Although the University campus lacks its usual hustle and bustle during the summer months, change is happening in subtle ways.
Since last month’s retirement of William Jenkins, former interim LSU System president and chancellor, F. King Alexander has taken the reigns of the University.
Alexander, former president of California State University at Long Beach, began his leadership in Baton Rouge at the end of June.
In his short time here, he has been working on connecting with the Rice Research Station as well as LSU branches outside of Baton Rouge, including the Shreveport and Alexandria campuses. He also plans on visiting the Eunice campus next week.
Alexander said he would like to visit all of the LSU System branches within his first 60 days as president.
Alexander expressed that he has made it a priority to connect with various parts of Louisiana to express the importance and benefits of the University to the state as a whole.
“The national average is 72 percent of students will graduate in debt, and LSU is 39 percent. About half of the national average, which is a great outcome,” Alexander said.
He has also been keeping an eye on local happenings, including renovations on campus such as building maintenance and a possible restoration of the Huey P. Long Fieldhouse after recently touring the ruins of the once beloved social center.
“We met with people who are willing to help to try and raise money to do that,” Alexander said. “They just have so many fond memories of their college years here.”
Alexander hopes to fill the many vacancies in University Relations as well as college deans before the fall semester. He said he aims to match the correct person for the job, rather than hastily picking a candidate to simply fill the opening.
This year’s budget for the University is still largely in question as how the money will be distributed among the campus. The administration is currently working with $7.3 million, and the finalized budget will most likely be available sometime between August 7 and 10, according to Alexander.
Alexander also said he is closely watching college issues on a national level, including increased interest rates on subsidized federal student loans that doubled from 3.4 percent. Congress is currently working on bringing the rate back down, according to NPR.