Templeton oversees a department that offers 13 intercollegiate sports and has a $23.2 million budget.

MSU president Charles Lee, in his second year of the job, has recommended Templeton's contract be extended through 2008. Typically, board approval of personnel recommendations is a formality.

"I can say concern about Mississippi State's athletic department in my seven years here is steadily growing," said Klumb, who began his one-year term as board president this month. "Last month, we had the three Mississippi State alums on the board desiring Larry Templeton be removed. When you have that sort of negative feeling developed over a 12-year period, what's that telling you?"

Klumb and Ross had been joined in their opposition by Carl Nicholson of Hattiesburg, whose term expired last month. Four new members joined the board this month.

It takes a majority vote by the 12-member board to approve or reject personnel recommendations.

Of the current board, only Klumb and Ross have spoken out against Templeton, said board member Amy Whitten of Oxford.

Klumb and Ross specifically cite MSU's ongoing NCAA infractions case (the school's second in eight years) and questioning whether enough is being done to broaden the school's athletic fund-raising base.

Lee and Templeton would not comment.

Gary Blair of Brookhaven, president of the Mississippi State University Alumni Association, said he supports extending Templeton's contract.

"My sense is that there is a vocal minority that is against Larry, but that the majority (of MSU alumni) have no problem with Larry," Blair said. "I know there are some people out there, who, for whatever reason, have more of a personality conflict (with Templeton) than anything. I think some of that minority is somewhat jealous Larry doesn't consult with them.

"As far as job performance and what's he done since he's been at Mississippi State, Larry's record is really good," Blair said.

Under Templeton, MSU's athletic department has finished in the black for 17 straight years. The school has made $50 million in facility improvements since 1988. A $5.5 million upgrade of the Shira Fieldhouse is scheduled to begin by year's end. The men's basketball program won the SEC championship last season, while the school attracted national attention last December with the hiring of Sylvester Croom, the first African-American head football coach in SEC history.

While acknowledging there have been accomplishments during Templeton's tenure, Ross said he frequently hears from Templeton's critics. Their biggest complaint? Templeton is only concerned with satisfying the athletic department's biggest financial contributors.

"I hear it regularly," Ross said. "In order not to be beholden to any single group, you obviously have to expand the base (of contributors). I've been fairly vocal about it since I've been on the board. But I don't think it's a concern shared by the (MSU) administration, now or before."

Hal Parker of Bolton is president of the Bulldog Club, the largest fund-raising group for MSU athletics with about 7,000 members. The Bulldog Club contributed about $8 million last year, Parker said.

Parker is familiar with opposition to Templeton, although, like Blair, he believes it's far from the majority of fans Ross suggests.

"I feel the majority of the Bulldog Club is very supportive of the job Larry has done," Parker said. "It would be hard for me to put a number on it, but the number of people who've said something to me — and I hope people would speak out — is very, very small."

Like Parker, Blair suggests the College Board should leave personnel matters to the school presidents.

Whitten sounded a similar message.

"It would take a lot for me to vote against a president's recommendation," Whitten said. "At this point, I don't have any particular information that's going to cause me to vote against this. I'm open to discussion. Anytime two members are that concerned about something, I want to know what it is and why. I can remember some times when we had some questions, but in the four years I've been on the board I can't remember when we went against a personnel recommendation."

Klumb knows some will say that he and Ross are trying to micromanage the athletic department. Klumb cites a recent case at the University of Colorado, where the school's board of regents stepped in to investigate allegations of rape involving football players and recruits.

"The issue is what kind of control do we have," Klumb said. "Do we step in when we smell the smoke or do we wait until the house is burning down. To me, it's better to err on the side of caution. I've had people tell me I'm 100 percent wrong on this issue and people tell me I'm 100 percent right on this issue. My response is that I'm a third-generation graduate of the university. I'm here to try to improve it for all of us."