KAPPA NEWS
Dr. Rodney A. Ellis: Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport
we have begun to focus on the execution of strategy that will yield positive results in a number of areas like enrollment, retention, graduation, community awareness and image, and fundraising. With new leadership and a different vision comes change. True and long- effort than it seems when initially faced. However, with employees and community members eager for something different, even if only slightly, there is great optimism for SUSLA’s future. I inherited a pretty stable institution with a number of new projects in progress. We have unveiled a new general classroom building, opened a new dental hygiene lab and will be completing construction on a new nursing facility this summer. In the midst of this, we’ve received a couple of new million dollar grants that have are creating additional opportunities for our engagement with veterans, development of a culinary arts training and entrepreneurship program, and expansion of our aviation maintenance program. There are a lot of spectacular things going on here and having a great team to execute them is lasting change is often desired but a far more delicate and colossal
fantastic!”
Dr. Ellis discussed the educational, financial and philosophical impact delivered as Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport. “The educational impact provided over the last couple of years includes the approval of several new programs. We began offering our Advanced Emergency Medical Technician/Paramedic Program this January 2018. We have been approved by the Southern University Board of Supervisors to offer Psychology, Teacher Education and Media Communications. We plan to enroll students in these programs in Fall 2018. Additionally, we have gone back to a tradition that was once part of the fabric of SUSLA. We have expanded our Summer Camp offerings and tied them to our educational programs. This allows us to educate the public about our offerings while, hopefully, peaking the career interest of a future SUSLA Jaguar. Financially, because of the state of higher education funding in Louisiana, we’ve had to find ways to increase revenue and decrease costs, all while not significantly raising the costs of tuition. We’ve become more
(SUSLA), he stated, “My role during my first two years as Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport has really been focused on leading the institution, and creating a new vision. That vision has been shaped by taking the time to understand the culture of the organization as well as its strengths and opportunities. I spent a lot of my time the first six months talking with faculty, staff and the community to gain their perspective about the direction of the institution. This was done in conjunction with us updating our strategic plan. The next year a lot of time was focused on restructuring, redefining roles and re-staffing. Now
Dr. Rodney A. Ellis (Eta Chi 1988) is the Seventh Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport. He is a native of Tuskegee, Alabama who grew up in Montgomery, Alabama. Dr. Ellis earned his doctorate in Higher Education Administration with a specialization in Community and Technical College Leadership from the University of Georgia; a Master of Science in judicial Administration from Auburn University at Montgomery; and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from the University of Alabama. In discussing his vision as Chancellor of Southern University at Shreveport
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THE JOURNAL 84 TH GRAND CHAPTER MEETING ISSUE | 39
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