Louisiana lawmakers to consider moving University of New Orleans back to LSU System
The University of New Orleans sign sits in front of the University Center on Dec. 15, 2022. (Matthew Perschall for Louisiana Illuminator)
Louisiana's top two state lawmakers have asked the Board of Regents to study the possibility of moving the financially-embattled University of New Orleans back into the LSU System.
UNO, the only public research institution in New Orleans, was moved from the LSU System to the University of Louisiana System in 2011. The campus was founded as Louisiana State University in New Orleans, with classes starting in 1958.
House Speaker Phillip DeVillier, R-Eunice, and Senate President Cameron Henry, R-Metairie, jointly signed the letter to Regents Chairwoman Misti Cordell, asking the state education oversight board to present its findings on the possibility. State law gives Regents one year to conduct the study. Read the full letter below.
In an interview, DeVillier said the study is being done to see if moving the university to another system could help its budget and enrollment problems. Henry has not yet responded to a request for comment.
University of Louisiana System President Rick Gallot, reached by telephone Friday afternoon, said he was not consulted before lawmakers sent the request. UNO was moved to the UL System 14 years ago. Gallot said his system would provide whatever information is necessary for the Regents report.
'I certainly respect the president of the Senate and the speaker of the house to do what they think is appropriate,' Gallot said.
LSU spokesman Todd Woodward and LSU Board of Supervisors Chairman Scott Ballard have not yet responded to requests for comment for this report.
The proposal comes as UNO experiences an acute budget crisis. The school faces a $10 million budget shortfall and has implemented a spending freeze, layoffs and staff furloughs in an attempt to make ends meet. University officials have kept open the possibility of further layoffs and furloughs. UNO's budget crisis is largely tied to enrollment. The school had an enrollment of around 17,000 before Katrina, with an immediate drop to around 6,000. For the fall 2024 semester, its total student body was 6,488.
At the time of the system switch in 2011, UNO alumni and boosters applauded the plan, as many felt the university was overshadowed in the LSU System.
Moving UNO to the UL System came after lawmakers failed to pass legislation to merge the school with Southern University New Orleans, a historically Black university. Fears of a similar proposal being put forward again have popped back up again amid UNO's contemporary crisis, though no official plan or legislation has been put forward.
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