Mississippi University for Women isn’t merging, and the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science is staying put, at least for now.
A bill that would merge MUW with Mississippi State University, along with a subsequent amendment to study the viability of MUW and MSMS, both died Wednesday on the Senate floor.
Senate Education Chairman Dennis DeBar, R-Leaksville, asked the chamber Wednesday to defeat the committee substitute to Senate Bill 2715, which proposed creating “The W at Mississippi State University” – giving control of The W to MSU. He introduced an amendment that would instead create a feasibility study specific to MUW and MSMS.
The amendment died with 27 senators – a narrow majority – voting no, including District 17 Sen. Chuck Younger, R-Lowndes County, and District 16 Sen. Angela Turner-Ford, D-West Point.
DeBar, from the well, cited issues with current and future enrollment numbers at The W as the motivation for the feasibility study. The W’s enrollment has declined in recent years to about 2,200, ranking it seventh among the state’s eight public universities.
He also referenced requests from MSMS to appropriate $51 million in funds to improve dorms and another nearly $40 million to upgrade administrative buildings. The residential high school for gifted juniors and seniors is housed on The W’s campus.
On Tuesday, the Senate passed SB 2725 to create The Mississippi University System Efficiency Task Force which would examine the efficiency and effectiveness of the state’s public universities in light of the impending enrollment cliff.
DeBar was asked Wednesday what the feasibility study would determine for The W that the task force would not. He said there’s no guarantee the bill to study all universities would make it through both legislative chambers, adding his primary concern remains with the future of MSMS.
“My goal ultimately is to help those 11th and 12th grade kids who are located there,” DeBar told the Senate. “… If the report comes back and says we need to upgrade The W or upgrade MSMS … I’ll be their champion.”
MUW President Nora Miller expressed relief with Wednesday’s outcome.
“I am relieved that we can return our focus to carrying out our mission, growing our enrollment and working with MSMS to get the funding to address their facility needs as part of our campus master plan,” she wrote in a text to The Dispatch after the vote.
DeBar first filed SB 2715 in February, originally proposing MSMS be relocated to MSU in Starkville. During a committee meeting on March 5, he introduced the substitute that would transfer control of MUW to MSU. It cleared both the Education and Appropriations Committee.
At that time, MSU President Mark Keenum released a statement expressing concern for the bill, pointing out, “such an action of this nature would require a tremendous amount of study and review regarding operational logistics, infrastructure, financial sustainability, academic viability, and accreditation — just to name a few.”
MSU, through its Vice President for Strategic Communications and Director of Public Affairs Sid Salter, said the university has no further comment on the bill beyond Keenum’s previous statement.
McRae is a general assignment and education reporter for The Dispatch.
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