fbpx
Connect with us

Mississippi News

USM: Joe Paul welcomed as next president

Published

on

‘We’ve listened’: IHL welcomes Joe Paul as next USM’s president at campus event

Joe Paul, the eleventh president of University of Southern Mississippi, walked onto the stage at the Thad Cochran Center on Thursday to a standing ovation, a scaled-down marching band and cheers of “Fight! Fight! Fight!” 

“Okay,” Paul exclaimed as he took in the scene. “Um, wow.” 

The celebration marked Paul’s first public address since the Institutions of Higher Learning Board of Trustees cut its executive search short earlier this and announced that the longtime administrator was signing on to lead the university for the next four years. 

In an 11-minute speech, Paul told the audience – which included students, faculty, and local elected and members of the IHL board – that he is committed to serving everyone on campus. He vowed to grow enrollment, expand USM’s beleaguered Gulf Coast campus, bring in more research dollars, improve student and recommit to shared governance with faculty. 

“Together, we are mighty,” he told the crowd multiple times. 

Paul credited a number of people in his speech, including his wife; former USM president Aubrey Lucas; high-dollar donors Chuck Scianna and Joe Quinlan; the mayors of Hattiesburg and , who were his former students; and the IHL board. 

In particular, Paul shouted out Tom Duff and Gee Ogletree, USM alumni and IHL board members who co-chaired the presidential search. 

“All I can say to y’all is that Mr. Duff is one persuasive individual, okay?” Paul said. “These two Southern Miss alums, along with their fellow trustees, have displayed courage, conviction and integrity through this process. They have listened and they have acted. They love Southern Miss, as we do, and all of these servant-leader trustees are going to us take Southern Miss to the top.”

Flanked by several trustees and the IHL commissioner, Duff, who is serving as the IHL board president this year, also received a warm welcome before he introduced Paul. He remarked that the board is not used to a positive reception. 

“I’ve got to admit, this is the eighth time we’ve stood up here to have a person selected as an institutional head,” he said. “Mostly, we’ve had folks jeer at us, not clap for us.” 

Duff thanked the 15 members of the Search Advisory Constituency for their feedback. The advisory group had been criticized by rank-and-file faculty and staff who worried a lack of representation would lead IHL to pick a president who did not support them. In the three days since IHL announced Paul’s selection, some faculty who were critical of the constituency have expressed support for the new president. 

Duff told the audience that during the listening sessions, the advisory group had taken notes during the listening session and provided the board with an eight-page summary of qualities they wanted to see in the next president. 

“Not only did they write up the profile, they pretty much told us who it needed to be, and we appreciate that,” he said. “We’ve listened.” 

IHL hired a headhunting firm, Academic Search, for $130,000 to aid in the presidential search with the conclusion of spring 2023, according to the contract inked on Sept. 21. But IHL and Academic Search did not post formal advertisements for the position, IHL’s spokesperson Caron Blanton told Mississippi Today. She added that the board is now in the process of amending the contract.

Duff sought to assuage any criticisms of IHL expediting the search. 

“Oftentimes even though we have a path, we have to take responsibility and say no, that choice needs to be this, that decision needs to be that,” he said. “This is one of those situations. And we’ve probably been written up a couple times in the paper, I noticed, as not our blueprint. But our blueprint is finding the best leader, it’s not following the blueprint.” 

Paul’s contract has not yet been finalized; in an email, Blanton said she would it to Mississippi Today once it is executed. 

This article first appeared on Mississippi Today and is republished here under a Creative Commons license.

Mississippi News

Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo

Published

on

www.wcbi.com – Aundrea Self – 2024-11-04 16:10:00

SUMMARY: In , Mississippi, 19-year-old Joshua James and a juvenile face charges related to a pursuit and the of a police car. James is charged with Directing a Felony to Be Committed by a Person Under Seventeen, Grand Larceny, and Felony Fleeing, with a bond set at $100,000. The incident began on November 1 when police responded to a of a stolen vehicle. After a chase that ended when the stolen truck crashed south of Verona, James was apprehended, while his juvenile passenger fled in a police car, which was later found wrecked. The juvenile’s case will be handled in Youth Court.

For 24/7 and updates, follow us on Facebook and X.

Categories: Crime, Local News


Read the full article

The post Dollar General vehicle theft leads to two arrests in Tupelo appeared first on www.wcbi.com

Continue Reading

Mississippi News

Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas

Published

on

www.wcbi.com – Marcus Hunter – 2024-11-04 15:59:00

SUMMARY: The Lowndes County Board of Supervisors has secured to construct storm shelters in Crawford, Artesia, and Plum Grove, lacking local shelter during severe weather. Each community will four FEMA-funded shelters, accommodating up to 20 people each, on property at a total cost of $103,692, with FEMA contributing $93,000. The supervisors anticipate these shelters will significantly enhance safety for during storms. Vice President Jeff Smith highlighted their importance, expressing relief for community members who have long awaited a secure refuge. While installation timelines remain unclear, the is expected to proceed soon.

Read the full article

The post Lowndes Co. Supervisors talk storm safety for certain areas appeared first on www.wcbi.com

Continue Reading

Mississippi News

News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, don’t vote’

Published

on

www.foxnews.com – – 2024-11-04 11:51:00

SUMMARY: David “Dave” Elliott, a local anchor for in for nearly 40 years, was fired after expressing political views on social . He revealed on Facebook that his termination was due to his political opinions, specifically mentioning a where he advised people not to vote out of hatred for Donald Trump. Elliott characterized his social media posts as satire, distinguishing them from his professional work. He noted that the discussion with his station’s general about his dismissal was brief, and the topic of social media was raised. WLOX’s management declined to comment on the matter.

Read the full article

The post News anchor dropped after social media post telling Trump-haters supporting Harris: ‘Stay home, don’t vote’ appeared first on www.foxnews.com

Continue Reading

Trending