Dr. James Llorens tapped to lead Southern University-BR

4th May 2011   ·   0 Comments

The Louisiana Weekly Staff Reports

Southern University’s Board of Supervisors selected Dr. James Llorens to be the next chancellor Friday.

Southern University System President Ronald Mason said he needed more time with the three finalists, and would make a decision by May 13, but that request fell on deaf ears and the Board voted 11-3, with one abstention, for Llorens.

Dr. Llorens, the assistant CAO for Baton Rouge Mayor-President Kip Holden, was one of three finalists recommended for the position.

The other two were Southern Physics Department Chairman Dr. Diola Bagayoko and former Savannah State University President Earl Yarbrough Sr. in Georgia.

“Having worked in both state government and academia, Llorens has a clear understanding of what it takes to lead the Baton Rouge campus,” Southern University Board of Supervisors chairman Darren Mire said Friday. “I am certain that his proven track record as a successful administrator, along with his experience in working with federal grants, will propel the Baton Rouge campus to greater heights.”

Llorens will take over for outgoing Chancellor Dr. Kofi Lomotey, who resigned in November after a “no confidence” vote from the Faculty-Senate.

Dr. Llorens is an Alexandria, La., native who previously served as Dean of Graduate Studies, chair of the SUBR Political Science Department and associate professor of Public Administration on the Baton Rouge campus.

After earning a bachelor’s degree from Loyola University, Llorens earned a master’s degree from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee and a Ph.D. from Louisiana State University.

He is married to Glenda Darensbourg and has two children, Mrs. Raya Moore and Dr. Jared Llorens. He also has a granddaughter, Clare Victoria.

A week before Friday’s vote, Dr. Mason said he was disappointed that the list of finalists didn’t include candidates who offered “fresh” and “aggressive leadership.”

Mason had openly expressed his support for two finalists — Michael Sorrell, president of Paul Quinn College in Dallas, and Walter Kimbrough, president of Philander Smith College in Little Rock — two administrators he viewed as rising stars in the historically Black college community. Both men were considered for the SUBR job.

The Board of Supervisors also approved Roman Banks as the new men’s head basketball coach.

He was selected after Rob Spivery was fired April 21.

This story originally published in the May 2, 2011 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.