Morris H. Stocks announces he will return to faculty of the Patterson School of Accountancy. Photo by Kevin Bain/Ole Miss Communications
OXFORD, Miss. — The University of Mississippi announced today that its provost and executive vice chancellor, Morris H. Stocks, will return to the faculty of the Patterson School of Accountancy after serving in high-level administrative roles for over 14 years. For the past nine years as provost, interim chancellor and executive vice chancellor, Stocks has provided vision and leadership related to many academic honors and advancements at the university. His move to the faculty takes effect Jan. 1, 2017.
“I consider it a high privilege and a great honor to have served the University of Mississippi as provost for the last nine years,” Stocks said. “The university has changed tremendously during that time and is poised for new academic directions and challenges. I am confident about the future of the university and look forward to joining my colleagues in the Patterson School of Accountancy as a faculty member.”
“Dr. Stocks has served the University of Mississippi exceptionally well for almost a quarter of a century, and in the last nine years he has played a pivotal role in our dramatic gains in important metrics such as enrollment and retention rate,” Chancellor Jeffrey S. Vitter said. “I am personally grateful to Morris for his friendship, guidance and institutional knowledge during my transition to Ole Miss. I believe that we are all ultimately remembered for what we leave behind. Morris’ administrative legacy is substantial, and the fruits of his work will be visible across our campus and state for years to come.”
Noel Wilkin, currently senior associate provost, will serve as interim provost and executive vice chancellor pending a national search for a permanent replacement.
“I am very grateful to Dr. Stocks for his leadership and for serving as both a mentor and friend to me over these past years,” Wilkin said. “It is my goal to continue the commitment to excellence and access that he started as we build on this solid foundation of accomplishment. I am happy to know that he will stay in the Ole Miss family as a professor.”
Under Stocks’ leadership as the university’s chief academic officer, overall student enrollment has grown by over 40 percent and minority student enrollment has grown by over 60 percent. Student success measures have also improved with freshman retention and six-year graduation rates each increasing by roughly 7 percent.
As Stocks noted, “I am thankful that the university has maintained its commitment to access and excellence, and that we have measurable outcomes that demonstrate our commitment.”
In addition to his many accomplishments as a higher education administrator, Stocks is — first and foremost — a highly talented teacher, having won the coveted Elsie M. Hood Outstanding Teacher Award in 1998 as a member of the faculty of the Patterson School of Accountancy.
“While we respect and reluctantly accept Dr. Stocks’ decision to leave his administrative role, we are thrilled that he will reassume a faculty position and continue to influence the lives of our students,” Vitter said.
Before assuming the provost responsibilities, Stocks served the university as senior vice chancellor for planning and operations and as dean of the Patterson School of Accountancy. Under his leadership as dean, the Patterson School was ranked for the first time in its history as one of the top 25 accounting programs in the country, a status it has retained ever since. Before his service as dean, Stocks was associate provost for three years, with responsibilities for the academic budget and undergraduate curriculum.
Stocks’ accomplishments include a number of actions to advance diversity and inclusion on the UM campus.
“Dr. Stocks has long been a strong and consistent force in the development and implementation of measures such as the UM Creed and the 2014 action plan for diversity,” said Donald Cole, assistant provost and assistant to the chancellor for multicultural affairs. “Morris is a trusted friend and seasoned administrator who realizes the importance of diversity in the pursuit of academic excellence, and I have leaned heavily upon his wisdom during my tenure here. His legacy of service forms a strong base for our continued focus on these important areas.”
A highly respected and beloved member of the UM faculty since 1991, Stocks’ colleagues note his change of roles with mixed feelings.
“I understand Dr. Stocks’ decision to return to the faculty after many years of hard work on the tough academic issues and challenges that face a university,” said Sue Keiser, chief of staff to the chancellor, “and I will miss our daily interactions — both as colleagues and as friends — which were always marked by kindness and warmth.”
Stocks received his undergraduate degree in accounting from Trevecca Nazarene University, his master’s degree from Middle Tennessee State University and his Ph.D. from the University of South Carolina. He is a certified public accountant in the state of Mississippi. He and his wife, Cindy, have four adult children.
Wilkin received both his bachelor’s degree in pharmacy and his Ph.D. degree at the University of Maryland and joined the UM pharmacy faculty in 1996. He has received a number of academic honors and was recognized as teacher of the year three times by the UM School of Pharmacy. Wilkin currently serves as senior associate provost, professor of pharmacy and research professor in the Research Institute of Pharmaceutical Sciences.