A New Year’s Surprise

At today’s beginning-of-the-semester convocation at MUW, Pres. Jim Borsig announced his resignation, which will be effective in June. He will be sorely missed–his leadership has been instrumental in moving MUW, however belatedly, into the twenty-first century. He is hard-working and level-headed; he is also (and many overlook this) inspired.

I have no idea who will step into his place. However, because we’re in a transitional period of sorts, I’d like to ask how you envision the relationship between MUW and MSMS. What sorts of things can be done at MUW that would make MSMS a better place? What can MSMS do that would be of benefit to the W? Keep in mind that your suggestions should be beneficial to both institutions. They should probably also be affordable–the IHL anticipates more cuts from the legislature this year.

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18 Responses to A New Year’s Surprise

  1. Sabrina Solomon says:

    Pres. Borsig will be missed. My mother is an alum. of MUW and has said that she has loved working with Dr. Borsig in the past. I hope that whoever fills his place can handle such a big role. I think that the additions over the past year were good ideas in thought, but not in place. The lights on the walkways for night time decide when they actually want to work or not. The new speed bumps are ruining my car since it sits so low to the ground and the bump is so high. I would have liked for them to spend that money filling in some of the major potholes in the two parking lots that also ruin cars. I think parking is a major issue here for both parties. I hope that we don’t suffer major budget cuts, and I wish the next President good luck.

  2. Kaelon McNeece says:

    I’m bummed out by losing both Borsigs since they’re both planning on moving up to Maine. They were excellent people that helped make both MUW and MSMS the outstanding educational powerhouses they are now, and I hope that whoever will fill their spots can do as well as they both did. Both institutions can assist one another and strengthen the relationship between one another. For instance, MUW has already allocated a large portion of their campus to MSMS, and they can continue to help us by repairing any faults in the campus and by keeping their facilities that are also used by students up. In return, there isn’t just a whole lot that MSMS can do for the W, but by reaching such a caliber that we have in our Niche rating, we’re certainly not doing the campus any harm. By working as hard as we have been and striving to be the best of Mississippi’s students we can be, we’re only doing good things for MUW whether it be attracting more students to this location or providing an even better name for this location.

  3. Kendra Bradley says:

    I think one of the biggest problems with the MSMS and MUW relationship is the severe disconnect. While I understand problems with our mostly minor students interacting with the adults of the W, there seems to be much hostility between the two schools with the exception of the RAs. This disconnect also seems to seep into some of the staff, which can be seen by the major W events overlapping ours as well as other problems. I think if there were a way to make MSMS feel more respected and less like a parasite to the W, several issues our students complain of will at least be lessened. This would also encourage students that are leaning more in-state to consider the W if it were a more welcoming school.

  4. The connection between the Res Life Staff and the students must improve. Many of the W students come over to Frazer and Goen Hall, so why not we can not go over there. I am sure that some students at MSMS know some of the students at the W.
    Also, Mr. Borsig will be missed; it was an honor to get to know him as a person. He seemed kind and understanding. I know one thing: somebody who is stepping up to that position has big shoes to fill.

  5. Brianna Leigh Ladnier says:

    President Borsig will be greatly missed. I think MUW and MSMS could work on the food options. It seems as if the cafeteria does not care when it is just MSMS students. Their food is also extremely subpar, and the amount of students with food poisoning is excessive, especially in recent cases who eat almost exclusively cafeteria food.

    I do like how the library has equal access!

    Also, I agree with the other student’s and what they have had to say about interaction with W students. Although, I can understand why we aren’t allowed in their dorm. However, not being allowed to sit on their side of the cafeteria leaves our side crowded. Often times, a single W student will take up an entire table, leaving 5-6 MSMS students without a place to sit. They should either not allow any W student/ outsider to sit on our side, or we should be able to sit anywhere we wish.

  6. Kamaljyot Bhalla says:

    I feel that one thing that can really help out MUW and MSMS, is the connection between us. In the cafeteria, the MUW students tend to sit on the side of the MSMS students making it harder for us to take a seat. Since we are not allowed to sit on the other side, it is not fair that we have to struggle to find a seat when they have such a large space. Not only this, but I feel that there should be events were MUW and MSMS students participate in connecting us as one and making us feel that we are all together living on the same campus for one reason. A brighter future.

