11/20/2008 - Jackson, Miss.

In an official decision, the Mississippi Supreme Court yesterday afternoon reversed the judgment of the Lowndes County Chancery Court in the case involving Dr. Claudia Limbert, Mississippi University for Women (MUW), and the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), rendering judgment in favor of Dr. Limbert, MUW, and IHL against the Mississippi University for Women Alumnae Association, Inc. The Supreme Court decision can be found here.

"The Board is pleased with the Mississippi Supreme Court's decision," said Board President Amy Whitten. "It is now important that all MUW alumni support the institution by banding together to help Dr. Limbert and the University move forward."

In other news, during its regular monthly meeting yesterday, the Board approved legislative representatives for Jackson State University, Mississippi State University, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi, for the purpose of representing the universities to the legislature and executive branches of state government. The approvals were made providing that no funds be paid by any institution or any other agency representative without approval from the Attorney General's Universities Division specifying that payment is permissible. The Board also moved to request an official Attorney General's opinion on the issue.

The Board received a report on performance-based management for higher education, prepared in collaboration with IHL, the Mississippi Workforce Investment Board, and the National Strategic Planning and Analysis Research Center. The report can be found here. In addition, the Board also received a presentation by Eley/Allred/Sasaki, the Board's design professionals for master planning of the Gulf Coast Cross Creek Campus, on the Southern Mississippi Cross Creek master plan. The report can be found here.

Following an executive session, the Board announced its appointment of Dr. Linda McFall as Deputy Commissioner of Finance and Administration, effective December 1, 2008. In her new role, Dr. McFall will be administratively responsible for all financial matters, including IHL's Department of Real Estate and Facilities. The new title of Deputy Commissioner recognizes Dr. McFall for her extensive responsibilities for providing assistance with the administration and oversight of the budgets within Mississippi's higher education system.

The archived webcast of today's Board meeting can be found here.

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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