MSU MEMO: January 17, 2006 Volume 30, Issue 18

Please Note: MSU MEMO is archived as a part of Mississippi State University's history. Articles may refer to situations which have changed or people who are no longer affiliated with the university.

January 17, 2006 Volume 30, Issue 18

IHL announces Presidential Search Advisory Committee

As the process to identify Mississippi State�s 18th president begins, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning has appointed a campus advisory committee to assist in the search.

Members of the Mississippi State University Presidential Search Advisory Committee were chosen based on recommendations by university constituencies and include key members of the university community as well as the public and private sectors.

The committee is charged with identifying the most capable and qualified applicants and nominees to be presented to the Board of Trustees Search Committee for review.

�Our goal is to conduct a search of integrity to hire the best person possible for the university and for the state of Mississippi,� said commissioner of higher education Thomas C. Meredith. �I am confident this committee will help us achieve that goal.�

Meredith said he anticipates that the search process will be completed by April.

�Our work will be to screen a national pool of candidates and narrow the recommendations to five names that will be forwarded to Commissioner Meredith and the Board search committee,� said Ruth H. Prescott, chair of the advisory committee.

As the MSU committee formally begins its work, Prescott added that Commissioner Meredith has assured the 24-member group that its recommendations will be a key part of the process.

�We have confidence in the integrity of the process the Board has established to identify the best possible choice for Mississippi State,� she said.

Mississippi State Presidential Search Advisory Committee members include:

� Ruth Hernandez Prescott, J.D. (chair of Search Advisory Committee), associate vice president for academic affairs and executive assistant to the president;

� Alicia Aiken, MSU graduate student, Department of English, and secretary, MSU Graduate Student Association;

� Bruce Brumfield, owner, Brumfield Plantation;

� Joe Bryan, national president, MSU Alumni Association;

� Jon David Cole, president of Student Association;

� Dr. Linda Cornelious, professor of instructional systems, leadership, and workforce development;

� Dr. Arthur Cosby, director, Social Science Research Center and professor of sociology;

� LaDonne Delgado, professor at MSU Libraries;

� Dr. Mark Goodman, president of Robert Holland Faculty Senate and associate professor of communication;

� Cedric Henson, cost analyst, Office of Controller;

� Dr. Thomas Hosie, past chair, Department Head Executive Committee and head and professor of counselor education and educational psychology;

� Aretha Jones-Cook, director, Holmes Cultural Diversity Center;

� Dr. William Kibler, vice president for student affairs;

� Dr. Roger King, associate dean, Bagley College of Engineering, and distinguished professor of electrical and computer engineering;

� Dr. Nancy McCarley, director, Honors Program and associate professor of psychology;

� Dr. Melissa Mixon, associate vice president, Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine and associate professor of human sciences;

� Dr. Melissa Moore, associate professor of marketing;

� Roderick Moore, president, MSU Foundation;

� Dr. Harold Nichols, dean, Meridian Campus and professor of communication;

� Dr. Phil Oldham, dean, College of Arts and Sciences and professor of chemistry;

� Hal Parker, president, Bulldog Club;

� Juli Rester, chair, Professional and Support Staff Advisory Council and senior human resources generalist;

� Tommy Tomlinson, president, Cadence Bank, Starkville; and

� James West, dean and professor of the College of Architecture, Art and Design.