If it hasn’t already been made clear, LSU will soon lose one of its most valuable assets in administration.
“Personally and professionally, that’s a great loss for LSU,” said Associate Vice Chancellor of Budget and Planning Bob Kuhn, following the announcement that Vice Chancellor and CFO for Finance and Administrative Services Eric Monday will leave LSU for a similar position at the University of Kentucky.
“I’ve known him since he was SG President [at LSU],” said Kuhn, who has more than 35 years of administrative service at LSU. “Hopefully he comes back one day.”
Monday’s departure only fuels the fire of instability among top University administrators. It began in May with the firing of LSU System President John Lombardi, and continued when former Chancellor Michael Martin left and former Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost Jack Hamilton’s two-year fixed term ended, which he took because his predecessor had stepped down in 2010.
Interim System President and Chancellor William “Bill” Jenkins will have the ultimate authority on who fills Monday’s soon-to-be empty position.
But until Monday leaves for the bluer grass and a nearly $100,000 salary increase at the University of Kentucky — on which Kuhn commented, “he’s worth the increase” — Monday will continue to serve as LSU’s chief financial officer, overseeing its roughly $800 million annual budget.
“Today he’s still making decisions,” Kuhn said.
Both Kuhn and Jason Droddy, director of external affairs in the Chancellor’s Office, look to Monday for feedback on every major decision, and agree he’s one of the best at evaluating financial projects from all angles.
“Eric is really good about doing a lot of ‘what if’ scenarios,” Droddy said, a staple characteristic of a valuable financial decision-maker. “The ability to have that conversation is invaluable, and it’ll be missing for a while.”
Droddy said it will be hard to find a replacement with as much personal investment in LSU as Monday, who has already received two degrees from the University and is nearing the finish line on a third.
Kuhn has seen many administrators leave during his nearly four-decade tenure, and he’s confident LSU will find the right person to fill Monday’s position.
Still, he’ll be sad to see him go.
“Eric is probably one of the best minds on campus,” Kuhn said, referring to his forward-looking nature and problem-solving abilities. “His leaving is really a loss.”
Kuhn said the University has not seen merit increases in the University’s performance in four years.
“What you start losing is that human capital, which is the most valuable asset LSU has,” he said.
Kuhn then posed a question: “Is the current budget situation an environment that a person is going to want to come into?”
He answered using current Vice Chancellor and Provost Stuart Bell as an example of someone who sees the budget situation as an opportunity.
Bell was not available for comment Wednesday afternoon.
