Leadership for the 21st Century
Mississippi State University Priorities and Goals
FY 2000-2004
Report of Progress
University priorities and goals for 2000-2004 were adopted in May 1999 and revised in May 2000, and are to be reviewed and updated annually. The working document below consists of the statement adopted in May 1999 along with partial progress reports as of April 2000. Additions and other modifications to the working document below are continuing.
I. STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP IN UNDERGRADUATE INSTRUCTION
A. Mississippi State will become a premier public undergraduate teaching institution.
1. Every academic program at the university will be the best in Mississippi.
Departments are asked to provide specific information about what being the "best" would entail for individual academic programs, including specific standards and criteria necessary to demonstrate progress toward the objective. Measures of success include student-faculty ratios, retention rate of high-achieving students, proportion of graduates pursuing graduate education, higher starting salaries for graduates, increased proportion of faculty with terminal degrees, increased faculty salaries, and increased involvement in the Honors Program.
2. The university will attain prominence among public universities in adjacent states.
3. Select programs will be among the best in the nation.
Departments are asked to provide specific information about what being the "best" would entail for individual academic programs, including specific standards and criteria necessary to demonstrate progress toward the objective. Measures of success could include recognition in national and international media, increased national awards by students and faculty, and increased research funding.
4. Class sizes will be reduced and the number of full-time faculty in the classroom will be increased.
Departments are being asked to provide estimates of "ideal" class sizes for their courses, along with comparative or other supportive data to substantiate those estimates.
The total number of full-time faculty increased by 41, from 851 in fall 1998 to 892 in fall 1999. The number of faculty at the rank of assistant professor and above increased by 51, while the number with the rank of lecturer, instructor, or other decreased by 10.
5. Colleges, schools, departments, and academic support units will establish specific measures of success in their disciplines and develop strategies to achieve them.
Colleges and schools have prepared lists of key indicators of quality/success. Units are being asked to express indicators in specific terms whenever possible. Measures of success may include performance-based evaluations or certification/licensure pass rates; alumni satisfaction; placement of graduates; improved employer satisfaction with graduates; improved student evaluation of faculty; increased faculty and student awards; increased scholarship, research, and creativity; and increased research funding.
6. The Office of Academic Affairs and the Office of Planning, Evaluation, and Institutional Effectiveness will lead development of a university-wide academic assessment and reporting process to measure and document educational outcomes.
7. Faculty development programs in instructional technology will be expanded.
Information Technology Services offered 120 short courses in fall 1999 and continued at a similar pace during the spring semester. More than 200 faculty enrolled for 629 for classes on topics such as on-line courses, interactive video, web design, and software packages.
8. A collaborative group will be established to deal with student services including academic advising, athletic advising, developmental programs, the Freshman Year Experience, the Learning Center, the Academic Advising Center, and Student Support Services. An advising group made up of faculty and professional staff will develop and conduct advising workshops, with particular emphasis on the needs of freshmen.
9. A campus-wide Center for International Programs will be established. The center will report to the Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs and will work closely with Student Affairs.
B. Mississippi State students will be the most academically talented in Mississippi and will be among the best in the region.
1. The average composite ACT score for entering freshmen will increase to 25.
The fall 1999 average was 23.3.
2. The six-year graduation rate will be at least 60 percent.
The 1999 six-year graduation rate was 50 percent. Freshman retention rose from 76.3 percent in 1998 to 79.5 percent in 1999.
3. At least 50 percent of the Mississippi university students who score 28 or higher on the ACT will enroll at Mississippi State.
In fall 1999, 45.7 percent of the freshmen in Mississippi universities who scored 28 or higher on the ACT were enrolled at MSU. The comparable rate for fall 1998 was 42 percent. MSU has enrolled 48 percent of these top students since 1987.
4. At least one-third percent of the National Merit Scholars from Mississippi will attend Mississippi State.
The National Merit Scholarship Corporation reported that the State of Mississippi produced 104 National Merit Scholars for the entering class of 1999. Seventy-four of these students enrolled in Mississippi institutions, and 32, or 31 percent of the state's Merit Scholars, enrolled at Mississippi State.
5. Academic units will become more heavily involved in student recruiting.
Some areas have significantly increased recruitment activities and many academic representatives travel to high schools and community colleges.
