Dr. James H. Ammons, Jr., an experienced academic and administrator, was named Chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) on January 8, 2021. He previously held key roles in the Southern University System, such as Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer, and Executive Vice Chancellor of Southern University and A&M College. His academic career started in Florida, his birthplace, where he also obtained his degrees.
Born in Winter Haven, Florida, Dr. Ammons graduated with a B.S. degree in political science from Florida A&M University (FAMU) in 1974. He earned an M.S. in public administration in 1975, and a Ph.D. in government in 1977 from Florida State University. In 2008, he completed an executive program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.
He started teaching at the University of Central Florida as an assistant professor in public policy and administration. In 1983, he joined FAMU as an associate professor of political science and later became Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs in 1995. He served as the Chancellor of North Carolina Central University from 2001 to 2007, a period when enrollment peaked.