The university recently finished interviewing candidates for the permanent role of provost and executive vice president.
The flagship was left without a long-term leader in this role since LSU President William Tate IV removed former Provost Stacia Haynie nearly 10 months ago. 
Since Haynie’s demotion, Matt Lee has served as the interim provost. Now, Lee and three outside candidates named in an email to the student body on April 18 are vying for the permanent position.
Who ends up as provost matters immensely for students and the future of our university.
The position is the university’s second-in-command and chief academic officer. The responsibilities encompass a wide range of campus affairs, including every scholarly interaction we have at the flagship.
In a show of what the provost can do, Lee recently met with a student group concerned about the lack of historical context surrounding Troy Middleton’s statue in Memorial Tower. As a result of this meeting, Lee committed to hiring a curator and a transparent process for change.
“We will invite an expert on curating sensitive historical artifacts to provide a forum for our community on best practices so we can learn together and provide an environment that is welcoming and educational to all members of our community,” Lee said in a statement to the Reveille following the meeting.
The provost also oversees the hiring process for subunits across campus, which is especially important at a time where several colleges are searching for permanent deans.
That is what the provost’s office can do at its best—change the university for the better, bit by bit.
In addition to acting as the provost, the chosen candidate will also play a vital role as the executive vice president of the university.
Much of the university’s senior leadership reports to the executive vice president, making it one of the most impactful positions on campus. The person in this role has a seat at the table for the everyday decisions that visibly impact the lives of students.
I hope that whoever is chosen as the university’s new executive vice president and provost is willing to actively engage students and make this university the amazing place we all know it can be.
With the interviews concluded, all we can do now is wait and hope that the university makes a choice that is in the best interests of the student body and the university at-large.
Charlie Stephens is a 21-year-old political communication junior from Baton Rouge.