6. The University Honors Program will expand access to lower-division honors courses for talented students and provide increased opportunities for study abroad, internships, and independent research. Upper division Honors Program components will be established in the colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business and Industry, and Engineering.
7. Scholarships designed to attract National Merit Scholars in Mississippi will be enhanced. All academic scholarship applications will be available to prospective students by September 15 for the following academic year.
Scholarships for National Merit Semifinalists and National Achievement Semifinalists remained the same as for the previous year. In fall 1999, for the first time, an application packet including the scholarship application was produced and was mailed to prospective students in September.
8. The Patrons of Excellence program will be focused on raising annual scholarships for academically talented students and a fund raising campaign will be conducted in 1999-2000 to increase the scholarship endowment.
9. Academic Affairs will lead development of a coordinated approach to academically oriented summer programs for high school students. A database on visiting prospective students will be developed, and visiting high school students will be provided a university identification card that provides access to student services and provides a means of collecting information.
C. Students and faculty will be recognized for excellence.
1. The university will produce a Truman Scholar each year and a Rhodes Scholar within five years, as well as winners of other national scholarships and awards, including Goldwater Scholarships and All-USA College Academic Team recognition.
Three students were named Goldwater Scholars in spring 1999 and one Goldwater Scholar was named in spring 2000.
The university had Truman Scholarship finalists in 1999 and 2000 and a Rhodes Scholarship finalist in 1999.
Two biological engineering graduate students will receive 2000 National Science Foundation research fellowships.
A student won the 2000 Scholar of the Year Award from the American Consulting Engineers Council.
2. The university will support an Office for Distinguished External Scholarships with a half-time director, support personnel, operating budget, and space in Mitchell Memorial Library. The office will be operated on a pilot basis for three years. Further goals for producing winners of distinguished external scholarships and other awards will be established through the Office of Distinguished External Scholarships.
The office has been established and is functioning as planned.
3. Student chapters of professional and honor societies will compete for and win appropriate regional and national competitions.
For the third consecutive year, two Mississippi State University interior design majors were first-place winners in lighting design competition.
The student chapter of the Society of American Foresters placed second in the 1998-99 Outstanding Student Chapter Awards Competition.
The dairy products judging team was the top winner in 1999 student competition. MSU has won the top award five times over the last 10 years.
Student engineers earned high honors in a 1999 competition to design and build a motorized Mini-Baja vehicle. Out of almost 100 competitors, MSU won first place in the design report and ninth overall in competition sponsored by the Society of Automotive Engineers International.
The student chapter of Pi Omega Pi business honor society in 1999 received a ninth-place ranking in national competition.
Mississippi State art students won more than 50 awards, including four of the top five, in the 1999 7th District American Advertising Federation STAR Competition. The contest drew more than 350 entries from five states.
The student chapter of the American Society of Chemical Engineers at Mississippi State is among the top 10 percent of student chapters in the nation.
A student won fourth place in national public speaking competition sponsored by the American Society of Mechanical Engineers.
Landscape architecture students took top honors in regional competition sponsored by the American Society of Landscape Architecture. Ten juniors and seniors shared first-, second-, and third-place honors.
4. A Mississippi State faculty member will be named the Council for Advancement and Support of Education (CASE) Professor of the Year in Mississippi at least every other year.
Three MSU faculty members were nominated for the honor in 1999. Nominations have been solicited for the 2000 awards.
5. A faculty member will be named the CASE National Professor of the Year.
D. Mississippi State will maintain and build on its history as the People's University by ensuring access and support for students from all sectors of the state's population.
1. African-American enrollment will reach 20 percent of total enrollment.
African-American enrollment in fall 1999 was 16.8 percent, an increase from 15.8 percent in fall 1998.
2. Recruiting will be expanded in geographic areas with large minority populations.
Efforts to recruit in Mississippi and out-of-state high schools with large minority enrollments have been increased.
3. Minority alumni will be involved in recruiting and increasing minority scholarships.
4. Program offerings and funding for the primarily working-adult student population at the Meridian Campus will be enhanced by implementing the strategic plan developed in 1998. Cooperative activities between the deans on both campuses will be increased in areas related to faculty recruitment, tenure, and promotion.
5. Interactive courses will be offered via distance learning to the Meridian Campus.
Two interactive video classrooms are available on the Meridian Campus with connectivity to MSU and the Mississippi Interactive Video Network.
