As Assistant Commissioner for Strategic Research, Dr. Hood is responsible for the agency’s data and research functions, including data modeling and predictive analytics. He works closely with a variety of constituent groups on educational policy analysis and provides credit hour and performance metric data to operate the agency’s funding allocation model. He has worked extensively with the Education Achievement Council, Mississippi’s Optical Network (MissiON), Mississippi’s Lifetracks System and the Mississippi Association for Institutional Research.

“Dr. Hood collects and analyzes data on all facets of university performance,” said Dr. Glenn F. Boyce, Commissioner of Higher Education. “This information is essential for making data-driven decisions that will advance the university system and the state. Dr. Hood’s work with the institutional research officers on the campuses helps direct policies to improve student outcomes.”

As Director of Strategic Data Management, Dr. Hood supervised the implementation of agency’s first online Interactive Data Portal enabling users to develop individualized data queries and developed report cards for the Education Achievement Council and the IHL Diversity Committee. As former Assistant Executive Director of Research and Effectiveness for the Mississippi Community College Board, Dr. Hood has experience with both two-year and four-year postsecondary data systems.

Dr. Hood joined the Institutions of Higher Learning staff in 1996 as Senior Research and Statistical Analyst and has also served as Director of Institutional Research and Director of Institutional Research and Technology at IHL. Prior to joining IHL, Dr. Hood worked at Delta State University as a research analyst. Dr. Hood has developed numerous reports and presentations on postsecondary data metrics and analysis, including enrollment, graduation rates, transfer students and forecasted degree production.

A past president of the Mississippi Association of Institutional Research (MAIR), Dr. Hood received the Jim Nichols Service Award earlier this year. The Nichols Award is the highest award presented to a current or former member of MAIR who has shown exemplary service and leadership to the organization. He serves as a Board Member of the Mississippi Optical Network (MissiON) and as a member of several committees, including the Technical Management Committee for Mississippi Lifetracks and the IHL Diversity Committee Report Card Committee. He serves as the coordinator for the Council of Institutional Research Officers (CIRO) and as conference co-chair for the Creating Futures Through Technology Conference. Dr. Hood served as the system representative to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) in 2008 and as the State Coordinator for the Integrated Postsecondary Education Data Systems (IPEDS) in 2009.

Dr. Hood holds a Ph.D. in Educational Leadership from the University of Mississippi. In addition, he earned a master’s of business administration and a master’s of education, both from Delta State University. He also holds a bachelor’s degree from Delta State.

Dr. Hood and his wife, Angie, have four children and reside in Flowood.

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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.