Walton named GSU interim president

Connie Walton has been named interim president of Grambling State University.

Walton, GSU’s current provost and vice president for academic affairs, became GSU’s temporary leader Thursday afternoon when the Executive Committee for the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors unanimously appointed her to the role on the recommendation of previous president Rick Gallot.

“There’s no one I can think of who’s more qualified, and someone who’s already on the campus, to serve in the interim role,” Gallot said to board members.

It was Gallot’s first meeting as the new president of the UL System, which comprises and governs nine public universities across the state, including GSU and Louisiana Tech. He officially vacated the Grambling presidency at the start of the year Monday.

The system board is in the early stages of searching for the next president of the iconic HBCU ( historically Black college and university). If the search timeline holds, a new leader would be installed in late February.

Gallot told the board Walton has no interest in applying for the permanent role.

“She was reluctant, but after good conversation she has agreed to serve in this interim term only,” he said.

Walton has worked at GSU since 1993, spending time in private industry as a research chemist before that, according to her LinkedIn profile. She’s served as a faculty member, department head, dean and provost twice at Grambling.

An interim appointment was originally slated for Dec. 7 but was tabled. Previous UL System President Jim Henderson’s contract to take over as president of Louisiana Tech wasn’t finalized until Dec. 16, and Gallot’s contract to fill his role followed on Saturday.

Speaking with the Leader Wednesday, Gallot said it was waiting on those dominoes to fall that caused the delay in naming an interim at GSU.

But he said the wait had “no practical effect” on the operation of the university. He said with such a short term and a full administration around her, Walton’s interim tenure shouldn’t be as demanding as some.

“We’ve got an amazing cabinet, group of vice presidents who are all incredibly talented and will continue to move their respective portions of the university forward,” Gallot said. “I’m also still connected to Grambling, just in a different role.”

But an interim was still needed, he said.

“Somebody’s got to be in charge at the campus level.”

Walton’s appointment is technically still subject to ratification from the full UL System board. At Thursday’s special called meeting, the full board didn’t have a quorum of members present.

So the board’s Executive Committee, appointed by newly sworn- in Chairman Jimmy Clarke from among the members at the table, took up the matter and voted unanimously to appoint Walton.

Jan. 12 is the preferred date to receive applications for GSU president. The search committee will select semifinalists at its next meeting on Jan. 22, followed by oncampus interviews on Feb. 5 and a final selection made on Feb. 21 or 22.