A six-member search committee, appointed Jan. 17, launches the hunt for Mississippi State University’s new president. During the January Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning meeting, Bill Crawford of Meridian appointed the search committee from members of this board, said interim president Charles Lee. The 12-member board has two other search committees. Seeking presidents for the University of Southern Mississippi and Mississippi University for Women.
“Members of the search committee are Carl Nicholson of Hattiesburg, who chairs the group; Bryce Griffis of Starkville, Amy Whitten of Oxford, Scott Ross of West Point, Roy Klumb of Gulfport, and Bettye Neely of Grenada.
Lee said, “One of the tasks of the search committee will be to prepare a position announcement outlining the role of the president. It will be up to the search committee and the full board to emphasize any particular skills or experiences they consider especially appropriate.”
“The board will also appoint an advisory committee made up of faculty, staff, students, alumni, and friends of the university, and that group will have an opportunity to offer suggestions concerning the search and to participate in the process of screening candidates,” Lee said.
Faculty and staff who are interested in serving or nominating others to serve on the campus-based Advisory Committee that will aid in the search for the next president of MSU are invited to submit suggestions.
The Advisory Committee is expected to include 30-40 university employees, students, alumni, and friends, and will assist the Board of Trustees, State Institutions of Higher Learning search committee in identifying and screening presidential candidates.
Recommendations concerning the make-up of the committee should be sent to Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman, with a copy to trustee Carl Nicholson of Hattiesburg, chair of the board search committee. Coleman recently was named by the IHL board to chair the advisory group.
“The board has not formally begun the process of seeking or accepting applications and nominations, and no one has publicly announced an interest in being a c andidate, that I know of,” said Lee. “I am sure that there are many people across the region and across the country who are aware that the search is beginning and who are giving thought to the process, either in terms of becoming a candidate or in terms of nominating someone else.”
Lee said, “My advice to the board is to carefully choose an individual whose vision and experience fits the internal and external expectations of MSU at this stage in its development.”
MSU students and faculty interested in this transition have contributions about the kind of president they would like to see take this position.
“I think one primary concern for Mississippi State University and faculty is that of faculty retention, that is focusing on retaining existing faculty by providing incentives and contributions to the university,” educational psychology and psychology professor Robert Atkinson said.
MSU sophomore Mike Gipson said, “I would prefer a president that is very smart and someone that will listen to the students’ problems. We need someone that can take control of any crisis that may come up on campus, such as the cheating last December.”
“I would like the new president to be more academically centered rather than focused on athletics,” Casey Mitchell, sophomore said. “It would be beneficial to the university if we had a president who has Southern roots.”
“I would like for him to interact with students so that people can get to know him better,” MSU junior Latoya Rush said.
“I think the new president should be someone that has a high level of charisma and a lot of ambition,” Ryan Duncan, junior said.