6. Meridian Campus enrollment will increase to 1,500.
Fall 1999 enrollment declined slightly from the previous year.
7. Enrollment of community college graduates will increase by 10 percent.
In fall 1999, MSU enrolled 1,368 transfer students, up by nine students from the previous year. Applications, however, were up by 20 percent. Applications for fall 2000 show another increase.
8. Cooperative academic programs with community colleges will be expanded.
The university in January 2000 hosted a meeting of the Board of Trustees of the State Board for Community and Junior Colleges.
The Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine developed and adopted a partnership agreement with Alcorn State University.
Mississippi State and Alcorn State are jointly leading an $8.5 million teacher education reform project funded by the U.S. Department of Education.
9. The university will ensure full access to academic programs for persons with disabilities through training programs for faculty and staff and use of assistive technology.
II. ENHANCE NATIONAL PROMINENCE IN RESEARCH
A. Attain recognition as a top-tier national research university.
1. The university will rank among the top 50 public research universities as reported by the National Science Foundation.
Mississippi State moved from 66th to 59th among public universities in 1999, based on an increase from $84 million to $100.4 million in research and development expenditures for FY 1998. Expenditures for FY 1999 totaled $111 million, which is expected to result in a new ranking of 56th or 57th.
2. Science and engineering research expenditures as reported by the National Science Foundation will increase to $120 million a year.
Expenditures were $84 million in FY 1997; $100 million in FY 1998; and $111 million in FY 1999. (The expenditure level that will be required to reach top 50 rank as proposed in the previous goal is a "moving target," which will require that the expenditure goal be evaluated and perhaps revised annually.)
3. Federal grant awards as reported by the National Science Foundation will increase to $60 million a year.
Awards for FY 2000 will total an estimated $57 million, based on data collected through March; awards for FY 1999 totaled $48 million.
4. The university will meet the criteria for Carnegie Research I status.
The criteria have been met, whether the Carnegie Foundation continues to use the criteria used for the last categorization, issued in 1994, or changes to proposed new criteria for 2000. The 1994 criteria for Research I required 50 doctorates a year and a three-year average of $40 million a year in federal obligations. The 2000 criteria may drop the federal funding requirement and call for 50 doctorates in 15 disciplines. MSU's federal obligations for 1996-98 averaged $42.5 million; doctorates awarded from 1997-99 averaged 104 degrees in 19 disciplines.
5. The library will become a member of the Association of Research Libraries.
6. The library budget will increase by $1 million a year for three years.
7. The number of doctoral degrees awarded in engineering, physical sciences, environmental sciences, mathematics, computer sciences, life sciences, social sciences, and cognitive science will increase to 75 a year.
Sixty-five Ph.D. degrees were awarded in these fields in 1998-99. The total was 59 in 1997-98 and 71 in 1996-97. For 1998-99, the distribution of doctorates in these fields was: Engineering, 8; Physical Science, 8; Environmental Sciences, 0; Math, 1; Computer Science, 1; Life Sciences, 42; Social Sciences, 5; and Cognitive Sciences (new program in developmental state), 0.
8. The number of proposals submitted to federal agencies in areas selected to provide return on investment will be increased. These include remote sensing, biotechnology, computational analysis, and other interdisciplinary areas.
Projections for FY 2000 are that 432 proposals with a value of $178 million will submitted to federal agencies (the projected overall totals are 1,096 proposals with a value of $220 million). In 1998-99, 433 proposals with a value of $113 million were submitted to federal agencies (total proposals numbered 1,128 and had a value of $153 million). In 1997-98, 491 proposals valued at $135 million were submitted to federal agencies (1,206 proposals valued at $175 million were submitted overall). Notes: Beginning with FY 1999, financial aid proposals are not included. Projections for FY 2000 are based on data through the third quarter of the fiscal year. Large block funding awards will result in an increase in external funding for FY 2000 even though proposal numbers are down.
Within the MSU Extension Service, Interdisciplinary and interdepartmental teams submitted 88 proposals that resulted in $15.36 million in 1999 funding from federal and private sources.
A Life Sciences Initiative creating a multi-program approach to biotechnology was created with the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine.
The university is a charter member of Internet 2 and connected to the network in October 1999 with the aid of a $550,000 grant from NSF.
