Dateline: Home Study
Charles Lee, the President of Mississippi State University, announced this afternoon that he would be retiring. Now the search is on for a new President and I can't help but wonder what it will be like. The last search was certainly botched, promises were made and broken, and the outrageously expensive consulting firm that was hired to help in the search could not find it their budget to even acknowledge the receipt of a nomination.
The announcement follows:
The real question will be to find who is truly in charge this time--the University, the Institutions of Higher Learning, the legislature, or the alumni who long for the university they attended but do not realize it has long-since changed. But I must remember, this is Mississippi I'm in, where we have never had a difficult time selling ourselves short. I pray we don't do it this time.
What do I want to see in the next president? Easy. First, there should be strong leadership, the kind that makes you want to go to places you never gone before and do things you've never done before, the kinds of leaders I've been privileged to know in the military. Second, someone with a vision, a vision of the university in 20 or 30 years and someone who is willing to take the steps to implement that visions. Third, I’d like to see a strong decision maker; someone who will make decisions quickly but carefully. Someone who is not afraid to involve others in the decision-making process but realizes he (or she) must make the decision. Fourth, a delegater. Someone who knows that they do not know everything, recognizes their weaknesses, and brings in people to compensate for those weaknesses. Will we find such a person? I don't know but I can hope. I wonder, is Vice Admiral Gaffney ready for a change?
November 21, 2005
TO: Faculty, Staff, Students, and Friends of Mississippi State University
FROM: J. Charles Lee, President
As I conclude my fourth year as president of Mississippi State University, I have requested the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning to begin the process of identifying my successor as expeditiously as possible. My plan is to retire prior to the end of the current academic year.
In the meantime, I will continue to devote my full energy to seeking the resources the university needs during the upcoming legislative session and to continuing our focus on institutional priorities. We still have much work to do.
I have been greatly honored by the opportunity to lead this institution, and the accomplishments attained in cooperation with talented and committed colleagues and constituents have provided me with a gratifying and fulfilling capstone to a long career in higher education.
Leaving office within the next few months is consistent with the plans that Pat and I made some time ago. We look forward to finally beginning a previously postponed retirement in proximity to our children and grandchildren.
Pat and I are deeply appreciative of the support that Mississippi State University has received since 2001 from our faculty, staff, students, alumni, trustees, and policymakers, and from the people of our state.
During that time, the dedicated efforts of many individuals have led to improvement in our faculty, programs, and facilities, and consequently in our ability to serve Mississippi, despite an extended period of declining state financial support.
The exceptional leadership and assistance provided by our Congressional delegation, along with the generosity of thousands of private donors, have been instrumental in our ability to make continued progress.
Mississippi State plays a vital role in the life of this state, and the university's contributions through education, research, economic development,and outreach will be more critical than ever in the years ahead.
I appreciate the confidence and support extended to me by the Board of Trustees, and I wish the Board and the university success in recruiting to Mississippi State a leader of the quality that this institution and state deserve.
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