The eight universities in Mississippi that are part of the Mississippi Institution of Higher Learning are requesting a $36 million raise for faculty and staff.
Mark Keenum, president of Mississippi State University, said all eight university presidents agreed salaries play a significant role in education.
“When we were talking about strategy, we all agreed that salaries are at the top of the list of important factors, and we have found that the most critical challenge for universities is competitive salaries,” Keenum said.
Keenum said he believes salary increases are necessary to keep the most talented faculty and staff.
“We have to continue to maintain the best and brightest faculty, and in order to do that, we need competitive salaries,” Keenum said.
According to Keenum, it is upsetting when good faculty members feel the need to leave because of low salaries.
“A university is only as good as its faculty and staff. We frequently lose outstanding faculty because of salaries, and that is very disheartening to me,” he said.
After expressing the benefit a salary increase would have for staff at MSU, Keenum said students would greatly benefit as well.
“The increase would allow us to be able to retain and attract faculty and to recruit the best. Students who have motivated staff would benefit, and it would also allow our outstanding scientists to be able to conduct cutting-edge research,” Keenum said.
Brett Harris, president of the student association at MSU, said he believes MSU has a high honor and reputation for being a superior research institution is because of its ability to provide adequate compensation to its excellent valuable employees.
“Mississippi State University is a Carnegie One Research Institution. The reason we have this high honor and recognition is due to the faculty and staff that we have at our University,” Harris said. 
According to Harris, Mississippi professor salaries are roughly 10 percent lower than fellow institutions, and it is necessary to fight for more funding to bridge the pay gap between. 
“In short, it would allow us to continue to attract an amazing faculty and staff and continue to recruit the best researchers and professors possible,”  Harris said.
Shavon Gandy, business administration major at MSU, said she believes the raise would be a good idea because it would have a positive effect on faculty and staff as well as students.
“I think it is a great idea. Considering the fact that tuition goes up each year and the amount of students entering into MSU is increasing, I think that is only fair,” Gandy said. “Giving raises ensures better work ethic because it gives the faculty and students something to look forward to. I think the raises would be more of an incentive and would probably increase positive attitudes within instructors and give students more stability.”