LSU System President John Lombardi announced Tuesday the search for a new chancellor at the University of New Orleans is temporarily suspended because of the university’s uncertain future, amid talks of a potential merger between UNO and Southern University-New Orleans.
The announcement came after conversations were held between Lombardi, UNO’s national recruiting consultant and the chairman of the search committee. Lombardi e-mailed Search Committee Chairman Gary Solomon Sr. and his fellow committee members to notify them of the decision, according to a news release.
“After reviewing the status of the search process for the Chancellor of UNO, the consultants have indicated that we probably will not be able to identify a satisfactory pool of candidates until some of the uncertainties surrounding the future status, mission and governance of UNO are resolved,” Lombardi wrote.
UNO Provost Joe King will serve as acting chancellor and provost for the time being, according to the release.
Lombardi said the search consultants remain optimistic about attracting candidates for the position once the “uncertainties are resolved.”
Though the search process is temporarily suspended, he said the committee and the consultant will remain on standby.
“Although we would have preferred to move more expeditiously, the long-term interests of UNO are paramount, and we believe this is the most prudent action,” Lombardi wrote.
Lombardi referenced the Board of Regents’ study to analyze the feasibility of merging UNO and SUNO as one uncertainty.
“After conversations with the search consultants and the chair of the search committee for the UNO chancellor, it appears prudent to suspend the activities associated with the search until the end of the legislative session,” he wrote.
The Regents’ study was suspended on the same day — after a lawsuit was filed on behalf of seven Southern University students from Baton Rouge and New Orleans against the Regents and Gov. Bobby Jindal. The suit states the higher education board’s membership is unconstitutional, as it has no racial minority representatives and only four women members.
Related story:
SUNO-UNO merger study halted after students file lawsuit
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Contact Sydni Dunn at [email protected]
UNO chancellor search suspended
February 15, 2011