NEW ORLEANS – Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) Chancellor James Ammons is stepping down after six years in the role. He will be succeeded by state Sen. Joseph Bouie Jr., who was appointed July 18 by the Southern University Board of Supervisors. Bouie is set to assume the position on August 1.
SUNO is one of three Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in New Orleans, alongside Xavier University of Louisiana and Dillard University (the complete list of regional higher education institutions is provided at the BizNewOrleans.com Data Hub). Founded in 1956 as a branch of the Southern University System, SUNO was established in response to segregation-era resistance to integrating LSU New Orleans (now UNO).
A former SUNO chancellor and retired professor, Bouie has announced plans to resign his Senate seat to focus fully on the role. He has outlined priorities that include boosting enrollment, expanding online, night, and weekend course offerings, and strengthening student support services. His three-year contract includes performance-based incentives tied to increasing full-time student enrollment—a growing practice at public universities seeking to boost accountability and respond to enrollment challenges.
The board’s decision to appoint Bouie came without a national search, and SUNO faculty were informed of Ammons’ departure only about a week before the vote, an unusual departure from common practice in higher education leadership transitions.
State Rep. Jason Hughes (D-Orleans), who was not formally involved in the decision, publicly endorsed the appointment, telling the board there was no need for a search because Bouie was “the best person for the job.”
Southern University System President Dennis J. Shields expressed enthusiasm for the selection while extending appreciation to outgoing Chancellor James H. Ammons Jr. for his transformative leadership. "Dr. Ammons has led SUNO with great distinction and care, positioning the University for growth and long-term sustainability," Shields said. "During his tenure, SUNO launched innovative new academic programs in nursing, cybersecurity, data science, and other high-demand fields. He oversaw the return of the SUNO Knights athletic program and the establishment of the SUNO Museum of Art, and the re-establishment of the Evening and Weekend College that expanded access for working adults. We are grateful for his vision, leadership, and unwavering dedication."
Board Chairman Tony Clayton echoed those remarks during the meeting, applauding the smooth transfer of leadership. "On behalf of the Board of Supervisors, we all thank you for keeping SUNO afloat and navigating the ship during tough times," Clayton said to Ammons, who received a standing ovation.
A Full-Circle Moment
Bouie’s appointment marks a full-circle moment in a distinguished career that began at SUNO, where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in sociology. He later earned a Master of Social Work from Tulane University and a Ph.D. in administration and planning from Clark Atlanta University. A retired professor of social work, Bouie brings over 40 years of experience in higher education, administration, and community service, including research in substance abuse and community organization. He has also served as chair of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus and held positions on numerous state and national boards.
"I thank you from the bottom of my heart for your vote of confidence and this opportunity afforded me," Bouie said to the Board and President Shields. "I look forward to continuing to work with you, Chancellor Ammons, to advance SUNO."
"SUNO raised me — actually, it saved my life," he continued. "The legacy of this institution is critical to not only this region but to the nation. I am grateful to have this opportunity to work with the SUNO family."
System President Dennis J. Shields praised Bouie’s qualifications. "I am pleased to welcome Dr. Bouie back to SUNO as its next chancellor," he said. "He is a proven leader whose academic, administrative, and legislative experience make him uniquely qualified to guide SUNO into the next chapter. His deep roots in the SUNO community and lifelong commitment to public service will be invaluable as we continue to build on the university’s momentum."
Accreditation Recovery and Administrative Stability
Ammons, who was appointed interim chancellor in 2019, took the helm at a time when SUNO was grappling with severe institutional challenges, including declining enrollment, repeated budget cuts, and accreditation probation imposed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges.
The probation stemmed from a $7.7 million deficit and broader concerns about SUNO’s financial stability and institutional effectiveness, including diminished state funding and the university’s inability to maintain essential operations. By September 2020, SACSCOC acknowledged SUNO’s progress—citing a balanced budget, improved financial footing, and a demonstrated plan for sustainability—and lifted the sanction.
Ammons will remain at SUNO as a tenured professor, earning a $160,000 annual salary. During his tenure, the university regained full accreditation, launched new high-demand academic programs, reopened its athletic department, and established the SUNO Museum of Art. Although SUNO enrolled nearly 2,500 students last fall, it remains below its 2005 pre-Katrina peak of more than 3,700 students.
Bouie’s Previous Tenure and Institutional Tensions
Bouie previously served as SUNO’s chancellor in the early 2000s but was dismissed in 2002 after removing Dr. Andrea Green Jefferson—wife of then-U.S. Rep. William Jefferson—from her role as vice chancellor for academic affairs. His removal followed allegations of financial mismanagement, gender discrimination, and sexually explicit communications. Bouie has consistently denied the accusations, calling them politically motivated and "unfounded," and was formally cleared of the sexual harassment allegation. He maintains he was ousted for refusing to engage in political nepotism. At the time, current Southern University Board Chair Tony Clayton, then a board member, reportedly led the push for his dismissal.
Jefferson later filed a lawsuit and whistleblower complaint, resulting in a $50,000 settlement and her reassignment to a $70,000 fundraising role. While the settlement affirmed her professional competence, it noted that her position was "unclassified" and subject to dismissal regardless of performance. Bouie has cited the settlement as evidence of political favoritism at SUNO.
Following his dismissal, Bouie returned to SUNO as a professor and later served as Faculty Senate president. In 2012, he called for the removal of then-Chancellor Victor Ukpolo, citing ethical concerns and delayed post-Katrina recovery efforts. Ukpolo stepped down in 2016 after ten years in the role.
Bouie’s reappointment also comes amid ongoing scrutiny of the potential overlap between political influence and administrative appointments at the university. His Senate predecessor, Wesley Bishop, was the subject of a federal investigation into payroll abuse at SUNO after receiving sick leave compensation while simultaneously attending legislative sessions in Baton Rouge.
Bouie has stated that by resigning from the Senate, he intends to avoid similar conflicts and devote himself entirely to his duties as chancellor.
About the Southern University System
The Southern University System was created in 1974 by constitutional mandate, which fashioned it into the nation’s only historically Black 1890 Land-Grant University System.
Presently, the System is composed of five institutions: Southern University and Agricultural and Mechanical College (est. 1880), Southern University Law Center (est. 1947), Southern University at New Orleans (est. 1956), Southern University at Shreveport (est. 1964), and the Southern University Cooperative Extension Program (est. 1972), which became the fifth component of the System in 2001 and is now named Southern University Agricultural Research and Extension Center. Learn more at www.sus.edu.
