Ad Hoc Committee on Budget Sustainability

Future updates will be shared in campus updates, on the President’s webpage on the DSU website, and via media releases.

Information regarding Delta State’s Centennial Capital Campaign can be found here:

https://deltastategiving.org/

There are no plans to repeat the retirement incentive program. Such programs must be approved by the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and the State. Given that the University just completed a program, it is unlikely there are any additional interested parties.

Yes, information will be available on the Ad Hoc Committee on Budget Sustainability’s website, https://www.deltastate.edu/president/toward-a-sustainable-future/

Delta State’s fiscal year runs from July 1^st to June 30^th each year and currently in the 2024-25 academic year.

E&G refers to the Education and General budget which the University uses as its operational budget. The University does have additional budgets such as Auxiliary Services, Designated Funds, and Foundation Accounts that make up additional sources of revenue and expenses for the University.

Yes, the University will continue to seek external grants to secure additional funding to help accomplish the mission. Over the last five years, new and continuation grants have increased by 50%. The scope of the Grant’s Office was recently expanded to include an additional staff member, allowing additional focus on external grants.

Dr. Suzette Matthews, VP of Advancement/Executive Director of the Delta State University Foundation, Inc., is performing an audit of all funds/gifts that were previously restricted. For specific questions, please contact her at matthews@deltastate.edu.

Dr. Suzette Matthews, VP of Advancement/Executive Director of the Delta State University Foundation, Inc., is performing an audit of all funds/gifts that were previously restricted. For specific questions, please contact her at matthews@deltastate.edu.

Yes, Delta State will consistently monitor all areas of the University to proactively identify growth opportunities and areas for improvement.

 Each year, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) provides each of its eight universities an “Academic Productivity Review” that identifies programs that are not meeting standards in terms of degrees awarded. Delta State is creating an internal process to review degrees regularly to help identify challenges before a program is in jeopardy.

The new academic advisors for first-year students play a crucial role in the University’s mission to foster student success and retention. These advisors provide personalized guidance to help new students navigate the transition to university life, ensuring they make informed decisions about their academic and career paths.

Advisors assist students in selecting courses that align with their interests, goals, and degree requirements. They help create a balanced schedule that promotes academic success while considering students’ extracurricular activities and personal commitments.

Examples of similar models include:

• Texas State University – https://firstyear.txst.edu/
• University of Mississippi – https://cssfye.olemiss.edu/advising/
• Western Illinois University – https://www.wiu.edu/academicsuccess/

Professorial reappointments for the 2024-2025 academic year were authorized, and faculty contracts were in the process of being issued.

Initial program drafts were created by faculty on summer appointments and were further refined throughout the summer. In August, once faculty were back under contract, the drafts were shared with faculty through the curriculum review process. Three of the new new degree programs were approved through the University’s curriculum review process.

No. The new BA in Humanities and Social Sciences degree allows students the opportunity to study one of four areas in the humanities: English, History, Sociology, or African American Studies. Additionally, the degree requires a core and electives which provide a foundation across the humanities.

Mississippi College offers the Bachelor of Science in Secondary Education. However, its program differs from DSU’s in that it requires more coursework in specific content disciplines. The BSSE at DSU was limited by design to 18 hours of specific coursework to streamline the program; it also allows for flexibility through the selection of two areas of concentration to produce graduates who are highly marketable in schools with needs in multiple disciplinary areas.

The current plan anticipates no changes in the offerings of the Delta Music Institute, with continued monitoring. Although enrollment has declined, enrollment in DMI is still well above the MS Institutions of Higher Learning productivity standard.

The creation of new departments and divisions in and of themselves does not affect tenure status. The new departments will cover multiple disciplines, and tenure status will be tied to that discipline. For example, a tenured Professor of English does not require an English Department to retain tenure. The creation, elimination, or modification of a department is not the same as the creation, elimination, or modification of a program.

All professional development support that was in place prior to the recent program elimination decisions remains in place. Faculty are eligible to apply for travel funds and attend conferences on the same terms as has been the case in recent DSU history. While DSU’s budget challenges have significantly limited our ability to provide travel and professional development funds, those opportunities should improve as the University continues to pass balanced budgets.

This summer, based on information provided by the Department of Music, the Vice President for Student Affairs awarded scholarships in the University’s scholarship management software for returning and new instrumental and/or vocal ensemble members to accept.

As noted in the job posting for each ensemble group director, scholarship management is a primary responsibility of these positions, so scholarship opportunities will continue. The Vice President for Student Affairs will work with each director to determine scholarship needs for future fiscal years and will make recommendations related to scholarship budgets during the University’s normal budget process.

The new directors have master’s degrees in their respective areas of music, instrumental or vocal, and will assist with any instruction a student might require or request. Financial resources will be made available to each director to help achieve the desired performance capabilities. Directors will determine if additional technical support clinicians are to be provided for pre-season and in-season instruction. Additionally, instrumental ensembles will have two graduate assistants. Vocal ensembles will have one graduate assistant.

Other examples of ensembles that report to and/or are directly outside of academic areas include: Fort Valley State University, High Point University, Marist College, North Carolina A&T State University, Roanoke College, Saint Thomas University, Southern University of Shreveport, Stony Brook University, Thomas More University, Tuskegee University, University of Buffalo, University of Cincinnati, University of Southern California, University of Wisconsin-River Falls, and Virginia State University.

In consideration of consolidating services within the Division of Student Affairs, the Vice President for Student Affairs spoke with faculty and students on the impact of eliminating this office. What was learned was that students and faculty were already working collaboratively on key components of certain Career Services offerings. Most students were working with their faculty advisor or a faculty member in their field for resume analysis and internship/job preparedness. Because many graduate applications have become specific in their requirements, faculty are the go-to resource for ensuring that what matters to employers and/or institutions is the material that is within the resume, cover letter, or application materials.

Other offices on campus, such as the Writing Center and the Student Success Center, offer support for students to ensure grammar and punctuation are correct. Large scale events, such as career fairs, employer tabling, Okra Suits closet, and oversight of the Handshake platform will remain a part of the DNA of Student Affairs and assigned accordingly once the Office of University Services is operational.

The Student Success Office will continue to have an active role in retention efforts. The Center offers a wide range of student support services through its six divisions: Academic Support Services, Destination Graduation, First Year Experience, JumpStart, International Education, and International Student Services. For more information about the Student Success Center, contact Kristen Land, Ed.S., Executive Director, at kland@deltastate.edu

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