JACKSON, Miss. – Jacobs State University doesn’t exist but it has caused a furor at the Mississippi Capitol.
The fictional school is the brainchild of Jackson State University President Dr. Ronald Mason, who has come under fire after pitching his idea to legislators and alumni to “unify” JSU with the state’s other two historically Black universities.
Under his plan, the consolidated school would be renamed Jacobs State University, and its mascot would be the Phoenix.
Mason has received a sharp rebuke from Black lawmakers and supporters of historically Black colleges and universities over his slide presentation, “A Proposal to and for Black People of the State of Mississippi.” He’s also been labeled a traitor by some who said Mason initially rejected Gov. Haley Barbour’s proposal in November to merge Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University with JSU to reduce budget costs.
On Friday, Mason said he’s still against Barbour’s plan “to force” a merger. But, Mason said his unification idea should be discussed since Black schools usually have fewer resources than their predominantly White counterparts, and are struggling to survive in the tough economy.
“My students feel like I double-crossed them,” Mason told reporters Friday in his office during an interview broadcast live on JSU’s campus television station.
“People have accused me of having a back-door deal with the governor,” Mason said. “That is not true. The idea about Jacobs State is my idea alone.”
