Released December 14, 2004

HATTIESBURG- The University of Southern Mississippi has named Joy C. Hamilton the new director of assessment.

Hamilton earned a master's degree in public health and a master's degree in business administration from Southern Miss and is skilled in survey research, program evaluation, project management, and client relations. She also has experience managing the Southern Miss Center for Applied Research and Evaluation and with a global consulting firm and Hattiesburg Clinic.

"We posted the position and interviewed several candidates in November," said Dr. Joan Exline, assistant to the president for accreditation, articulation and planning. "I was looking for someone with experience in program evaluation and survey research who also had superb organization skills and could hit the ground running at Southern Miss. I have worked with Ms. Hamilton before and am delighted that she has accepted the position and will begin working with me after the holidays."

Hamilton will work with Exline, faculty, staff, students and community members in addressing areas of concern brought about by the Dec. 8 probation handed down by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). The one-year probation stemmed from a study ongoing since 1995. SACS challenged Southern Miss to improve in the specific areas of assessment of institutional effectiveness and continuing education effectiveness. SACS has not expressed concerns of any kind about academic quality or institutional integrity. Southern Miss plans to work toward removing its probationary status by December 2005.

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