Manhattan Bids Farewell to Provost Weldon Jackson

The Manhattan College community gathered on Friday, Dec. 11 to bid farewell to Dr. Weldon Jackson, executive vice president and provost, who departed Riverdale at the end of 2009. Jackson assumed the position of provost and senior vice president for academic affairs at his alma mater, Morehouse College, on Jan. 1.

Jackson joined Manhattan as provost in 1996 and also was appointed executive vice president in 2000. He was responsible for the overall academic management of the College, including the supervision of the deans of the five schools, as well as the more than 185 full-time and 150 part-time faculty members.

Among his significant accomplishments at the College, he facilitated the reorganization plan of Manhattan College into five schools, which had been developed in 1995, and working with the deans, expanded the size and improved the quality of the faculty in the schools. In collaboration which the respective deans, he successfully secured accreditation for the school of business by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and the school of education by the Teacher Education Accreditation Council (TEAC), as well as for the completion of all programs for the school of engineering by ABET (Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology).

A member of the College’s Strategic Planning Committee, Jackson also managed the accreditation applications to the Middle States Association. In addition, he expanded the infusion of technology; revamped the faculty workload, implemented a Continuing Education Program at the College and ASPECT (International Language Program; and broadened the Summer Advanced Placement Program.

“Dr. Weldon Jackson leaves behind an exemplary record of service to Manhattan, and the College is a better place for his 13 years of service,” says Dr. Brennan O’Donnell, president of Manhattan College. “In the short time that I have been privileged to work with Weldon, I have been impressed by the many, many qualities that this community has been so blessed with for 13 years. We will miss his sense of humor and graciousness. Above all, we will miss his thoughtful presence.”

Prior to his role at Manhattan, Jackson served as vice president for academic affairs at Morehouse College from 1985-1996. From 1984-1985, he was associate professor of black studies and, from 1977-1984 assistant professor and chairman of black studies/political science at Wellesley College. Jackson earned his B.A. from Morehouse College in 1972 and Ph.D. from Harvard University in 1978.