Chancellor: Southern University is focusing on growth

Chancellor Dr. James Llorens told the Baton Rouge campus faculty on Monday that the University is working its way through the millions of dollars in state budget cuts and now preparing for the next phase – growth.

He told some 400 faculty members, staff and administrators that while the budget cuts have been devastating, the Baton Rouge campus is working to improve its course offerings and redoubling its efforts to meet the needs of the upperclassmen and the incoming freshmen.

The chancellor’s address was part of his staff’s presentation on the status of the university at the annual faculty-staff convocation. The event was held in the Cotillion Ballroom of the Smith-Brown Memorial Union.

He called on the faculty and others to be partners in the effort to improve the University. Llorens said Southern has stepped up its recruitment effort in Turkey, Brazil and China and that the work in those countries could pay dividends in coming years.

Interim Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Dr. Janet Rami said the university is close to finalizing the overhaul of the campus’ academic program, adding that the final product will have included recommendations from faculty as well as administrators.

Dr. Brandon Dumas, vice-chancellor for student affairs, said he believes that registration process has been improved and that steps are in places that should correct some of the problems of the past.

***You can see a photo album from Monday’s convocation by clicking https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150841776794567.353301.116700329566&type=1#!/media/set/?set=a.10150841776794567.353301.116700329566&type=1