Phase IV: Southern Miss Cross Creek Campus
The opportunity to open a new University of Southern Mississippi campus on the Gulf Coast has inspired the Southern Miss faculty, staff and administrators to review current offerings and develop proposals for expanded or new programming at the Cross Creek campus.
The Cross Creek Report to the IHL Building Committee
November 2007
This report was prepared for planning purposes to assist in the development of a master plan for the new campus. Programmatic suggestions are substantial, but hardly exhaustive. We believe there is potential for additional offerings.
Also, this is a “best guess” document to summarize our plans given the current data and projections for future growth on the Gulf Coast. As the University refines its strategic plans for the next decade, this plan will be revisited methodically on an annual basis to prioritize the steps of our expansion.
The Chronology of Southern Miss Gulf Coast
| 1947 | Mississippi Southern College offers classes in Biloxi | |
| 1964 | Southern Miss relocates to Keesler Air Force Base | |
| 1965 | Classroom facilities are obtained from Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College (MGCCC)-Jefferson Davis resulting in the creation of The University of Southern Mississippi Harrison County Resident Center | |
| 1972 | IHL establishes the Gulf Park College donation as an upper-level degree completion regional campus of The University of Southern Mississippi and the operation moves from MGCCC to the campus in Long Beach - night classes only are offered | |
| 1976 | Two-Plus-Two agreement with Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College is established | |
| 1982-83 | The Jackson County Board of Supervisors construct and equip a building on the MGCCC-Jackson County campus for use by Southern Miss |
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| Fall 1987 | Day classes are approved and begin | |
| March - Sept. 1988 | Southern Miss contracts with MGT of America to conduct an educational needs assessment for the Coast operation identifying the higher education needs of the Mississippi Gulf Coast | |
| May 1992 | Dr. Joe Holloway, the first Dean of Southern Miss Gulf Park, dies | |
| 1992-93 | Southern Miss Gulf Coast moves from the quarter to the semester calendar | |
| 1993 | Dr. James Williams hired as dean. Job title changes to Vice President | |
| May 1996 | May Commencement ceremony held on Southern Miss Gulf Park campus | |
| July - December 1997 | The College Board of New York commissioned toconduct a study on higher education needs on the MS Gulf Coast | |
| June 26, 1998 | Written request from President Horace Fleming and Vice President James Williams to MGCCC President Barry Mellinger requesting that Southern Miss Gulf Coast teach 23 lower division courses | |
| August 26, 1998 | Meeting in Jackson of IHL, State Community and Junior College Board, Southern Miss, MGCCC and other state university officials to discuss a university center concept | |
| September 14, 1998 | Response from MGCCC President Willis Lott to President Horace Fleming agreeing that Southern Miss to teach 2 of the 23 courses requested | |
| November 12, 1998 | Attorney General Mike Moore renders an opinion saying that state law did not define the location of Southern Miss and consequently, if the IHL Board declared Gulf Park to be a nonresidential campus of The University of Southern Mississippi making Southern Miss a dual campus system, the law restricting Gulf Park from teaching lower division courses would not apply | |
| January 21, 1999 | IHL approves The University of Southern Mississippi as a dual campus and allows for the admission of freshmen students | |
| March 24, 1999 | Judge Neal Biggers enjoins Southern Miss Gulf Coast from admitting freshmen on the grounds that admission policies are potentially discriminating | |
| May 20, 1999 | IHL approves a revised plan for admission of freshmen at Southern Miss Gulf Coast | |
| November 29, 1999 | Judge Neal Biggers lifts his injunction against admitting freshmen at Southern Miss Gulf Coast ruling that admission standards for freshmen were acceptable and that the impact of funding the coast expansion should not significantly affect the 1995 Ayers case funding | |
| December 22, 1999 | State Community and Junior College Board files, in Hinds County Chancery Court, for a restraining order to block Southern Miss Gulf Coast expansion. Expansion plans continue | |
| May 1, 2000 | Due to lack of additional state funds from the 2000 legislature, Southern Miss Gulf Coast makes the decision to admit 50 freshmen students as opposed to the projected 150 | |
| May 2000 | Southern Miss Gulf Coast admits 54 freshmen students for summer 2000 | |
| May 10, 2000 | Hinds County Chancery Judge issued a preliminary injunction enjoining IHL from offering courses at the lower undergraduate level for college credit at The University of Southern Mississippi Gulf Park until such time as a trial on the merits is held | |
| May 30, 2000 | Hinds County Judge ruled that IHL can seek an expedited ruling from the State Supreme Court that would allow Southern Miss Gulf Coast to enroll freshmen | |
| August 2000 | The Supreme Court of Mississippi issued an order in which the petition for Interlocutory Appeal by IHL was granted. This order stopped any further court proceedings until the Mississippi Supreme Court rules on the case | |
| February 2002 | Supreme Court of Mississippi rules in favor of The University of Southern Mississippi. Freshmen students are admitted for summer 2002 | |
| Summer 2002 | The Advanced Education Center and the new Library are completed – this was the first building project on the Gulf Park campus with state-appropriated funds | |
| May 2003 | Southern Miss Gulf Coast graduates first doctoral students | |
| August 2004 | Dr. Grimes becomes Provost for both campuses and is based in Hattiesburg | |
| Spring 2005 | Gulf Coast Research Laboratory merges with Southern Miss Gulf Coast. All courses, students, etc. become a part of the Gulf Coast operation | |
| August 2005 | Dr. Pat Joachim named Associate Provost for Coast operations | |
| August 29, 2005 | Hurricane Katrina strikes the Mississippi Gulf Coast | |
| September 2005 | Gulf Park campus moves to the former Garden Park Hospital, previously gifted to The University of Southern Mississippi Research Foundation. Southern Miss opens the Gulf Coast Student Services Center in Gulfport at the site | |
| October 10, 2005 | The fall 2005 semester resumes six-weeks after the Katrina devastation. A revised 10 week schedule begins. 1,677 students re-enroll | |
| August 2006 | Gulf Coast Culinary Arts program suspended | |
| Spring 2007 | Limited night classes are offered on a re-built Gulf Park campus. The three historic buildings at the front of campus are still in disrepair and unusable. Their historic status and future are undetermined | |
| Fall 2007 | Advanced Education Center and Library reopen on the Gulf Park campus |
More Southern Miss Gulf Coast background information.