9. The university will work with the Congressional delegation and staffs to obtain major block funding in strategic areas, including but not limited to remote sensing, biotechnology, and computational analysis.
$25 million in funding for remote sensing has been awarded for 1999-2004.
$3-4 million a year is being provided for computational analysis related to ship design.
$2 million has been awarded for climate, weather, and ocean modeling.
Congressional funding to MSU for FY 2000 totals $39.5 million, including $17 million from the Department of Defense, $2.5 million from Health and Human Services, and $4.5 million from the Department of Energy.
A life sciences and biotechnology institute is to be implemented in spring 2000; life science funds requested for FY 2001 include $5 million in federal funds, $10 million in private funds, and $4.5 million in state funds.
10. Increased funding will be sought from federal agencies, including the National Institutes of Health, that historically have provided little funding to the university.
A pre-proposal review process designed to improve the proposals submitted to NIH is now in place. The review process was developed with NIH and the University of Alabama at Birmingham.
11. The university will build on strengths in food science, veterinary medicine, and other areas to develop an interdisciplinary emphasis in food safety.
The College of Veterinary Medicine developed poultry production practices to reduce bacteria levels in processed chickens and developed a diagnostic test to assist in the identification of food contamination.
CVM professional outreach efforts included a Beef Quality Assurance program for producers that places Mississippi beef as a leader in the production of safe food.
CVM researchers are studying pesticide mixtures to determine how to predict toxicity when animals and humans are exposed; the research addresses risk assessment procedures mandated by the Food Quality Protection Act.
In 1999, MAFES joined the National Alliance for Food Safety with 25 other institutions.
MAFES funding for an interdisciplinary grant in food safety through the Agricultural Research Service increased this year by $305,000 a year over the level in place for the past five years.
12. A critical mass of graduate students and faculty including eminent scholars and researchers will be developed in core areas.
13. New graduate programs will be created in selected areas.
14. Graduate student stipends will be competitive with those at peer institutions.
15. A faculty member will be elected to the National Academy of Engineering.
16. A faculty member in each discipline served by a professional organization that awards the distinction of "fellow" will be recognized as a fellow of the organization.
Ten MAFES faculty members have hold the distinction of "fellow" of a professional organization.
17. Reward structures will be developed to recognize faculty for achievements in sponsored research and creative endeavors.
MAFES instituted new awards in 1998 for best scientific publication, publication with most relevance to Mississippi, and grantsmanship.
18. Faculty research proposal-writing workshops will be conducted at no cost to participating faculty or their departments.
Approximately two workshops are offered each year through Sponsored Programs Administration in addition to the New Faculty Orientation for researchers.
19. Flexible general laboratory research space, including animal care facilities, will be provided.
MAFES is leading state and federal initiatives to new laboratories for nutrient management research for agriculture.
20. Research "councils" will be reorganized to facilitate programmatic planning, policy development, and interdisciplinary project development.
21. Endowed chairs will be created in remote sensing, biotechnology, and computational analysis.
Private funds are being sought to establish the position of leader of the biotechnology institute.
22. Efforts to secure foundation grants for research will be coordinated with the Office of Development.
The coordination system is in place.
III. PROMOTE ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT AND SERVICE PARTNERSHIPS
A. Expand partnerships with business and industry, communities, local governments, and public education to apply university expertise to issues affecting Mississippi's citizens and to increase state revenues.
1. Relationships with the Mississippi Research and Technology Park will be strengthened.
The Oktibbeha County Economic Development Authority partnered with MSU to secure a digitized fly-through model of the Research and Technology Park to create a marketing tool to help attract high-tech companies and entrepreneurs.
The university is working with OCEDA and the Golden Triangle Enterprise Center to design and secure funding for a Technology Incubator Center in the park to provide reduced cost services for start-up and spin-off companies.
2. High-wage jobs will be recruited to the Research and Technology Park.
MSU is an active member of economic development organizations at local, county, and state levels and university officials frequently are involved in recruiting business and industry prospects.
3. Spin-off activities in the Research and Technology Park will be encouraged.
4. The number of spin-off companies created will increase to five annually.
Six companies were occupying the Research and Technology Park in FY 1999.
5. The number of license agreements will increase to 10 annually.
Four new license agreements have been executed in 1999-2000, bringing the total in effect to 22, and three more are in progress. Eight new license agreements were concluded in 1998-99. Nine license agreements were executed in 1997-98, two in 1996-97, and one in 1995-96.
