move forward in the process of offering students a new Bachelor of Applied Science degree option, we are working closely with the state’s community colleges. Earlier this month, we signed our first BAS memorandum of understanding with Hinds Community College. As noted in the Office of Public Affairs news release, this agreement outlines a pathway for Hinds students to complete our BAS program, leveraging the strengths of both institutions to provide more opportunities in technical education and meet current and future workforce demands. We look forward to reaching similar agreements with other community colleges in the near future. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/msu-hinds-community-college-sign-mou-bachelor-applied-science-degree

Kudos and congratulations

Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:

• Congratulations to Lucy Senter, who is retiring as director of the Office of Laboratory Animal Resources and university veterinarian. Dr. Senter has played an essential role in Mississippi State’s research enterprise – offering leadership and outstanding oversight and care since she returned to the College of Veterinary Medicine in 2005. Lucy, thank you for your many contributions to MSU!
• Kudos to Farshid Vahedifard, an associate professor in the Bagley College of Engineering’s Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, who has been named Engineer of the Year by the American Society of Civil Engineers-Mississippi Section. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/10/msus-vahedifard-tapped-engineer-year-asces-mississippi-section
• Congratulations to Holli Seitz, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication and director of The Message Laboratory in the Social Science Research Center, who has received a grant from the Association of Public and Land-grant Universities. She and a colleague at Oklahoma State will use the funding to develop resources to help students communicate research more effectively. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/msu-faculty-member-earns-grant-help-students-become-better-communicators
• Kudos to Tyler Page, an assistant professor in the Department of Communication, who has been honored with the Top Paper Award in Public Relations from the National Communication Association. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/national-communication-association-honors-msu-faculty-member
• Congratulations to Dan Gadke, who has been named head of the Department of Counseling, Educational Psychology and Foundations in the College of Education. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/gadke-named-head-msus-department-counseling-educational-psychology-and
• Kudos to Professors Dipgankar Dutta (corresponding author) and Jim Dunne and Assistant Professor Lamiaa El-Fassi in the Department of Physics and Astronomy, whose research and contributions to a national scientific team are featured in a recent issue of Nature. The research, “Proton Radius Experiment,” addresses the “proton radius puzzle.” Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/msu-physics-facultys-breakthrough-research-resolves-years-old-proton-size
• Welcome to Mike Tagert, who will be joining the university as associate director for corporate and economic partnerships in the Office of Research and Economic Development, and who will also serve as chief executive officer for the Greater Starkville Development Partnership. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2019/11/tagert-join-msus-research-economic-development-office-and-serve-ceo-gsdp

Final words

By now, I’m sure that almost all of you know that Vice President for Campus Services Amy Tuck is retiring at the end of December. She has been an outstanding colleague and a strong leader for the university, her beloved alma mater. It has been an honor to know and work with her. Amy, we wish you the very best as you begin this new chapter in your life.

As we look forward to a short break next week, I hope that each one of you enjoys a very happy Thanksgiving.

Hail State!

David

Dr. David R. Shaw is Provost and Executive Vice President at Mississippi State University. His email address is david.shaw@msstate.edu.