Mississippi funds public universities, faculty raises, and campus repairs

The law provides state and other funds to the Board of Trustees for university support and operations. The funds support Alcorn State, Delta State, Jackson State, Mississippi State, Mississippi University for Women, Mississippi Valley State, the University of Mississippi, and the University of Southern Mississippi. The state general fund amount is $379,154,701; the amount from federal, student fee, and other special funds is $1,310,271,056. The funding covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.

The law sets aside money for the equivalent of a $2,000 salary increase for professors and adjunct professors. The provision covers professors and adjunct professors at all eight universities. The $12,013,848 comes from the Education Enhancement Fund. Each institution’s executive officer decides whether to provide the increase. The appropriation is for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2026, and ending June 30, 2027.

The law provides $40 million for construction, repairs, and renovations at the universities and the Board of Trustees’ executive office. The funds are for the Institutions of Higher Learning and the Board of Trustees’ executive office. The board may use up to $6.5 million for roads, parking lots, drainage, and structural repairs at the IHL Education and Research Center in Jackson. The remaining funds are allocated among universities, half by building space and half by in-person enrollment in fall 2025 and spring 2026. The appropriation covers July 1, 2026, through June 30, 2027.