By By Kerry Whipple Bean – publisher
Two Jefferson Davis Community College administrators will spend the next several months working on a project to help revive Bishop State Community College, which has been mired in controversy for several months.
After Bishop State president Yvonne Kennedy announced her retirement Thursday, new two-year college chancellor Bradley Byrne said he would appoint a transitional team - called &#8220Project Phoenix” - to lead the school until a new president is named.
JDCC's Ann Mantel, division chairwoman of nursing and allied health, and Latitia McCane, associate dean of instruction, have been named to the team. Four other state community college officials have been named to the team, which will be led by vice chancellor James Lowe.
Mantel's and McCane's appointments are open-ended, McBride said, but she expects them to serve for at least several months. Dee Plummer has been named interim director for allied health at JDCC, and an interim replacement for McCane has not been named.
In the past several months, 27 people associated with Bishop State have been charged with the theft of more than $200,000 in financial aid and sports program funds. Kennedy has not been charged, but many state officials have called for her resignation.
The charges have come amid ethics problems for other community colleges in the state.
While she could not comment on those controversies, McBride said she is glad that JDCC administrators and employees have continued to serve the community well.