The Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning reached a settlement with a former Jackson State University vice president who sued the university alleging sex discrimination, making it the second sex discrimination settlement reached by the IHL this summer. The settlement was first reported by Mississippi Today.
Former Jackson State University Vice President Debra Mays-Jackson filed her lawsuit in November 2023, alleging IHL hired Thomas Hudson, Jackson State’s then-interim president and former COO, as the JSU president without appropriately considering other candidates.
Despite serving as Jackson State University’s vice president and chief of staff, Mays-Jackson alleged she was never granted an interview for the presidential position. IHL hired Hudson to the permanent job after a shortened job search. Mays-Jackson alleged IHL engaged in sexually discriminatory hiring practices and denied qualified applicants the opportunity to interview for the presidency.
Hudson resigned after being placed on administrative leave in 2023.
U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Mississippi Kristie Johnson dismissed Mays-Jackson’s case with prejudice on Aug. 25 after the settlement was reached. The case may be reopened if either party does not fulfill the terms of the settlement agreement, Johnson said in her Aug. 25 order.
The IHL previously attempted to have Mays-Jackson’s lawsuit dismissed under qualified immunity legal doctrine, appealing to the United States 5th Circuit Court of Appeals. Qualified immunity is the judicial doctrine that protects government officials from civil liability claims, designed to prevent them from facing legal prosecution for performing the duties of their jobs.
The 5th Circuit Court of Appeals denied the IHL’s motion for dismissal in a Dec. 10, 2025 order.
Mays-Jackson intends to continue her line of work in education administration, Lisa Ross, who represented Mays-Jackson in the case, told the Mississippi Free Press.
Another discrimination lawsuit stemming from JSU’s hiring process remains ongoing. Alumni Engagement Officer Jerome Tinker filed his lawsuit on Dec. 17, 2025, alleging that former JSU President Marcus L. Thompson instructed Interim Vice President of Institutional Advancement Monica Lewis not to consider Tinker for the position of director of alumni affairs after she named him among her top choices.
Tinker’s lawsuit also alleged that Thompson named Sloan Cargill as the permanent vice president for institutional advancement after Lewis refused to name a new candidate for the alumni affairs position in Tinker’s place. Then, the university advertised the position again and Tinker alleges he was intentionally passed over a second time. He alleged these actions, in conjunction with other promotion-related decisions, were retaliation against him after he “spoke out against former JSU President Thomas Hudson engaging in unlawful conduct toward a female employee,” Lisa Ross, who also represents Tinker, said in the lawsuit filing.
Hudson has not been formally accused of or charged with any wrongdoing. Thompson resigned from the presidency in May 2025.
The IHL settled a third discrimination lawsuit in June, which alleged that the IHL passed Linda Rush over for a promotion and eventually ended her employment due to discrimination based on her age and sex. The IHL agreed to pay Rush $150,000 in the settlement.
Both settlements included agreements that Mays-Jackson and Rush will not seek further employment at IHL-managed institutions. Tinker’s case remains ongoing.
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