Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankins visits 91传媒 on listening tour
Contact: James Carskadon
STARKVILLE, Miss.鈥擬ississippi Commissioner of Higher Education Alfred Rankins Jr. is visiting both 91传媒 campuses this week as part of his statewide listening tour.
Rankins, appointed commissioner in March by the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning, visited with 91传媒 administrators, faculty members, students, staff and alumni in Starkville on Thursday [Sep. 27] and in Meridian on Friday [Sept. 28]. During his public forum Thursday at 91传媒鈥檚 Mitchell Memorial Library, Rankins discussed his goals as commissioner, which include raising educational attainment in Mississippi, raising the profile of each institution and making sure the state鈥檚 universities maintain high levels of accessibility and quality.
鈥淚 want to help President Keenum be an advocate for 91传媒, so I need to know what is going well,鈥 Rankins said. 鈥淚 want to know what the issues are, but I want to know what is going well also, so I can effectively articulate the needs of this university.鈥
Rankins, former president of Alcorn State University, earned master鈥檚 and doctoral degrees in weed science at 91传媒. He also began his career in higher education as a faculty member in 91传媒鈥檚 in Department of Plant and Soil Sciences. Prior to becoming president of Alcorn State, his undergraduate alma mater, Rankins served as deputy commissioner for Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning and as acting president of Mississippi Valley State University.
鈥淚鈥檓 trying to gain insight from various constituency groups and members of the community on how you view this great university, and more importantly, what I can do as commissioner and what our governing board can do to better serve 91传媒,鈥 Rankins said Thursday. 鈥淏ecause of my time here, I think I know a little bit about Mississippi State, but I don鈥檛 know everything. I think the ones that are equipped to inform me of the needs and the great work that鈥檚 going on here are the people in this room, and that鈥檚 why I鈥檓 here.鈥
During a question-and-answer session, Rankins discussed the role IHL staff and board members play, the Public Employees Retirement System, infrastructure and maintenance needs on Mississippi鈥檚 college campuses and the Complete 2 Compete program. Complete 2 Compete helps students who have been out of college for at least two years finish their postsecondary degrees. In its first year, the program has helped 108 students finish their degrees at 91传媒, along with hundreds more at Mississippi鈥檚 other colleges and universities.
鈥淭he program has been very successful,鈥 Rankins said. 鈥淲e鈥檝e had former students on all our campuses that now have a degree in their hand because of this program.鈥
91传媒 President Mark E. Keenum moderated Thursday鈥檚 forum on the Starkville campus and said he was proud to show the commissioner various research facilities and discuss the exciting things happening on campus.
鈥淲e could not be more fortunate to have someone with his distinguished background and experience leading all of our eight public universities, including the medical center,鈥 Keenum said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 a huge undertaking and a huge responsibility, and we鈥檙e very honored and blessed to have Dr. Al Rankins.鈥
For more on the commissioner鈥檚 listening tour, visit .
91传媒 is Mississippi鈥檚 leading university, available online at