today with my 9 yr old for the MS Math and Science Fair. I had fears about going and turns out when you approach JSU from the downtown parkway it is a decent looking campus, the roundabouts are very nice. Could not have been treated nicer on campus, students were friendly, staff were courteous and seemed very dedicated and energetic. Fair was in Lee E Williams Athletic and Assembly Center. Having seen this on TV many times for bb games covered on local news I never thought I would be sitting inside it. There is a lot of history in that building. The "consession cage" needs to go but otherwise a pretty decent place.
OT: Spent the greater part of my day on the campus of Jackson State University
- Thread starter rabiddawg
- Start date
but honestly,JSU used to be surrounded by crack houses, gang infested neighborhoods and not the kind of place you would want to have to drive through by choice. They have really cleaned the area up around the college, especially between downtown and JSU. I still wouldn't drive there from the west Jxn direction. But it felt very safe to get there on the new parkway.hankp said:
but if they would make a concerted effort, with the help of the state legislature, they could have a great university. They are the only major state fundeduniversity in MS that is centered in an urban environment and also the capital city. I feel like theirSWAC affiliation and thehistorically black university crutch is holding them back. They also need to get rid of all the playgrounds, damn they had one next to each building it seemed.RocketCityDawg said:
I'm all for child care services being offered but that sends the wrong message.
you've never stepped foot on the University of Memphis campus. Crime rates are similar to any campus that lies within ametropolitanarea. Contrary to popular belief, there aren't hoods waiting to rob/ carjack you when you park.
...it's the way that Jackson State, Alcorn, and Valley operate & communicate to a degree more so than when MSU folks talk about being the people's university. Now as far as its SWAC status is concerned, I agree with you when it comes to football. Many many years ago before the Sun Belt started being a football conference, I argued that Jackson State should join the Sun Belt and the conference should play all sports. JSU was at the time the all-time attendance leader in 1-AA football. The problem is that since JSU (and other SWAC schools) don't mind not playing in 1-AA playoffs so they don't take football as seriously as other 1-AA schools.
Maybe the people you spoke with are nice and that does not surprise me. On the other hand, the campus is by no means a decent looking campus. Its gotten a little better over the years but the neighborhood it's in spoiled all the efforts to clean it up. The crime in that neighborhood if off the charts.
professor shot in the face early evening and the other was a former student shooting others during broad daylight. Can happen anywhere I guess, just ask Pearl HS
my point was that it far exceeded my expectations, which in the city of Jxn, is a hell of an achievement. My point was to also say that it looks like they bulldozed all of Kenny Stokes crack houses down so it is at least semi safe to approach from one direction. And shootings canhappen on any campus in the nation, Va Tech is the most recent that comes to mind. I also understand that they have made a huge improvement to on campus security. If you are stopped and questioned by their campus police and can't show a student ID card then you are escorted off campus. Several checkpoints had to be crossed to get to where we were going.dawgebag said:
If you didn't have a decal you were stopped and questioned, as we wereat every checkpoint
Where the University is at is not the worst place in the city(not the best either) but if you know Memphis violent crime is in a lot of places and crack heads don't keep their crime on their front porches. They travel. I'm just saying I wouldn't take walks on their campus at night.