By William H. Kelly III
(JACKSON, Miss.) – Jackson State University (JSU) is continuing to enhance campus safety with major advancements to its Energy Management Plan (EMP) and Campus Safety Project (CSP). Both are designed to modernize facilities, conserve energy and, most importantly, enhance safety for students, faculty, staff and visitors across campus.
“Campus safety and a welcoming environment for learning are top priorities,” said Jackson State University President Denise Jones Gregory. “These upgrades protect our community while supporting sustainable practices. Improved lighting and technology give students and employees confidence to move about campus any time of day, and that is invaluable.”
Students who travel to classes and campus events in the evening have already noticed the difference.
“I have noticed the brighter lighting inside of places like the College of Liberal Arts classrooms, and I personally like it because it’s not dim,’ said Miyalexis Douglas, a senior psychology scholar. “Lighting can make you feel a certain way and change your mood. When it’s dark or dim, you feel more unsafe than you would when it’s brighter and you feel safer and seen. So, between lighting and cameras, it’s important because we have so many events and people on campus and the cameras can pick it up if something were to happen on campus.”
From community service to volunteering on campus, Kelvin Graves, a freshman political science student, says that the campus is “well lit” and should continue being a priority for campus safety.
“Everywhere I navigate on campus is pretty well lit, and I’ve never had to use a personal flashlight because somewhere was too dark,” said Graves, who is a member of JSU’s Men of Excellence and the 1400 Mass Gospel Choir. “Lighting is very important, especially at night, and should be one of the main concerns and priorities when it comes to campus safety.”
Led by the Division of Campus Operations, the project aligns the efforts of several campus partners to create an equitable and easy-to-navigate university environment by way of six major components consisting of: emergency towers, outdoor lighting, cameras, access control (locks), safety equipment, and campus enclosures.
“Enhancing campus safety is at the core of this initiative. Our goal is to create a well-lit environment where the campus feels as vibrant and visible at night as it does during the day,” said Director of Campus Planning and Strategic Initiatives Ayanna Evans. “By implementing modern LED lighting solutions, we are ensuring consistent, energy-efficient illumination that meets current industry standards while improving visibility, comfort, and overall security across campus.”
Specific areas of lighting upgrades:
- Student Center Theatre
- College of Business Lecture Room 134
- College of Science, Engineering and Technology Auditorium (Room 100)
- College of Liberal Arts Lecture Room 266
- New Extended I.T. Office Suite at One University Place
- Jacob L. Reddix exterior building fixture
- Alexander Residence Hall exterior building fixture
- Campbell North and South exterior building fixture
- Transitional Hall exterior building fixture
- FCM/Transportation exterior building fixture
- Heritage Dining Hall exterior building fixture
Other upgrades to common student spaces include:
- Pergola and walkway near Alexander Residence Hall and the Student Center
- Rear side of McAllister-Whiteside Residence Hall and front of Transitional Residence Hall
- Walkway in between the Jacob L. Reddix Building and Campbell College North and South Residence Hall
- Prentiss Street and areas surrounding the Rose E. McCoy Auditorium and Lynch Street roundabout and more.
Since 2024, these areas have received replacements to internal or external lighting fixtures and a transition from metal halide lighting to LED lighting for greater illumination and long-term sustainability to improve visibility for pedestrians.
Each component of the CSP seeks to enhance and promote accessibility, accountability, mitigation, safety, and security for the campus community, with students at the core of the project.
Facilities and Construction Management Project Manager Kevin Johnson notes that common challenges impacting campus facility performance range from severe weather events to aging electrical infrastructure, making modern upgrades essential to reliability and safety. This is where the updated fixtures, controls and installments of new technology become a game changer.
“With many of our building lighting systems, we’re transitioning from traditional timers to photocell technology,” Johnson said. “This means that in the event of a power outage, systems automatically reset and respond to natural light conditions, activating seamlessly from dusk to dawn without manual intervention. These upgrades are designed to enhance safety and convenience for our entire campus community, especially our students, faculty and staff.”
In addition to lighting, the CSP has accelerated replacement and activation of emergency towers and expanded camera coverage. JSU now has 31 emergency towers across campus equipped with visual and audio systems that connect directly to the Department of Public Safety. This gives campus law enforcement the ability to capture incidents. Since the 2021–2022 academic year, the percentage of online blue light cameras has risen from 33% to 77%, enhancing response capability and evidence collection when needed.
The EMP (2020–2025) continues to drive conservation and operational efficiency across the university. Initiatives include improved HVAC scheduling tied to building occupancy, centralized monitoring to analyze and benchmark energy use, and planned reductions in campus‑wide energy consumption. The program’s objective is to lower energy use by 30% while maintaining a safe, productive learning environment.
Campus partners include Auxiliary Enterprises, Facilities and Construction Management, Information Technology, Public Safety, Housing & Residence Life, the Accessible Education and Resource Center, and more.
This is the first of a series of releases following the enhancements and progress to campus facilities, grounds, and more made by the Division of Campus Operations via its Energy Management Plan and Campus Safety Project.
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Media Contact: William H. Kelly III, william.h.kelly@jsums.edu