On Monday, July 8, 2024, the NSU Presidential Search Committee met in Baton Rouge to determine semi-finalists in the selection of the next Northwestern State University president. After a diligent review, two  candidates were selected for on-campus tours and interviews.

They are James “Jimmy” Genovese and Jose Cantu.

Genovese, a Louisiana Supreme Court Judge, is an Opelousas native and resident who is a 1971 Northwestern State graduate. He was inducted in 2018 as a member of NSU’s Long Purple Line Alumni Hall of Distinction and has been a Supreme Court justice since 2017. A 1974 Loyola law school graduate, he served as an Opelousas City Court ad hoc judge from 1975-89, while spending 21 years as a trial attorney. Genovese was elected as a district judge in 1995 and served in that capacity until being elected to the Third Circuit Court of Appeal in 2005.

Cantu, recently served as the vice chancellor for enrollment management at the University of Colorado-Colorado Springs. He also held the vice president for enrollment management at University of Houston-Victoria. He is a 1995 University of Houston graduate.

On July 16th, on-campus visit/interviews will be conducted in Natchitoches. During campus visits, semifinalists will meet with various constituent groups and interview with the search committee. This is an opportunity for stakeholders to interact with candidates and provide feedback to inform the search committee. All meetings and interviews are public and will take place on Northwestern’s campus.

Faculty and staff meetings will take place in the Natchitoches Room of Russell Hall at 8:45 am for Genovese and 10:45am for Cantu. 

Student meetings will take place on the first floor of Student Services in classroom 147. Cantu will meet at 9:45am followed by Genovese at 10:45am. 

Community leaders and NSU Alumni will gather in the President’s Room of the Student Union to meet with the two candidates. Cantu at 8:45am and Genovese at 9:45am.

Search Committee interviews will take place in Magale Recital Hall. Cantu’s interview begins at 1pm. Genovese follows at 2:30pm. Upon conclusion of semifinalist interviews, the Search Committee will meet to select finalists.

On July 18, the finalists will interview with the UL System Board of Supervisors, and a new president will be selected.