I hope you enjoyed a restful and productive holiday break with friends and family and that your new year is off to a great start. As we begin spring classes this week, I wanted to give you a brief update from the Division of Academic Affairs.

Teacher Education Programs Among Nation’s Best with CAEP Accreditation

Congratulations to Dean Terry Jayroe and our faculty and staff in the College of Education for attaining accreditation from the Council for the Accreditation of Educator Preparation for the university’s teacher education programs after a rigorous review process. Achieving this status illustrates the exceptional quality and the commitment to our students that are hallmarks of our College of Education. Well done! Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=6918

Call for Honorary Degree Nominations

As a reminder, faculty, staff, students, and alumni are invited to submit nominations for honorary doctoral degrees that will be awarded in May. Nominations, including supporting materials, should be sent to the Honorary Degree Committee in care of the Office of the Provost and Executive Vice President by January 20, 2023. Nominations may be sent via email to provost@msstate.edu. Under IHL guidelines, persons eligible for the Doctor of Laws, Doctor of Science, Doctor of Humane Letters, Doctor of Creative and Performing Arts, or Doctor of Public Service must have demonstrated nationally recognized sustained achievement in scholarship, public service, creative and performing arts, or professional activity.

Deans, Associate Deans, and Department Heads Meeting in February

As I mentioned in my last letter, I’m planning to meet with our deans, associate deans, and department heads as a group and continue to hold such a meeting every semester thereafter starting this spring. I think these gatherings will give us good opportunities to share updates, ask questions, and exchange ideas on a regular and timely basis. The first meeting is set for February 23, 2023, at 2 p.m. in Bettersworth Auditorium.

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:

* Kudos to Steve Demarais, the Taylor Chair in Applied Big Game Research and Instruction in the Department of Wildlife, Fisheries and Aquaculture and co-director of the MSU Deer Lab, who has been honored by the National Deer Association with the 2022 Joe Hamilton Lifetime Achievement Award. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=6924.

* Congratulations to new recipients of the Dean’s Eminent Scholar Awards in the College of Arts and Sciences: Anna Osterholtz, an associate professor in the Department of Anthropology and Middle Eastern Cultures; Vicky Montiel-Palma, an associate professor in the Department of Chemistry; Shalyn Claggett, an associate professor in the Department of English; and Kimberly Kelly, an associate professor in the Department of Sociology. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=6926.

* Kudos to faculty and staff in the College of Forest Resources and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center who were recently honored for excellence in teaching, research, and service: Mark McConnell, Shaun Tanger, Courtney Siegert, Joshua Granger, Sandra Correa, Peter Allen, Jessica Myers, Susan Blanton, Karen Brasher, and Charlsie Halford. Read more at https://memo.msstate.edu/story.php?id=6927.

* And a welcome to Zac Selmon, the university’s new director of athletics, and his family. Read more at https://www.msstate.edu/newsroom/article/2023/01/zac-selmon-named-athletics-director-mississippi-state.

Final Words

As always, thank you for taking the time to read this month’s letter. I look forward to providing an additional update at the spring meeting of the General Faculty on February 14 at 2 p.m. in Colvard Student Union’s Foster Ballroom, Section U. For those of you unable to join us in person, the MSU Television Center will provide a livestream. Additional information about the meeting is available at https://www.msstate.edu/events/2023/01/spring-general-faculty-meeting.

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.