LSU officials are working through
changes in lieu of the recent reorganization efforts of LSU 2015
initiated by the LSU Board
of Supervisors. The new initiative was created to keep the
university system in a successful tier one position despite recent
cutbacks.
“The board is very keen that we streamline LSU, that we make it more efficient, more effective,” said LSU Interim Chancellor
and President William L. Jenkins. “We’re looking at how we can manage in a changing world, a difficult world, and somewhat
stringent financial conditions.”
Thursday, Jenkins, along with LSU Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Stuart R. Bell and three LSU deans, spoke to media
and alumni at the Lake Charles Country Club about the upcoming changes to the university system.
Jenkins said the university is facing
difficult financial times but that the LSU 2015 plan has been geared
toward this issue.
A report by the Association of Governing Boards was the initial
factor for the realignment of various integral parts of the
university system. The report, titled “A Newly Aligned Louisiana
State University, Globally Competitive for the 21st Century,”
focuses on making the university more compact in areas such as
Jenkins’ current position.
The board approved combining the positions of LSU president and the chancellor into a single position, the president of LSU.
The board now has a committee looking for someone to fill this new position.
“The university is managing to be
efficient in these very tough, frugal financial times,” said Bell. “We
can’t allow those
budget reductions to devastate the university, so we’ll work hard
to do the very best that we can within those circumstances.”
In November the board also approved six goals and principles in alignment with the reorganization. Included within these is
the implementation of a common course-numbering system and single application form for all campuses to create a statewide
“One LSU” system. There will also be more focus on entrepreneurial interdisciplinary activities and faculty research — an
area that was previously limited due to budget cuts, Jenkins said.
In an effort to save money and improve academic performance, six units have been consolidated into the College of Human Sciences
and Education under the leadership of founding Dean Laura Lindsay.
“We combined them as a way of rethinking our resources in a more effective and efficient way,” said Lindsay. “That was part
of prior budget cuts that we’ve had to address at the university — working together, this had made it a more effective, a
more powerful, a more exciting college.”
However, budget cuts have reduced the
university’s ability to recruit the best faculty and staff, Bell said.
He said the university
looks for educators who will not only affect students but be
engaged in research efforts in their fields.
Richard White, E.J. Ourso College of
Business dean, said the LSU reorganization will help combat these issues
by streamlining
the university. He said the university needs to keep up with the
changes brought about by outside factors such as technology
and increased online courses.
“Universities are competing against each other for students; there are no barriers anymore,” he said. “Higher education is
not going to be the same 20 years from now.”
Jenkins said the university’s
realignment is at the moment the largest issue being faced. Because
there has been an increased
enrollment and solid graduation rates he said they need to focus
on ways to make department programs more cost efficient to
benefit students in the long run. He said the university does not
rely on the state for funds like in the past.
“We have to be well-funded to succeed and we’re capable of doing that ourselves,” he said. “There’s been a shift in that today
we’re more and more tuition driven and less and less state supported.”