Diverse Issues in Higher Education May 7, 2012 Bethune-Cookman University Names Interim President Named as interim president this past Friday, Dr. Edison Jackson, a retired New York college president, will help Bethune-Cookman University transition to a new leader. The university board of trustees approved the selection of Jackson, who will start May 14, following the retirement of Trudie Kibbe Reed. Jackson served as president for 20 years at Medgar Evers College, one of the 23 colleges in the City University of New York system. He retired in 2009. Bethune-Cookman board chairman Larry Handfield told the The Daytona Beach News-Journal<http://www.news-journalonline.com/news/local/east-volusia/2012/05/05/retired-ny-college-president-to-fill-in-at-bethune-cookman-university.html> that Jackson is a "student-centered person." "We are so pleased that Dr. Jackson has agreed to serve as interim president because he brings a wealth of experience, a commitment to excellence and will uphold the legacy of our founder, Dr. Mary McLeod Bethune," Handfield said in a statement. Jackson received his undergraduate and graduate degrees from Howard University and his doctorate from Rutgers University. Reed, who is retiring after eight years as president at Bethune-Cookman, said in a statement that she was "very pleased with the selection by the board of trustees." "I have known Dr. Jackson as we served together, as college presidents, on the National Association for Equal Opportunity in Higher Education. Dr. Jackson is the perfect selection as interim president for the great Bethune-Cookman University, because he is not only an educator and scholar, but also a person of faith," Reed said. Jackson will be introduced to university employees and students at a reception Tuesday evening. SANDRA M. PHOENIX Executive Director HBCU Library Alliance sphoenix@hbculibraries.org<mailto:sphoenix@hbculibraries.org> www.hbculibraries.org<http://www.hbculibraries.org/> 800-999-8558, ext. 4820 404-520-0593 Skype:sandra.phoenix1 1438 West Peachtree Street NW Suite 200 Atlanta, GA 30309 Toll Free: 1.800.999.8558 (Lyrasis) Fax: 404.892.7879 www.lyrasis.org<http://www.lyrasis.org/> Honor the ancestors, honor the children. Register now http://www.hbculibraries.org/html/2012meeting-form.html for the October 21-23, 2012 HBCU Library Alliance 5th Membership Meeting and the Photographic Preservation Pre-Conference in New Orleans, LA. The Pre-Conference and Membership meeting are open to directors and other librarians.