Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost

Scott Tollison, Ph.D.

It is a tremendous honor to serve as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at Mississippi University for Women. For more than 130 years, this institution has been a pioneering force in providing high-quality educational opportunities across our state and our region. Founded in 1884 as the first publicly funded women’s university in the United States (and co-educational since 1982), The W continues its legacy as a leader and innovator in higher education. Today, women and men from 80 counties, 31 states, and 12 countries pursue degrees in one of 48 degree programs across three Colleges and School:

Led by a talented and dedicated teaching faculty, our students have the opportunity to learn in a supportive, personalized environment with a 14:1 student-to-teacher ratio. Some 76 percent of our semester credit hours are taught by full-time faculty. 61 percent of our semester credit hours are taught by faculty with terminal degrees. Our focus is on providing a broad and comprehensive education for each student. Well-roundedness, breadth of experience, and the ability to think critically are at the heart of the University’s guiding principles and of ever-increasing importance in a rapidly changing world. It is the balance between professional and liberal education that prepares our graduates not to be spectators, but active participants in this world.

As you can see, The W has a great deal about which to be proud … and a quality that has been affirmed by both students and national publications. We are ranked #19 among Public Southern Regional Universities and #52 among Regional Universities (South) by U.S. News and World Report. Washington Monthly has ranked us the #26 Best Master’s University in the nation. Phi Theta Kappa, the international honor society for associate degree-granting colleges, named us as one of 112 institutions on its 2018 Transfer Honor Roll. For five consecutive years, we have been named to the Best Colleges to Work For Honor Roll by The Chronicle of Higher Education.

Thank you for visiting our website. If you are near Columbus, please stop by our campus where we believe you will quickly appreciate the hospitality that has come to symbolize the university. As always, if I or any member of the Office of Academic Affairs team can put ourselves in your service, please do not hesitate to let us know. We hope to see you soon!

Sincerely,

Scott Tollison, Ph.D.
Provost / Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs
Professor, Management Information Systems
Mississippi University for Women