Y'all can figure out sports, here's what we should do to fix the academic situation

[615dawg]

1. Immediately announce that all in-state students will have their merit scholarships matched with other in-state schools (at least OM and USM). There are a ton of good 25+ ACT kids in this state that are leaning against State because of the lower scholarships.

2. To pay for this, phase out scholarships for ACTs of 20-22 like Ole Miss has done. These students are likely not ready for a university setting, much less being rewarded. Mississippi State is the only SEC school to give a scholarship for a 21 ACT, and only four even allow admission for a 21. We have to admit them (Ayers) but we don't have to reward them.

3. Start two centers on campus:
A. Center for First in Family College Students
B. Leadership Center Centered for 2.5-3.5 GPA Students

The former has the highest drop out rate at MSU and the latter is an often forgotten student at all universities. High achievers get special attention and those falling close to 2.0 get special attention. I fully believe that the state's future leaders will come out of that 2.5-3.5 GPA crowd. We need to develop them better.

4. Continue investing in Starkville-Oktibbeha Schools. This is something we've done well as of late - need to keep it up. Young, talented faculty will choose other places because of the school system. Its a unique problem for us in the SEC. The universities in cities have excellent suburban schools and the other rural campuses either have excellent schools (Oxford, Auburn) or excellent choices (Tuscaloosa, College Station)

5. Push state legislators to move away from the IHL system. They have rarely done us favors. We need a board that is focused on MSU. Not an employment agency for Jackson State and a stamp of approval for all things Ole Miss.

 

[She Mate Me]

1. Immediately announce that all in-state students will have their merit scholarships matched with other in-state schools (at least OM and USM). There are a ton of good 25+ ACT kids in this state that are leaning against State because of the lower scholarships.

2. To pay for this, phase out scholarships for ACTs of 20-22 like Ole Miss has done. These students are likely not ready for a university setting, much less being rewarded. Mississippi State is the only SEC school to give a scholarship for a 21 ACT, and only four even allow admission for a 21. We have to admit them (Ayers) but we don't have to reward them.

3. Start two centers on campus:
A. Center for First in Family College Students
B. Leadership Center Centered for 2.5-3.5 GPA Students

The former has the highest drop out rate at MSU and the latter is an often forgotten student at all universities. High achievers get special attention and those falling close to 2.0 get special attention. I fully believe that the state's future leaders will come out of that 2.5-3.5 GPA crowd. We need to develop them better.

4. Continue investing in Starkville-Oktibbeha Schools. This is something we've done well as of late - need to keep it up. Young, talented faculty will choose other places because of the school system. Its a unique problem for us in the SEC. The universities in cities have excellent suburban schools and the other rural campuses either have excellent schools (Oxford, Auburn) or excellent choices (Tuscaloosa, College Station)
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5. Push state legislators to move away from the IHLe system. They have rarely done us favors. We need a board that is focused on MSU. Not an employment agency for Jackson State and a stamp of approval for all things Ole Miss.

I'm completely outside of my knowledge base, but these seem like good ideas.

 

[Mr. Cook]

5. Push state legislators to move away from the IHL system. They have rarely done us favors. We need a board that is focused on MSU. Not an employment agency for Jackson State and a stamp of approval for all things Ole Miss.

Agreed. The IHL is a relic of the past. MSU should have its own independent board of trustees.

 

[OG Goat Holder]

On the whole, can’t really argue with you man. Don’t 100% agree with all of it but I’d accept most of it.

 

[Forrest4Moore]

Love point 3.

Always took pride in Hank Flick classes when he preached that the world is run by B and C students.

 

[patdog]

1. Immediately announce that all in-state students will have their merit scholarships matched with other in-state schools (at least OM and USM). There are a ton of good 25+ ACT kids in this state that are leaning against State because of the lower scholarships.

2. To pay for this, phase out scholarships for ACTs of 20-22 like Ole Miss has done. These students are likely not ready for a university setting, much less being rewarded. Mississippi State is the only SEC school to give a scholarship for a 21 ACT, and only four even allow admission for a 21. We have to admit them (Ayers) but we don't have to reward them.

3. Start two centers on campus:
A. Center for First in Family College Students
B. Leadership Center Centered for 2.5-3.5 GPA Students

The former has the highest drop out rate at MSU and the latter is an often forgotten student at all universities. High achievers get special attention and those falling close to 2.0 get special attention. I fully believe that the state's future leaders will come out of that 2.5-3.5 GPA crowd. We need to develop them better.

4. Continue investing in Starkville-Oktibbeha Schools. This is something we've done well as of late - need to keep it up. Young, talented faculty will choose other places because of the school system. Its a unique problem for us in the SEC. The universities in cities have excellent suburban schools and the other rural campuses either have excellent schools (Oxford, Auburn) or excellent choices (Tuscaloosa, College Station)

5. Push state legislators to move away from the IHL system. They have rarely done us favors. We need a board that is focused on MSU. Not an employment agency for Jackson State and a stamp of approval for all things Ole Miss.

These are all excellent ideas. Can we hire you to take Keenum’s job?

