Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Commissioner Tom Meredith announced his resignation Wednesday, becoming effective Nov. 15. Meredith will continue to serve on an as-needed basis.
Meredith’s resignation comes only two days after the resignation of Mississippi State University Interim President Vance Watson. Both Meredith and Watson were identified in State Auditor Stacey Pickering’s investigation into allegations involving the improper use of taxpayer money through landscaping service.
In a statement issued Wednesday, Meredith said he has worked through his career to build a reputation of honesty and integrity. He claims the landscaping work his property received was accepted on the condition that the work be paid for.
“There is no way I would have taken a chance at this stage of my life to damage that reputation over anything,” he said. “Those who know me know this is true.”
Meredith said he paid $6,347.53 the day the state auditor’s report was released. He released a statement that day claiming he was exonerated from any wrongdoing.
“We were pleased, but not surprised, when the state auditor’s report revealed that we were not at fault regarding the landscaping controversy at our home,” Meredith said. “With the auditor’s report, we discovered for the first time the cost of the trees and how they were provided.”
The IHL Board of Trustees is expected to accept Meredith’s resignation today during a 2 p.m. meeting called to discuss the MSU presidential search.
Since Meredith’s voluntary resignation on Sept. 26, his duties as commissioner have been subsumed into the Board of Trustees.
Board of Trustees President Amy Whitten said Meredith’s tenure as IHLcommissioner made a positive difference for Mississippi’s public education system.
“We are grateful for his many accomplishments,” she said, “and are confident his vision of increasing the quantity of baccalaureate degree holders of even higher quality will continue.”
IHL Board Search Committee Chairman Scott Ross said he believes Meredith’s resignation put the state universities’ best interests forward.
“I’m sure Dr. Meredith has been considering his future lately,” he said. “He did this in a classy way.”
The IHL will be fully capable of continuing its duties despite Meredith’s resignation, Ross said.
“One of the many contributions Dr. Meredith made to Mississippi was that he put a great staff in place [within the IHL],” he said. “The routine daily operations with the IHL will continue unabated.”
Currently, the IHL has no plans to search for a new commissioner, Ross said.
Rep. Stephen Holland, D-Lee, said Meredith’s resignation was the right move for the IHL and Mississippi public education. He said the IHL should continue focusing on the MSU presidential search.
“It’s good that we can start with a clean slate now and move forward,” he said. “I hope the College Board will make picking the next MSU president their No. 1 priority and then they can look for a new commissioner.”