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Released September 3, 2003
MUW president believes name change unnecessary
COLUMBUS, Miss. -- After traveling the state this past year and
communicating with a broad spectrum of groups including alumni, friends of
Mississippi University for Women, business and community leaders, faculty,
staff and students and major media, President Claudia Limbert has
determined that MUW can be successful with its current name.
The overriding theme she heard during her Statewide Conversations was
that MUW is well known for its wonderful academic reputation and its
tradition of excellence for women and men. The heart of the university is
its academic program and the heart of the academic programs is its
superior faculty. At MUW with a 12-to-1 student-faculty ratio, students
have a highly personalized learning environment appropriate for women and
men.
It was also clear from those conversations that the university has not
been successful in communicating a clear understanding of its academic
quality and superior faculty to the citizens of Mississippi and, most
importantly, to prospective students.
To address marketing the university, the staffs of admissions,
financial aid, and student life have been restructured into a seamless
organization and a new marketing plan is being developed to guide the
university for the next five years. The university's goal is to build
enrollment during this period. During the same period the university will
be spending more than $35 million on renewal of the campus including new
buildings and renovations of existing buildings as well as investing in a
vibrant student life experience for all students.
Dr. Limbert is convinced that with support from alumni and appropriate
marketing and promotion of the university a name change is unnecessary.
This fall MUW reported a 1.86 percent increase in full-time students. |
