OPINION: What we know about the college board presidential search; what we need to know.

On Thursday, Dec. 18, 2025, the Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (“College Board”) held another in its series of meetings to eventually appoint a permanent president for Jackson State University. Most of the first 45 minutes were spent in executive session, wherein the 12 members considered two items. 

The meeting then opened to the public, access to which was available only electronically. The College Board then voted unanimously to approve a presidential profile statement to be used in searching for and selecting a permanent JSU president. This was followed by a unanimous vote to waive the stipulation that an interim president could not be considered for the permanent position. This enables Dr. Denise Jones Gregory, the current JSU interim president, to apply for the presidency if she desires. 

After those votes, the College Board retreated into another executive session to deal with a health-related matter involving the University of Mississippi Medical Center. Meanwhile, the College Board’s communications director, John Sewell, prepared for and later held a press briefing on the JSU presidential search process.

As a result of Sewell’s briefing, we now know the JSU presidential profile, identifying the kind of individual sought for the permanent JSU president, will be distributed as advertisements beginning January 6th, that applications will be accepted until March 3rd, and that a permanent JSU president will be named Spring 2026. That, along with the name of the search firm (ABG Search), the names of the advisory committee members (Business School Dean Nicholas Hill, Faculty Secretary Candice Jackson, Associate Education School Dean Deidre Wheaton, Retired Brig. General Robert Crear, and National Alumni President Patrease Edwards), and the search committee chairman (Board Vice President Steven Cunningham) is what we know about the search, at this point.

 First, we need to know the critical criteria that will be used to make the final presidential selection. As other such profiles have usually been general and generic, as if one president fits all, this follows that pattern. What we need to see are criteria addressing candidates’ experience in, understanding of, and commitment to the Black experience in education. With that as criteria, there is a much greater likelihood of the individual selected leading the university to reach higher heights. Such criteria need to be present and weighed most heavily in this presidential search.

Second, we need to know that the advisory committee members are accurately and vocally reflecting the bodies from which they have been drawn. This means they should not be muzzled, but interact with such constituents as the need arises.

Third, we need to know the College Board will be candid, open, and consistent in all of its deliberations and in the application of its rules and policies. For example, the College Board created a regulation preventing the consideration of interims at the time when it did not want to consider Dr. Bettye Ward Fletcher for permanent JSU president. It was subsequently used to eliminate several other excellent candidates whom the board did not favor politically. In order to get around the policy, Thomas Hudson was never given the title of interim JSU president. He went from acting to being appointed without a search.

Up to now, it was reasoned that many good candidates would not apply for the JSU position because they would feel the interim would have an unfair advantage based upon knowledge of the university’s operation. Now the reason for waiving the regulation is to promote “transparency.” Does this mean that the College Board was being secretive and duplicitous all of the other times? Why not just get rid of the policy. From our perspective, the policy has simply been used whenever it best suits the College Board’s political position at the time.

The bottom line is that we need to know that when it comes to presidential searches and selections, JSU will be treated fairly and above board. Being unfettered by unfair funding, program authorization, and presidential selection, JSU can soar to unimagined heights.