4/17/2015 - Jackson, Miss.

The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning appointed Dr. Glenn Boyce, Associate Commissioner of Academic Affairs at the Institutions of Higher Learning, as Commissioner of Higher Education at a press conference held today in Jackson, allowing Dr. Jim Borsig to return to his duties as president of Mississippi University for Women exclusively.

"Dr. Boyce has a proven track record of success in educational leadership," said Aubrey Patterson, President of the Board of Trustees. "With more than 30 years of experience working at all levels of education, we know he will provide excellent leadership to the system during this important time."

Dr. Boyce joined IHL in July after serving as President of Holmes Community College for more than nine years.

"I greatly appreciate the trust and confidence placed in me by the Board of Trustees," said Dr. Boyce. "While there are many challenges in higher education today, I look forward to working with the Board and the many talented individuals throughout the university system to move our universities and our state forward. Through more than 30 years of experience I have learned that, working together, we can meet the challenges and create opportunities for our students that will translate to growth and prosperity for our state."

Dr. Boyce served as a trustee for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the regional body for the accreditation of degree-granting higher education institutions in the Southern states. It serves as the common denominator of shared values and practices among the diverse institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia and Latin America and other international sites approved by the Commission on Colleges that award associate, baccalaureate, master's, or doctoral degrees.

He also serves on the Board of Directors of the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation and was a founding Board member of the State Longitudinal Data System. The SLDS securely and efficiently facilitates research and analysis and provides linkages between early childhood, K-12, postsecondary education, and the workforce. Mississippi was one of the first states in the nation to develop a data system to link, match, and share education and workforce data leading to an enriched ability within the state to improve career-readiness outcomes and enhance success in the economy.

Dr. Boyce has served as Co-Chair of the Education Achievement Council, working collaboratively with all levels of education, state leaders and the business community to increase educational attainment in the state. Having worked with the Central Mississippi Planning and Development District, Three Rivers Planning and Development District, North Central Development District, and the Mississippi Automotive Manufacturers Association, he has a broad understanding of economic development and workforce training.

A lifelong educator, Dr. Boyce has extensive experience in leading educational institutions on both the secondary and post-secondary level. Under his leadership, Holmes reached the highest enrollment in school history and was recognized nationally as one of the nation's highest achieving community colleges by the Aspen Institute.

During his tenure, Holmes achieved a record number of graduates and was one of the leading institutions in the community college system in the percentage of increased graduates for several years. The college significantly expanded teaching locations across its service area and opened numerous new academic, career/technical, and allied health programs throughout its district.

He served in a number of roles with the Mississippi Association of Community and Junior Colleges, including Chair of the Performance and Accountability Committee, member of the Athletic Committee, former chair and current member of the Phi Theta Kappa Committee, and member of the Legislative Committee.

Prior to being named president of Holmes, Dr. Boyce served as vice president for community and workforce development and as the district director of career-technical education for the community college, which covers a nine-county district in Central Mississippi.

Dr. Boyce has worked on levels of the education spectrum. Prior to joining the community college, he served as assistant superintendent for secondary programs for the Rankin County School District and high school and attendance center principal of the Northwest Rankin Attendance Center.

Dr. Boyce holds a bachelor's degree in education from the University of Mississippi, a master's degree in education administration from Mississippi College and a doctorate in education leadership from the University of Mississippi.

Dr. Boyce and his wife have three daughters and are active members of Madison United Methodist Church in Madison.

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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.

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