NATCHEZ &045;&045; Alcorn State President Dr. Clinton Bristow wants the school to be the university of choice for southwest Mississippi and northeast Louisiana.

And he believes the closure of the Ayers case is a step toward that goal.

The state Supreme Court’s refusal to hear an appeal on the case should free up $503 million for Mississippi’s three historically black universities. But Bristow isn’t counting the money just yet.

&uot;We’re elated about the settlement but concerned about implementation,&uot; Bristow said. &uot;We have to make sure that all the policymakers don’t clap their hands and say, ‘It’s done.’ They need to write the checks.

&uot;I feel very comfortable that the state will put the money in the bank.&uot;

Once it has the money, ASU will be able to expand academic programs, continue infrastructure improvements and create an endowment to help take the university into the future, Bristow said.

Among the chief improvements for the Natchez campus, where ASU has a nursing school and MBA program, are a distance learning program for nurse educators and masters in accountancy and commodities and futures trading programs.

Alcorn will also finally be able to furnish and equip the new MBA building in Natchez and begin work on a new fine arts facility, a project that has long been planned.

&uot;It is really an asset to the local community,&uot; Bristow said of the MBA building, which is located at the front of the campus Alcorn shares with Copiah-Lincoln Community College in Natchez.

ASU also has plans for its main Lorman campus, including renovations to the business building and a new biotechnology research building.

As part of the settlement, Alcorn will also continue working on its diversity. As a historically black school, it is looking to boost its enrollment of students of other races.

Bristow said he hopes that project will &uot;move the university so that ASU becomes the university, the epicenter for southwest Mississippi and northeast Louisiana.&uot;

Natchez Mayor Phillip West, who as a legislator fought for more funding for Alcorn, said he has &uot;mixed emotions&uot; about the ending of the case.

&uot;I know that institutions including Alcorn will benefit from funds that are part of the settlement,&uot; he said.

But West said he believes Alcorn is not getting the amount it should receive from the settlement.

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