  7. Ihatepolitics says:

    I feel as though no matter who the W’s new president is they have to have a good connection to MSMS. The reason being that MSMS draws attention to MUW. Even though almost all of our students would never go to MUW for college.
    Something the W could fix is the cafeteria not so much the chairs and stuff( because of the money it would cost to do that). They could work on managing staff more. Maybe do employ of the month type things. Most people seem uninterested in working in the cafeteria and slack, but there are others that work hard everyday they work. They should get more praise it is hard making food ,and staying open for not one but two schools.

  8. Indu Nandula says:

    President Borsig will definitely be missed as an asset to both MUW and to MSMS. Dr. Borsig herself is a wonderful lady, and I have truly enjoyed getting to know and interact with her. That said, the relationship between MUW and MSMS, I would say, is somewhat neutral, only bordering on a slight dislike. However, it seems that MSMS students are almost like little gnats in the air for the W students: There’s nothing they can do about us, but we are slightly annoying/cumbersome to them. Additionally, the only interaction we have with W students are through ResLife. Ms. Latoya occasionally has them help with programs, such as the 9/11 program, but other than that, other interactions are scarce to none. That too, the interactions we have with RA’s aren’t exactly that great either. We may nod our heads at them in the Hall, or exchange pleasantries in the elevator, but that is the extent of our relationship with them. Also, any other interactions are strongly discouraged. Perhaps if more flexibility was exhibited between interactions between the two schools, our relationships with them would be better and stronger. After all, we live on the same campus! Back to the topic of Dr. Borsig leaving, he will be sorely misses, and hope that the next president lives up to his name.

    • Indu Nandula says:

      In addition to this, MSMS students could assist, perhaps, in campus cleanup efforts, or just in the general well being of the students by interacting more openly with them. Additionally, MUW could assist in fixing roads, buildings, and providing a tad bit of financial support when necessary, and also make MSMS students feel more welcome overall.

  9. Michelle L says:

    I know MSMS relies heavily upon MUW. MUW manages the buildings, library, dorms, dining, student IDs, and other residential aspects. Being attached to a college campus pretty much offers MSMS nothing but benefits. However, MUW doesn’t seem very reliant on MSMS. I wouldn’t call the relationship “parasitic” but given changes in leadership and budget cuts, it is obvious MUW would rather focus on itself than improvements targeted particularly toward MSMS. Consequently, mutual benefits are optimal. Improving shared facilities such as the library, the recreation center, and dining hall benefits both MUW and MSMS, even if those changes aren’t sweeping. Hosting more open events for students to attend also benefits either party. On-campus seminars and performances are enjoyable, and I think awareness of these activities should be improved and their occurrence more frequent. To keep costs low, events could be student organized and informal.
    It is difficult to say how MSMS can benefit MUW because of the rather imbalanced relationship. Firstly, MSMS students should respect the property of MUW and the campus since any damages would add to its expenses. Like Kaelon mentioned, MSMS students can continue to excel and hopefully attract positive attention toward MUW. It may not be a significant effect, but it does no harm.

  10. Dev Jaiswal says:

    Although we live on the same campus, I feel that a relationship between MSMS and MUW is fairly strained and somewhat nonexistent. Other than Hooper, Shack, PAC, and the dorms, MSMS shares all of its facilities with MUW. I certainly don’t think that MUW feels like we are taking advantage of them, but this shared relationship seems to offer MSMS many more benefits than it does MUW. There isn’t much more MUW can do to help MSMS, but MSMS students can make sure to appreciate MUW by taking care of the shared campus and the shared facilities and always being respectful to MUW staff. Making sure the campus is a clean, friendly environment is beneficial to both schools. The upkeep of shared facilities is of interest to both schools,
    However, while I do believe that students of the two schools should be able to have conversations and that more co-MSMS-and-MUW events should be held, I do not think our relationship should go too far where there is frequent interaction between dorms. I think there is somewhat of a danger in kids as young as fifteen interacting with adults the age of twenty-one. I think too much of a relationship with MUW also harms MSMS in the number of people willing to attend MSMS. Many parents would feel much more uncomfortable about sending their high-school kid to a place where there is frequent interactions with college students five to six years older.

  11. Alexz Carpenter says:

    I do not know President Borsig, but based on what I read he will be greatly missed and I hope he and his wife are happy wherever they go. I, along with many other students, think the biggest problem is the connection between MUW and MSMS. I do feel that we are a bit of a nuisance to MUW students, and I think there is a way to fix that. I feel like there should not be as a big of a divide. I don’t think we should be able to go in their dorms, but there is different things we could do together. I definitely think that some of the clubs at MSMS could combine for programs or service projects with clubs at MUW. I think it would make the service projects more effective and it would be beneficial for both. I also think that any projects they have going on at MUW, such as cleaning up campus or another service project that MSMS students should be able to join. It would allow the connection between us to grow and plus it will make a bigger impact on whatever they are doing.

