BATON ROUGE — The Southern University System Presidential Search Committee has narrowed its search for a new leader to three finalists.

The committee interviewed the six semifinalists, announced in late September, on Friday.

The finalists are:

-Roscoe Jones, former dean of Drake University Law School

-Larissa Littleton-Steib, Chancellor of Delgado Community College

-Brian Bridges, senior adviser at education policy consulting firm Whiteboard Advisors and former secretary of higher education for the state of New Jersey

The university system has been without a permanent president since the end of last year, when Dennis J. Shields finished his tenure. Orlando McMeans has served as interim president in the meantime.

The committee originally intended to install a new leader by July 1, but the group extended that timeline in May. 

The finalists will now advance to the Southern University System Board of Supervisors for interviews and further consideration. The board will conduct interviews with the finalists before making its final selection of the next System president.

Additional information regarding the schedule and format of the board interviews will be announced as details are finalized.

In a prepared statement, Jason Hughes, chair of the presidential search committee, said that the committee had engaged in a thoughtful, rigorous and deliberate process.

“Our committee approached this responsibility with a shared commitment to transparency and fairness to identify candidates with the experience, vision, and leadership necessary to guide the System into its next chapter," said Hughes. "We are confident that the finalists we are advancing to the Board of Supervisors represent strong candidates who are well-positioned to build upon Southern's legacy while advancing its future.”