COLUMBUS — Dr. Claudia Limbert’s advice to her temporary replacement and her as-yet-unnamed permanent successor is succinct, yet encapsulates years of experience in higher education.
“Focus on what’s most important, and right now that’s the students,” said Limbert.
Of course, she also suggests keeping an eye on the budget — Mississippi University for Women’s biggest challenge — and the fledgling e-college — MUW’s potential savior.
After eight years as president of MUW, Limbert has guided the school through a crippling tornado strike, disaffiliated the school’s century-old alumni association, fostered exchange agreements with colleges in China, created a grant-writing program, lobbied for federal dollars in Washington, brokered partnerships with Mississippi State University and community colleges, and established an e-college. She didn’t do all the work herself, but she was at the helm for each.
Limbert, whose last day at MUW is today, has received praise and complaints for her work but, given the chance, she wouldn’t do anything differently.
“Looking back and changing things is probably not a very good idea,” she said. “In each situation you see what you’re faced with and you decide what’s the best thing to do in that circumstance.”
Limbert admits she learned much from her experiences. Beginning in November of 2002 when a tornado wrecked the MUW campus, Limbert, who had just taken over as president, got a quick education in teamwork.
“I certainly met everyone right away,” she laughed.
She recalls a staff meeting in the days following the storm. She asked the assembled faculty, only half joking, who had experience recovering from a tornado.
“The silence was deafening,” she recalled.
The lack of experience with storm damage would prove to be a blessing in disguise.
“Sometimes it’s good you don’t know what to do, because we didn’t know it should take a semester to get classes up and running. We were up in weeks. We didn’t know any better. We just got it done,” said Limbert.
The experience also taught Limbert and her staff how to deal with the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the Mississippi Emergency Management Agency. More firsts would follow.
Limbert hired the school’s first grant writer and made the first trip to Washington to lobby senators and representatives in person for money for MUW.
“We didn’t know how to work with the Legislature so we could get some earmarks. But we know how to do it now and we’re not afraid to ask,” she said.
The Ina B. Gordy Honors College Residential Honors Program launched in 2006. In 2009, The W began to court international students, partnering with institutions in China to create dual degree programs and exchange programs.
Limbert says such programs aren’t a given at state universities.
“Universities and colleges may all seem alike on the outside, but they’re very different inside,” she said.
Launching an e-college
The highly touted e-college is scheduled to launch this August. Under the direction of Dr. Bill Mayfield, dean of the School of Professional Studies at MUW, the e-college is designed to appeal to technology students from state community colleges to offer an 18-month web-based path to a bachelor’s or master’s degree in technology. MUW is hoping the increase in enrollment and tuition attracted by the e-college will be significant enough to offset several rounds of state budget cuts.
Like all state schools, MUW was forced to increase tuition in 2010 due to budget cuts and eliminate programs, services and jobs. The state College Board asked MUW to identify “back office” functions it could merge with MSU in the interest of saving more money, as the budget crisis is expected to worsen over the next two years.
MUW also partnered with MSU to create joint nursing and culinary arts degrees.
An example of success
Mayfield, who grew the e-college at the Indiana Institute of Technology from 300 students to 1,600 in a matter of months in 2008, was hired by Limbert to develop MUW’s e-college. She says establishing an e-college has been a goal of hers throughout her tenure after witnessing the success of Pennsylvania State University’s online program.
The e-college was never in danger of being scrapped in the midst of the budget cuts, and now much is riding on its success.
“I think it will increase revenue and enrollment, but it’s a project everyone has to be working on. It can’t just be one person,” said Limbert. “Students these days are really accustomed to being on the computer all the time so they’re probably accustomed to this. And this way they can have class when they want and get their degree about six months sooner (than through conventional college programs).”
Limbert hopes the e-college and the multiple programs begun during her administration stand as a testament to the work her faculty devoted to MUW. However, she wasn’t able to accomplish all of her goals.
Turn for the worse
Some of the darkest days in Limbert’s administration began in 2006 when Limbert accused members of the former alumni association of attempting to undermine the university’s fundraising efforts. When a new agreement giving MUW more control over alumni activities was rejected by alums, Limbert chose to disaffiliate the group and start a new alumni association.
The severed alumni association sued to remain tied to the school and won in Lowndes County Chancery Court, but the school took the case to the Mississippi Supreme Court in 2008 and won the right to disaffiliate the 119-year-old alumni group.
The fallout from the struggle created deep rifts between the school and many in the newly renamed Mississippi’s First Alumnae Association. Those relations were further strained as Limbert pursued a name change for the school which she saw as essential to better market MUW and attract more students.
Name change dead?
The Alumnae Association campaigned vigorously against the name change, organizing several trips to Jackson to protest the move. Legislators heeded the association’s pleas and the name change bill died in Senate committee.
Limbert says the name change remains crucial to the advancement of MUW.
“I know the name change is going to keep coming up. It will happen eventually. We’ve got a problem with truth in advertising here. We’ve got to fix that,” she said. “Not only are we turning off male students, but turning off female students who like being in college with men. And it’s god for them to learn to compete with men.”
A bridge left unbuilt
As for the rift with the Alumnae Association, Limbert says “the door is certainly always open,” but she’s pleased with the current Alumni Association.
Asked for her advice on bridging the gap between school and alums, Limbert passed.
“I’m going to leave that to the next administration,” she said.
Regardless of its name, Limbert says change is inevitable on campus. She points to the multiple names the school has worn through the years as evidence of its constant evolution. MUW was founded as the Industrial Institute and College in 1884 and was the first state-supported college for women. In 1920, II&C became Mississippi State College for Women. And in 1974, MUW adopted its current name.
Limbert encourages administrators and stakeholders not to stand in the way of the school’s continued evolution.
“We have to change and not be afraid of change. The university’s path has changed a lot and has got to keep changing,” said Limbert.
In the interim
Allegra Brigham, CEO of 4-County Electric Power Association and a 1969 graduate of MUW, takes over as interim president of the university, Thursday, as the College Board continues its search for Limbert’s replacement. Today is Limbert’s last day as president of The W, and Brigham also officially retires from 4-County today.
Brigham will be paid month to month, based on a salary of $192,937.50 a year, plus an additional $25,000 a year kicked in by the MUW Foundation. She also will move on campus into
You can help your community
Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 41 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.