Comment sought on priorities and goals changes

President Malcolm Portera has requested comment on reports of progress toward university goals and on proposed changes in the goals.

In a campuswide open meeting on April 24, Portera reviewed the priorities and goals statement adopted in May 1999 and provided updates on progress. He also proposed for consideration and comment a slightly shortened and condensed version of the goals document.

The current statement, Leadership for the 21st Century: Mississippi State University Priorities and Goals, FY 2000-2004, is online at msuinfo.ur.msstate.edu/priorities/.

The same site provides links to a version of the current statement that incorporates progress reports and proposed changes in some goals; the proposed new version of the priorities and goals statement; and a webcast video of the April 24 open meeting.

All members of the university community are invited to comment on the progress reports or proposed goal revisions by sending e-mail to president@msstate.edu.

An updated version of the priorities and goals statement, incorporating the changes that may be made as a result of the current review, will be adopted and presented during the first week of May.

"Establishing priorities and goals and then measuring our progress toward them can help us get to where we want to be and help us get there faster," Portera said.

"Our stated goals and priorities have been well received on campus and off," he said. "One benefit that we have seen is that this rather concise outline of what we want to accomplish as a university has helped many of our constituencies to gain a better overall understanding of what Mississippi State is and what it aspires to be. And that enables them to better assist us in realizing those aspirations."