Mississippi State University and the Mississippi University for Women submitted long-term plans this week to potentially become the new home of the Mississippi School for Mathematics and Science after proposals were requested by the state department of education earlier this month.
The MSU plan would create an educational hub on the northern portion of its campus, expand the school to 10th grade and create shared facilities with the Starkville Oktibbeha Consolidated School District, while MUW’s proposal outlines additional educational opportunities, new facilities and continued close ties with the state’s leading STEM-focused public high school.
Academics
Relations with the SOCSD and MSU are at the core of MSU’s plan for MSMS. MSU describes the proposed consolidated Starkville High School and MSMS campus as MSMS Expansion, or MSMS:E.
The university said MSMS:E will provide a unique blend of both MSMS and SHS experiences to keep high-achieving students in Mississippi.
“MSMS:E students will take career-focused, college-level courses while having unique research and experiential learning opportunities,” MSU said in its proposal. “MSMS:E will meet the changing and growing workforce development and prepare [its] best and brightest high school students to excel in areas critical to Mississippi’s future.”
MSU said MSMS:E will offer novel opportunities to SHS students, too. The plan would allow SHS students to take a selection of courses in an MSMS classroom and to collaborate on shared projects and extracurriculars.
“MSU will enter into necessary articulation agreements with MSMS:E and SOCSD. Most, if not all, such agreements are currently in place but will need updating,” MSU said in its proposal.
MSU also proposed a plethora of dual-credit options for MSMS:E students and mentorship opportunities from MSU professors.
“MSMS:E faculty certified by MSU as instructors can teach dual-credit courses at no additional cost to the students or the state,” MSU’s report said. “[MSMS students] will be mentored by the top academic and research faculty at MSU who are nationally recognized in fields students have an interest in pursuing.”
MSU’s proposal also points to its world-class research facilities as unique opportunities for MSMS:E students.
“With MSMS students adjacent to the main campus and our research facilities, we can significantly expand access for many more students to experience innovative basic and applied research in the fields of mathematics, science, engineering, social sciences and more,” MSU’s proposal states.
In a move that would transform MSMS, the proposed MSMS:E would expand to include the 10th grade, ultimately increasing enrollment to 450 students across three grades.
“Adding the 10th grade enhances learning by allowing students to complete basic high school requirements in 10th grade and providing more time in years 11 and 12 to take advanced courses,” the university said in its proposal.
MUW’s report highlights the longstanding, well-established relationship between it and MSMS. In its proposal, MUW states it seeks to expand the opportunities available to MSMS students. This includes the expansion of dual-credit, research opportunities and the possibility to receive an academic certificate from MUW as an MSMS student.
Having shared a campus for 37 years, MUW emphasized dual credit has always been free at MUW for MSMS students.
The proposal from MUW introduced a “joint honors experience” for students who want to take dual-credit courses through the Ina E. Gordy Honors College. MUW also proposed to grant MSMS students and faculty access to its Artificial Intelligence Laboratory.
MUW also proposed the MSMS Saturday Institute, a monthly enrichment program with multidisciplinary educational experiences.
“Possibilities for Institutes might include Mississippi’s Scientific Heritage, Cybersecurity & AI Ethics, Creative Digital Arts & Storytelling, CPR, Forensics & Criminal Investigations and others,” MUW said in its proposal.
Residential life and facilities
MUW offers to build new residential facilities while improving current ones for MSMS students.
“There are two vacant residential facilities that could be renovated and dedicated to MSMS, Fant and Peyton Halls. The approximate cost to renovate one of these buildings is $22 million,” MUW stated in its report. “A new residential facility that houses approximately 400 students is estimated at $35 million.”
MUW also highlighted facilities that help MSMS students academically, including the library.
“MUW’s Fant Memorial Library is also the MSMS library,” MUW’s report stated. “MSMS has full use of the 50,000-square-foot facility, including the study rooms and technology labs.”
MSU committed to constructing “new, modern” residence halls exclusive to MSMS students upon receiving funding. These facilities would be adjacent to the proposed classrooms and joint facilities, and separated from the primary portion of MSU’s campus.
Like MUW, MSU would handle maintenance fees like plumbing, HVAC and electrical. MSU, however, plans to let MSMS students and faculty use the MSU internet, its report states.
“Not only will having MSU provide internet access improve the bandwidth available for MSMS:E, MSU will not charge MSMS:E for access, a cost savings for MSMS’s annual budget,” the report states.
MSU will also give MSMS students access to its library and provide shared spaces between MSMS and SOCSD. These spaces include a performing arts center, library, cafeteria and administrative offices.
Budget and timelines
In its report, MUW admits its need for more space in its budget to implement its plans. The university pointed to its residential budgeting as a clear example.
“The maintenance fee calculates to 69 cents per square foot, well short of the $6 per square foot recommended by the Association of Physical Plant Administrators standards,” MUW’s report said. “The overall cost of housing MSMS is discounted by almost 90 percent.”
MUW also pointed to MSMS’s sister schools to show the extent of the funding need.
“MSMS is woefully underfunded when compared with comparable programs in neighboring states,” MUW said in its report. “MSMS’s funding is $16,000 less per student than the average funding of programs in Arkansas, Louisiana and Alabama.”
Since MSMS does not have a funding resource outside of the Mississippi State Legislature and the Department of Education, MUW asked for an increased budget to implement these changes. If given, the university said these alterations could be made by the 2025-2026 school year, except for facility construction.
MSU is ready to offer all facilities by the 2027-2028 school year upon receiving appropriate funding. It is also willing to create temporary housing and classrooms to accommodate MSMS for the 2026-2027 school year. For these plans to proceed, MSU is asking the state legislature for $85 million.
Visit these links to read the MSU proposal and the MUW proposal.
