Dear W Family,

Congratulations and THANK YOU for seeing us through Academic Year 2021-2022! I am looking forward to our in-person Commencement Ceremonies – the first ones in a long while where we will be able to see the joy and pride shining out from unmasked faces!

It occurred to me that we start our year off with a Convocation – but after Spring semester ends there’s little acknowledgment of a job well done other than seeing our graduates off. This year seems to have gone by quickly. Once masks became optional the mood on campus lifted and campus life flourished with events. Thank you to all who made these events possible and thanks to all who participated. We had a long two years of remote socialization – the lifting of that was a welcome relief.

We are making progress on our Strategic Plan – and we’ll have a busy month of May building our FY 2023 budget and aligning that budget with our 6 pillars:

• Academic Excellence
• Advancement Excellence
• Community Connections
• Degree Completion
• Diversity, Equity & Inclusion
• Financial Sustainability

Our 2021 annual report summarizes our actions in each of these areas.

https://www.muw.edu/rewind

As we draw a close to FY 2022 and make plans for FY 2023, let’s keep our focus on our strategic pillars – with enhanced focus on student recruitment and retention activities. What more can we be doing to attract students and how can we continue to enhance our support of student success? I look forward to us sharing ideas and working together in the coming year.

I am a proud member of this Long Blue Line that is growing by another 383 alumni this month. Thank you for what each of you did to help recruit, retain and graduate them. Thank you also for your generous support of The W, as evidenced by our 57% faculty staff giving rate. Together, we keep this a Great College to Work for! I hope each of us will find the time to relax, refresh and recharge over the summer. Thanks again!

Warmly,

Nora R. Miller

Good Morning! It is wonderful having all of you here to celebrate three years’ worth of Homecomings.  With that being said, we have a lot of classes to recognize, and a lot to celebrate, so I will keep my remarks short so we can get to the fun stuff!

But first, a little bit about who our students are today. Our annual headcount for last year was 3,453 students.

Our student body is:

• 80% female
• 28% age 25 or older
• 36% African-American
• 86% Mississippians
• 46% enrolled in health-related studies

The W’s strategic plan that was rolled out last year is based on 6 pillars.  I will briefly share with you what these pillars are – and the activities and progress we have made in these areas:

• Academic Excellence
  • We currently have a 12:1 student faculty ratio
  • Not only are we providing academic excellence to OUR students, but we are enhancing K-12 education with collaborative partnerships to provide support for first year teachers, and we are working with our local CMSD to build a Blended Learning Academy at the Hunt Experience Center that will focus on technology-assisted learning and hands on experiential learning.
  • Our Office of Undergraduate Research allows more students to participate in the research process.  This boosts student engagement and confidence, and gives students a leg-up in the employment process and in graduate school admissions.
• Our second pillar is advancement excellence
  • Our foundation has assets in excess of $63 million
  • We have a 57% Faculty-Staff Giving Participation and a 9% Alumni giving rate.  (our record of recent graduations keeps adding to that base number, so it takes more and more donors to increase that alumni giving rate!)
  • We have increased the number of donors by 7% since last year
  • These gifts made it possible for us to grant $1.86 million in scholarships to 724 students in 2021.
• The 3rd pillar is Community Connections.  Our activities include:
  • The Nancy Yates Community Engagement Program which matches students with local nonprofits to support day-to-day operations and capacity building for 5 weeks in the summer.
  • Our Speech and Hearing Center partnered with the ALS Association of Louisiana/MS to provide communication devices for Mississippians with ALS.
  • Last Saturday we hosted a CHEER event (Celebrating and Honoring Early Education Respect) for some 200 local early childhood educators.  The energy in that room was amazing!
  • In addition to the many cultural events that are open to the community, our students, faculty and staff provided over 215,000 hours of community service in 2021.
• The fourth pillar is Degree Completion.
  • We lead the IHL universities at the number of graduates per 100 Full-Time Students.  The system average is 22.8 per 100 – we graduate 33.5 per 100!
  • Last year we graduated 991 students.  We had a 15% increase in degrees, and a 26% increase in graduate degrees since 2016.  In the last 10 years, we have had a 72% increase in undergraduate degrees.
  • Not only do we graduate a record number of students, we lead the public universities in the state with the highest percentage of graduates who stay to work in MS!  A recent State Auditor’s report on Brain Drain shows that 77% of The W’s in-state graduates are working in MS 3 years after completing their degree.
• Our 5th pillar is Diversity, Equity and Inclusion – we are on a mission to create a welcoming, diverse, equitable and inclusive campus climate for all.  We recognize the value of varied perspectives.  Projects included:
  • Panel discussions about the significance of our new state flag
  • A broad Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Council that participated in a two-part diversity retreat and engaged in a series of Deliberate Discussions throughout the year.
  • The second year of the Unity Project
  • Our Common Read Initiative adopted Bryan Stevenson’s book, Just Mercy – and included a showing of that film.
  • 14 1st generation students participated in the 2021 Circle of Change First Generation Students Career Leadership Experience.
  • We were awarded a $50,000 grant to recruit more women for state political positions.
• The final pillar of Financial Sustainability focuses on planning and actions that ensure the ongoing financial health of the university.
  • Federal funds from our $1.5 million Title III grant and from pandemic related funding have helped us to automate more functions and to improve our technology infrastructure.  These include software packages such as DegreeWorks, Cashnet, and Slate, and updates to our wireless network, gateway switches, firewall, network storage, virtual host servers and adding redundancy to our internet connectivity.
  • You’ve seen the progress on our new Culinary Arts Building.  Wednesday night I attended the Culinary Arts Final Dinner – and I was blown away not only by the food – but also by the demonstrations by our students.  The new facility will have 4 kitchens, including a demonstration kitchen where our students, faculty and guest chefs can show off their skills.

