I think, at some level, no one was shocked at Gov. Barbour Monday when he said the state should consider merging some of its universities to save money.
Barbour said Mississippi University for Women should merge with nearby Mississippi State University and that Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University be merged into Jackson State University.
Barbour said none of the campuses would close but the proposed mergers would save money by reducing the number of administrative jobs.
The proposed change would leave Mississippi with five public universities rather than the current eight.
Barbour’s consolidation proposal would have to be approved by lawmakers. It is part of his suggested budget for the fiscal year that begins next July 1.
Having said all of that, the basic question is how is this going to get done, or more appropriately, will this get done?
University consolidation has been a topic for nearly 30 years, but this is the first time it has gotten the vote of the highest office in the state.
The first surprise in the announcement is Alcorn State. It is a land grant university and Barbour admitted that merging it with Jackson State might have some road blocks.
The second is that a combination of Mississippi Valley State and Alcorn would be merged with Jackson State. Certainly, as I write this, folks are lining up to consider the racial implications of, what amounts to, closing two historically black universities.
I don’t think anyone is surprised at the mention of merging MUW in with Mississippi State. Just from a geographic standpoint, the idea has merit. The schools are 20 miles away from each other and MUW has had a problem with declining enrollment for more than 20 years.
Similarly, MVSU and Alcorn have lost substantial numbers in enrollment in recent years, which, I am sure, is part of the reason Barbour chose them.
Barbour basically shrugged his shoulders and gave Mississippians an opportunity to come up with a better idea during his press conference.
I am sure there will be lots of screaming and wailing in Columbus (MUW), Lorman (Alcorn) and Itta Bena (MVSU) claiming to have better ideas.
The new few months will be very interesting.
November 17th, 2009 at 4:41 am
Governor Barbour is looking out for the well being of the state. But, will he set up a program to retrain the people that lost their jobs in the merger ?
November 17th, 2009 at 4:59 am
What does the state economist say about the mergers? Merging Universities and cutting jobs isnt a good idea in the present economic times.
January 20th, 2010 at 5:31 pm
Love you miss you very much its raining in my heart
January 21st, 2010 at 4:18 pm
QJ: “I don’t really even NEED Chuck.”
January 29th, 2010 at 1:46 pm
I was studying something else about this on another blog. Interesting. Your perspective on it is diametrically opposed to what I read to begin with. I am still contemplating over the different points of view, but I’m leaning heavily toward yours. And no matter, that’s what is so great about modernized democracy and the marketplace of thoughts on-line.
February 1st, 2010 at 10:13 pm
God does not care about our mathematical difficulties. He integrates empirically.
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February 7th, 2010 at 1:33 pm
Missing you MJ…
February 7th, 2010 at 2:50 pm
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February 7th, 2010 at 4:33 pm
I love you Michael!….
March 7th, 2010 at 11:07 am
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