» March 21, 2007: Who pays the price of low faculty salaries? Talk to any savvy businessperson, and they will tell you the same thing. To attract and retain the best possible workforce, you must offer competitive salaries and the opportunity for consistent raises based on performance. The tremendous benefits to the company are well worth the price.

» March 15, 2007: It's Time to C.A.R.E. about Higher Education in Mississippi! CONSIDER that the state Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) do not receive local support like K-12 schools and the community and junior colleges do.

» March 8, 2007: WANTED More university graduates! A Mississippi boasting higher salaries, increased tax base, larger and more qualified workforce, lower levels of unemployment, decreased reliance on social programs, reduced crime rates, more social cohesion, and increased levels of civic engagement!

» March 1, 2007: A Capital Idea A Capital Idea Anyone who has ever owned a home knows the drill: pay now for termite inspections, air conditioner service and a fresh coat of paint, or you will pay big later to repair or renovate your home. That need for preventive care has prompted the Board Office of the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) to request $92.4 million in capital renewal as recurring dollars instead of bond dollars for FY 2008.

» February 22, 2007: Higher Education Leads to a Better Mississippi What does higher education mean to Mississippi? Simply put, it means betterment for the state. The more graduates our universities can produce, the more the state will benefit economically, socially, and culturally.

» February 14, 2007: Bringing Stability and Prosperity to Mississippi’s Rural Communities Mississippi remains one of the most rural states in the nation, and its rural communities are in dire need of programs which will stabilize them and allow them to grow. Key resources in creating stability and prosperity for rural Mississippians are the agriculture programs at Alcorn State University (ASU) and Mississippi State University (MSU).

» February 7, 2007: Who pays the price of low faculty salaries? Talk to any savvy businessperson, and they will tell you the same thing. To attract and retain the best possible workforce, you must offer competitive salaries and the opportunity for consistent raises based on performance. The tremendous benefits to the company are well worth the price.

» January 31, 2007: Show Me the Money! The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) is requesting $5 million to provide need-based scholarships to community college students to help them transfer to one of Mississippi's public universities after completing their coursework at the two-year college.

» January 24, 2007: Master Lease Back in the Driver’s Seat The biggest customers get the best deals. It's a reality of buying and selling, and one that will benefit Mississippi's institutions of higher learning if the authority for master lease and purchase is reinstated.

» January 23, 2007: General Higher Education Legislation Pending before the Senate Universities and Colleges Committee The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) is charged with an incredible responsibility-to move Mississippi forward through higher education. IHL is committed to fulfilling that mission, but we need your help with adequate funding and passage of certain higher education-related legislation.

» January 18, 2007: Dr. Reginald Sykes Appointed IHL Legislative Liaison You will be seeing a new face around the Capitol during the 2007 Legislative Session. Dr. Reginald Sykes, Assistant Commissioner of Community and Junior College Relations with the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL), will be serving as IHL's legislative liaison during the Session.

» January 11, 2007: Who benefits from the higher education budget in Mississippi? Students, of course, gain the most direct benefit from Mississippi’s higher education budget. Higher ed dollars—spent on such critical needs as financial aid and high-quality faculty and facilities—give them tools to succeed in the workplace and in the world.

» January 8, 2007: Welcome from Commissioner of Higher Education Welcome back to Jackson for the 2007 Legislative Session. I look forward to working with you over the next three months to move Mississippi forward.

The Public Relations unit communicates information on IHL programs, policies, and outcomes to students, parents, university faculty and staff, elected officials, and the taxpayers of Mississippi. The unit is also responsible for responding to media and public records requests. These functions are carried out in cooperation with the universities, K-12 school districts, state agencies, businesses and others. The IHL Public Affairs Department works regularly with the media to answer questions relating to the system of higher education in Mississippi.