The 1999 legislative session was a productive one for Mississippi State, bringing increased funds for faculty salaries, library enhancements, and building upgrades.

"We had a good year in the Legislature, thanks to the hard work of our representatives and the support of the university's alumni and friends," said Government Relations coordinator John Tomlinson. "I hope all MSU alumni will say 'thanks' to their local legislators for helping the university carry out its mission of service to the state."

Mississippi State's general fund allocation through the state Institutions of Higher Learning will increase by $10.5 million, or 13.9 percent, for 1999-2000. About $8 million of that amount will go into faculty and staff salary increases. A university priority is to raise faculty salaries to the regional average for peer institutions over the next three years. Some new faculty positions also will be created.

The library will receive another $1 million boost in its annual budget as the university works toward becoming the first in the state to hold membership in the Association of Research Libraries. And the Meridian Campus will receive a $500,000 budget increase to help expand programs and services.

Four separately budgeted units at Mississippi State-the Mississippi Agricultural and Forestry Experiment Station, the MSU Extension Service, the College of Veterinary Medicine, and the Forest and Wildlife Research Center-also will see a combined budget increase in 1999-2000 of about $10.4 million, including funds for salary increases comparable to the rest of the university.

A capital improvement bond issue authorized by the Legislature includes $10.5 million for Mississippi State. The bond issue will provide $3 million for a new Landscape Architecture Building, $3.5 million for renovation of Bowen Hall, which houses the departments of Geosciences and Physics and Astronomy, and $1 million to complete a new north entrance to the campus. The remainder will be devoted to several repair and renovation and road improvement projects.

The bond bill authorizes another $3 million for the Division of Agriculture, Forestry, and Veterinary Medicine for construction of a Furniture Research Center building.