William H. Kelly III
Editor-in-Chief
Jackson State University officially welcomed Interim President Roderick Paige on Nov. 29 in the Lee E. Williams Athletics and Assembly Center (AAC), giving Paige the opportunity to address numerous topics.
Faculty, staff, students, and the Jackson community were present in the AAC for this occasion.
“So let me just briefly talk about three things. First, I want to say Jackson State is sovereign. Second, Jackson State is strong; and third, Jackson State is respected,” said Paige.
“Now I’m sure you are aware of the side step, little or much, of the financial constraints that the media has provided information about to all of us. Let me assure you that Jackson State is moving in the right direction to overcome those problems; those problems are real. Jackson State’s reserves has been reduced to a dangerously low level but we can argue maybe those expenditures were about things that are really good for the university but we have troubles affording them at this point,” said Paige.
Paige continued: “But be that as it may, it is as it is and so our job right now is to strive past the financial instability and we have a plan to do that, we know how to do that. We have the leadership to do that, and we will do that. You and your families have gone through these kind of belt tightening periods, you’ve been in organizations that have through these kind of belt tightening periods, and you know how that comes out, it comes out based on how you handle it during those belt tightening periods and so with all togetherness and new leadership we’ll get this done.”
Paige urged the JSU community to have patience as through the financial challenges.
“I have to be honest, this is going to be a challenge for us. Right now, we are faced with somewhere in the neighborhood with a $5 billion gap that we gotta deal with. It is as it is and we must face it, deal with it, and get on down the road. We can get that done. When it comes to reducing spending, that’s not comfortable, it is challenging but we have to take our medicine, it is apart of the cure…I’m encouraging you to help us with this, you will hear more details about the plan.”
Students, such as Kayla Green, were impressed by Paige’s words of encouragement.
“I personally enjoyed the event and getting to see the new president. I feel like he’s going to bring good changes to the university and help it grow. I think he’ll have the students best interest at heart since he did attend here,” said the sophomore biology major from Shreveport, La.
Phillip Kilgore, a sophomore computer engineering major from Dermott, Ariz., was also satisfied.
“Hearing Dr. Roderick Paige speak on his vision for the university lets me know that we are in good hands,” said Kilgore.
Paige went on to name the many accolades associated with Jackson State University that other institutions have not achieved and that the JSU community should be proud.
“Three of our students are now waiting to receive a patent for a program that they have invented as a diabetes monitoring device as a result of the learning they got here at this great university,” said Paige.
He added: “Jackson State University has been, is now, and will forever be a place of opportunity for young people…The world belongs to you guys and they are preparing for that here at this university.”
Photos by William H. Kelly III
