Slaughter gets going despite some criticism

With only three weeks under his belt as president of the Southern University System, Dr. Ralph Slaughter said many issues within the five-campus system need to be – and would be – addressed, including the academic and professional strengths of Southern, but he is concerned about the fiscal strength. His focus: recouping some of the funding cut by the state legislature after Hurricane Katrina.
“Right now, we’re in legislative session and we’re trying to get as much as our money restored,” Slaughter said. “My focus is to work on this legislature and the major bills that could affect our institution.”
The state’s 2006 regular legislative session convened on March 27. Slaughter and a lobbying team will have until June 19 to sway the state’s lawmakers into fiscally favoring the system. In the meantime, he said he would appoint an advisory group to work with priority issues.
“Academic excellence and accreditation are at the top of my list,” Slaughter said. “But again, New Orleans is a major concern because none of the buildings are open on the Southern-New Orleans’ north campus.”
The SUNO campus was decimated last year by flooding after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita and relocated to a temporary site in February. Classes are now being held in temporary trailers provided by the Federal Emergency
Management Agency. Nearly $5.4 million of the system’s $137 million, or 3.4 percent, in total funding revenue for the 2006 fiscal year were cut during a special legislative session last November after the hurricanes forced legislators to cut $67 million from the state’s higher education budget.
As a result of the system cuts, the Baton Rouge campus lost $1.6 million of the $82.7 million, or nearly two percent, of its operating budget for the 2006 fiscal year due to the hurricanes.
“When you look at Dr. Slaughter as a CPA and the former state director of revenue, I think it was an excellent choice,” said State Representative Cedric Richmond, D-New Orleans. “I think is was a great selection considering the university did not have the luxury of bringing in someone who would require a learning curve when the system is currently having problems fighting for its existence and autonomy.”
During the March 12 vote to appoint Slaughter, two of the 16 board members, Walter Guidry and John Joseph, opposed the decision. Several members of the faculty senate at the Baton Rouge campus also had reservations. Faculty senate president Dr. Eva Baham said the board did not follow the necessary criteria when they selected Slaughter. She said her opinion was not a personal one, but the criteria called for someone who has proven academic credentials and a sustained research background.
“We did not choose to support or not support any candidate,” Baham said. “Because we believe that if the board of supervisors followed the recommendations of the search committee (that was based on the established criteria), it would choose the best candidate.”
Other faculty, staff and other board members have openly disagreed with Baham. In a letter to The DIGEST published last week, Dr. Anthony Igiede said Baham’s crude assessment of the board and Slaughter ” … is very unbecoming of a senate president most of us hold in high esteem.”
Slaughter said during the interviewing process, Baham had ample opportunity to ask questions or give comments. Slaughter said she only asked one. Despite the opposition, Slaughter said he is not going to have a few negative comments avert the purpose of his job.
“I won’t let one or two folks distract me from doing what I’ve been charged to do,” Slaughter said. “Everyone had ample time to come and address (me). I’ve been to the faculty senate twice and I plan on meeting with everyone on every campus very soon.”
Board member Tony Clayton said Baham’s comments, whether personal or not, were out of line.
“I think it’s tragic that Eva Baham is a relatively intelligent lady and the faculty senate president to bash the newly elected president of our system in a public forum was embarrassing and it cheapened her opinion as it relates to anything academic,” Clayton said. “I think she owes Slaughter, the board, the students and the university system an apology,” Clayton said.
He said Slaughter would bring “business acumen” to Southern.
“A school with a $200 million budget is equivalent to a mid-level city,” Clayton said. “Southern is a business and Slaughter would be the chief operating officer of this business.”
Slaughter, a certified public accountant, is associated with many businesses and organizations Southern could afford to affiliate itself. He is coordinator of the State Farm Bayou Classic, the only historically black college football game aired on national TV; he served as secretary of the state department of revenue and taxation from 1992 to 1995, and was the former chairman of the board of directors at LaCapitol Federal Credit Union. Slaughter, a member of Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Inc., is also the Grand Master of the Prince Hall Masons of Louisiana. Justin McCorkle, student government president at the Baton Rouge campus, said he and Southern’s three other SGA campus presidents recommended Slaughter, a 1974 Southern graduate, during the board’s March meeting.
“We felt he was the best choice for the job because he’s a true Southernite who knows the system,” McCorkle said. “Any other person from the outside would be influenced by the problems that already exist.”
SUBR Chancellor Edward Jackson said a problem that needs attention is a bond project to restore and keep up the utility infrastructure on his campus.
“If we lose that (the bond),” Jackson said. “We might as well shut the place down. It’s like not having heat and air in a house.”
Athletics is always on the list at Southern, but baseball head coach Roger Cador said he is confident Slaughter will find room and time to accommodate the 18 NCAA Division-I sports on the Baton Rouge campus.
“He sees the big picture,” Cador said. “He knows that with a strong athletic program, much will follow, including funding for academics.”
Critics have slammed Slaughter, saying his affiliation with members of the legislature helped his appointment. He said he hopes people understand he is a “true Southernite” and he loves Southern, which is why he decided to apply for the presidency.
“No legislators or anyone has a vote on the board except the members themselves,” Slaughter said. “I come from a Southern University family. The selection has more to do with my record and experience. I’ve gotten offers to apply for other presidencies and other positions, but my love is for Southern.”