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°ÅÀÖÊÓƵ faculty members are participating in a new type of professional development cohort developed by Dr. Brian M. Jones, dean of College of Arts and Letters, andÌýthe Duke Endowment.Ìý

The Central Intercollegiate Athletic Association (CIAA) and its Sports Information Directors Association (SIDA) recently conducted their biennial election for officer positions, which produced historic results. Jolisa Williams of Shaw University and Romanda Noble-Watson of Claflin University were re-elected as president and secretary, respectively, while Oralia Washington of °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ was voted in as the new vice president.

°ÅÀÖÊÓƵ announces the appointment of Erna D. Perkins Jones as director of Facilities. Perkins Jones comes to JCSU from Goodwill Industries of the Southern Piedmont in Charlotte. She will assume her role at JCSU on July 14.

As the world continues to deal with the challenges brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic, essential personnel are hard at work. At °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ, faculty and a majority of staff are working remotely, but a number of essential workers remain on campus during this unprecedented time. Members of Institutional Advancement, the Health Center, Post Office, Facilities, Residence Life, Campus Police, Housekeeping and the Business Office are among the essential employees on campus during this pandemic.

COVID-19 has created challenges for the students and faculty of °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ, as well as staff members like Monika Rhue, director of Library services at James B. Duke Library. When the University moved classes online in March, Rhue and her team quickly took action to ensure students had the necessary tools to work remotely.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges for higher education, especially for faculty members and students, who have been forced to teach and learn online.Ìý

°ÅÀÖÊÓƵ announces the appointment of Dr. Vijaya L. Gompa as dean of the College of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics. She currently serves as professor of Mathematics and she served as head of the Department of Mathematical, Computing and Information Sciences at Jacksonville State University in Jacksonville, Ala. Gompa was selected after an extensive national search and will begin her tenure at JCSU on June 1, 2020.

Rachel Davis, program director of °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ’s Lactation Consultant Training Program, was a panelist for Rep. Alma Adam’s fifth annual Women’s Symposium on Black Maternal Health. The panel, which featured appearances from Senators Cory Booker and Kamala Harris, was held April 16, 2020 during Black Maternal Health Week.

°ÅÀÖÊÓƵ received three awards at the 2020 HBCUgrow LEAD Conference on April 7, 2020. Dr. Laura Colson McLean, dean of Metropolitan College of Professional Studies, and two JCSU students participated in the virtual conference and shared their involvement with Road to Hire, a partnership with Red Ventures and winner of the Platinum Choice LEAD Innovation Award.

°ÅÀÖÊÓƵ announces the appointment of Dr. Davida Loren Haywood as vice president for Student Affairs (VPSA). Haywood, a 1998 graduate of °ÅÀÖÊÓƵ, was selected after an extensive national search. As VPSA, she will be the chief officer responsible for developing a comprehensive program of services for traditional, non-traditional and graduate students in areas including housing and residential life, student engagement, counseling, leadership development, health, and student conduct.