Some of Louisiana’s black leaders are urging Gov. Kathleen Blanco to appoint more minorities to the body that governs the state’s universities and public hospitals.
The LSU Board of Supervisors, a 16-member statewide board, has only one black member — Rob West, a representative from the second congressional district in New Orleans. In a state where 33 percent of the population is black, several black leaders have said recently that one is not enough. And Blanco has agreed.
Since she took office in 2003, Blanco has appointed three white men to the board to replace two outgoing men and one woman. But Denise Bottcher, a spokesperson for the governor, said Blanco has always thought there should to be more minorities sitting on the board, and she is seeking appointment recommendations from the state Legislative Black Caucus.
New Orleans state representative Arthur Morrell, a member of the Black Caucus, said the caucus will submit recommendations of qualified candidates — just as it has done for other governors in the past.
Morrell, who said he will make a personal recommendation to Blanco, said having a diverse board is important so the board can recognize the different lifestyles, occupations and opinions of people living in the state.
“[The board] is missing a better conversation when it comes to issues involving minorities and women,” he said. “They don’t have that experience right now.”
The board has one female member.
It is not just the Board of Supervisors that is lacking minority representation, Morel said. Upper management positions in the state hospitals and education institutions the board oversees also lack black leaders.
But Morrell said Blanco is trying — and that is important.
West, the board’s lone black member, said he thinks the governor recognizes the benefit of having a panel that more accurately represents the state.
He also said he does not think the board is missing anything with its current members.
West said the problems facing the charity hospitals and universities are not racially or ethnically specific. He said the board is trying to fashion long-term ideas and answers that cross racial and ethnic lines.
State law requires each congressional district to have two of the board’s 16 slots. The governor also must appoint an at-large member, and Student Government Associations in the state rotate electing a new student member each year. The other appointed members serve for six-year terms.
This year, SG President Brad Golson sits on the board.
Golson said for any student to have confidence in the board, he or she must be able to look at the board and think it is representative of the state and the University.
He also said it is important for the board to have a diversity of thought.
“From an external perspective, diversity is important, but we also need a diversity of thought and vision,” Golson said.
Golson said in the wake of higher education budget cuts, the board needs to come up with alternative ways to maintain stability and success in the University without just jumping to a tuition increase.
“We need to get creative on the management level, and the only way to do that is to get ideas and new people,” Golson said.
In the next few years, Blanco will have the ability to change the make-up of the board. She has two open seats to fill, and seven more seats will open up in 2006.