Southern University Names Ralph Slaughter as System President
BATON ROUGE, La.
The nation’s largest historically Black university system has named Dr. Ralph Slaughter, currently its vice president for administration and management, to lead the system into the future as the new president.
“I’m a son of Southern and I understand the value of a Southern University degree,” Slaughter told the Southern University board of supervisors after the decision was announced. Slaughter was secretary of the state Department of Revenue and Taxation before coming to Southern, and was also coordinator of the annual Bayou Classic football game against Grambling State University. At the university, he also has been the system deputy vice president for finance and business affairs.
Slaughter was named one of the “100 Most Influential African American Leaders” in 2005 by Ebony magazine.
The board chose Slaughter over A. Toy Caldwell-Colbert, a consultant to the president of Howard University.
Dr. Lester C. Newman, a Southern graduate and president of Mississippi Valley State University, also was a finalist but withdrew just before Slaughter was named.
