JACKSON, Miss. (WJTV) – Thomas Hudson has resigned as the president of Jackson State University (JSU).

Leaders with the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL) announced Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Alfred Rankins Jr. accepted Hudson’s resignation.

Hudson will remain on administrative leave, with pay, through March 31, 2023.

IHL officials said Dr. Elayne Hayes-Anthony will continue serving as temporary acting president. The board will discuss the future leadership of Jackson State at its March 23 meeting. She had been chairwoman and professor in JSU’s Department of Journalism and Media Studies since 2015.

Hudson was placed on administrative leave in early March. Officials did not release any additional details about why Hudson was initially placed on administrative leave.

In January 2023, the Clarion Ledger reported that the JSU faculty senate expressed no confidence in Hudson during a meeting.

The JSU faculty senate issued a statement with its vote of no confidence in Hudson, saying members had raised concerns about whether the university administration was providing a “healthy, safe and secure environment” after automobile thefts occurred on campus.

The group also raised concerns about the appearance of the campus and said Hudson had failed to consult the faculty on decisions about curriculum changes. The statement called for “restoration of shared governance, transparency, accountability and academic democracy.”

JSU’s enrollment for the fall semester was about 6,900, down from nearly 7,100 a year earlier. Enrollment at most of Mississippi’s public universities decreased from 2021 to 2022.

Before Hudson became JSU president, he served nine months as acting president. He had several roles at JSU since 2012, including chief operating officer and chief diversity officer.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.