OCEAN SPRINGS - Mississippi State University President Mark Keenum says while he supports removing the Confederate battle emblem from the state flag, it will continue to fly on the Starkville campus.

The Mississippi Press reports Keenum says the state flag is just that - the state's flag. He says when he arrived at MSU in 2009, there were several state flags flying on campus that are still there today.

The presidents at the University of Mississippi and the University of Southern Mississippi have ordered the state flag be removed from their campuses. Keenum said Monday he has no plans to issue a similar order.

Keenum's comments came after he met with about 40 Ocean Springs High School students, inviting them to tour MSU's campus.