FutureSTATE 2015
A strategy for Mississippi State University to become
the region's most respected land-grant institution
FutureSTATE 2015 Progress Reports
Spring 2008
ENHANCE STUDENT GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT
Initiative: Strengthen the College of Arts and Sciences to acknowledge the central role of the liberal arts and sciences in the educational experience of all students, including hiring additional faculty and devoting resources to other initiatives that enhance undergraduate study. To further expand academic opportunities for students in the liberal arts and sciences, seek to shelter a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa honor society.
Achievements of the past year:
- The college hired a total of 12 Phi Beta Kappa faculty members during 2007-08. The President funded 5 of those positions, and the college funded 7 positions.
- In addition to the position allocated for the African American Studies initiative, the college has hired several additional faculty members whose expertise will enhance the African American initiative.
- The Institute for the Humanities will have hosted 6 lectures this academic year in the areas of Art, Literature, History, and Archaeology.
Goals for the next year:
- Recruit and hire more Phi Beta Kappa faculty into the college
- Expand program initiatives related to liberal arts & sciences
- Expand student exposure to initiatives designed to expand undergraduate study
Constraints to full implementation of this initiative:
- Limited tenure-track faculty positions dedicated to the Phi Beta Kappa initiative
- Funding to sustain/expand academic opportunities for students in the liberal arts and sciences
Proposed modification of the initiative:
- A set number of more than five faculty positions per year dedicated to Phi Beta Kappa during the years leading up to the PBK application.
- Set funding pool for initiatives that qualify as additional opportunities for students in the liberal arts and sciences
- Identify target areas within the college that could produce cost effective initiatives requiring a minimum of additional resources
Overall assessment of the status of the initiative or other comments:
The initiative to hire more Phi Beta Kappa faculty was necessary to prevent MSU from falling even further behind in the application process. A steady gain of PBK faculty, as well as initiatives focusing on the liberal arts, will make our next application stronger.