I’ve already taken up more time than I expected – but I get a little carried away talking about our alma mater!  Just a few more bragging points – we continue to be rated a Best Value, recognized for the social mobility of our students, and, for the 9th year in a row, we are named a Great College to Work for, we continue to have a Military Friendly designation. Our MFA in Creative Writing was ranked the #1 online Master’s program in creative writing in the country, and our RN to BSN program is #15 in the nation. 

As members of our Long Blue Line, we have a lot to be proud of!  Thank you for continuing to tell our story, share our good news, and support us with your time, talents and treasures. 

Dear MUW Faculty and Staff,

Congratulations on a successful start to our semester.  I would like to thank each and every one of you for what you are doing for our students.  We have managed to give our students more opportunities for face-to-face instruction and activities, and it is wonderful to see them enjoying campus.

We have our first home athletic event on Wednesday with the Owls Volleyball team playing University of Tennessee Southern.  https://owlsathletics.com/calendar  Make plans to attend the Nancy Knight Gilpin Piano Dedication Concert on Friday, September 17 at 7:30 in Kossen Auditorium.  The MUW Galleries in Summer Hall feature contemporary photography as part of The South:  Then and Now exhibit in conjunction with the Columbus Arts Council, selections from the University’s Permanent Collection, and the recent ceramics works of Ian Childers.

When you see any of our Health Center staff or our Nursing faculty, be sure to give them a (masked) smile, and thank them for all the testing, advising and contact tracing that they are doing to keep our campus safe.  Our campus is a caring community, and there is plenty of TLC being provided across the board.

We had some great Fall Development workshops to start off the year.  If you weren’t able to participate, recorded sessions are available at https://www.muw.edu/ctl/resources.  I am looking forward to continuing with further development and listening sessions as we put our strategic plan into action. https://www.muw.edu/priorities  We will continue to monitor our environment and adapt our actions as the pandemic dictates, but will be focused on building a bright future for this university and for our students.

Thanks to everyone who is taking a leadership role and participating in various committees, taskforces, Faculty Senate and Staff Council.  We are stronger for having an actively engaged campus community.  We will have a faculty/staff appreciation luncheon on Monday, September 13.  This will take place on Bryan Green in a tent that will be put up near the gazebo.  We will spread this out from 11:00 – 1:00 so we can provide some space, and will have take-out available for those who would prefer to take their lunch to go.

This summer Staff Council President Ashley Hammack and Vice President Jewel Bishop met with staff from offices across campus, and they have come up with some great ideas to boost morale and show our appreciation for employees.  Starting in September, we will hold a monthly celebration for people whose birthdays fall in that month.  On Wednesday, September 1, all employees with a September birthday are invited to come to the 1st floor Welty atrium between 3:00 and 4:00 for a treat and a chance to visit together.  We will plan on holding these celebrations on the first Wednesday of each month.

If you haven’t already signed up for our Be Wise to Win incentive program, there is still time to enter.  The first drawing will take place on Friday, September 3.  You can schedule your free COVID-19 vaccine by calling the Campus Health Center at (662) 329-7289. https://www.muw.edu/centers/healthcenter/bewise

Please continue to Be WISE and Mask Up!

Warmly,

Nora R. Miller

July 1, 2021: President Miller has released an update to the campus community.

Today is the first day of the new fiscal year and I’m pleased to be able to share with campus that we have made some significant changes to the staff salary ranges.

Specifically, we have raised the salary grade minimums for grades one through nine. Our lowest minimum salary grade went from $18,000 to $22,880 annually, which means the minimum hourly rate for a benefits eligible employee is now $11 per hour. For all employees who do not meet the new salary minimum within their grade, their salaries have been elevated to the new minimum.

