MSU President Mark E. Keenum and the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees both released statements Thursday [June 8] regarding a report from the State Auditor on university diversity programs.

Statement from MSU President Mark E. Keenum:

“In keeping with our land-grant mission and our longstanding commitment to inclusive excellence, Mississippi State University operates an Office of Access, Diversity, and Inclusion. That office is designed to increase higher education access and degree completion for underrepresented students, which is a necessity at Mississippi’s leading research university.

“Significantly, MSU enrolls a higher percentage of African Americans than any other university in the Southeastern Conference and a greater proportion of African Americans than any other historically white land-grant university in the nation. MSU’s ADI program not only seeks to assist those students, but also empowers military veterans, first-generation students, former foster home students, students with a myriad of disabilities, Native American students, and others with a program goal of growing student success and degree attainment to help them lead more productive lives.

“We believe our ADI program is fully compliant with all relevant current federal and state policies regarding such programs and that these expenditures represent a necessary and appropriate investment in Mississippi’s future.”

Statement from the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning:

"Campus diversity programs support a broad range of students by helping them find a sense of belonging in the university community which enhances the educational experience for all students and benefits the greater university community. Universities have long offered these programs to support student veterans, students with disabilities, first generation college students, women and minority students, students who have been in foster care, Native American students, and international students. 

"Campus diversity initiatives include sexual assault awareness and prevention programs, music festivals, study abroad programs, student health and wellness programs, Veterans Day Recognition programs, recruitment and retention of non-Black students at our HBCUs as mandated by the Ayers settlement, and federally funded programs like the Ronald E. McNair Scholars Program. They also support affinity groups including religious affiliations, Greek life, student athletes, academic honor societies, and professional and social clubs. 

"In the auditor’s report, if an employee has any diversity-related responsibilities, 100% of that employee’s salary was included in the analysis, as indicated in a footnote in the executive summary.  

"Our public universities have diverse student bodies and an obligation to support them. Spending on diversity programs is less than one percent of appropriations received from the state and the system budget. Providing programs to retain students so they can graduate and join the workforce is a worthy investment that strengthens our universities and our state.  

"The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi."