JACKSON, Miss. – Alumni groups at some of Mississippi’s public universities are ramping up their private fundraising in hopes of decreasing the impact of state budget cuts.
New initiatives have been planned at Jackson State and Mississippi Valley State, and others such as Mississippi State and the University of Southern Mississippi have set records for giving.
Higher Education Commissioner Hank Bounds said he welcomes the fundraising.
“We will take all the help anyone wants to provide,” Bounds said.
But he said such one-time donations should not be intended for recurring expenses.
By 2012, state appropriations to universities could be 25 percent below their 2009 levels. That has prompted most schools to scale back programs and staffing.
The Mississippi Valley State University National Alumni Association hopes to raise $15 million in contributions over the next five years.
