Three finalists named for SU

• By JORDAN BLUM
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: May 15, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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Southern University named three finalists to compete to become the next chancellor.

The top three are, in alphabetical order, Ray Belton, Southern University at Shreveport chancellor; Kofi Lomotey, Fisk University executive vice president and provost in Tennessee; and Napoleon Moses, Alcorn State University vice president for academic affairs in Mississippi.

Southern University System President Ralph Slaughter could recommend a single top choice to the Southern Board of Supervisors by the May 23 board meeting.

Southern’s search committee of faculty, students, alumni and community leaders could meet again as soon as next week with Slaughter to narrow the list even more, said committee Co-Chairman Matthew Butler of The Shaw Group.

Butler and committee members met in closed, executive session for about an hour Tuesday afternoon after each of the committee members submitted their top choices from six semifinalists.

Not all the candidates were notified Tuesday, so the names were not released until Wednesday.

“At the end of the day, it’s going to be the president’s recommendation to the board,” Butler said. “Right now, he’s going to bring one name forward.”

Slaughter said that is the likely scenario, but it is still under consideration. The Board of Supervisors will make the final hire.

Slaughter said any of the final six were great fits at Southern.

The three cut on Tuesday were Wynetta Lee, Jackson State University executive professor in Mississippi; Mac Stewart, Ohio State University vice provost for minority affairs; and Joseph Stevenson, a former Jackson State provost who missed the final round of campus interviews.

The three remaining finalists are seeking to replace former Chancellor Ed Jackson, who stepped down about a year ago.

Margaret Ambrose, who has worked at Southern for 35 years, replaced him on an interim basis.

Ambrose applied for the job but was not given an interview.