One week after Chancellor Sean O’Keefe announced his resignation, several University donors said they plan to withhold scheduled donations to the University until they understand how the position will be filled. “It’s not meant as a threat,” said Charlotte Bollinger, Bollinger Shipyards Inc. executive vice president and University donor. “It’s meant as the reality that those pledges came about because of Chancellor O’Keefe. People give to organizations where they understand who is running the organization and what the plan for the money is.” Bollinger said her family is currently withholding some of its donations to the University and want to examine the goals of the new chancellor before recommitting to donate an amount, which she declined to disclose. LSU System President John Lombardi said during a news conference last week he does not believe the change in leadership will affect the long-term donations made to the University. “In the end, if [donors] truly love the institution, as almost all of them do, they will find other ways to re-engage. They will be inspired by new leadership, [and] they will find a way to contribute to the continued building of this superb, high quality place,” Lombardi said. Lombardi said when the leadership of an institution shifts, there will always be periods of unhappiness for some. He said once the common goals of the University are recognized, those feelings will revert to a love for the institution and an effort to achieve those goals. David Voelker, part owner and manager of Frantzen/Voelker Investments, signed an open-letter advertisement placed in The Advocate on Jan. 15 showing support for O’Keefe from nine statewide business leaders. “When you don’t know how the leadership is going to handle itself, you have no track record there and your confidence has been shaken by the process of the current chancellor’s resignation and how that came about, you might hold off [on donating to the University] until you’re more confident in the direction the University is headed,” Voelker said. Voelker said he is withholding donations not out of spite or because he wants revenge, but because he wants to wait until he is able to asses the new chancellor’s plans for the University. Voelker did not disclose the scheduled donation’s amount. “A lot of the donations that came to the Forever LSU campaign came about just because people love LSU,” Bollinger said. “But there were many of them that came about because of Sean O’Keefe’s leadership.” Charles Weems, Board of Supervisors member, said an important role of the new chancellor will be continuing O’Keefe’s fundraising momentum. He said he hopes a change in leadership will not affect decisions to donate to the University. “This is not about individuals,” Weems said. “It’s about the institution, and I hope regardless of our differences we’ll be able to move forward and support LSU and keep our momentum moving forward.” Bollinger said donations from several of her peers were also affected by O’Keefe’s resignation. She said she believes some individuals who had not previously donated to the University decided to contribute large amounts because they were able to understand O’Keefe’s vision for the University. “I’m a LSU fan yesterday, today and tomorrow,” Bollinger said. “And all I want is what’s best for LSU.”
—-Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]