As president of the University of South Alabama, Jo Bonner is presiding over a university going through seismic changes. The school hired a new provost and executive vice president last year and is still trying to fill many senior leadership positions, all while increasing its academic and research offerings. At the same time, national challenges in higher education, particularly an enrollment cliff when the number of incoming university students will decline, loom large.

Only the university’s fourth president, Bonner was previously Chief of Staff to Gov. Kay Ivey and served five terms in Congress, representing Alabama’s First Congressional District in the House of Representatives. He left Congress in 2013 to serve as vice chancellor of government relations and economic development for the University of Alabama.

Here, we discuss how his first year has gone, what his plans for the university are and keeping USA affordable.

Questions and answers have been condensed and edited for clarity.

You’ve been president of South for a little more than a year now. What has it been like?