While we did not have enough money in our budget to do as much as we would have liked, we’re still able to do something for everyone. All returning employees, including eligible faculty, who are not impacted by the new salary grade minimum will receive at least a 2% raise. For staff, your new salary amount will be reflected in employment letters, which are being mailed through campus mail today.

The new salary ranges will be posted on the Human Resources website under the Current Employees tab for Compensation.  (Visit Staff Salary Ranges)

My goal is to continue to intentionally work within our budget to raise faculty and staff salaries, to bring them closer to the Southern Region Education Board (SREB) average. For example, as an IHL system, faculty salaries are 23.1% below the SREB average. Five years of 4.6% annual raises would make up that difference. We are requesting a 9.9% increase in state appropriations next year that would address the 4.6% for Fiscal Year 2023 and make up what we didn’t have for this year. The goal is that through sufficient legislative funding and maintaining steady enrollment we can close the gap.

This university is committed to providing a quality, affordable education for all of our students. Student success is only possible through your commitment to the university. Without dedicated faculty and staff, we could not achieve these goals. This salary range adjustment is just the first step. My hope is that the budget for the following year will be sufficient to allow us to continue the work of providing meaningful raises for all of our employees.

I sincerely thank each of you for the role you play in making The W a great place to work.

Warmly,

Nora R. Miller
President

Update September 28, 2020 – President Nora Miller has released a video message to the university.

Today’s message is meant to be one of encouragement!  Well, actually more like 5 messages of encouragement.

1. I want to encourage you to keep up the good work.  If you look at the case tracker, we have only two active cases of COVID.  One student and one employee.  Thank you for doing your part and keeping our campus healthy.
   
   We are proud to be known as a caring community.  We care about each other’s health and our own, which is why we will continue to encourage everyone to Be WISE and Stay Safe.  Follow our campus renewal plan protocols.  I don’t know whether the Governor will extend his executive order requiring that masks be worn, but on this campus, we will continue to require masks.  I know it’s hard to grasp that masks don’t have to be worn in the cafeteria while you are eating, but they’re required everywhere else, unless you are alone in your personal workspace or housing.  Please continue to you’re your mask – both on campus and off.
   
   
2. I want to encourage all of us to be kind and have empathy for others.  We don’t know what all is going on in each other’s lives – but I’m pretty sure we are all dealing with heightened stress, and being behind a mask makes it that much harder to see what’s going on.  So, if you see someone without a mask, remember that they may have a medical reason that they can’t wear a mask, or they may have forgotten to grab one before they left their room or their car.  Keep your physical distance from them, perhaps tell them that you are not comfortable being within 6 feet of them if they’re not wearing a mask.  You probably aren’t going to help matters by being confrontational.  Now, if this is a repetitive issue and there is someone who willfully refuses to wear a mask, then it may end up being a student judiciary issue, or a personnel matter.  Remember – we all took our Safe Owls Pledge!
   
   
3. Take good care of yourself to deal with the stress of everything.  Get some exercise, get outside on a pretty day, keep in touch with friends and family.  Students, call the Counseling Center if you want to talk things over with a counselor.  Employees, remember the Employee Assistance Program is available for you AND for anyone else in your household.
   
   
4. I want to encourage students to keep up their work in the classroom.  We are nearing mid-term, so lean in and be prepared to finish strong.  If you are having trouble in a class, reach out for help.  Make an appointment to meet with your faculty and talk about how you can improve.  Contact the Student Success Center about some tutoring sessions.  In virtual classes it’s probably a little more difficult to have an after class conversation with your classmates to suggest you study together.  Make the effort to reach out to your fellow students.
   
   
5. And for the fifth and final encouragement for today – October 5 is the deadline to register to vote and be able to participate in the November election.  If you are not registered – do so.  And then, do what my mask tells you to do.  VOTE!

Nora Miller
President, Mississippi University for Women

Update September 3, 2020 – President Nora Miller has released a video message regarding the upcoming Labor Day holiday.

As we are coming to the end of our 3rd week of classes, I want to thank every member of this campus community for following our COVID protocols and looking out for each other.

Labor Day is a public holiday that honors the American labor movement and the contributions that workers have made to the strength, prosperity and well-being of our country.  It’s traditionally a time for family and social gatherings.

I am asking our students, faculty and staff to please BE WISE; STAY SAFE.  Reduce the risk of spreading the virus by following safe practices both on and off campus:

• Avoid large gatherings
• Eat and Visit Outdoors
• Wear a mask when not eating 
• Maintain physical distance
• Wash your hands. 
• Assume everyone has COVID, because they might!

