The purpose of the Mississippi Association of Colleges and Universities is to promote goodwill among colleges and universities; to stimulate academic and professional cooperation among the membership; to consider common problems; to perform an accreditation function for higher education in the State of Mississippi; and to pursue those matters of common interest to the membership.

Membership is available to those colleges and universities accredited by the Mississippi Commission on College Accreditation (MCCA). Associate membership is available to those institutions enjoying provisional accreditation under that Commission and by invitation of the Association to institutions not accredited.