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Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum speaks with attendees during his visit to the Networking at Noon event in Tupelo on Tuesday.
"This time last year we had a record level of enrollment - 17,824 students. We anticipate another record this year. ... We want to continue the momentum," Keenum told some 200 people at Cellular South's Networking at Noon monthly event.
"I want to be at 22,000 students by 2015. If we can maintain that level of growth, these new students will help support our university."
One of Keenum's first duties after taking office in January was to cut 10 percent from the university's budget for the second half of the fiscal year, and he led another 5 percent trim for the current year, but he listed several reasons for optimism.
External research funding has surpassed $150 million, and MSU is ranked first among universities nationwide in congressionally directed funding. A $400 million capital campaign recently ended after having raised $62 million beyond its goal.
Last fiscal year was the university's third largest for donations, Keenum said.
"This was a time when the economy was down, and schools and universities across the country are experiencing a downturn in their giving, and here at Mississippi State, we're looking at a 20 percent increase," Keenum said. "That says a lot about the love and support of our alumni for our great university."
A few weeks ago Forbes magazine ranked MSU the nation's 18th "best college buy" in the nation, and Keenum said the average ACT score for incoming freshmen will be 23.8 this year, slightly above the national average of 23.
Enhancing education
Keenum said university officials and faculty are focusing on several initiatives to enhance MSU both as an institution and in its role in developing Mississippi.
In the wake of his interim predecessor's resignation amid accusations of improper use of university personnel, Keenum is instituting additional ethics education for all administrators and department heads.
"I think it's important to send a strong message, because that's part of our Bulldog family heritage, that we're above reproach and that we want to do things right across the board," he said.
Keenum pledged that he would work closely with University of Mississippi Chancellor Dan Jones on regional economic development. He also promised to make transition to MSU "seamless" for community college transfer students.
Several construction or renovation projects are under way or about to start on the Starkville campus. A new 250-bed residence hall will open in 2010, a groundbreaking will be held later this month for a basketball practice facility and several academic-administrative buildings are being updated.
Perhaps one of the most ambitious undertakings at Mississippi State University is a three-year campaign to win a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa.
Ole Miss endured several denials of a chapter before finally winning one in 2001 with such enhancements as a new performing arts center, library expansion, an Honors College and a greatly increased endowment.
Keenum said State, the last Southeastern Conference university without a PBK chapter, starts the process with major strengths and is confident that it can address any challenges.
"We're ... a well-rounded university. I'm very proud that the fastest-growing college on our campus is the College of Arts and Sciences," he said. "We're committed to bringing a Phi Beta Kappa chapter to Mississippi State. We owe it to the students."
Contact Errol Castens at (662) 281-1069 or errol.castens@djournal.com.
MSU enrollment
(all campuses)
2008 17,824
2007 17,039
2006 16,206
2005 16,101
2004 15,934
2003 16,173
2002 16,577
2001 16,841
2000 16,534
1999 16,047
1998 15,711
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