JSU receives millions from Mississippi legislature
How will money be spent?
Jackson State University is set to receive millions from the state after a bill was signed into law that dishes out funds to Mississippi’s public universities for capital improvements.
Senate Bill 2468 includes more than $820 million in state expenditures. That sum includes funds to cities such as Jackson, which received $9.4 million for various projects. A total of $110 million is headed to seven universities within Mississippi’s Institutions of Higher Learning, as well as the University of Mississippi Medical Center after Republican Gov. Tate Reeves signed the appropriation bill on Monday.
Jackson State University and Mississippi State University received a majority of the funds; both universities received just over $23 million. JSU received just over $8 million from the IHL in 2023 for construction and furnishing of a residence hall.
For JSU, exactly $7 million will go to “repair, renovate and purchase a new residence hall.” Another portion of those funds, just over $16 million, will be used for further repairs to campus facilities. Specifically, McAllister-Whiteside Hall, JSU’s women’s residence hall, was mentioned in the bill. The funds will also be used for the “development of alternative water resources.”
At the start of the 2023 school year last August, hundreds of JSU students were put on a waitlist and placed in off-campus housing. The university released a statement at the time, saying JSU is “experiencing positive growth that is outpacing its physical plant.”
The university didn’t go into specifics about when the new residence hall will be built or what “alternative water resources” entail, but released a statement from Marcus Thompson, JSU’s
improve Mississippians' travel experience. I am glad this bill has advanced, and I will continue working to ensure our airports get the support they need,” Wicker said.
The funding comes after The FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024, also known as H.R. 3935, was signed into law by President Joe Biden on May 16.
The Federal Aviation Administration Reauthorization Act of 2024 increases funding for the Airport Improvement Program, which provides grants to public agencies and some private owners for the planning and development of public-use airports that are included in the National Plan of Integrated Airport Systems, according to the website.
The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority, which oversees both JacksonMedgar
Wiley Evers International Airport and Hawkins Field Airport, released a statement to the Clarion Ledger thanking Wicker and the Mississippi delegation in Washington D.C. Read the statement below:
“The Jackson Municipal Airport Authority is grateful to Senator Wicker and the entire Mississippi Delegation for their unwavering commitment and diligent efforts in securing funding to enhance the safety, security, and infrastructure improvements at our state's busiest airport. Their advocacy and dedication have been instrumental in ensuring that Jackson-Medgar Wiley Evers International Airport (JAN) continues to serve our community and travelers with excellence,” the statement reads.
In February, JMAA also received $8 million in federal grant funds as part of the U.S. Bipartisan Infrastructure Law.
Jackson airport officials have not said how they will spend the $3.5 million.