Russell named chancellor of LSU Eunice

Kimberly A. Russell has been selected as the next chancellor of LSU Eunice, LSU President F. King Alexander announced in a news release.
Russell is currently the vice president for advancement and external affairs and executive director of the Tyler Junior College Foundation at Tyler Junior College in Texas.
“We are pleased to welcome Dr. Kimberly Russell to LSU Eunice and the LSU leadership team,” said LSU President F. King Alexander. “Dr. Russell brings with her a wealth of experience in multiple facets of university operations, and we are excited to see her plans implemented for expanding and growing LSUE to help meet the needs of the state.”
LSUE is a comprehensive, open admissions institution of higher education offering associate degrees, certificates and continuing education programs as well as transfer curricula. LSUE has a population of approximately 3,000 students and 230 faculty and staff.
“I am excited and honored to have been selected as the next chancellor of LSU Eunice and to join the LSU family under the leadership of President King Alexander,” Russell said. “LSUE is a wonderful university focused on student access and success, and I’m looking forward to working with the community, business and industry leaders and the talented faculty, staff and students to make it the premier two-year institution in the state!”
LSU conducted a national search for the new LSUE chancellor, led by a committee composed of LSUE faculty, staff and leaders from the community. The committee was chaired by Renee Robichaux, LSUE’s vice chancellor of academic affairs.
Russell replaces William Nunez as LSUE chancellor. Nunez announced his retirement in December 2014 but remained in his role through the current fiscal year. Robichaux will now serve as interim chancellor until Russell begins in September.
Alexander expressed his thanks to the search committee and everyone who participated in the search process and provided feedback. He also thanked Nunez for his service to LSUE and the Eunice community.
“We wish William Nunez well in his retirement and thank him for his service as chancellor since 1996,” Alexander said. “We also appreciate the hard work put in by the search committee and thank everyone from the campus and community who participated in the chancellor search.”
The chancellor is the chief executive officer of the university and exercises complete executive authority therein, subject to the direction of the Board of Supervisors through Alexander. As the administrative head of LSUE, the chancellor implements educational and administrative policies for the campus.
Russell earned doctoral and master’s degrees from the University of North Texas and her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at Tyler.
Russell began her career at Tyler Junior College in 1999 as the executive director of the Tyler Junior College Foundation. During her tenure, the Tyler Junior College Foundation has grown from $8 million in total assets in 2000 to more than $47 million in 2015.
In 2006, Russell added the role of vice president for advancement and external affairs. In this position, she manages 10 operational units including advancement, scholarships, legislative affairs, marketing and alumni affairs, among others. Previously, she served as the director of foundation and corporate relations at LeTourneau University in Longview, Texas. She is currently the chair of the National Advisory Committee for the Center for Community College Advancement, Council for Advancement and Support of Education, or CASE.
About LSUE
LSU Eunice is located just southwest of Eunice along Louisiana Highway 755 in Acadia Parish, near the boundaries of Evangeline and St. Landry Parishes, in a rich and fertile section of Southwest Louisiana referred to as “the tri-parish area.” LSU Eunice is committed to the principle that individuals should have the opportunity to develop themselves through education commensurate with their capabilities and interests. To this end, the university strives to provide educational programs and related services which reflect and respond to the diversified interests, aptitudes, talents, needs and goals of its constituency.
For more information, visit www.lsue.edu.