LSU board to consider realignment of main campus

In the most sweeping realignment to date, six academic units at LSU main campus would be realigned to form a single new college in a proposal to be considered by the LSU Board of Supervisors on Dec. 9. The rearrangement, which tops the agenda of the board meeting, was rooted in months of planning on how best to deal with the impact of budget cuts that have hit the university over the last three years. The plan is designed to save money and increase efficiencies by combining multiple units into the new College of Human Sciences and Education. If approved, six separate academic units from the College of Education, College of Agriculture, School of Social Work, School of Library and Information Science, School of Human Resource Education and Workforce Development, School of Kinesiology and the University Laboratory School would be merged to form the new college. Although no degree programs or positions would be eliminated by the pending move, in supporting documents filed with the board, College of Education Interim Dean Laura Lindsay says the realignment would allow the university to “leverage resources, engage expertise and create partnerships to reduce costs and generate additional revenue through increased federal and state grants and contract support.” The board is slated to meet at 1 p.m. Friday, Dec. 9, for committee meetings, followed immediately by the board’s regular monthly meeting. You can access copies of the agenda and supporting documents by visiting the board’s website here.