Dr. James H. Ammons, Jr.

Dr. James H. Ammons, Jr. was appointed Chancellor of Southern University at New Orleans (SUNO) on January 8, 2021. Prior to this role, he served as Executive Vice President and Chief Academic Officer of the Southern University System and as Executive Vice Chancellor at Southern University and A&M College, the System’s flagship institution.

A native of Winter Haven, Florida, Dr. Ammons holds a Bachelor of Science in Political Science, graduating cum laude from Florida A&M University (FAMU) in 1974. He earned both his Master of Science in Public Administration (1975) and Ph.D. in Government (1977) from Florida State University. In 2008, he furthered his leadership education by completing the Corporate Governance Executive Program at Northwestern University’s Kellogg School of Management.

Dr. Ammons began his academic career as an assistant professor at the University of Central Florida, teaching public policy and administration. He returned to his alma mater, FAMU, in 1983 as an associate professor of political science and later advanced to serve as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs.

From 2001 to 2007, he served as the ninth Chancellor of North Carolina Central University, where he led a period of significant growth, with enrollment increasing from 5,476 to 8,675 students. In 2007, he was named the tenth President of Florida A&M University. Under his leadership, FAMU was recognized by U.S. News & World Report as the nation’s top public historically Black university and one of the country’s most popular institutions. After concluding his presidency in 2012, he returned to teaching as a professor of political science until 2018.

Dr. Ammons is highly respected in the realm of academic accreditation, having served on 14 accreditation committees for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges. He chaired committees for several institutions, including North Carolina Central University, Norfolk State University, South Carolina State University, and Clemson University.

His contributions to higher education have earned him numerous accolades, including an honorary doctorate from Wilberforce University in 2015. He is married to Judy Ammons (née Ruffin), and they are proud parents of one son, James III, and grandparents to Adalina Ammons.