When he assumes Mississippi State's helm in January, Malcolm Portera says he will have some "lofty plans" for the university, including raising the undergraduate graduation rate and pursuing a research library designation.
The 51-year-old West Point native and Mississippi State alumnus was named the university's 16th president at an Oct. 16 College Board meeting on campus. He retired in 1996 as vice chancellor for external affairs for the University of Alabama.
Portera will succeed Donald Zacharias, whose official resignation in early 1998 after 12 years of service to the university and state will conclude the second-longest presidential tenure in the school's nearly 120-year history. (The first president, Stephen D. Lee, served 19 years).
"I am honored by the decision of the board of trustees and I appreciate their expression of confidence in our ability to work with the faculty, staff and students to provide leadership at Mississippi State University," Portera told a standing-room-only audience at the Engineering Research Center's meeting room. "We feel fortunate to have this opportunity to contribute to continuing the tradition of academic excellence at State.
"In assuming this responsibility, we are aware of the unprecedented advancements that were made under the leadership of Dr. Donald Zacharias and we hope to build on the foundation that he has helped to create."
Portera earned bachelor's and master's degrees from Mississippi State in 1969 and 1971. He received a doctorate in 1977 from the University of Alabama. All his degrees are in political science. His wife, Olivia, is a 1969 graduate of Mississippi State.
In a question-and-answer session following the announcement, Portera said he plans an aggressive presence in Washington, D.C., where "we have a natural tie to Washington because we are the premier land-grant institution in the state. We will attempt to access organizations we're familiar with, such as the National Science Foundation and the Department of Commerce."
Portera said any increase in research funding must come from the federal agencies, noting that funding is one of the factors determining the national rankings of research institutions. For many years, Mississippi State has been included among the nation's top 100.
He also announced plans to seek an Association of Research Libraries designation for Mitchell Memorial Library. To be an ARL designate, libraries must meet stringent criteria including the number of volumes in the library's holdings, total library expenditures and the number of professional and support staff.
Responding to another question, Portera touched on the university's current average graduation rate of 47 percent. In an effort to raise the percentage, he called for a study of the situation and mentioned two possible factors in the below-50 percent level: teaching overloads and too-large classes.
To avoid any possible conflict of interest, the president-designate said he is transfering ownership of Portera and Associates, a strategic planning business he owns in Tuscaloosa, to his sons and brother. The company has clients throughout the nation, including Mississippi.
Malcolm Portera's statement"We are delighted with the decision by the board of trustees to give us the opportunity to provide leadership for one of the region's premier institutions of higher education. As all of you are aware, Mississippi State University's research program has made unprecedented advancements over the past 15 years. And State is recognized as the institution of choice for thousands of young people and their parents.
First, the baccalaureate programs must remain strong and we must commit ourselves to the continuous pursuit of excellence in the classroom. In addition, State's program of residential life will be enhanced. Both the undergraduate and residential student life programs serve as powerful magnets that attract students from every county in Mississippi. This institution is known for its research and teaching in agriculture, forestry, engineering, the physical sciences, and veterinary medicine. However, our commitment is to the entire academic program of the university. Be assured that we appreciate the need for strong programs in the arts, humanities, social sciences, education, business, and architecture. Second, the research and graduate programs represent major strengths for Mississippi State. Initial work will involve building and improving infrastructure and in promoting these programs on and off the campus. Third, the land-grant mission will continue to play a vital role in assisting all the people of Mississippi in the quest for an enhanced quality of life for themselves and their children. Be assured that this mission will not be diminished in any way in this administration. And, I hope that we are able to enhance our presence in key locations in the state. We will assist, but we will not become an economic development organization. Fourth, we are interested in building strong partnerships-administration with faculty and students. Our firm pledge is to create an environment that is inclusive. Our goals will be lofty and our commitment to pursue these in a team approach will be real. Finally, the achievements that we seek will be realized if we are able to generate the resources that we must have to substantially improve faculty and staff salaries and to invest in needed enhancements in the university's academic infrastructure. Our very serious commitment to the concept of leveraging resources and to sound planning should serve us well here. We also will be assisted in this effort by the strong bonds of friendships that we will forge with the other state universities. Let me close by acknowledging the unprecedented advancements that were made during the tenure of Don Zacharias. This university and this state owe Mississippi State's 15th president a great debt. We hope that we might repay Dr. Zacharias by continuing and aggressively pursuing the ambitious goals that he and the university community have established. And we look forward to working with him on several initiatives that will extend the success that the university has had with the capital campaign. Billy Ward (vice president for institutional advancement and executive assistant to the president) and the development staff deserve special mention (for their work with the campaign). It is an understatement to say that my family and I are honored to succeed the Zacharias family at Mississippi State University." |
This World Wide Web version of MSU Memo was marked up by Chris Brown <brownc@ur.msstate.edu>.
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