It’s official. James A. Hughes Hall is now part of the Dixon University Center campus.

The building formerly known as North Hall was dedicated today as Hughes Hall in honor of the late James A. Hughes, a founding member of the State System of Higher Education’s Board of Governors and a long-time trustee at Cheyney University of Pennsylvania.

The Board of Governors voted in July to rename the building that sits on the campus’ northeast corner and houses the offices of university legal counsel, the law library and the State System’s personnel/payroll, benefits, internal review and construction support areas.

Mr. Hughes served on the Board of Governors from its creation until 1996. He passed away on July 9, 1997.

In making the motion at the July Board meeting to rename North Hall, then-Board Chairman F. Eugene Dixon Jr., also a founding member of the Board of Governors, called Hughes “an outstanding Board member and a good friend.”

Mr. Hughes was a respected Philadelphia businessman, whose broad background and experience in the areas of planning and financial management helped lay much of the groundwork for the fiscal strength the System enjoys today. He was a member of the Board’s original Finance and Administration Committee. Bringing the concept of consolidated university operations to fruition was among his significant accomplishments. The process allows the universities to share costs of programs that benefit all of the institutions.

Mr. Hughes was committed to the System’s mission of providing high quality programs at an affordable cost. He maintained a constant concern and was vigilant regarding the State System’s responsibility to provide opportunity, access and equity for all Pennsylvanians.

Mr. Hughes’ son, state Sen. Vincent Hughes, holds an annual golf tournament in honor of his father to raise funds for scholarships available to students from Philadelphia who attend any of the 14 State System universities. The senator and other members of Mr. Hughes’ family, including his widow, Ann Hughes, attended the dedication ceremony.

“Mr. Hughes made tremendous contributions to the State System. This lasting tribute is a truly deserved honor,” said Chancellor James H. McCormick.

The State System of Higher Education is the largest provider of higher education in the Commonwealth. Its 14 universities offer more than 250 degree and certificate programs in more than 120 areas of study. Nearly 350,000 System alumni live and work in Pennsylvania.

The state-owned universities are Bloomsburg, California, Cheyney, Clarion, East Stroudsburg, Edinboro, Indiana, Kutztown, Lock Haven, Mansfield, Millersville, Shippensburg, Slippery Rock and West Chester Universities of Pennsylvania. The System also operates branch campuses in Clearfield, Kittanning, Oil City and Punxsutawney and several regional centers, including the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg and the University Center for Southwest Pennsylvania in Pittsburgh.