4/18/2025 - Jackson, Miss.

Leadership of the Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning changed at the board’s monthly meeting on April 17, 2025, as the gavel was passed from outgoing president Bruce Martin to incoming president Gee Ogletree. The term for a board president is one year.

“The opportunity to serve as president of this board has been a highlight of my tenure as a trustee,” Martin said. “This is a challenging time in higher education, in Mississippi and across the country, and I am proud of the work this board has done in the past year.”

Ogletree praised Martin for his leadership and acknowledged the work that lies ahead.

“Bruce Martin has been a strong presence on this board, and I am glad he will remain with us and continue in his work as a trustee,” said Ogletree. “Our call to support the work of Mississippi’s public universities is more important than ever right now.”

Martin is an insurance executive in Meridian. He was appointed in 2018 by Governor Phil Bryant to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District. His term will officially end in May 2027.

Ogletree, an attorney in Ridgeland, was also appointed by Bryant in 2018 to represent the First (Central) Supreme Court District. His term will also expire in May 2027.

Ogletree will chair his first meeting as president of the board on May 15, 2025.

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The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.

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