Chancellor Sean O’Keefe addressed faculty and students Monday afternoon in Howe-Russell regarding his first year as chancellor and the upcoming year.
O’Keefe addressed about 20 students and 100 faculty and administrators in the “State of the University” address. He spoke about the hurricanes that affected campus, improvements on campus and initiatives being undertaken to better the University.
O’Keefe said the University was changed by hurricanes Katrina and Rita, but the storms are not going to affect the budget that is necessary to operate the University, and the administration will still continue to pursue the Flagship Agenda.
O’Keefe said the Flagship Agenda will be redefined now after Katrina because expectations for the University have changed after the role the campus played immediately after the hurricane.
“How we define ‘normal’ is totally different than how we defined ‘normal’ on Aug. 28,” O’Keefe said.
O’Keefe said the University will be involved with the recovery and rebuilding of the state and is in a position to help the shape of the state economically.
The University has seen a 30 percent increase in grant money compared to last year, O’Keefe said. Additionally, several departments are actively involved with the rebuilding process in New Orleans such as agriculture, architecture and economics.
O’Keefe told those in attendance that the progress reached in the Flagship Agenda by his two predecessors allowed the University to respond and aid in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina.
In the address O’Keefe noted increases in graduation rates, retention rates, applications to the Honors College and admission standards and said the University must continue to work toward more enrollment increases. He also said faculty and administrators must continue to rise to the caliber of the students.
O’Keefe said no faculty searches were stopped due to budget cuts, and the University must continue to recruit faculty on the level of the present faculty.
O’Keefe also said the University is looking to refund part of the utility surcharge that was assessed to students at the beginning of the semester.
O’Keefe said Gov. Kathleen Blanco proposed a budget for higher education that would maintain expected costs and include a faculty pay increase.
Any tuition or fee increase, he said, would be to improve the University not maintain everyday operations.
Looking forward, O’Keefe talked about the launch of a capital campaign to raise funds for the University that is going to begin in June. O’Keefe said it is important to increase the University’s endowment.
During a question-and-answer period, members of the audience asked about the recent resignations of LSU System President William Jenkins and Board of Supervisors Chairman Bernard Boudreaux.
O’Keefe said he was disappointed with the announcement of Jenkins’ resignation but that he is staying uninvolved with the search and state of the Board.
“I haven’t asked, and they haven’t volunteered,” O’Keefe said when asked about the actions of the board. “I’ve made it my business not to inquire.”
Calder Lynch, business sophomore, said he thinks it was important for the chancellor to address campus issues.
“I would have liked to have heard more on the status of departments and funding for the AgCenter and less anecdotes about the hurricane,” Lynch said.
Dave Hurlbert, compensation director for Human Resource Management, said the address met his expectations.
“I thought the chancellor did a good job of talking about the most important programs in the works,” Hurlbert said.
 
Contact Ginger Gibson at [email protected]