Executive Council met at 9 a.m. in 611 Allen Hall. Present were Dr. Donald Zacharias, presiding, Dr. Melvin Ray, Dr. Billy Ward, Dr. Rodney Foil, Ms. Leah Norman, Mike Richardson, Dr. Leslie Bauman, Ms. Patsy Douglas, Dr. Derek Hodgson, Larry Templeton, Dr. R. D. Ikenberry, Joe Farris, Charles Guest, John Tomlinson, Dr. Gene Tice, Rex Buffington and Dr. Mike Walters.

Mr. Buffington and Dr. Walters, representing the Oktibbeha County Education Task Force, discussed an effort to evaluate and recommend improvements in public K-12 education in Starkville and Oktibbeha County. The task force has contracted with PREPS, Inc., directed by Dr. Walters, to conduct a study. Members of the Executive Council were invited to forward comments and suggestions to the task force.

Dr. Hodgson presented for concept approval a proposal to modify space in Magruder Hall to accommodate expansion into additional space by the psychology department. The council recommended that the proposal be approved and forwarded to the Campus Planning and Development Committee for review.

Dr. Hodgson provided background information on the Western Governors University and announced that Mississippi State will be the only Mississippi institution participating in the Southeastern Regional Electronic University.

Dr. Hodgson announced that Dean of Business and Industry Harvey Lewis will retire on Dec. 31 to work in private business. The search process to select a new dean will begin this week.

Dr. Hodgson noted that about 1,200 students are candidates for degrees at fall commencement on Dec. 12. Dr. Zacharias will be the commencement speaker.

Dr. Ray reported that contracts and grants for October totaled $8.1 million, bringing the total for 1997-98 to $27.4 million.

Dr. Ward presented the Mississippi State University Foundation annual report. A total of $27 million in actual receipts and $44 million in new gifts and pledges were received in 1996-97. Campaign pledges are being fulfilled at a rate exceeding 95 percent.

Dr. Ward presented the quarterly investment earnings report of the Mississippi State University Foundation. Total return on funds invested for the one-year period ending Sept. 30, 1997, was 25 percent. The valuation of investments is being converted from book value to market value, which will increase valuation of the endowment by about 15 percent.

The meeting adjourned at approximately 10:30 a.m.