By T. Scott Boatright
Rick Gallot has spent his life making impacts in his native Grambling or in Baton Rouge, where he served in both the state Senate and House of Representatives.
After serving as president of Grambling State University since 2016, Gallot will begin working again in Baton Rouge as he takes over as president of the University of Louisiana System beginning on Jan. 1.
Gallot will succeed Dr. Jim Henderson, who was unanimously elected Wednesday night by the ULS Board of Supervisors to fill the presidential vacancy at Louisiana Tech University before the Board went back into executive session to unanimously name Gallot as Henderson’s replacement.
That leaves Grambling State in search of a new president in a move that will be announced at a later date.
“I am incredibly honored to have the opportunity to serve the students, faculty, staff and Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System,” Gallot said in a prepared statement. “The sense of Systemness created by Dr. Henderson is something I look forward to carrying on by leveraging the collective strength of 90,000 students as the driver of higher education in the state of Louisiana.”
Gallot earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Grambling and a juris doctorate from Southern University School of Law. He is currently pursuing a doctorate of organizational leadership from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Fla. He has also completed leadership training from Harvard University’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
Gallot earned a Bachelor of Arts in history from Grambling State and a juris doctorate from Southern University School of Law and guided GSU through a period of historic growth including setting new enrollment records and a 200 percent improvement in the institution’s fiscal health score.
He is currently pursuing a doctorate of organizational leadership from Southeastern University in Lakeland, Florida. He has also completed leadership training from Harvard University’s Senior Executives in State and Local Government at the John F. Kennedy School of Government.
“I feel very grateful right now that you have bestowed this incredible honor on (my wife) Christy and I to step into some pretty big shoes,” Gallot told the board moments after being announced as the ULS president-elect. “I want to thank Dr. Henderson as well for being such an incredible support system for me over the last seven years and I just want to let you know that I’m grateful for this opportunity and certainly look forward to serving this Board, the 80,000-plus students across nine institutions in the University of Louisiana System. I’m grateful and just want to say thank you.”
Board Chair Liz Pierre lauded Gallot in that prepared statement announcing his election as ULS president-elect.
“Rick’s long career of servant leadership to our state prepared him well for this role,” Pierre said. “After thoughtful consideration, the Board believes President Gallot is best positioned to lead the University of Louisiana System to new heights in the coming years.”
Named Grambling’s 10th president in 2016, Gallot led the institution through a period of historic growth including setting new enrollment records and a 200 percent improvement in the institution’s fiscal health score.”
Pierre added further remarks regarding at the end of Wednesday’s meeting.
“I know that over the past seven years that you’ve served as president of Grambling State University you demonstrated a deep commitment to student success, to financial stewardship and academic excellence during that time,” Pierre said. “You prioritized strategic growth, fostered innovation and academically engaged stakeholders, resulting in enrollment growth and retention of students there at Grambling.
“In addition to the impressive work you’ve done at Grambling, but your background as a state representative and a senator will give you a profound understanding of the legislative process, policy development and efficient advocacy that will serve our nine universities, their faculties and staff and students very well. For those reasons I believe you are an excellent choice to lead the University of Louisiana System.”
Henderson agreed with Pierre in feeling Gallot was the right choice for his replacement.
“Rick is ideally suited to carry on this work and take it to the next level,” said. “His character, leadership acumen, and political instincts will ensure the UL System continues to advance at an even more rapid pace.”
