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

[Chrisw]

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');
                                }