Dr. George M. Harmon, the longest serving president in the history of Millsaps College, has announced his plan to retire from the position, effective June 30, 2000.

“President Harmon’s departure comes at a time in the life of the College when a leadership transition can occur in a seamless manner,” says Board Chairman E. B. “Bud” Robinson. “Following nearly 22 years of superb service to Millsaps, the College is in a very strong position to continue its upward ascent.”

Under the guidance of President Harmon, Millsaps has seen tremendous growth that has catapulted it into the top half of all national liberal arts colleges.

Taking the reins of Millsaps in 1978, Dr. Harmon inherited an operating budget of $4.8 million that had shown 14 successive operating deficits, an endowment of $5 million, a faculty of less than 60, and a student body of only 900 students. Two years into his presidency, the budget was balanced and has remained so, while growing to more than $32 million. The endowment has now swelled to greater than $90 million after investments of $50 million in the physical plant and the provision of $17 million for construction of the Campus Life Complex. Millsaps has 91 full-time faculty members with 98% of those in tenure-track positions holding the terminal degree in their field. Through steadily improving student quality as well as greater geographic, ethnic, and cultural diversity, enrollment now stands at just under 1,400 students.

In 1988, Millsaps obtained the first Phi Beta Kappa chapter in Mississippi. Under Dr. Harmon’s leadership, The Else School of Management was created in 1979. Millsaps is one of only four colleges in the United States to have a chapter of Phi Beta Kappa and an AACSB-accredited business school. The other three are Dartmouth, William and Mary, and Boston College.

During Dr. Harmon’s tenure, Millsaps has achieved many other educational milestones. In 1991 the Education Program was accredited by the National Council for the Accredi- tation of Teacher Education. This distinction, again, highly unusual for a school the size of Millsaps, continues a long tradition that Mill- saps holds in providing highly skilled teachers and educators.

In 1990 Millsaps initiated a complete redesign of its Core Curriculum. Required of all students and built around the belief that the information revolution will foster and accelerate globalization and rapid change, the Millsaps Core focuses on seven key liberal arts abilities essential for success: critical reasoning, communication skills, quantitative thinking, historical consciousness, value and decision-making, global and multicultural awareness, and aesthetic judgement.

Upon retirement as President on June 30, 2000, Dr. Harmon will assume the position of President Emeritus and Senior Counsel for Special Projects and will be available to the new President to assist with fundraising and donor cultivation. Academic Search Consulta- tion Service of Washington, D.C. has been retained by the Board of Trustees to assist in the presidential search.

Millsaps Magazine  |  Millsaps | Last Edited August 12, 1999