Southern announces presidential search committee members
Southern University has formed a presidential search committee to identify finalists for system president following last year’s leadership change, with recommendations expected by the board’s May meeting.
Baton Rouge, La. — Southern University has moved forward with a formal effort to select its next system president, naming a wide-ranging search committee tasked with identifying finalists amid heightened scrutiny of leadership at the historically Black university system.
The Southern University Board of Supervisors said the committee will recommend one to three candidates for the position by its May meeting. The search follows the removal of former system president Dennis Shields late last year, a decision that left the university navigating a period of transition and internal reset.
Orlando McMeans is serving as interim system president while the search is underway. McMeans also serves as chancellor of Southern University’s Agricultural Research and Extension Center and dean of the College of Agricultural, Human and Environmental Sciences.
The search committee will be chaired by Jason Hughes, a New Orleans City Councilman-elect, former state representative, and Southern University alumnus. University officials have emphasized that Hughes’ background in public service and connection to the institution position him to guide a process aimed at restoring confidence and continuity.
Committee membership reflects a broad cross-section of university stakeholders and state leadership. Members include Tony Clayton, board chairman and district attorney for the 18th Judicial District; Reggie Abraham, board vice chairman; Tim Hardy, chairman of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System board; and Judge Dale Atkins of Louisiana’s 4th Circuit Court of Appeal.
Also serving are former state Rep. Jody Amedee, former Southern board member; Sandra Brown, dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health; Bree Cook, vice chancellor for academic affairs at Southern University New Orleans; Darrinn Dixon, executive director of the Southern University Alumni Federation; Tramelle Howard, president of the Southern University Quarterback Club; Faculty Senate President Anthony Igiede; Student Government Association President Sean Inman; Isaiah Land, a Southern University Law Center student; Eric Lane, president of Gerry Lane Enterprises; and James Stewart, Caddo Parish district attorney.
In a statement, Clayton said the board is committed to a search process that is thorough, inclusive, and transparent, with the goal of identifying a leader capable of guiding the Southern University system through its next phase.
Southern University operates campuses in Baton Rouge, New Orleans, and Shreveport, along with a statewide agricultural research and extension network. The selection of a permanent system president is expected to play a significant role in shaping the institution’s academic priorities, governance, and public trust moving forward.
