Tougaloo College, the private historically Black institution located in north Jackson, is seeking its 15th president in the school’s 156-year history. Donzell Lee, the current president, will remain in his role until June 2026. 

In an email, Blondean Y. Davis, chair of the presidential search committee, told constituents last week that WittKieffer, a Chicago-based consulting and executive firm, will lead the process. The committee has also created a leadership profile outlining the qualities for a successful candidate. 

Earlier this summer, the committee led community listening sessions for faculty, alumni, board of trustees and students. The college’s next leader will be expected to expand enrollment, help with financial sustainability and elevate the national profile, according to the job profile. Applications for the role will be accepted through Oct. 10. 

Faculty and alumni have been dissatisfied with the school’s leadership for years. In March, the college’s faculty senate issued a series of no confidence votes for Lee, the office of the provost and registrar. 

In a memo, faculty cited lack of communication from Lee as well as failing to  acknowledge lingering concerns about provost Josiah Sampson III and registrar Pam England. The faculty senate voted no confidence in Sampson and England in May 2024. Lee was interim president of the university at the time. 

In April, Lee told the Clarion Ledger, the administration reviewed the concerns and worked toward “an appropriate path forward.” It is unclear if issues were resolved. 

In 2022, students voted no-confidence in the leadership of Carmen Walters, the college’s 14th president. That same year, a group called the Tougaloo College Alumni Coalition for Change created an online petition calling for Walters’ removal that garnered more than 1,500 signatures. 

The petition claimed the college had been without a full-time registrar for years. Faculty were leaving in a “mass exodus” and enrollment had fallen to its lowest point in 40 years. Enrollment under Walter’s tenure dropped to 713 students in Fall 2021, down by 8% from the previous year, Higher Ed Drive cites. In Fall 2023, there were 725 students enrolled at the college according to federal data. 

Founded in 1869, the college is recognized as an important institution in the Civil Rights Movement, serving as a refuge for activists and gathering space for organizers in Mississippi to plan sit-ins, protests and voter registration drives. The college currently serves roughly 600 students and offers more than 30 programs of study.