Over the last several weeks, the national media — i.e., The Chronicle of Higher Education, Diverse Issues in Higher Education — has highlighted the growing number of presidential vacancies on historically black college campuses. One of the universities searching for a new president is my alma mater — South Carolina State University.

Last week, I began receiving telephone calls and e-mails from alumni, legislators, community members and students concerned that I might pursue the presidential vacancy at my undergraduate institution. Let me assure each of you that I have no intention of going to Orangeburg, S.C.

Furthermore, at no time have I considered applying or accepting such an appointment. I am the 18th president of the great Alcorn State University.

Alcorn is the nation’s oldest historically black land-grant university. We are without peer as America’s only HBCU funded out of the original Morrill Act of 1862. Founded in 1871, Alcorn is a comprehensive university that serves as both an academic center of excellence and an economic generator for southwestern Mississippi.

My arrival as the 18th president marked a new beginning in our institutional history. We have focused our efforts on academic excellence, energizing our alumni and donor bases and revitalizing our institutional brand within the national higher education landscape.

My commitment is to continue stabilizing and growing Alcorn State University at this period in our history. Hence, all of our efforts are geared toward our institutional sesquicentennial in the year 2021.

Therefore, let us continue our strategic aims and noble ambitions together by focusing on being excellent without excuse.

Beneath the shade of giant trees I remain.

 

M. Christopher Brown II

Alcorn State president