After Only Two Years, George Ross Gives Up Presidency of Alcorn State University to Take the Helm at Central Michigan University

George E. Ross, who has served as president of historically black Alcorn State University in Mississippi since January 2008, has announced that he has accepted the position as the 14th president of Central Michigan University in Mount Pleasant. He will be the first African American to serve as president of Central Michigan University. Central Michigan University has a total enrollment of more than 27,000 students. About 6 percent of the undergraduate students are black.

Dr. Ross, who will assume his new position in March, holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Michigan State University. He earned a doctorate at the University of Alabama. Before becoming president of Alcorn State University, Dr. Ross served as vice president for finance and administrative services at Central Michigan University. He has also held administrative positions at Clark Atlanta University, Tuskegee University, and the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga.

A native of Flint, Michigan, Ross stated that his decision to leave Alcorn State University had nothing to do with Mississippi Governor Haley Barbour’s controversial proposal to merge Alcorn State with Jackson State University.

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