BATON ROUGE – Louisiana Supreme Court Justice James “Jimmy” Genovese of Opelousas was unanimously approved Thursday by the University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors as the new president at Northwestern State University.
Genovese’s appointment becomes effective when he signs an employment contract, which is anticipated perhaps as early as today, said Board Chairman Mark Romero of New Iberia.
Thursday morning, Genovese fielded questions from the board for a half hour in an open session. Then the board went into executive session with Genovese and emerged about a half hour later to unanimously pass the motion, offered by board member Joe Salter of Florien and seconded by Dr. John Noble of Lake Charles, to name the 74-year-old Northwestern graduate the university’s 21st president.
Along with the main campus in Natchitoches, NSU has a prominent nursing school headquartered on Line Avenue in Shreveport, and campuses at England Air Park in Alexandria and Fort Johnson in Leesville.
He takes over when the university, founded in 1884, has experienced enrollment decline. Northwestern had near 12,000 undergraduate and graduate students in the Fall 2020 semester, but has dipped by around 3,000 students, and 42 percent of those enrolled are taking at least one, if not all, of their classes online.
“Throughout his career, Justice Genovese has demonstrated exemplary public service and leadership,” said Romero. “I’m confident in President Genovese’s ability to rally the NSU community and make a significant impact in driving positive change. His commitment to strengthening NSU’s legacy is evident, and we are dedicated to supporting him.”
“His deep roots in NSU and unwavering commitment to public service will undoubtedly benefit the NSU community,” said Rick Gallot, UL System President. “His leadership and dedication to the state will bring fresh insights, drive positive change and enhance the university’s impact.”
Genovese was nominated by the NSU Presidential Search Committee Tuesday after a day of meetings and forums with students, faculty, staff, alumni and community stakeholders, as well as a public interview and an executive session with the committee. Colorado educator Dr. Jose Cantu was the other finalist.
“My vision is to reinvigorate and rejuvenate Northwestern,” said Genovese. “I have chosen this as perhaps my final endeavor in my employment. It means so much to me that I am willing to forego the remaining two years of my (10-year Supreme Court) term and help the institution that allowed me to get to where I am today.”
During interviews, Genovese said he will focus on increasing enrollment, fund raising and increasing the university’s visibility. He touted NSU academic offerings in creative and performing arts, nursing, education and applied sciences as among the best in Louisiana.
“What a great honor and pleasure it is to be able to have a chance to say I can do something for Northwestern and the State of Louisiana,” said Genovese. “It’s going to be a challenge and I look forward to it.”
Genovese earned a Bachelor of Arts degree at NSU in 1971 and his juris doctorate from Loyola University in 1974 with honors in property law. He has been an associate justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court since 2017. He was a practicing attorney for 21 years before serving as a judge in the 27th Judicial District from 1995-2004 and a member of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal from 2005-16.
Genovese served on the Louisiana Supreme Court’s Judicial Council Appellate Court Work Point Values Working Group and the Trial Court Committee to Review the Need for Judgeships and as chairman of its long-term subcommittee. He was the Supreme Court’s appointee to the Juvenile Justice Reform Act Implementation Commission. Genovese is a board member of the Supreme Court of Louisiana Historical Society.
Genovese has been a panelist, speaker and lecturer at conferences and continuing education seminars on recent updates, professionalism, ethics, summary judgment, writs and appeals, practices and procedures of the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeals and judicial review in the Louisiana Supreme Court.
As an undergraduate at NSU, Genovese was named in Who’s Who Among Universities and Colleges, Who’s Who Among Greek Fraternities and Sororities of America and Outstanding College Athletes of America. He was a four-year letterman in tennis at No. 1 singles and doubles, president of Tau Kappa Epsilon Fraternity and involved with Interfraternity Council, Student Government Association and intramurals. He was inducted into the Long Purple Line, the university’s alumni hall of distinction, in 2018.
Genovese practiced law in Acadiana from 1974-1995 and served as president, vice president and secretary-treasurer of the St. Landry Parish Bar Association. He is a member of the Louisiana Bar Association, Colorado Bar Association and American Bar Association and is admitted to the bar in all state and federal courts in Louisiana, including the United States Supreme Court.
Genovese’s judicial career began as a judge ad hoc of the Opelousas City Court from 1975-1989. He was elected district judge of the Twenty-Seventh Judicial District Court for the Parish of St. Landry in 1995 and served as district judge through 2004, whereupon he was elected to the Louisiana Third Circuit Court of Appeal. He served on the appellate court in Lake Charles, for the western division of Louisiana, from 2005-2016. He was elected Associate Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court, commencing January 1, 2017.
His wife, Martha, is also a Northwestern graduate from Opelousas and is a retired U.S. Army sergeant.
Genovese succeeds Dr. Marcus Jones, who served as interim president from July-November 2021, then had the interim tag removed. He announced his departure at the end of May to rejoin the UL System office as CFO and vice president.