6. Workshops will be conducted to help increase commercialization of university-developed technology.
The Office of Research conducts a minimum of three research-related workshops annually that address issues related to patents and license agreements.
7. Ten federal Small Business Innovation Research Program (SBIR) awards and 10 Small Business Technology Transfer Program (STTR) awards will be won.
8. The MSU Research and Technology Corporation (RTC) will be formalized to provide increased flexibility in industry partnerships.
The MSU Research and Technology Corporation received 501 (c)(3) certification from the Internal Revenue Service and is operational; the initial board meeting is scheduled for summer 2000. The first piece of business, receipt of an SiC equipment donation, already has been executed.
9. Industrial affiliates programs will be expanded.
10. The university will strengthen and maintain partnerships with major agribusiness industries and commodity groups.
The Agriculture and Forestry Summit III is planned for June 2000 to report progress to stakeholders and secure their input on future directions.
Agribusiness and forestry-related industries provide about $5.5 million a year in research funding.
A furniture research center to serve the Mississippi upholstered furniture industry has been funded, with construction to begin next year. Forest Resources, Engineering, and Business and Industry will work together through the center.
Forest and Wildlife Research Center scientists are aiding the poultry and wood products industries by researching ways to turn waste products into useful and value-added products.
The Forest and Wildlife Research Center served reached over 10,000 Mississippians through outreach programs last year, and conducted more than 500 on-site visits to assist manufacturers and landowners.
The Office of International Programs conducted "postharvest" programs in Albania and Uganda to help reduce losses, increase food supplies, and strengthen economies.
11. The university will work with public schools and community colleges to secure federal and state grants in support of education programs related to workforce development and training.
The College of Engineering and TVA designed and funded the Overstreet Science and Engineering Lab at Overstreet Elementary School in Starkville.
Several grants were received that focus on workforce development and in-service training of teachers.
The MidSouth Partnership for Rural Community Colleges and the Oktibbeha County School Partnership were established.
12. Teacher preparation programs will stress skills and competencies that meet employer expectations and will work with public schools to enhance instruction in foreign languages, mathematics, science, and technology.
13. An Economic and Community Development Council will be established to coordinate university involvement in economic and community development.
14. An Extension/Outreach Strategic Planning Committee will be created to recommend improvements in the structure, coordination, and resource allocation of university extension and outreach programs.
The Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine, responding to an Ag Summit III recommendation, has convened a university-wide task force to address community and economic development.
More than 100,000 young people are enrolled in the 4-H program with nearly 48 percent of participants being from minority racial-ethnic groups.
Health: It's Your Choice was a leadership conference in which more than 200 teens learned how to teach younger 4-H members. Twenty-two county teams developed plans of action for the 4-H Year.
Animal science 4-H programs, designed to promote character for youth and safe, humane treatment of animals included more than 5,000 individual youth projects.
4-H Horse Camp and special programs for youth with special needs involved more than 2,500 young people.
More than 56,000 at-risk young people were reached by programs that taught success through discipline, decision-making, and personal self-esteem.
More than 14,000 Mississippi youths are enrolled in the 4-H Field and Stream program which teaches cooperation, safety, and leadership through shooting sports, sport fishing, hunter education, and wildlife education.
Extension made more than 2.6 million contacts with Mississippians in fiscal year 1998-1999.
More than 3,000 educational contacts have occurred through 12 interactive distance education activities to date.
More than 200 Mississippi entrepreneurs have been trained in 22 small business topics under a $25,000 rural development grant in partnership with the university's Agribusiness Institute.
About 300 Mississippi childcare businesses receive business management training and help towards licensure each year.
Approximately 2,500 small business owners and business educators are reached each month through an electronic newsletter on the World Wide Web.
About 500 new small business owners benefit annually from basic business start-up seminars.
Intensive small business workshops benefit about 500 businesses each year. Targeted businesses deal with bed & breakfast hospitality, specialty foods, catering, fruits, vegetables, artisans, apparel production, and home furnishings.
More than 600 owners of 200,000 acres of Mississippi forest lands gained about $16 million of benefit from 40 short courses dealing with economic and tree management in 1999.
