Laurence Alexander became chancellor of the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff in 2013 after working as associate dean of the graduate school and director of the Office of Minority Programs at the University of Florida in Gainesville, where he spent 22 years. A New Orleans native, he also worked at the University of New Orleans and Temple University. His journalism career included positions at the New Orleans Times-Picayune and The Philadelphia Inquirer.
Alexander earned a bachelor’s degree from the University of New Orleans, a master’s degree in journalism and communications from the University of Florida, a Juris Doctor from Tulane University and a Ph.D. in higher education from Florida State University.
President Joe Biden has appointed Alexander chairman of the Board for International Food and Agricultural Development (BIFAD), which advises the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID).
What will you focus on as BIFAD chair? Why is that board important?
The board serves to bring the assets of universities to bear on development challenges in agriculture and food security. USAID leads international development and humanitarian efforts to save lives, reduce poverty, strengthen democratic governance and help people progress beyond assistance.
My appointment — and those of several other new members — positions the board to respond to requests to address administration priorities, which include continuing USAID’s global commitments in agriculture and food systems; responding to climate change; expanding diversity, equity, inclusion and access; and strengthening local systems.
Why is it important that the BIFAD is, for the first time, led by the leader of an 1890 public land-grant university?
I believe this is an acknowledgment of the valuable contributions of historically Black colleges and universities (HBCUs), and it presents an opportunity to further strengthen USAID’s partnerships with HBCUs and other minority-serving institutions (MSIs).
What are your plans to grow UAPB?
Growing the university has been a priority since I arrived in 2013. UAPB has grown in many ways — new academic majors and programs, new construction and renovation of facilities, and we’ve experienced growth with our enrollment, as well. We expect to continue that growth in the future, focusing on student success metrics of retention and graduation. We are also seeking to expand our educational partnerships with corporations, foundations, government and individuals to aid student support and increase internship opportunities.
UAPB was formerly Arkansas AM&N College — Agricultural, Mechanical & Normal. How do those agricultural roots continue today?
The University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff is a public comprehensive HBCU 1890 land-grant institution. The university embraces its land-grant mission of providing cutting-edge research, teaching, outreach and service programs that respond to the social and economic needs of the state and region. Ultimately, the university is dedicated to providing access and opportunity to academically deserving students and producing graduates who are equipped to excel through their contributions and leadership in a 21st century national and global community.
As a land-grant university, UAPB is a major contributor to agriculture research and extension in Arkansas. Specifically, our aquaculture and fisheries program through the nationally recognized Center of Excellence assists fish producers in algae eradication and production of protein ingredients such as black soldier fly larvae as a nutritional alternative.
The USDA Regulatory Science Center of Excellence prepares students and practitioners to address important regulatory issues in agriculture, agriculture sustainability, environmental science and food safety in the region.
UAPB is also one of six top research universities in the country that produce and store virus-free, certified sweet potato seeds and sweet potato varieties through CRISPR/Cas9 mediated genome editing to enhance food security in U.S. commercial production. The other five include Mississippi State University, North Carolina State University, the University of Hawaii, Texas A&M University and Cal-Davis.
In addition, our Small Farm Program provides ongoing technical assistance and training to socially disadvantaged farmers and landowners in sustainable conservation and climate-smart applications and services that assist socially disadvantaged landowners with forestry management.
You’re a former New Orleans newspaper reporter; what question do you wish people would ask about UAPB?
Indeed, I worked many years ago as a staff writer for The Times-Picayune in New Orleans.
The question to ask me about UAPB: How can we partner and collaborate with your institution, Arkansas’ only 1890 land-grant university?
Answer: Contact me at chancellor@uapb.edu.
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