He introduced a strategic plan named "Flagship Forward", with initiatives including a $1 billion building program, multidisciplinary research networks of faculty called Flagship Constellations, annual Technology Summits, major community partnerships through the M Partner program, and extended capacity and reach of the University of Mississippi Medical Center. The university began to look at Confederate symbols on campus and established an Office of Diversity and Community Engagement. He unified fundraising across the campuses and led the university to its strongest three-year period of fundraising. In December 2018, the university's status as a Carnegie R1 research university, initially attained in January 2016, was reaffirmed.