Will Sutton: Grambling State is at a critical juncture. Who will rise to the challenge?

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Will Sutton: Grambling State is at a critical juncture. Who will rise to the challenge?

BY WILL SUTTON | Staff columnist
Will Sutton

Author email
Jan 23, 2024
Jan 23, 2024
3 min to read

Former Grambling State University President Rick Gallot — University of Louisiana System President and CEO Rick Gallot visits with a Grambling State University class in Brown Hall in his role as Grambling State University. GSU is seeking his successor. (January 2023)
Carlton Hamlin/Grambling State University

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Rick Gallot was born, reared and schooled in 71245 — the City of Grambling and Grambling State University ZIP code. He served on the Grambling City Council, as a Louisiana state representative and senator, and worked as an attorney. In 2016, he was appointed president of his alma mater.

He recently left the job he thought he might have for at least 20 years to become the University of Louisiana System president. In his new job, he leads a nine-institution system with about 90,000 students, including Grambling State.

That leaves ��who has known, breathed and loved GSU all his life.

Fourteen candidates applied for the Grambling State president's job. Three dropped out. The UL System search committee winnowed the remaining 11 down to six semi-finalists on Monday. All are expected to visit the campus Feb. 6-7.

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Choosing Gallot's successor is a big deal.��

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I worked at Grambling State for about six years. During that time, I served under four presidents and multiple deans and department chairs. It was a hot leadership mess.��

Grambling State University President Rick Gallot.
Courtesty of Grambling State University

Gallot halted the high turnover rate when he took the reins in 2016. He brought financial stability,��a one-stop admissions and enrollment center, a new dormitory, a new justice Ph.D. program and a digital library scheduled to open this year.

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Under Gallot, Grambling's enrollment went up and down — but it finished up. It was 4,863 when he started and is 5,114 as he leaves.

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The opportunity to lead an entire system was not something Gallot had dreamed of or anticipated, but it's not surprising to his many admirers.

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"I think it's better than we found it," Gallot said of his tenure at GSU. He was being diplomatic.��

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Now he's departing Grambling's 71245 for a job in Baton Rouge's 70802. That's where the University of Louisiana System is headquartered.��

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Everyone associated with Grambling State knows the names Charles P. Adams and Ralph Waldo Emerson Jones, the university's first two presidents. Five men served as president between 1977 and 2001. A woman was acting president for three years. 2004 began a tumultuous time — four presidents, two of whom served only for a year.

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Not everyone is happy with Gallot's record.

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Overall, I think Gallot's seven years as president have been good for Grambling State. He surprised some with his level of serious accountability. His successor must chart a new course. That person must be diplomatic, a Louisiana connector if not already connected here. Campus infrastructure is still a major issue. GSU needs a fighter, pushing for financial and strategic support in Baton Rouge. Whoever follows must be a cheerleader and a work horse with a keen focus on finances and academics.

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One of six people will succeed him. Here's my quick take on them:

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and . Ford is a tenured associate biology professor at Southern University at New Orleans. Lemelle is executive vice president and chief financial officer at the Maryland Institute College of Art and former chief operating officer under Gallot. Like Gallot, both grew up in Grambling and attended the university's K-12 laboratory schools before attending GSU.

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��is vice chancellor of external affairs and chief of staff at��LSU Health Shreveport. She lists her accreditation and fundraising as two of her strengths. is senior director of alliances and channels with the��London Stock Exchange Group. Like Gallot, he's an attorney and a GSU alum. He touts his business, financial and legal expertise. An LSU graduate, is executive director and professor of the Center for the Study and Preservation of HBCUs at Virginia Union University. He's the only candidate who has been a university president. He was president at��Philander Smith College in Little Rock, Arkansas from 2015 until 2023. ,��a three-time HBCU graduate, is president and CEO of the University of North Texas at Dallas Foundation and vice president of advancement.

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That's an impressive pool of semi-finalists. Which one will lead Grambling State into the future?

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It might be someone with strong GramFam connections. Or someone with HBCU experience. Or someone who's been an HBCU president. Or someone with a strong financial background. Or someone homegrown.

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GSU's next president is expected to be announced in late February.

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Legendary former Grambling State baseball coach Wilbert Ellis retired with a record of��740-462-1 after taking the job when president and baseball coach Jones retired. He's retired, but he's on the search committee as a nonvoting member. I can always count on him to speak up for his school.

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"You've got to remember, Grambling is first ...," he said as Monday's board meeting closed. "And Grambling will live on."

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Email Will Sutton at wsutton@theadvocate.com, or follow him on Twitter, @willsutton.

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