GET DAILY REPORT FREE
I doubt Gov. Jeff Landry understands much about how a flagship university system operates or the pressure to compete nationally for students, faculty and research funding. And, frankly, I’m not sure he cares.
When he puts his eyes on the Tigers, it’s usually to chastise a coach for not having their team on the field or court during the national anthem—regardless of whether the team happens to be praying in the locker room at that time—imposing his will to have a caged, live tiger on the Death Valley field for pregame, or calling for the firing of professors for behavior or speech he deems offensive or too political. Otherwise, it’s the University of Louisiana at Lafayette that seems to get the governor’s adoring attention.
With the recent resignation of LSU President William Tate to become president of Rutgers, an opportunity arises to name a new leader for the LSU system and its Baton Rouge campus. I am told that Landry and board member Lee Mallet have their fingerprints all over this evolving development, and that many in the LSU family are worried about the anticipated process that will be used to select LSU’s next leader.
LSU Board Chairman Scott Ballard has the experience and understands the proper way to conduct a national search and utilize a search firm. This process is crucial for gaining people’s confidence. A search committee that includes stakeholders can help LSU find the best candidates to present to the board, rather than simply selecting someone “hand-picked” by the governor.
There are many nervous people among LSU alumni, donors, faculty, and I’m sure students, who, based on his past actions and “power grabs,” believe Landry, with assistance from board members Remy Starns and Mallet, will be heavy-handed in forcing his pick as president. They have every right to be worried.
LSU was opened 165 years ago and has survived many governors. It is our state’s flagship and key to our future. We just witnessed a record graduation with over 5,000 students. LSU has a record-breaking freshman class and a record amount of research dollars ($500 million, up $200 million since 2020). This is in addition to the many national championships in gymnastics, baseball, women’s basketball, track, golf and football. Or the multiple Heisman Trophy winners and top draft picks. All these academic, research and athletic successes bring positive attention to Louisiana. The LSU brand is strong. We must maintain that momentum in competing to be the best, and strong leadership matters.
We must all call on Chairman Ballard and the LSU board to lead an independent process with integrity. Exposure to plenty of sunlight during the process will help keep it on the right path. LSU deserves nothing less.
Landry, in his 2023 Facebook video announcement for governor. said, “You see faces in Louisiana with worry lines deepened by concern for what’s next.” My worry lines now are for who will be the next president of LSU.
Tribute to Kip
The outpouring of support for former Mayor Kip Holden, who passed away last month after a lengthy illness, along with his wife, Lois, and family during a city hall memorial ceremony and his May 22 funeral showcases how beloved Kip was in our community. He always had a smile and was often having more fun than anyone else in the room.
Holden transitioned from TV reporter to councilman, then to legislator, and ultimately to our first Black mayor-president.
Kip Holden was one of the few mayors who had the ability to appeal to voters across the parish, from conservative suburbanites to progressive urbanites. It’s true there were times when one side or the other was disappointed, but that’s to his credit.
Kip saw the benefit of partnerships, working with BRAF and BRAC to help push forward a pro-business agenda while also pushing projects in historically underserved areas of the city and parish.
He was an enthusiastic salesman of Baton Rouge and the parish, leaving it to Walter Monsour in the early days to handle the day-to-day as “city manager.”
Kip was a dreamer who loved our downtown riverfront and helped revitalize it. He put the ALIVE project on the ballot twice. He worked hard to attract the movie industry, passed the greenlight road program and was willing to take tough stands, like declaring he favored keeping the main library at Independence Park over relocating that designation to the downtown library.
And, yes, like all of us he was human and had his faults. Yet no matter what, Kip never stopped believing—or selling all of us on the notion—that Baton Rouge could be the next great American city.
As mayor, he focused on the greater good and his influence is evident throughout Baton Rouge. When I think of Kip, I will smile. Our thoughts and prayers go out to Lois and his family.
Ethics in Louisiana
The legislature has already changed how the Ethics Board is appointed, giving a majority of appointees to the governor. Now, HB 693—introduced by Republican Reps. Mark Wright and Beau Beaullieu—aim to lower the standards for ethics and campaign finance in our state and keep the public in the dark. The bill is backed by Gov. Jeff Landry, who is currently in a dispute with the Ethics Board over unreported flights on a donor’s private plane.
Steven Procopio, the president of the Public Affairs Research Council of Louisiana, expressed his concerns to The Advocate. He stated, “It basically says in the beginning of the bill, ‘Hey, you have to construe this in favor of the elected official or public official.’ And at the back end, all the changes to the ethics committee say, ‘Hey, you can’t even have an investigation if you don’t think you’re going to find something before the investigation.’” He concluded: “There’s not a single thing here that I can find that makes this more transparent to the public.”
My conclusion, shared by many, is this: If Landry supports it, one can be certain that this bill, if enacted, will facilitate politicians and those who influence them with cash, while also concealing more from public view. They have no shame.
