The governor will have the opportunity this June to appoint up to four new members to the LSU Board of Supervisors. Five of the 16 members’ terms end in June. A Board member may either be replaced or reappointed by the governor. Board members are appointed to a six-year term. After Jindal nominates members to the Board, the Louisiana state Senate can choose to reject the governor’s nominations. Charles Zewe, LSU System vice president for communications and external affairs, said it is not uncommon for the governor to reappoint Board members to one or more terms. Zewe said four members currently serving on the Board were reappointed by former-Gov. Kathleen Blanco. Zewe also recalled one Board member serving under several governors, for more than 30 years. Four of the members whose terms are ending include Hal Hinchliffe of Monroe, Louis Lambert of Prairieville, Ben Mount of Lake Charles and Charles Weems III of Alexandria. The fifth seat vacancy is the position given to a student of the System. Student Government President Cassie Alsfeld is the current student member of the Board. Any student body president of a school in the System may be appointed to the Board. Zewe said the Council of Student Body Presidents meets in May to appoint the student member of the Board. Board Chairman Jerry Shea, of New Iberia, said he is not sure that all four regular members will be replaced because they “can always be reappointed” by the governor. Shea said he is confident in Jindal’s decision if he were to replace any Board members. “Governor Jindal will replace them with qualified people,” Shea said. Although Jindal has the authority to replace any members whose terms are ending, Shea said he thinks “the Board members are doing fine.” Shea said he had no information regarding whom Jindal would either replace or reappoint. “We’ll just have to wait and see,” Shea said. Zewe said the System office has received no word yet on whom Jindal intends to reappoint or replace. “It won’t be done until the governor’s office wants it done,” Zewe said. Zewe also said it is not uncommon for a governor to not make a decision regarding a Board member’s term long after it has ended. He said Blanco took about a year to replace Board members when she was in office. In the event Jindal does not make a decision to reappoint or replace one or more Board members, they remain in office until he does. Repeated calls to Jindal’s press secretary Melissa Sellers were not returned by press time. The Board serves as the management board of the LSU System, which includes seven academic campuses, two medical schools and 11 public hospitals in Louisiana. The occupations of the current Board members include business owners, attorneys, physicians, bankers and district attorneys.
—-Contact Ben Bourgeois at [email protected]