Former U.S. Secretary of Education Dr. Rod Paige was named interim president of Jackson State University on Tuesday, Nov. 1, according to the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning. He will step into the role on Nov. 7.
Dr. Glenn Boyce, IHL commissioner, said, “Jackson State University is a tremendous university. We are in a time of transition. … Dr. Paige has been an educator for life. As a man of stature, this speaks volumes about his love and passion for this university. I’m appreciative that Dr. Paige would come forward to serve.”
Boyce said as part of the change the first priority would be to address financial matters, an issue that Paige, who’s coming out of retirement, said he would get a better understanding of after his arrival from Houston, where he currently resides.
Of his selection, Paige said, “I’m a Jacksonian. I’m interested in Jackson State being the greatest institution it can be. … I’m sure it’s going to happen.”
IHL has named Dr. Evelyn J. Leggette, provost and senior vice president of Academic and Student Affairs at JSU, as acting president until Paige arrives.
She said, “On behalf of the senior leadership, alumni, faculty, staff and students we welcome our outstanding alumnus Rod Paige back to his ‘dear old college home,’ and we look forward to working with him in his role as interim president of Jackson State University.”
Paige, who earned a bachelor’s degree from JSU, succeeds Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers, who resigned last week. In 2001, he became the nation’s seventh top U.S. education official and first African-American in the role after being nominated by President George W. Bush. He oversaw and helped implement the administration’s No Child Left Behind Act.
Now, Paige becomes only the fourth interim president in the history of JSU, which was founded in 1877. The Monticello, Miss., native and Navy veteran had formerly served as head football coach at JSU from 1964-1968 and was inducted into the JSU Sports Hall of Fame in 1988. Paige, along with wife Stephanie Nellons-Paige, recently served as honorary chairs of the Jackson State University National Alumni Association’s (JSUNAA) Black Tie Scholarship and Recognition Gala.
A son of educators, he has worked in numerous administrative roles, including in Mississippi and Texas, where he was superintendent of the Houston Independent School District in 1994.
Boyce said IHL would begin the search process for a permanent president at its November board meeting, which could take five to seven months. “We will do this with expediency but not so fast that we will not get great candidates,” he said.
Furthermore, he said a thorough search would include input from the JSU community as to what it would like to see in a president and examine the vision for JSU. Boyce, who said Paige would not be limited in his authority, emphasized IHL’s intent to push for dialogue with faculty and administrators, too, about prospective candidates. Boyce said there would be “listening sessions” along with full-time online comment available.
After his arrival on campus, Paige said he would work to galvanize the community around JSU.
For more information, Click on IHL Press Release.