Southern Miss President Rodney Bennett announces he will leave at end of contract in 2023

In an email sent to staff Friday afternoon, University of Southern Mississippi President Rodney Bennett announced he would step down as president when his contract expires in 2023.

“The time is coming for me to step aside for another individual to chart the path for the next chapter in our Southern Miss story,” he said in the email.

Although Bennett wasn’t officially Southern Miss' president until later in 2013, he hit the ground running in February that year, after an EF4 tornado caused significant damage to the Hattiesburg campus.

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Bennett, 55, arrived in Hattiesburg before the dust of the tornado had settled, rolling up his sleeves and leading the university's cleanup effort.

Bennett's dedication to the university stood out again in 2017, when Bennett turned down a $72,630 salary increase, instead donating the money to the USM Foundation to fund an endowed scholarship.

“I am sensitive this increase comes at a time when so many employees have not received pay increases, have had positions eliminated or have had positions in their units unfilled,” Bennett wrote in an email to the campus community after the announcement was made.

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Bennett's announcement comes more than a year before his contract expires.

"My intention is to begin exploring other professional opportunities later this spring, and I wanted to be transparent with each of you about my plans for the future," he said. "I will be working closely with the IHL system’s Commissioner of Higher Education to develop a strong transition plan, and I have no doubt the system leadership will identify a highly qualified, passionate, visionary leader to take the helm of our beloved University of Southern Mississippi."

Despite announcing his departure and plans to seek other opportunities, Bennett said he is committed to the university and higher education in Mississippi.

"Until my time here has come to a conclusion, we will continue our work at a high level to advance the university and to advance public higher education in Mississippi," he said. "We will remain committed to being good stewards of the resources that enable us to carry out this important work for our students, for our state and for generations of Golden Eagles yet to come."

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Bennett, the university's first Black president, led Southern Miss to new heights, including recording some of the university's highest freshmen enrollment figures and improved student retention.

The university's footprint in Mississippi has grown in recent years, with an economic impact of more than $663 million from 2017 to 2019, according to a report released by the university in October.

The study, conducted by the Trent Lott National Center for Excellence in Economic Development and Entrepreneurship, was independently verified by IMPLAN Inc.

It found that the university generated more than $34 million per year in tax revenue, and the overall output of student and employee spending added $565 million to Mississippi’s economy.

Bennett led the university through times of budget cuts, realignment of programs and other challenges that could have hindered students' education yet managed to maintain a high academic standard and quality of programming during his tenure.

"I have learned a great deal — I have grown a great deal — and I have worked with and mentored outstanding individuals, who I am confident will continue to have a positive impact on higher education," Bennett said. "The University of Southern Mississippi will always hold a special place in my heart, and I will always be excited to hear about the good things I know are still on the horizon for this institution."

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This article originally appeared on Hattiesburg American: Southern Miss President Rodney Bennett says he will step down in 2023