I hope you all weathered the tropical weather last week as the remnants of Hurricane Francine made their way through Mississippi. My thanks to Campus Services, MSU Dining, Housing and Residence Life, and many others, including MSU Police, Emergency Management, and Public Affairs who helped keep everyone safe and informed and essential services running.

Great Start with Fall Convocation

I want to begin this month’s Academic Affairs update by thanking everyone who contributed to the success of Fall Convocation. This annual event is a special milestone in the academic journey our students are undertaking, and I especially appreciate the faculty who joined us. It was a great way to officially celebrate the start of a new academic year. In case you missed it, keynote speaker Whitney Lipscomb’s speech is online at https://vimeo.com/1003609032/4e42d771e9. Whitney is an accomplished young alumna, and I know our students enjoyed hearing from her.

Fall General Faculty Meeting

I also want to thank everyone who attended the Fall General Faculty Meeting on Sept. 4 in person or who watched the livestream. President Mark Keenum delivered a university update with details on a number of important priorities and projects, legislative report, and highlights and achievements. You can read more about the meeting at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7758 or watch his presentation at https://vimeo.com/event/3997666.

Team Tailgate Held in Meridian

Dr. Keenum also shared important updates during a visit to Meridian on Sept. 6. I was glad to join him and others for a Team Tailgate with all of our faculty and staff. My thanks to Interim Head of Campus David Buys and his team for organizing this successful special event. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7765.

Writing Center Moves to Library

I want to thank Dean of Libraries Lis Pankl, Arts & Sciences Dean Rick Travis, English Department Head Lara Dodds, and Writing Center Director Loreeda Rios for working together on the successful relocation of the Writing Center to Mitchell Memorial Library. We celebrated the Writing Center’s new space with a ribbon-cutting ceremony last month, and I know this central location will be of great benefit to all of the writers who utilize its resources. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7747.

Celebrating All-Steinway Status

We also celebrated another significant achievement last month with a formal program recognizing the university’s new status as an All-Steinway School. There are many to thank for this extraordinary accomplishment, including Education Dean Terry Jayroe, Music Department Head Daniel Stevens, and our faculty, as well as our generous donors and the work of the MSU Foundation. I echo Dr. Keenum’s remarks from the recent celebration – Mississippi State University is a place where the performing arts are thriving. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7752.

New Location in Rice Hall for MSU Psychology Clinic

And there is one more recent ribbon cutting I want to mention. The MSU Psychology Clinic, along with the Department of Psychology and College of Arts & Sciences, celebrated its official opening in a new location in Rice Hall. The clinic is a critical resource here on campus and to many in the larger community. It’s an excellent example of Mississippi State’s commitment to service, while also providing innovative training and research opportunities. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7751.

P&T Innovation and Entrepreneurship (PTIE) Task Force Formed

Associate Vice President for Research Reuben Burch provided a well-received presentation exploring promotion and tenure as it relates to innovation and entrepreneurship (PTIE) during the August meeting of the Robert Holland Faculty Senate. I have asked Professor Mike Breazeale to chair a new task force looking at how PTIE principles might be implemented here at MSU. I appreciate Dr. Breazeale for leading the task force and the faculty who have agreed to serve as members in addition to Dr. Burch: Stephanie Lemley, Todd Mlsna, Nick Pashos, Amirtaha Taebi, John Walters and Amelia Woolums. You can find more information about PTIE at https://www.provost.msstate.edu/initiatives/task-forces and watch Dr. Burch’s presentation at https://vimeo.com/933899240.

Kudos and Congratulations

Every month, I look forward to sharing faculty and staff success stories with you, and here are a few that have crossed my desk recently:

* Congratulations to Wes Schilling, the university’s newest William L. Giles Distinguished Professor, as well as the newly appointed director of the Food Science Innovation Hub. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7744 and https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7756.

* Kudos to our newest Grisham Master Teachers: John E. Ball, an associate professor and Robert D. Guyton Chair in the Bagley College of Engineering's Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering; Amber Robinson, an instructor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics in the College of Arts and Sciences; and Rosângela Yazbec Sebba, a professor in the Department of Music in the College of Education. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7744.

* Congratulations to Frank Owens, an associate professor in the Department of Sustainable Bioproducts, who is the new president of the Forest Products Society. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7746.

* Kudos to Richard Harkess, a professor in the Department of Plant and Soil Sciences, who has been named a fellow of the American Society for Horticultural Science. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7748.

* Congratulations to Sadik Artunç, a professor in the Department of Landscape Architecture, who is being honored with an honorary award from the Chamber of Turkish Landscape Architects for his exceptional contributions to the field. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7736.

* Kudos to our entire university community for being ranked at No. 10 nationally in the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression’s (FIRE) 2025 College Free Speech Rankings. We are the only Southeastern Conference university in the Top 10, and that is a significant achievement by our students, faculty, and staff. This ranking reflects your commitment to the First Amendment and free speech. Well done! Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=7759.

Final Words

Thank you for reading this month’s letter. As always, your thoughts, suggestions, questions, and concerns are welcome at david.shaw@msstate.edu.

Hail State!

David

Dr. David R. Shaw is Provost and Executive Vice President at Mississippi State University. His email address is david.shaw@msstate.edu.