Copyright Baton Rouge Advocate
The LSU presidential search committee bore a weighty responsibility — evaluating who should become the next leader to usher in a new era for the state’s flagship university. We have been watching the process with interest as it has arrived at three finalists — Dr. Robert Robbins, former University of Arizona president; James Dalton, executive vice president and provost at the University of Alabama; and current McNeese State President Wade Rousse. The candidates have been scheduled for campus visits to meet with students, faculty and staff. They have faced questions from members of the committee about their resumes and qualifications. Now, after months of suspense, the full LSU Board of Supervisors will convene Tuesday to interview the finalists and make a decision. There are a few things we hope they keep in mind as they deliberate. First is simply the tremendous import of this decision. The person chosen to become the 29th president of LSU will shape the direction of the university for years to come. A college president often outlasts gubernatorial administrations and legislatures and so must be independent enough to deftly position LSU to thrive no matter the environment. The LSU system comprises eight campuses, which are home to 41,700 students and 1,400 faculty. Its $1.1 billion endowment supports a wide array of scholarships. In recent years, the system has seen enrollment gains, and its research budget swelled to $543 million under previous president William Tate IV. LSU needs a leader who can keep it on that trajectory of growth, not downsize its ambitions. The Board of Supervisors also should recognize that whoever it chooses will be immediately faced with some pretty big decisions. LSU’s parting of ways with its head football coach Brian Kelly and athletic director Scott Woodward recently means those big vacancies must be filled. In addition, LSU must come up with a strategy to deal with the ongoing uncertainty surrounding federal funding to universities, which puts some of its major research at risk. Then there is the ongoing construction on campus with a potential new arena also in the works. Add to that, the struggling University of New Orleans is set to rejoin the LSU system in the coming months. We can't imagine a new president coming in at a more pivotal time. Without a doubt, the state needs a strong LSU, one that is able to attract top-notch faculty and students. As we said when this search began, with all that’s at stake, there’s no place for politics or cronyism in this pick. We expect, and indeed all the LSU community demands, that the decision come down to who is best for the job — and nothing else. We urge members of the Board of Supervisors, as they are making their decision, to reflect on the fact that the future of LSU, and our entire state, rests in their hands.
