Overview
- The Board of Supervisors approved the Rousse–Dalton leadership slate on a 12–1 vote, formalizing a two-leader governance model.
- Under Rousse’s proposed structure, external affairs, governmental relations and athletics report to the president, while the Baton Rouge campus, the AgCenter, the health science centers and Pennington report to the chancellor.
- Rousse, a Louisiana native and former McNeese State leader with a business-oriented profile, emphasized workforce alignment, industry partnerships and metrics-driven management.
- Dalton, most recently executive vice president and provost at the University of Alabama and a late addition to the finalist pool, was appointed executive vice president and chancellor.
- Next steps include contract finalization and transition planning, with early priorities that include a football coaching hire, addressing a federal funding suspension affecting Pennington, and decisions on major capital proposals such as a new arena.