BATON ROUGE — Southern University announced its new chancellor Friday afternoon. 

The Southern University System Board of Supervisors named John Pierre as the chancellor of Southern University. Pierre currently serves as chancellor of the Southern University Law Center and has been the Southern University System's interim executive vice president since 2023. He has worked for the university since 1990 in faculty and administrative roles.

The Board’s approval comes at the recommendation of Southern University System President Dennis Shields, who appointed a search committee composed of Southern alumni, students, faculty and staff and community leaders. The committee received applications from a national search firm.

Pierre will begin his term as chancellor of Southern University once a contract is approved by the Board of Supervisors. His official start date has not been announced.