On Wednesday, Gov. Kathleen Blanco announced longtime LSU System Board of Supervisors members Ronald Anderson and C. Stewart Slack will not be reappointed for additional terms. Anderson and Slack, whose terms both expired on June 1, had criticized former board member Bernie Boudreaux for his attempt to replace current LSU System President William Jenkins with UL System President Sally Clausen, with whom he had a romantic relationship. With a national consulting firm currently searching for Jenkins’ successor, Blanco chose to replace the two members, a move that Anderson said was politically motivated. “Part of the reason for our dismissals was our disagreement with the potential appointment of Sally Clausen,” Anderson said. “We did not agree with the governor’s agenda, and because of that, we’ve been replaced.” Slack, the former board president, said he made numerous attempts to contact Blanco, only to be ignored. On Tuesday night, one of Blanco’s aides called Slack, informing him that she would not reappoint him and that he shouldn’t attend Thursday’s board meeting. “I felt I deserved to get a straight answer about what’s going on,” Slack said. “When I finally got a call, I wasn’t given any explanation for my dismissal, but was only told that the governor was anxious to get a new system president, and they needed new board members to do that.” Sen. Robert Barham, R-Oak Ridge, who had criticized Boudreaux and Clausen’s “special relationship,” said the dismissals of Anderson and Slack have raised questions about Blanco’s motives. “I’m extremely concerned about LSU,” Barham said. Anderson and Slack will be replaced by Alvin Kimble, a Baton Rouge resident, and Dr. John George, a Shreveport native. Despite Barham’s concern over the changes, board member Jack Andonie said he trusts Blanco to make correct board appointments. “I’m not familiar with the new board members,” Andonie said. “But during our time working with her, Governor Blanco has appointed only real LSU people, graduates and others very familiar with the University. I’m confident she’s done that again.” Charles Zewe, a spokesperson in the LSU’s Presidents Office, said he doesn’t believe the changes will affect the board’s ability to select a system president. “Governor Blanco has the power to make whatever changes she sees as necessary,” Zewe said. “I don’t see these new appointments affecting the search for a new president at all.” Zewe said the national consulting firm will provide its presidential recommendation report next week, after which the system board will narrow its search and begin its review of a few candidates. Anderson said that while he’s disappointed by his dismissal, he hopes the board will make the right decision. “I just hope the board will look hard at who’s recommended, and won’t be compelled to make a quick decision,” Anderson said. “It doesn’t need to be about politics, it needs to be about who’s the best system president.”
_____Contact Joe Ehrich at [email protected]