Jackson State temporary president pledges integrity in role
JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — The temporary acting president of Jackson State University said Monday that she intends to focus on student success, academic excellence and research at Mississippi’s largest historically Black university.
Elayne Hayes-Anthony was named to the leadership role Thursday after the governing board for Mississippi’s eight public universities voted to put Thomas K. Hudson on paid administrative leave as JSU president.
Trustees for the state Institutions of Higher Learning have not disclosed why they moved Hudson aside from the job he has held since November 2020. They will discuss JSU’s future leadership during their meeting March 23.
“The goal of my administration is to move the university forward with integrity; also, transparency and accountability,” Hayes-Anthony said during a news conference Monday, according to WAPT-TV. “We recognize that trust is earned, and I intend to earn your trust.”
Hayes-Anthony has been has been chairwoman and professor in JSU’s Department of Journalism and Media Studies since 2015. She said she will lead the university as long as she’s needed.
JSU’s enrollment for the fall semester was about 6,900, down from nearly 7,100 a year earlier. Enrollment at most of Mississippi’s public universities decreased from 2021 to 2022.
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Jackson State University’s football team is rebuilding after the departure of coach Deion Sanders. The Tigers are now under the leadership of head coach T.C. Taylor.
“Athletics will be huge in my administration,” Hayes-Anthony said. “I am a huge sports fan.”
From 1998 to 2015, Hayes-Anthony was professor of communications and chairwoman of the Department of Communications at Belhaven University. Earlier in her career, she worked at JSU for 10 years, first as director of graduate studies for the Department of Mass Communications and later as head of the department. She also was assistant superintendent of public information for Jackson Public Schools before working at Belhaven.