LSU’s presidential search committee holds its first meeting today as the 20-member panel begins its work to find a replacement for Dr. William Tate, who left in June to be the president at Rutgers. Piper Hutchinson covers higher education for the Louisiana Illuminator and she says this is a national search, but some local candidates have emerged.
“In terms of frontrunners, there are a few in-state candidates being considered. Wade Rousse, president of McNeese and Julia Letlow, the congresswoman from northeast Louisiana, are being strongly considered,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson says interim LSU president Matt Lee is also a candidate.
2020 was the last time LSU was looking for a president, and that search committee had nine women and eight people of color on the 20-member panel. Hutchinson says this search committee only has three women and three people of color.
“Very few women, very few people of color on the committee. These were all people who were handpicked by the board chair, Scott Ballard. But it is a wide variety of businessmen and a couple faculty members and staff members as well,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson says even though Governor Jeff Landry cannot pick the next LSU president, his influence will be felt.
“The current LSU Board of Supervisors is very much Landry’s people. So because they’re Landry’s people and this committee was selected by the Board Chair, who was hand-selected by Landry, I think it’s not hard to figure out that Landry’s voice is going to be heard,” Hutchinson said.
Hutchinson expects the search to name a new president will take months, meaning Lee will likely remain the interim through the calendar year.
Comments