Four finalists named to fill chancellor post at SUNO

A Southern University System (SUS) Board of Supervisors’ Chancellor Search Committee, at its October 4, 2016 meeting, selected four semi-finalists that will be interviewed to lead the Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) campus.

The search became necessary after then SUNO Chancellor Dr. Victor Ukpolo, who led New Orleans’ only public Black university and oversaw its post-Hurricane Jatruba recovery, stepped down in June after more than a decade at the helm.

The candidates to replace Dr. Ukpolo are as follows:

James H. Ammons, former president, Florida A&M University (FAMU) and former chancellor North Carolina Central University, has a bachelor of science in political science from FAMU, and a master of science in public administration and a Ph.D. in government from Florida State University.

Lorenzo L. Esters, vice president, philanthropy, USA Funds, has a bachelor of arts in English from Rust College, a master of arts in English from Jackson State University, and a Ph.D. in higher education from Morgan State University.

Lisa Mims-Devezin, interim chancellor, Southern University at New Orleans, has a bachelor of science in biology/pre-med from SUNO, a master of science in biology/microbiology and a Ph.D. in science/math education from Southern University Baton Rouge.

Boyce C. Williams, president and chief executive officer, The National Alliance of Learning, Incorporated, has a bachelor of arts from Lincoln University (Pennsylvania), and a master of arts in urban counseling/psychology and a Ph.D. in counseling psychology from Michigan State University.

The SUNO Chancellor Search Committee will interview the semi-finalists, Thursday, October 13, 2016, in New Orleans.

The search committee, comprised of a diverse group of administrators, faculty, staff, students, alumni, and stakeholders, was charged with screening and recommending final candidates to replace Victor Ukpolo who stepped down June 30, 2016.

The 19-member search team is co-chaired by Charles Rice, chief executive officer, Entergy New Orleans, and Gloria B. Moultrie, vice chancellor for community outreach and university advancement, SUNO.

The Southern University at New Orleans Chancellor Search Committee includes, from SUNO: Louis Blackmon, president, Student Government Association; Suzette Ermler, graduate student-social work; Beverly Favre, former dean (retired), School of Social Work; Donna Grant, vice chancellor for student affairs; Louise Kaltenbaugh, director, Certificate-Only Program/associate professor, College of Education and Human Development; Leatrice Latimore, assistant vice chancellor for enrollment management; Ronald Mancoske, interim dean, School of Social Work; Pamela Marshall, chair, Department of Forensic Science; Frank Martin, chair, Department of Business Administration; Chester Mills, professor, Department of English; Moultrie; Hazel Pitts, assistant to the vice chancellor for administration and finance; Cynthia Ramirez, professor, fine arts and president of the Faculty Senate; and Igwe Udeh, dean, College of Business and Public Administration.

Other members of the SUNO Chancellor Search team include SUNO alumni: Bessie Vaughn, president, SUNO Alumni Association; and Frank Williams, president, SUNO Foundation. Business and community representatives are: Gretchen Bradford, president, Pontchartrain Park Neighborhood Association; Ben Johnson, president and CEO, New Orleans Chamber; and Rice.

This article originally published in the October 10, 2016 print edition of The Louisiana Weekly newspaper.