 

[615dawg]

These are all excellent ideas. Can we hire you to take Keenum’s job?

Presidents are primarily fund raisers and PR people. You need someone like me at the Director level getting **** done.

Getting out from under IHL needs to be a focus of BullyPAC. We need to lobby our alumni in the legislature to push a bill that allows us to have our own board.i suspect USM would also like that plan. Ole Miss and the HbCUs love the IHL model.

 

[greenbean.sixpack]

I wish Keenum would come up with a plan to get our fans/alumni on board and pulling in the same direction. By reading this and the other board, it seems we have too many fans who expect and want us to fail.

 

[patdog]

I wish Keenum would come up with a plan to get our fans/alumni on board and pulling in the same direction. By reading this and the other board, it seems we have too many fans who expect and want us to fail.

Expect, yes. Want, no.

 

[615dawg]

I wish Keenum would come up with a plan to get our fans/alumni on board and pulling in the same direction. By reading this and the other board, it seems we have too many fans who expect and want us to fail.

We don’t want MSU to fail. But for the past 15 years, we have made some really bad decisions as a university.

Sports success hid a lot of those issues.

 

[DesotoCountyDawg]

I don’t know if y’all remember but Keenum was the second choice. Vance Watson was in line to be the president and was the IHLs supposed pick and got in hot water and had to step down.

 

[catvet]

Hire more talented, recognized and published faculty. Yes it will cost millions, but the fact most of our hires are new grads just out of PhD programs are killing our reputation. I've not seen salaries lately, but a few years back we were last in the conference and it was by thousands. We are going to have to invest to raise our academic reputation and right now it's killing us

 

[615dawg]

House should have been cleaned when we lost R1 designation. Thank goodness we got that back.

I think that woke some people up on how bad MSU was being run and got more eyes on the problem. It has been better since that happened but we are still way behind.

 

[BrunswickDawg]

Hire more talented, recognized and published faculty. Yes it will cost millions, but the fact most of our hires are new grads just out of PhD programs are killing our reputation. I've not seen salaries lately, but a few years back we were last in the conference and it was by thousands. We are going to have to invest to raise our academic reputation and right now it's killing us

Hire more talent yes, but also we need to get competitive on pay and benefits for grad students and those new grads you mention that actually do the bulk of the teaching. Our grad student pay is embarrassingly low and we lose a ton of good grads who would stay and don't attract good grad students from the outside.

 

[ronpolk]

House should have been cleaned when we lost R1 designation. Thank goodness we got that back.

I think that woke some people up on how bad MSU was being run and got more eyes on the problem. It has been better since that happened but we are still way behind.

615dawg, do you work in higher education? You seem to fairly knowledgeable and passionate about this?

 

[mcfly.sixpack]

Hire more talent yes, but also we need to get competitive on pay and benefits for grad students and those new grads you mention that actually do the bulk of the teaching. Our grad student pay is embarrassingly low and we lose a ton of good grads who would stay and don't attract good grad students from the outside.

Our pay in general is low. The university is losing a ton of employees to other schools to work remotely for more pay doing the exact same thing. My wife being one of them.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Until the state addresses PERS, it will be hard to accomplish much of this. So much of the “new” money is going to fund the retirement of the current employees, not raises, operations, scholarships, etc.

PERS, as is, is an albatross around MSU’s neck and the entire state’s

 

[615dawg]

Until the state addresses PERS, it will be hard to accomplish much of this. So much of the “new” money is going to fund the retirement of the current employees, not raises, operations, scholarships, etc.

PERS, as is, is an albatross around MSU’s neck and the entire state’s

Now we're getting somewhere. Faculty have access to the ORP that helps a little, but ~24% of all staff salaries, MSU has to pay to PERS.

 

[Duke Humphrey]

Now we're getting somewhere. Faculty have access to the ORP that helps a little, but ~24% of all staff salaries, MSU has to pay to PERS.

ORP is currently the same formula as PERS- employee pays 10%, employer pays 17%.

However, PERS Board has floated their Mickey Mouse revisions and one of them is calling the employer contribution at ORP at 17%, while calling for the employer contribution of those in PERS to go to 22%. It’s not sustainable

 

[615dawg]

ORP is currently the same formula as PERS- employee pays 10%, employer pays 17%.

However, PERS Board has floated their Mickey Mouse revisions and one of them is calling the employer contribution at ORP at 17%, while calling for the employer contribution of those in PERS to go to 22%. It’s not sustainable

A definite conversation that I'd like to have - but PERS is going to blow up on the state of Mississippi at large. There is literally no way to cover it. By 2030, there will have to be some very hard conversations. This year is going to help, though. How about that S&P return.

615 was 90% QQQ. The foundation of my convictions is still in tact.

 

[Pars]

Lulz

 

[Poppy IV]

Love point 3.

Always took pride in Hank Flick classes when he preached that the world is run by B and C students.

A tenured professor once told me that the school should “ honor thy A students, for they will come back and be a good chemistry professors. Honor thy C student for he will come back and build the chemistry building.”