Revolving Door at NSU

Dr. Marcus Jones is stepping down as president of NSU, returning to the ULS office in Baton Rouge. I am not surprised by this as I have known Marcus for decades and know that the daily grind of running any organization is not his thing. This is not a knock on him, being the CEO of a university requires a certain skill set and interest, and that is not him. Since Dr. Randy Webb retired in 2015, NSU has gone through Henderson, Maggio, and now Jones and will be seeking their 4th president in 9 years.

This is why I have advocated for an "MBA" to serve as a university president and run it like a business. The goofy requirement that presidents have a PhD gives us "leaders" with zero experience, zero knowledge, and zero wherewithal to serve as CEO. No, that does not mean that holding a PhD renders a person unqualified, it means that having one does not automatically qualify someone. The perfect candidate will have a combination of academic and private business experience. I put MBA in quotes to mean a business-oriented person, one who thinks like a businessperson thinks.

NSU is struggling and it is due in large part to the instability of leadership and in their case, the wrong people in key positions. NSU needs a housecleaning starting at the top. I realize this is a Tech board and most of you don't give a damn about NSU or any other university in Louisiana (and elsewhere), but the lessons learned at other places can be transferred to Tech. Which is exactly why I expressed concern when Henderson was announced as president of Tech. I posted then about his intentions of tenure here. Will he jump ship sooner, rather than later, and cause instability at Tech too?

Let me conclude this post by stating I really like Dr. Marcus Jones. I have served with him in various capacities and know how capable he is...in the right office.

Current Louisiana Supreme Court Justice James Genovese, an NSU grad, is said to be the next president of NSU. He had two more years on his SC term but will step down. He is 74.

Through the grapevine I heard Jim Henderson tried to intervene in the process, advocating for someone else to be named NSU prez, but Gov. Landry warned Henderson "to stay in his lane and mind his duties as prez of Tech." Apparently ULS president Gallot also tried to influence who will be named NSU prez and Gov. Landry also warned him off. This is what I have heard, and it comes from a very reliable source, so it is probably true.

Weird, he's 74 and going to run a university. They will be in search for another president in a year or two.

McNeese has a new president as my friend, and former Rummel teammate, Daryl Burkel has stepped down in favor of returning to the classroom (accounting professor). He served 7 years as McNeese president, during some very trying times.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dawg80

Current Louisiana Supreme Court Justice James Genovese, an NSU grad, is said to be the next president of NSU. He had two more years on his SC term but will step down. He is 74.

Through the grapevine I heard Jim Henderson tried to intervene in the process, advocating for someone else to be named NSU prez, but Gov. Landry warned Henderson "to stay in his lane and mind his duties as prez of Tech." Apparently ULS president Gallot also tried to influence who will be named NSU prez and Gov. Landry also warned him off. This is what I have heard, and it comes from a very reliable source, so it is probably true.

---

Hearing rumors that someone wants to start a law school in northern Louisiana and NSU has been chosen to host it. Probably just a rumor.

Quote:

---

Originally Posted by dawg80

Hearing rumors that someone wants to start a law school in northern Louisiana and NSU has been chosen to host it. Probably just a rumor.

---

Wish Tech had anything like this but at least we'd have one up here at all.

Putting a law school in North Louisiana anywhere but Tech is going to be a struggle for that law school and its students. I am not saying this because I love Tech, but as someone who knows what it would take to get it off the ground and accredited, and to keep it afloat.

Simply wow...have no words for the joke Genovese submitted as his official application. Posted today on the Natchitoches Parish Journal, special edition. Gov. Landry has handpicked him to get it, so he will. Saying he is woefully unqualified is a major understatement.