LORMAN (AP) — Alcorn State University President M. Christopher Brown is requiring the school’s academic deans to reapply and compete for their jobs.

Brown said Alcorn has not reposted and reevaluated the positions in many years.

“We were concerned that we did not have the right people in those jobs,” Brown said.

He said sitting deans were encouraged to apply.

Brown said the process began June 29 when the jobs were listed on the school’s employment opportunities website.

ASU has posted six dean openings — business; agriculture and applied science; education and psychology; nursing; and arts and sciences; and libraries and information resources.

It was not clear if the dean of the school of graduate studies, which does not appear on the list, would also be posted.

Brown said the positions have been opened to applicants nationwide.

In the fall, he said each academic area will select faculty representatives to serve on screening committees to review applications, check references and obtain any necessary supplemental information. Semifinalists will then be evaluated, have background checks made and meet with students, faculty and staff.

The new deans will be named later in the year.

Brown took over the presidency of ASU in January 2011.

He said the school faced two critical issues with regard to administrative and leadership positions, one being “a history of lifetime appointments” and the other contracts that did not differentiate the salary earned from faculty duties and that for administrative duties.