The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning has named a new president at the Mississippi University for Women.
The IHL board named Nora Miller, an alum of the W, as the 15th President of the university. Miller has been serving as Acting President since March. A member of the Long Blue Line, Miller served as Senior Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer at the university and before being named Acting President.
Trustee Shane Hooper, President of the Board of Trustees, said that Miller is the right choice to lead the W.
“Nora Miller understands The W, both from a student’s perspective and as a senior leader at the institution,” Hooper said. “She appreciates the institution’s rich history, unique mission, and the important role it plays in Mississippi’s public higher education system. She will be an excellent leader for the Mississippi University for Women’s next chapter.”
Miller holds a bachelor’s degree in business administration and a bachelor’s degree in accounting from Mississippi University for Women. She earned a Master of Business Administration from Mississippi State University in 1998 and is a Certified Public Accountant. She has served on The W staff since 2001.
As Acting President, Miller established three transition priorities, including listening, developing a shared sense of responsibility for financial sustainability, and identifying ways to strengthen recruitment, retention, and completion.
In support of these priorities, she held 11 listening sessions across campus, focused on directing resources to meet student and market demand, and supported the work of the Strategic Enrollment Planning Council while working with the Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs to identify academic priorities and potential areas of growth.
In her role as Senior Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer at the university, Miller was responsible for the financial and business management of the university, the operation of the physical plant and related support services and the development and implementation of the campus facilities master plan.
She participated in the formulation of policies, programs and budget development and interacted with students, faculty, staff, the Board of Trustees and agencies to the campus. In addition, she served as the legislative liaison for the campus, advocating for the university with state leaders and legislators.
Before being named Senior Vice President for Administration and Chief Financial Officer, Miller served as Vice President for Finance and Administration for the university for 11 years.
She has also served as Director of Budget and Financial Analysis and Director of Internal Audit for the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning; Director of Accounting for Central Alabama Community College; Senior Auditing Accountant for Potter, Bryant & Tate in Birmingham, Ala., and as Supervising Senior Auditing Accountant for the Colleges and Universities Division of the Mississippi State Auditor’s Office.
Miller serves as Chair of the University Press of Mississippi and has served on the Board of Directors of the Southern Association of College and University Business Officers (SACUBO).
A Leadership Mississippi graduate, Miller was named one of the Top 50 Businesswomen of the Year by the Mississippi Business Journal. A member of the Mississippi University for Women Alumni Association, she has served as treasurer for the MUW Alumnae Association and the MUW Ecumenical Council.
