The Southern University System Board of Supervisors will convene in a special meeting to reconsider the fate of ousted chancellor of Southern University-Baton Rouge, James Llorens. Last Friday, the board decided in a 9-6 vote not to give Llorens a one-year extension, based on the recommendations of SU System President Ronald Mason. Pending the special meeting, Llorens’ last day will be June 30.
The decision to oust Llorens was made after Mason recommended the board renew his contract only if certain organizational changes were made, which ultimately would give Mason more authority over the campus. Similar administrative changes were made at Louisiana State University last year, when F. King Alexander assumed the role of president of the LSU System and chancellor of the university. SU Board Member Myron Lawson said he hopes what happened at LSU did not serve as a motive for Mason’s judgment.
“He (Mason) said it wasn’t, so I’m going to take him at his word that it’s not,” Lawson said.
According to Lawson, the board intends to meet within the next month and he hopes the results are in Llorens’ favor.
“My position is that he deserves an opportunity to start seeing the fruits of his labor and to complete those things he has started,” said Lawson, who is also a former board chairman. “No one can do it all in two years. He deserves a chance to be a chancellor… I think he’s had to do so many managerial things [in the past] that he could not completely fulfill all of the things he should have done.”
Southern University students staged a sit-in Tuesday in an attempt to meet with Mason. Student board member Simone Bray wrote a letter to Chairwoman Bridget Dinvaut, requesting the board to hold a special meeting to discuss Llorens’ contract. Four other board members backed Bray, meeting the requirements to convene a special meeting.
