[jQuery] $("area") not working in IE (sorry if this is a repost)

[jQuery] $("area") not working in IE (sorry if this is a repost)


sorry if this is a repost but I didn't see it in the group and I
didn't get a copy in my email. I am working with an image map and i am
using the maphilight plugin and I want to add a border to an image
below the image map when a user hovers over an area (based on the
iamges ID and the area's class)(see code below) I got it to work in FF
but I cannot get it to work in IE. Any help?
URL:
http://oregonstate.edu/admissions/firstyear/recruitmap/map/
Code:
            $("area").hover(function(){
                var stateClass;
                stateClass = $(this).attr("class");
                var stateClassQuery;
                stateClassQuery = "#"+stateClass;
                alert(stateClassQuery);//for testing
                $(stateClassQuery).addClass('selected');
            //mouse out
                },
                function(){
                var stateClass;
                stateClass = $(this).attr("class");
                var stateClassQuery;
                stateClassQuery = "#"+stateClass;
                $(stateClassQuery).removeClass('selected');
                }