  12. Annanesya James says:

    I don’t have very much knowledge about the relationship between MUW and MSMS, however I imagine it was two siblings. MSMS being the younger sibling asking for favors, and MUW being the older sibling and, by some unseen force, complying to MSMS wishes. I see the relationship between the two schools this way because I fail to see how MSMS benefits MUW. However, now that I am forcing myself to think about it, MSMS has ways that could possible benefit MUW. For example, some students may enjoy the familiarity of the campus and might not want to leave upon graduation. The tours given of MSMS may introduce an older, possibly equally as intelligent, sibling to MUW. Overall, the attention MSMS gets also points fingers to MUW. MUW already does so much for MSMS, I find it hard to imagine more that the college could do for us besides improving their food. However, I feel MSMS could give MUW more props or more thanks when saying anything about itself. Maybe sending information about MUW to students that failed to make into into MSMS or who were once interested.

  13. Jacob Neal says:

    I believe that the relationship between MUW and MSMS is like that of a child and father. In which that from MUW came MSMS. It is growing gaining great minds and aspirating creators of the future like it “parent” does, while still being something different. I would like to see more connections between the groups in the future, perhaps through tutoring or other forms of teaching. In the end, the students of MSMS are still learning and MUW still has a lot to teach us. Not just about academics but also about life. They have been in our shoes, they had prepared their college applications, they had started living on their own themselves. Maybe not only could we learn so much from them, they could even learn a little from us.

  14. Helen Peng says:

    Presently, MSMS is reliant on MUW in many ways. We share their campus, cafeteria, library, office buildings etc. This relationship, however, is a one-sided one. While MUW provides many resources for MSMS as an institution for higher learning, MSMS is largely isolated from MUW. While this may be beneficial as we are only high school students, I still believe that many of MUW’s resources could be more easily accessible to MSMS students. As an MSMS student, I feel that MUW provides many educational resources and opportunities that may not be easily accessible to me. I see this primary through seminars, workshops, classes, or lectures offered at MUW. It certainly cannot be denied that MSMS offers a wide range of classes, but even then MUW offers a wider range. As a student who is not sure what major or field she wants study in the future, learning opportunities at MUW would not only be invigorating but may also provide a sense of inspiration for MSMS students- particularly in fields outside the basics of stem. Right now, I am one of the few MSMS student enrolled in a MUW course, Figure Drawing I. While this was a step outside of my comfort zone, despite my passion for art, not only have a learned fundamentals of gesture, shape, and structure, but I also have gained a taste of what real university classes would be like in a field that sparked my attention. By no means am saying that the MUW should be completely open to MSMS student exploring subject to their liking. Instead, subjects offered by MUW should be more easily accessible to motivated student seeking to learn more about subjects that may not be offered here. MSMS is an opportunity for excellence, and the resources provided by MUW should aid this cause.

  15. Loveish Sarolia says:

    The departure of President Borsig will be an event that will be remembered by faculty and students alike. The Mississippi University for Women has provided MSMS students with opportunities that make the caliber of our education phenomenal. I believe that MSMS benefits the MUW by just being itself. The more MSMS gets nationally recognized, the more the MUW gets recognized by parents and students from across the country. As people google MSMS, they will realize it is situated on the campus of the MUW. Although I feel MSMS reaps more benefits from MUW than vice versa, I believe that the recognition MSMS provides to the state and more directly the W will bring students seeking a higher education to Mississippi and eventually to the MUW.

  16. Alex Jones says:

    I believe that I can offer a solution that can satisfy both criteria while also being profitable. I think that both schools can pair up and begin selling more generalized merchandise on campus so students of the w and msms dont have to leave campus as often if they need supplies such as milk or bargain soda. In this regard, the benefactors of the store ( the w and msms) can both split the profit of the store and also give a much needed ease of access to students and teachers alike.

  17. Erin Owens says:

    I agree that some of the best things you can do to help both MUW and MSMS students would be better cafeteria food and fixing the potholes. I really appreciate MUW letting MSMS use the library and Stark too of my favorite places on campus. I also know that MUW has a good nursing program and maybe in the future they could offer some sort of class or program for MSMS kids looking to go into Medicine or at least let them sit in.

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