Management training for Mississippi's 1,200 rural water systems is carried out by Extension in partnership with the Division of Water Supply, and Mississippi State Department of Health. During 1999, 67 workshops were held in 40 counties and reached 1,750 board members.
Of 245 teen mothers enrolled in the Bright Futures parenting program only 14 experienced a second pregnancy. Reduction of the repeat cycle of teen pregnancy will contribute to a significant decrease in health care costs for the State of Mississippi.
Nutrition education for third graders was improved by a 30-hour distance education workshop led by Extension for 153 teachers from 43 schools in 27 counties.
Youth development benefits from more than 4,000 adult and 1,000 youth volunteers who help other youths grow into better citizens.
One of Mississippi's largest civic efforts, the Mississippi Homemaker Volunteers, Inc., mobilizes 4,300 citizens in 76 counties to deal with local needs.
The Master Clothing Volunteer Program develops leadership and skills in more than 150 volunteers in 26 counties.
IV. EXPAND HUMAN RESOURCES TO ENSURE QUALITY
A. Increase the proportion of full-time faculty and make teaching and research loads equivalent to those of peer institutions.
1. Faculty salaries will reach the Southern University Group average.
Based on SUG faculty salary data for 1999-2000, the average instructional faculty salary at MSU is 89 percent of the SUG average. The MSU average is higher than that for LSU, USM, the University of Mississippi, the University of Alabama, auburn, and the University of Arkansas, and trails the University of Tenneessee-Knoxville by less than $900.
2. Seventy-five new faculty members will be employed over three years at the ranks of assistant professor, associate professor, and professor.
The university added 51 faculty positions at these ranks from 1998 to 1999.
A clearinghouse process was created to screen and approve all faculty positions in the Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine to increase cooperation and coordination.
3. Additional lecturers will be employed in selected disciplines.
B. Enhance the quality of the professional and support staff.
1. Staff salaries will be competitive with the market.
Staff salaries are currently at 89.9 percent of the market, based on preliminary studies.
A four-year county employee salary equity plan brought Extension agents to a competitive position with the Southeastern region.
Recent salary adjustments for Extension faculty have brought the overall state staff to 88 percent of the Southern average.
2. State funding will be requested to improve faculty and staff salaries.
No state support for general salary increases is anticipated for 2000-2001.
3. A staff classification study will be completed during 1999 to establish baseline data on the relevant job market and establish uniform position descriptions and requirements.
A first draft of the classification study has been submitted.
C. Ensure that the university is inclusive at all levels.
1. The university will increase the proportion of minorities and women in EEOC categories in which they are under-represented.
Since January 1998, the number of minority employees in all categories has increased by 6.15 percent and the number of women employees in all categories has increased by 8.18 percent.
Within Extension, five recruitment teams target traditionally black and female universities in the Southeast.
2. Minority visiting scholars will be recruited.
3. The affirmative action plan will be revised and enhanced to include minority-hiring goals, guidelines for "grow-your-own" initiatives, and other active strategies to enhance diversity.
A revision of the affirmative action plan is in progress; the current affirmative action coordinator was appointed in late March 2000.
4. The affirmative action plan will include guidelines to ensure equal access to positions within the university by persons with disabilities.
5. The affirmative action plan will include guidelines on the employment of spouses of faculty and staff recruited to the university.
V. OFFER HIGH-QUALITY RESIDENTIAL LIFE FOR STUDENTS
A. Enhance student housing to a level that is competitive with off-campus housing opportunities and provides students with the comfort, convenience, and amenities they desire.
1. A 430-bed apartment building will be constructed by fall 2000.
Bids received for this project were over budget. The university is now pursuing authorization to enter into a public-private partnership to provide on-campus apartment housing.
2. Six existing residence halls will be renovated.
3. The renovation of Sessums Hall is complete and the renovation of McKee Hall is in progress. All residence halls have new roofs. Arbor Acres has been completely renovated. Public-private partnerships will be developed to enhance student housing.
B. Provide high-quality campus facilities for student activities.
1. Colvard Union will be renovated in keeping with student and faculty/staff perceptions of need in the areas of programs, services, and operation.
Design plans have been completed by architects with input from a consultant and the results of a needs assessment of students, faculty, and staff. Efforts continue to secure funding.
2. Lodge-type facilities will be constructed for use by campus organizations, including African-American fraternities and sororities.