Carefully consider the risk to our campus community when making decisions about what you do.  The university continues to follow CDC and State Dept of Health guidelines to mitigate the risk of spread to the extent possible.  Our success depends on a mutual commitment and actions from everyone in our campus community. 

Be Wise!              Stay Safe!            Mask Up!

Nora Miller
President, Mississippi University for Women

Update August 20, 2020 – President Nora Miller has released a video message regarding confirmed Coronavirus cases on campus.

OK, everybody take a deep breath, and then let it out.  We’ve had some positive COVID cases here on campus.  We knew that was going to happen, and we are prepared.  We have protocols that we are following, and we are in communication with the top officials at the Mississippi State Department of Health, and we are following their recommendations.

We responded quickly with getting information about close contacts of those who tested positive, and they have been informed that they were in close contact with someone who tested positive.  The state department of health advised us to treat one group as an outbreak since they had three positive cases in that group. Their recommendation was that the entire group go into quarantine, which is what we have done. We will continue to work with the state department of health to get this group tested, and we will follow their guidelines.

If someone gets COVID, or they have to quarantine because they have been in close contact with someone who has COVID, or they were part of a cohort where an outbreak has occurred, it doesn’t mean that they have done something wrong. It just means that they have been around someone who has come down with it, or someone who has been in close contact with someone who had it. This virus can sneak around corners and slip through cracks.

Go back and read our campus renewal plan, and pay attention to the flowcharts that explain what you should do if you have symptoms, if you have been identified as a close contact, or if you have been with someone who has been identified as a close contact.

We are requiring that masks be worn except when we are alone either in our personal workspace or residence hall room, or are eating. We are asking everyone to take their temperatures and use the coronavirus self-checker every day.

We have set up classrooms and meeting spaces that maintain physical distancing, we’ve placed reminders everywhere.  We have hand sanitizer and disinfectant wipes available.  We have misters that are sanitizing classrooms, hallways, auditoriums, etc. We have grab and go selections and carry-out available for dining.

What we need to do now is to remember to take those deep breaths, practice some self-care.  Do the Coronavirus self checker every morning. If you don’t feel well, stay home.  Avoid being around others.  If this means you have to miss class or miss work, notify your faculty members or supervisor.

OK, let’s take another deep breath.  Relax, but DON’T relax the vigilance.  WEAR your mask.  Wash your hands.  Maintain physical distance.  Don’t gather in groups unless absolutely necessary – and when you do, follow the guidelines about the number of people who can safely meet indoors or out. WEAR the mask! 

We can beat this virus if we all do our part. BE a WISE Owl (Willing to Interact in a Safe Environment).  Stay safe.

Nora Miller
President, Mississippi University for Women

Dear W Students:

Over the past two months, the Campus Renewal Task Force has worked toward providing a safe and healthy campus environment for the fall semester. An essential part of their work has involved reducing the number of people in a given location to decrease the risk of spread of disease. The first step was to evaluate class schedules, locations and delivery methods with an emphasis on aligning classes with delivery methods and instructional spaces in which they can be effectively offered. Please review your class schedules in Banner.

With the move of programs and classes to on-line delivery there will be more students who will have all of their classes on-line. Housing and Residence Life is being prioritized by students’ instructional delivery method. As such, Housing and Residential Life may not be able to accommodate those who do not have face-to-face classes at this time. There will be no cancellation charges for students who cancel their housing contracts through July 29. Limiting the number of students on campus and in the residence halls is far from what the University would like to do, and this decision was a difficult one to make, but it seems that this is the safest way that we can house students and minimize the spread of disease.

Our goal is to provide as much physical distancing as possible in the residence halls and reserving a residence hall for students needing to self-isolate and/or quarantine. Over the next few days, existing housing assignments will be reevaluated and may result in relocations or loss of space. Any resulting relocations will be made with the intent to reduce density in the halls while encouraging and building strong communities. Students should check eRezlife for updated housing assignments. Once the assignments have been made to accommodate students enrolled in face-to-face classes we will know how much capacity can be made available for other students who have no other housing options or are facing extenuating circumstances. A form is available for students at www.muw.edu/housing make this request.

To further limit the risk of outbreak, we ask that students limit their exposure to others as much as possible over the two weeks prior to coming to campus so that we have a healthy campus population. Please review information on the Campus Renewal Plan website (https://www.muw.edu/renewal) for other policies and procedures that will be in place for campus housing.

Thank you for your continued understanding and patience as we work to finalize details leading up to the start of the fall semester. Remember the fall semester begins on August 17 and concludes on November 24. (https://www.muw.edu/registrar/academiccalendar/2021).

Sincerely,

Nora R. Miller
President