Mississippi higher education officials said Wednesday that it will be August or September before George Ross begins his new job as president of Alcorn State University.

Ross is being treated for acute leukemia at a Michigan hospital. He originally was scheduled to start his new position at Alcorn on July 2.

Malvin Williams, Alcorn’s interim president, said Ross will remain hospitalized until the end of this month. He will then need time to rest and is not expected in Lorman until sometime in August or September, Williams said.

A 52-year-old Utica native, Ross has served as vice president for finance and administrative services at 27,000-student Central Michigan University. He is to succeed the late Clinton Bristow Jr., who died of heart failure last August.