Plans have been developed for three lodges, each of which could accommodate three student groups. Funding is not currently available.
3. An outdoor swimming pool will be constructed to complete the upgrade of campus recreation facilities.
A site has been selected near the RecPlex on the South Farm and schematic designs have been approved. Funding of $1 to $1.5 million is needed.
C. Continually review and improve programs to promote and protect the health and safety of university students.
1. The university will heighten efforts to educate students about substance abuse, sexually transmitted diseases, and other dangerous behaviors.
Additional grants have been applied for and at least one has been awarded to expand the education program of the Longest Student Health Center. An additional graduate student has been added to the staff of the alcohol and drug education program.
2. The university will expand and enhance education efforts and security operations to minimize campus crime.
A crime prevention coordinator has been added to increase educational outreach on campus crime and security. The Police Department has established satellite operations in residence halls and the bicycle patrol has been expanded.
VI. PROVIDE EFFECTIVE MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS
A. Require accountability of academic and administrative units and strengthen budget management by reallocating resources to support priorities.
1. Historical spending data will be reviewed and funding allocations will be adjusted as appropriate.
A $5 million (or 3 percent) reallocation in E&G budgets was accomplished in fall 1999.
Extension reallocated $9.8 million or program resources between 1998 and 2000.
2. The university will eliminate reliance on lapsed salaries for recurring expenditures.
$3.5 million in budgeted lapsed salaries was eliminated from the budget in fall 1999.
3. Departments will eliminate reliance on lapsed salaries for operational support.
4. Duplication in administrative and academic support services will be reduced and unnecessary positions will be eliminated whenever possible to support movement toward fewer but better paid staff members.
5. A university motor pool will be established.
B. Use reward systems that emphasize merit and performance review.
1. Vice presidents, deans, and directors will ensure that meaningful staff performance reviews are conducted annually and linked to salary adjustments.
Evaluation forms used for the spring 2000 review process were revised by Human Resources Management. Two workshops on performance evaluation were conducted for supervisory employees and attracted 240 participants.
2. Academic deans will ensure that each faculty member's teaching load reflects his or her research and service productivity.
C. Ensure private sector support for the university through a comprehensive fund raising program.
1. Private contributions from all sources will increase to $50 million a year.
Fund-raising for first half of FY 99-00 was up by 15 percent; the total for FY 99-00 is projected to be more than $30 million.
2. The university endowment will increase to $250 million.
The endowment currently is $168 million and is on track to exceed the goal by 2004.
3. The scholarship portion of the endowment will increase to $100 million.
Scholarship endowments currently total $60 million; new programs to emphasize scholarship giving are being established.
4. Corporate and foundation support will increase to $14 million a year.
The five-year average is $7 million; a development officer for corporate relations will be added in FY 2000-2001.
5. Fund raising will focus on scholarships, endowed chairs, building renovations, and library acquisitions.
Funds are being raised for renovation of McCain Hall; a fund-raising plan for renovation of Bowen Hall is being developed; an endowed chair was created in spring 2000 in engineering entrepreneurship; several major gifts for scholarships have been received in FY 2000.
6. The university will plan and begin a comprehensive major gifts campaign.
Planning will begin in late 2000 and will likely require 18 to 24 months.
7. The university will join with other colleges and universities to create a partnership with state government that provides some state matching funds for private gifts in support of scholarships and/or endowed chairs.
Conversations are under way with other universities.
D. Increase understanding of the university's unique role in the state as a land-grant, research institution and heighten national visibility.
1. External communications will support university priorities.
2. External communications programs will be recognized for excellence in annual competition sponsored by District III (Southeast) of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education in institutional relations, media relations, and public affairs.
A weekly e-mail newsletter for alumni and friends introduced in fall 1999 won a CASE III Award of Excellence.
3. External communications will help build greater national visibility for the university in areas of particular strength.
E. Use innovative methods to improve and sustain relationships with alumni and friends, offer new and improved alumni services, and increase alumni involvement in the life of the university.
1. The Alumni Association will be the premier organization among its peers.
2. New alumni service programs and new alumni chapters will be established.
The Annual Giving Program was relocated, allowing the Alumni Association to increase focus on programs and service.
Plans are under way to establish an Alumni Association-sponsored Internet portal providing free e-mail and other services.
