4/20/2017 - Jackson, Miss.

Trustee Doug Rouse passed the gavel to incoming President C.D. Smith at the meeting of the IHL Board of Trustees held today in Jackson. Trustee Smith will officially take office on May 8.

"Mississippi's public universities play a vital role in our state through education, research and service," said Mr. Smith. "The university system is an economic driver for the state and provides an excellent return on investment. I am excited to take on this new role as we continue to work to advance the state through higher education."

Mr. Trustee Smith served as Vice President of the Board during Trustee Rouse's term. Trustee Shane Hooper will serve as Vice President during Mr. Smith's term.

"It is a pleasure to work with my fellow Trustees, the Commissioner and the universities," said Dr. Rouse. "I have enjoyed my term as President and look forward to continued service on the Board as we all work together to support the universities and help them, and the students, succeed. It is an honor to serve the university system and the state in this capacity."

Trustee C.D. Smith of Meridian was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Governor Haley Barbour in May 2008 to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District for a term to expire May 7, 2018.

A regional director with AT&T Mississippi, Mr. Smith chairs the G.V. "Sonny" Montgomery Institute and serves on the board of the East Mississippi Business Development Corporation and the State Games of Mississippi. He is a member of the Board of Governors of the Mississippi Economic Council and a trustee on the Trustmark National Bank Advisory Board in Meridian. A member of the Meridian Rotary Club, he is a retired Mississippi Air National Guardsman.

Mr. Smith holds a bachelor's degree in business and industry and a master's degree in business administration, both from Mississippi State University, and has served on the MSU Alumni Association's board of directors.

His dedication to community service has been recognized with several awards, including the Meridian Star's Citizen of the Year and Man of the Year awards, the Meridian Civitan Club's Citizen of the Year award, the Seratoma Club Mississippi District's Service to Mankind Award and the Bar Association of Lauderdale County's Liberty Bell Award.

Mr. Smith is married to the former Linda Joyce Bishop and has three children, Cynthia, Drew and Danielle.

Dr. Doug W. Rouse of Hattiesburg was appointed to the Board of Trustees by Governor Haley Barbour in May 2008 to represent the Second (Southern) Supreme Court District for a term to expire May 7, 2018.

Licensed by the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the American Medical Association, and the Mississippi Board of Medical Licensures, Dr. Rouse is a partner in Southern Bone and Joint Specialists in Hattiesburg, Miss. He has practiced orthopedics in Hattiesburg since 1981. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Southern Mississippi and a Doctor of Medicine from the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Dr. Rouse completed a family medicine internship at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, and an orthopedic residency program at Georgia Baptist-Scottish Rite Hospitals in Atlanta, Ga. He then completed a sports medicine and arthroscopy fellowship in Toronto, Ontario.

Dr. Rouse is a fellow of the American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons; has served as a state counselor for the American Orthopedic Society for Sports Medicine; a member and past president of the Mississippi Orthopedic Society; past president of the Michael Hoke Society; past president of the Medical Staff at Wesley Medical Center; and a delegate for the Mississippi State Medical Association. He also served as a member of the Mississippi Hospital Equipment and Facilities Authority from 2001-2004.

Dr. Rouse is a member of Omicron Delta Kappa at the University of Southern Mississippi and Alpha Omega Alpha at the University of Mississippi Medical School. He is a member of the University of Southern Mississippi's Alumni Hall of Fame, as well as a member of the President's Circle of the University of Southern Mississippi Foundation.

Dr. Rouse is married to the former Pamela Lowery Stamps. Their family includes children, Christa, Wes and his wife Traci, Haley, and two grandchildren. He is an active member of Parkway Height United Methodist Church in Hattiesburg.

Trustee C.D. Smith of Meridian (left) presents a plaque of appreciation to Board President Doug Rouse of Hattiesburg in recognition of his year of service as Board President at the Board Meeting held today in Jackson. At the same meeting, Dr. Rouse passed the gavel to Mr. Smith, who will begin serving his term as president on May 8.

###

The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

News Archive