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Some board members said they thought it was against the law for schools to offer such courses in Mississippi, which legalized casino gambling a decade ago. But board member Ricki Garrett of Clinton said she thinks the board can do so without legislative approval. New Orleans-based Tulane University announced earlier this week it will be offering a casino resort management program at its Edgewater Mall campus is Biloxi. Deputy Attorney General Mike Lanford said his office is studying the issue.

Under a Mississippi Gaming Commission statute, gaming schools cannot be located on public property and no public school can teach or train people to become gaming employees. Universities can offer hospitality management and other classes that help prepare students for some casino jobs, but the courses are not gaming specific.

Board member Amy Whitten, a lawyer, said the College Board has the constitutional authority to manage and control the universities, and that extends to the courses they offer. Whitten said universities should be training people for the best paying jobs in the gaming industry.

"But as it is now, we train people to run housekeeping and the casinos bring people in from out of state to run gaming because they can't educate them here," she said. "There's something wrong with that."

Andy Bourland, executive director of the Mississippi Gaming Association, said he hopes the College Board is successful. "This is something the industry has been supporting for many years, and I'm glad to see some serious movement to help us get this along," Bourland said.