JACKSON — Mississippi University for Women President Claudia Limbert says she and Mississippi State University officials will explore ways to consolidate operations.

However, Limbert tells the Columbus Commercial Dispatch that the move "is not a merger" but an effort by the state College Board to address funding cuts.

The College Board met with presidents on Thursday in Jackson.

Limbert says MUW and MSU will name coordinators to review the two schools' operations, budgets and programs.

Limbert says there's no plan to close MUW and the Columbus-based school will remain a separate institution.

Mississippi University for Women President Claudia Limbert's statement

“The State of Mississippi is in the midst of an unprecedented economic crisis. This crisis affects every state agency including all eight IHL institutions, and in particular, the smaller universities such as MUW that cannot absorb the budget cuts that the larger institutions can. The financial challenge facing Mississippi promises to become worse before it gets better.

“The lack of a name change, coupled with the current economic realities facing us, requires that the IHL and MUW move in a different direction.

“As a result, the IHL has directed MUW to partner with MSU to explore opportunities for MUW to increase its efficiency by consolidating some of our operations. This is possible because MSU has economies of scale based on their size that MUW, as a smaller institution, lacks.

“The questions to guide us will be: Will consolidation of certain operations save money? Will consolidation provide the same or better level of service to our students and to our community?

“It needs to be stressed that this is not a merger. In addition, our academic integrity will remain intact and MUW will retain budgetary authority for any operations consolidated with MSU. The outcome will be eight institutions and for MUW to be a viable, separate, stand-alone institution and poised for growth.”

Statement from Miss. State President Dr. Mark Keenum:

“This arrangement simply involves one university helping another during extraordinary times. IHL Commissioner Hank Bounds and IHL Board members asked us to reach out to a sister institution, and we have agreed to do that. It is my hope that sharing back-office resources will achieve efficiencies and allow MUW to continue to play a vital role in the higher education system in our state.

Mississippi State University faces its own budget issues, and we have been working for months to meet those challenges. I cannot state more forcefully that our focus will not shift from those priorities. But if we can work with MUW on functions to achieve savings that will help MUW through a difficult period, we are willing to do so.”