Mason has talked to lawmakers about creating one school out of three
A proposal to merge Mississippi's three historically black universities apparently has been getting a behind-the-scenes push from an unexpected proponent: Jackson State president Ronald Mason Jr.
Mason has been talking to state lawmakers about a proposal that would create one university out of Jackson State, Alcorn State and Mississippi Valley State.
Gov. Haley Barbour has recommended the schools merge to save the state money.
Mason, JSU president since Feb. 1, 2000, publicly spoke against the proposal. But his 34-page presentation obtained by The Clarion-Ledger suggests creating another university - dubbed Jacobs State University - is a better alternative than letting "financially weak ASU, MVSU, JSU become weaker" in the state's budget crisis.
The presentation notes historic inequities in the university system, calling the historically black schools the "poorest institutions of higher learning in the poorest state in America."
"HBCUs rescued many but were designed and historically underfunded as part of Mississippi's efforts to minimize the human potential of black people," the presentation states. "Mississippi and its African-American citizens will create and support a new institution of higher learning primarily devoted to the specific purpose of restoring the human potential of black people."
Mason said Tuesday that the presentation - which is detailed and includes a proposal to make the new school's mascot the Phoenix - was not intended to be made public.
Now Meet The Fall Guy:
Race And Power In Mississippi
In November, Gov. Haley Barbour proposed merging Mississippi's three historically black universities, infuriating supporters of the institutions and black leaders in the state. But many weren't that surprised -- and they talked about the proposal as part of a larger pattern of the state's white establishment either ignoring or actively undercutting institutions on which black students rely.
This week, many students, faculty and alumni of the three black universities are furious once again -- and they are surprised this time. Since November, they have organized rallies and protests against the governor's merger plan and many believed that legislators were, as a result, committed to killing it
But on Wednesday, The Jackson Clarion-Ledger revealed that the governor wasn't the only one who has been talking merger. Ronald Mason Jr., the president of Jackson State, has also been talking behind closed doors to legislative and other leaders about a plan to merge his institution, Alcorn State University and Mississippi Valley State University. While Mason's plan differs in some key respects from the governor's, the news that their own president was pushing merger shocked many at Jackson State.
"I still cannot believe Dr. Mason did this!" says a post from a graduate student at Jackson State who created a Facebook group called "Protect our HBCU's: Vote of No Confidence in Dr. Ron Mason." The description of the group is: "Dr. Mason's rubber stamp of the Governor's proposal to merge the three HBCUs is incredulous. He is not fit to lead Jackson State University." In the online discussions at the Clarion-Ledger, Mason is being accused by some of "Jim Crow Uncle Tom thinking" and of deceiving his campus.
College Merger Dead On Arrival
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