Dr. VerJanis Peoples now Interim Executive Vice Chancellor
Dr. VerJanis A. Peoples is the new Interim Executive Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at Southern University and A&M College. She assumed her new role on Monday, December 3.
Dr. Peoples was Dean of the College of Education and professor in the Department of Curriculum and Instruction. She replaces Dr. Janet Rami, who was Interim Executive Vice Chancellor. Dr. Rami returned to her former position as Dean of the School of Nursing. Dr. Luria S. Young has been named Interim Dean of the College of Education.
Chancellor Dr. James Llorens announced the position changes recently.
“This is a major responsibility that I have been given by Chancellor Llorens and I will try to live up to the expectations he has for this position,” Peoples said. “I am encouraged by the outpouring of support I have received from the staff and the faculty.”
Peoples brings a long career in education to her new post. She has been influential in the restructuring of academic programs and schools across the state.
Her administrative duties have included serving as Interim Dean of the College of Education, Assistant Dean of the College of Education, Interim Chairperson of Special Education and Curriculum and Instruction, Superintendent of the Laboratory School and Dean at Mississippi Valley State University.
Dr. Peoples has a Ph.D. from Kansas State University in the area of Curriculum and Instruction. She specializes in curriculum development, multicultural education, policy studies, and staff development.
She is Principal Investigator for the LIGO (Laser Interferometer Gravitationalwave) grant, which is a joint effort involving Southern, Caltech MIT, and Louisiana Board of Regents. The project is sponsored by the National Science Foundation to enhance science skills for teachers and pre service students.
In her efforts to create efficacy in accreditation, she is a certified Louisiana Board Examiner with the Louisiana Department of Education and NCATE. She serves as a reviewer for AACTE, a professional organization for teacher educators.
She also, has served as secretary of the Louisiana Council of Deans for Teacher Education.