Leaders of Mississippi’s three prominent public universities have secured new contracts. The state College Board approved four-year agreements for Mississippi State University (MSU) President Mark Keenum, University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) President Glenn Boyce, and Mississippi University for Women (MUW) President Nora Miller.

Mark Keenum, the longest-serving public university president in Mississippi, will receive a total annual compensation of $950,000. This includes a $500,000 state salary and a $450,000 supplement from the MSU foundation. Additionally, Keenum is eligible for significant retention bonuses: up to $800,000 if he remains for the first year and up to $600,000 for the full four-year term.

Glenn Boyce, president of the state’s largest university, will receive the same annual package as Keenum, with a $500,000 state salary and a $450,000 foundation supplement. His retention bonuses are structured differently, offering up to $400,000 at the end of both his second and fourth years. The Ole Miss foundation will cover these supplements and bonuses.

Nora Miller, leading the state’s second smallest public university, will earn an annual state salary of $300,000, complemented by a $5,000 supplement from the MUW foundation. Unlike her counterparts, Miller’s contract does not include retention bonuses.

These new contracts, which were unanimously approved last month by the state College Board, will commence on July 1 and conclude on June 30, 2028.