About the Chancellor

Dr. Joseph Bouie, Jr.

Chancellor

Phone: 504-286-5311

Office: Bashful Administration Building

On August 1, 2025, Dr. Joseph Bouie, Jr. was appointed the 10th Chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO), a distinguished return to an institution that helped shape his academic, professional, and civic journey. As a scholar, former legislator, university administrator, and community leader, Dr. Bouie brings to the role an exceptional record of service, an unshakable commitment to social equity, and an abiding love for SUNO’s mission and legacy.

Dr. Bouie is a proud graduate of Southern University at New Orleans, where he earned his Bachelor of Arts in Sociology. He went on to receive his Master of Social Work from Tulane University and later completed his Doctor of Philosophy in Social Work, and Postsecondary Administration & Planning from Clark Atlanta University. Over the course of more than four decades, Dr. Bouie has cultivated a dynamic and interdisciplinary career spanning higher education, public policy, community development, and social work practice.

From 2000 to 2002, Dr. Bouie previously served as Chancellor of SUNO, where he led the institution through a period of academic advancement and strategic growth.

In addition to his academic leadership, Dr. Bouie served with distinction in the Louisiana House of Representatives from 2014 to 2020 and in the Louisiana State Senate from 2020 to 2025, representing District 3. As a legislator, he was a steadfast advocate for Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), healthcare access, criminal justice reform, and economic opportunity. He served as Chairman of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus, where he championed policy rooted in justice, equity, and the empowerment of marginalized communities.

A consummate educator and public intellectual, Dr. Bouie has taught, researched, and published extensively in the areas of administration, community organization, leadership, and substance abuse intervention. He has served on numerous boards at the local, state, and national levels and is widely respected for his expertise as a program developer, policy strategist, and thought leader in both academic and civic spaces.

As Chancellor, Dr. Bouie is deeply focused on fortifying SUNO’s academic enterprise, expanding student-centered programming, and cultivating strategic partnerships that enhance the university’s visibility and vitality. His leadership is marked by vision, humility, and an unwavering belief in the transformative power of education, especially for first-generation, nontraditional, and historically underserved students.

Dr. Bouie is married to Mrs. Leslie P. Bouie, his partner in purpose and life for over 52 years. Together, they are the proud parents of five adult children. He lives by a personal creed that continues to guide his service:

“Education without God makes one just a clever devil.”