LCTCS Board Resumes BRCC Chancellor Search

  • Posted April 21, 2020
LCTCS Board Resumes BRCC Chancellor Search

BATON ROUGE, LA - Today, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System Board of Supervisors announced it will resume the previously suspended Baton Rouge Community College (BRCC) Chancellor search. On March 13, the search was suspended indefinitely due to the COVID-19 pandemic and Governor Edwards' stay-at-home order. 

"Based on the advanced stage of the search when it was suspended and the urgent need to name a permanent leader at the college, we believe it is important to resume the search," said Tim Hardy, LCTCS board supervisor and search committee chairperson. "Now more than ever, BRCC and all of our community and technical colleges will play a critical role in jumpstarting our economy and serving the people of Louisiana through education and workforce development programs. In the weeks and months ahead, higher education in Louisiana and across the nation will likely face an uncertain future, and the students, faculty, staff, and entire BRCC community deserve to have a leader in place to lead the college during these times."  

The finalists in alphabetical order are 

  • Dr. Towuanna Porter Brannon, vice president for Student Services at Mitchell Community College, North Carolina; 
     
  • Dr. Paige Niehaus, provost for Strategic Initiatives and Executive Director for the Design Center at Wayne County Community College District, Michigan; and 
     
  • Dr. Willie Smith, interim chancellor, Baton Rouge Community College, Louisiana.  

The Board announced the search will resume with a revised interview and forum process. This new process will include a virtual interview of the three finalists with the search committee using video technology. The process will also include finalist videos with electronic feedback forms for students, faculty, staff, and the broader college community to engage in the process. Based on the current social distancing guidelines and stay-at-home order, there will not be any public, in-person forums.  

College stakeholders, including students, faculty, staff, and the broader college community, are encouraged to engage in the search process by watching each finalists' video and providing feedback on each finalist. The finalists' videos and respective feedback forms will be available on the BRCC website beginning Tuesday, April 28 through Friday, May 1. Following the revised process, the Board is expected to make a selection before the end of the Spring 2020 semester.

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