Clarion Ledger<\/em> article about a proposed bill to reduce the number of public universities in Mississippi. I was rightly reminded by those wiser than me that I ought to leave public comment on such matters to the IHL, and I will show more restraint in the future. \u00a0But, if nothing else, I hope my na\u00efve choice to answer a reporter\u2019s questions about Delta State\u2019s livelihood was a signal to our stakeholders that we will be active participants in our future and not passive victims of circumstance.\u00a0 We are in the peak season of the enrollment cycle, and the last thing I needed \u2014 we needed \u2014 was speculation about our viability as a university.<\/p>\nDuring my investiture ceremony last month, IHL Commissioner Al Rankins charged me to \u201cserve the university with good stewardship, protect and defend the university, and build the university to new heights.\u201d It may be that in responding to the press I took \u201cdefend\u201d too far. Or, perhaps I imbibed some Fighting Okra spirit, and I let a bit escape into the public sphere. But, after all, I didn\u2019t drive a moving truck 700 miles across the South to preside over the closing of a university.<\/p>\n
However, in all seriousness, the charge issued to me is an important one. And, defending the university requires more than just talk; it requires that our fiscal circumstances change. Yes, we will close programs and reduce services. Yes, we will have fewer colleagues than we have had in the past. Yes, we will have to cut our budget in order to bring our expenses in line with our revenue. I have never pretended otherwise. Delta State must survive, and, to do so, we must live within our means. In preparing the 2024-25 budget, my expectations should now be clear. We will not spend more than we have.<\/p>\n
It will not be easy; tackling a structural deficit cannot be accomplished without controversy. I accept that pivoting the university\u2014so suddenly and so traumatically\u2014will lead to hard feelings, finger pointing, propagation of rumors, and cynical speculation. Unfortunately, higher education in America has no shortage of universities at fiscal risk. I study them, and I have concluded that while there are few good ways to cut budgets, there are many bad ways. The \u201cleast bad\u201d way, if you will, is to share as much as one can about the motivations, metrics, and strategic goals that inform fiscal decisions. The worst way is to \u201cdo nothing\u201d and hope things work out.<\/p>\n
When it is done, we will be in a much stronger position when it comes to justifying our existence to those who may not understand our mission. The best defense we have against external attack is to become a paragon of educational efficiency and effectiveness. We are obliged to show our students, who pay tuition; our donors, who offer us their gifts; and, the taxpayers, who help fund our operations, that we are excellent stewards of their resources. If our own fiscal house is not in order, we can expect continued skepticism about our worthiness for further investment.<\/p>\n
It may be hard to believe (considering bad news gets the \u201cclicks\u201d), but I can see glimpses of the next chapter in Delta State\u2019s story. Our storyline will not be an endless tale of decline and contraction. We\u2019ll resolve our immediate fiscal crisis, and then we\u2019ll build back up \u2014 with opportunities for our students resting on a firmer foundation. If I did not believe this, I would not have come here.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Regards,<\/p>\n
Dan Ennis[\/vc_column_text][\/vc_column][\/vc_row]\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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