3. Alumni relations programs will be recognized for excellence regionally and nationally by the Council for Advancement and Support of Education.
The Alumni Fellows Program won a CASE III award.
VII. PROVIDE HIGH-QUALITY PHYSICAL INFRASTRUCTURE
A. Provide high-quality environments for learning, working, and living.
1. Classrooms will be improved in keeping with the adopted classroom standards report.
More than $600,000 has been spent for classroom renovations since January 1998; more than $16 million in renovations are under way in academic buildings. Sixty-six new or newly renovated classrooms and laboratories will be in use by the start of fall semester; that number will rise to 100 with renovations and new construction already planned.
2. Roads, streets, and parking lots will be upgraded in keeping with the adopted assessment document. Street and parking improvements will be financed in part by developing a better approach to parking fees.
More than $2.1 million has been spent for street and parking lot upgrades; another $4.5 million in major roadwork is planned.
3. Deteriorating buildings will be renovated; new construction will be limited.
Renovations are in progress at Hilbun Hall and Lee Hall. Renovations will begin this year at Mongtomery Hall, McCain Hall, and Bowen Hall.
4. Building renovations will be financed through private fund raising and limited use of bonding authority.
Private funds are supplementing bond funding for renovation of McCain Hall.
5. Networking of the campus will be completed, with all residence halls to have Category 5 cabling.
109 major campus buildings have been networked. Aiken Village will be networked in 2000, completing the networking of student housing.
The university network is in its fourth generation of electronics and second generation of cable.
A wide area network connecting more than 40 counties with data and Internet communications has been implemented by MSU Extension, with all 82 counties to be connected by 2001.
6. The university will provide aesthetically pleasing and environmentally sustainable surroundings.
The Mississippi Department of Transportation has provided $500,000 for landscaping Highway 82 and the Highway 12 bypass adjacent to campus. The university has taken over regular mowing and litter control on the highways.
7. The university will provide an accessible campus for persons with disabilities.
Twenty-three projects have been completed since 1998 to make the campus more accessible. These include 12 elevator upgrades in seven buildings, automatic exterior door installations in four buildings, rest room renovations in four buildings, and ramp/lift installations at five buildings.
8. The university will develop a campus-wide plan for space utilization.
A draft plan was submitted in June 1999.
VIII. ATTAIN ATHLETIC COMPETITIVENESS IN ALL SPORTS
A. Compete and win in every sport in which the university participates.
1. The university will win Southeastern Conference championships in all sports.
2. The university will be represented each year in post-season play in all sports.
The 1999 football team won the Peach Bowl.
The 1999-2000 women's basketball team participated in the NCAA tournament.
The 1999 baseball team played in the NCAA regional tournament.
The women's tennis team made its first appearance in NCAA post-season play.
The 1999 men's tennis team participated in the NCAA regional.
The 1999 men's golf team participated in the NCAA regional.
3. The university will win an NCAA championship.
B. Ensure the academic success of athletes.
1. The overall six-year graduation rate for student-athletes will be at least 60 percent, and graduation rates in each sport will be at least 50 percent.
The six-year graduation rate for all athletes in the 1992-93 freshman cohort was 48 percent and the four-class average was 52 percent, according to the NCAA 1999 Division I Graduation Rate Report.
2. The university will lead the Southeastern Conference in student-athletes named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in all sports combined.
MSU was second in the SEC in 1998-99 in the athletes named to the SEC Academic Honor Roll in sports in which MSU competes.
C. Enhance athletics facilities and funding.
1. Scott Field will be expanded to include skyboxes and club-level seating.
Funding is in place and IHL approval was secured in February 2000; construction bids will be taken in spring 2000.
2. The football season ticket base will be expanded to 35,000.
An associate athletic director was named in early 2000 lead marketing effort and assist with fund-raising.
3. Corporate support for football will be expanded.
4. Private contributions for athletics will increase to $8 million a year.
5. A football parking and gathering place will be created west of Scott Field.
D. Ensure gender equity and minority equity in athletics programs.
1. The minority and gender equity plans adopted in December 1998 will be implemented.
2. All athletic teams and related groups will have minority representation.
3. The percentage of female athletes will equal the percentage of females in the student population.
4. Minorities will be appointed as administrators and head coaches.
5. Salaries and professional opportunities for women administrators and coaches will be comparable to those for men.