Debra A. Buchanan, Associate Vice President, provides leadership to academic and student life departments for the assessment of performance productivity, student learning outcomes, and strategic planning.  She has also led the participation of the university in several national assessment programs, including the National Survey of Student Engagement, the Collegiate Learning Assessment, the Standardized Assessment of Information Literacy Skills, and the AAC&U VALUE Initiatives project.  Dr. Buchanan provides professional development opportunities to academic leaders and university faculty on topics germane to the assessment process such as the use of technology in assessment and the present and future uses of assessment results to enhance programs and services.

Buchanan also manages the university's current strategic planning process and serves as university liaison to the Board of Trustees for its Strategic Initiatives, which are focused on significantly increasing the number and quality of baccalaureate degrees in the state over the next four academic years.  Administrative oversight is also provided by Dr. Buchanan to the university's Testing and Assessment Center and to a Title III programs, the Center for Assessment of Academic and Student Service Programs and Enhancing the Core Curriculum.

Marcus Chanay, Associate Vice President, has administrative oversight of the Division of Student Life which serves as a student-centered division, promoting learning communities that foster a safe, respectful, and healthy environment to be consumed by its constituents. We align initiatives (programs and services) to empower the university’s faculty and staff, students, and community to responsibly develop academic, physical, psychological, service, social, and leadership accountability. Ultimately this produces respected, diverse, engaged, and effective professionals and citizens who mirror the changing demographics of the world.

Dr. Chanay is responsible for the oversight of the following departments: Student Life Communications and Outreach, Diversity Programming, Center for Service and Community Engaged Learning, Professor of Service Learning, Federal Work Study, AmeriCorp, National Student Exchange Program, McNair Scholars, and Upward Bound, JSU Student Center, Health Services, Student Life HIV/AIDS Project, Student Publications, Rose E. McCoy Auditorium, Campus Union Hotel, Jacob Reddix Office Complex, and Latasha Norman Center for Counseling and Psychological Center, Center for Student Leadership and Involvement formerly Personal Development & Self Assessment Center, Judicial Services, Campus Ministry Programming, Student Government Association, JSU Spirit Team, Miss JSU/Queens Court/Pagent and Production, Honda All-Star Challenge, Greek Life, Residential Life/Housing, and Recreational Services.

James Samuel Maddirala, Associate Vice President, oversees budgeting and fiscal accountability for the Office of Academic Affairs and Student Life.   He also responds to issues relating to all academic Ayers programs, Vision 2020 (i.e. JSU’s academic strategic and reorganization plan), academic program review, and he acts as liaison between the Office of Academic Affairs and the following units: the JSU Division of International Programs, the JSU Division of Graduate Studies, the JSU Library and Information Service, and the Commissioner’s Office of Mississippi Institutions of Higher Learning (IHL). Maddirala also coordinates the Global-World HIV/AIDS Alliance (GHAA).

Della R. Posey, Associate Vice President, associate professor of business, addresses academic matters related to faculty and students.  Areas of coordination include tenure, promotion, accreditation, curriculum, distance learning and student academic concerns.  She also works to ensure proper implementation of academic policies and procedures.