Grambling Presidential Search Committee to Reconsider its Process After Public Forum

GRAMBLING, La. – After listening to students, faculty, staff, alumni and community members the Grambling State University Presidential Search Committee charged its Chair and University of Louisiana System President Randy Moffett to develop a plan of action that may include modifying its traditional search process.

“I have been involved in many presidential searches during my service to the UL System, and I am proud to say that this Board has a very well defined process to select its campus presidents.  But, the other thing I know about this Board is that we listen.  In light of what we’ve heard this morning, I think it would be wise to give these comments further serious consideration and to develop a plan as to what our next steps should be as a committee,” said Grambling Search Committee Member and UL System Board Chair Winfred Sibille.

Over 150 people packed the Nursing Building Auditorium on the Grambling campus to provide comments on desired qualifications for its next president.  Most expressed their support for current Interim President Frank Pogue.

“The Interim President, Dr. Frank G. Pogue, has been extremely effective and efficient in calming the fears of doubters of his capabilities as a gifted leader, very well versed in the full nature, problems and dynamics of higher education,” said Grambling Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs Emeritus and Eminent Professor of Psychology and Education Emeritus Lamore Carter.

“He is a breath of fresh air on this campus, and we need to keep that breath of fresh air.  We don’t need to go any further,” said James Bradford.  He then presented the committee with letters of support from 17 alumni chapters and three NAACP chapters.

“You could make your job a whole lot easier right now.  Dr. Pogue is such a people person, but he gets his job done.  A university president like that comes once in a lifetime,” said former Miss GSU Avery Thomas.

“Let’s bring this thing [search process] to a halt when you meet in June and make this a reality,” said Willie Washington, Jr.

Grambling Mayor Martha Andrus presented the committee with a resolution by the City of Grambling.  It stated “as a result of Dr. Frank G. Pogue’s academic preparation and accomplishments, his administrative experience as an agent of positive institutional change and advancement, and his concern for human welfare, the City of Grambling hereby supports the recommendation that the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System selects Dr. Frank G. Pogue as Grambling State University’s permanent president.”

The UL System’s process for appointing university presidents customarily includes the formation of a search committee, gathering public input, advertising nationally and conducting public interviews of candidates.

As charged by the committee, Moffett will consider comments made today and present his recommendation for next steps at a meeting of the committee at the end of June.

The 12-member Grambling Presidential Search Committee is comprised of University of Louisiana System Board Members Elsie Burkhalter, Edward Crawford, Mildred Gallot, Jeffrey Jenkins, Jimmy Long, Sr., D. Wayne Parker, Winfred Sibille, Student Board Member Brook Sebren and Grambling faculty representative Matthew Ware.  Grambling Student Government Association President LaMark Hughes and community representative Wilbert Ellis serve as non-voting members.  UL System President Randy Moffett is the non-voting chair.

Video of the first public forum back in February is available at www.youtube.com/GramblingSearch.  Video of today’s meeting will be posted as soon as possible.  For more information about the presidential search, visit www.ulsystem.edu/GramblingSearch.

Founded in 1901 as a private industrial school to educate African-American citizens in north central Louisiana, Grambling is a comprehensive university offering undergraduate, graduate, professional and continuing education programs.  Situated on a 370-acre campus in the small town of Grambling, the historically black university has almost 5,000 students.

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EIGHT UNIVERSITIES STRONG: The largest higher education system in the state, the UL System enrolls almost 82,000 students at Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and the University of Louisiana at Monroe.