7/19/2006 - Jackson, Miss.

During its regular monthly meeting, the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) met today and heard a presentation by Dr. Carol Twigg, CEO of the National Center for Academic Transformation, on ways colleges and universities across the nation are improving learning while reducing costs through course redesign utilizing information technology. The Board also heard an update on Mississippi’s economy as well as background information from the Board’s strategic planning committee by State Economist Dr. Phil Pepper, detailing the importance of education to the future success of the state.

“There is a direct correlation between a lack of education and many of our social problems, such as the crime rate and teen pregnancy,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Thomas C. Meredith. “The answer to nearly all these problems is more education.”

In other business, the Board approved 1,977 degrees to be conferred this summer. The Board also approved modifications to existing academic programs at Delta State University, Mississippi State University, Mississippi University for Women and the University of Mississippi as well as modifications to existing academic units at Mississippi State University, Mississippi Valley State University and the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Additionally, Mississippi State University is establishing professional certificate programs in Information Assurance and Computational Biology; Mississippi Valley State University is establishing an interdisciplinary certificate program in Conflict Management and Resolution.

During his Commissioner’s report, Dr. Thomas C. Meredith reported that the American Heart Association Board of Directors recently named Dr. Dan Jones, Vice Chancellor for Health Affairs and Dean of the School of Medicine at the University of Mississippi Medical Center, the organization’s president-elect, making him the first Mississippian to lead the nation’s largest cardiovascular disease voluntary health agency. Additionally, Dr. Michelle Roberts, Executive Assistant to the President at Delta State University, recently completed The Millennium Leadership Initiative in Washington, D.C. Dr. Roberts was one of 37 people chosen to take part in the prestigious program.

The next regular meeting of the Board will be held Wednesday and Thursday, August 16 and 17.

Under the leadership of the Board of Trustees, IHL 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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