Seven members of the LSU Board of Supervisors continue to serve despite expired terms, and another does not live in the congressional district he is supposed to represent, according to the board’s Web site and other documents.
The board serves a managerial role for the 10 educational entities in the LSU System, including the financial operation of the University campus.
According to the Web site, “The terms of several members of the LSU Board of Supervisors have expired. They continue to serve in their capacity as a board member until they have either been re-appointed or replaced. To date, the Governor has taken no official action on these board appointments.”
Board members Victor Bussie, Laura Leach, Perry Segura, Kent Anderson, Ronald R. Anderson, Stanley J. Jacobs and Charles S. Weems, III still sit as members of the board, though their terms have expired. The terms of Bussie, Leach and Segura expired in June 2000, while the other four members’ terms expired June 2002.
Carleen Smith, administrative secretary for the board, said though these members’ terms have expired, their continued presence on the board does not violate state law.
“Members continue to serve after their terms expire until they are replaced or appointed,” Smith said. “Board members serve at the discretion of the governor, in accordance with the Revised Statutes.”
The Louisiana State Constitution calls for the governor to make appointments to the board, with approval from the state senate.
Gov. Mike Foster has reappointed only one board member in the past two years. Charles Cusimano was reappointed in July 2000 to a term scheduled to end in 2006.
Cusimano refused to comment about his appointment over other members whose terms also have expired.
“I never comment to the papers. If there are any questions, I generally say no comment,” said Cusimano.
Roger Ogden, the board’s chairman, said he and other board members have made inquiries into the Foster’s delay in reappointment.
“Unfortunately, no one on the board has been privy to the governor’s thoughts on the matter,” Ogden said.
Board member Charles Weems said to his knowledge Foster has not attempted to force any decisions on the board, in spite of his ultimate authority over whether they continue to serve. Weems also said Foster has been very supportive of the board.
“I am sure he will act when he feels it appropriate,” Weems said.
Andy Kopplin, Foster’s chief of staff, said Foster will make all of the necessary appointments during the next legislative session in March.
Kopplin said “the governor was confident that the people currently serving are the ones that he wants on the board right now.”
Bernie Boudreaux, a board member representing the Third Congressional District and Foster’s executive counsel, also may require the governor’s attention in the next legislative session.
The district Boudreaux represents includes all or portions of thirteen parishes in southeast Louisiana, as far west as Iberia Parish.
The tax assessors serving each of the thirteen parishes in the Third Congressional District said Boudreaux no longer owns a residence in the district.
Sherel A. Martin, Jr., tax assessor for St. Mary Parish, said while Boudreaux does own investment property in that parish, “he has no homestead or established residence in St. Mary.”
According to Martin, Boudreaux moved to Baton Rouge and established residence in East Baton Rouge Parish, and the East Baton Rouge tax assessor’s office confirmed the fact. As a result, Boudreaux no longer lives in the district he represents on the board.
Boudreaux’s voter registration information states his primary place of residence is on College Drive in Baton Rouge. Boudreaux claims homestead on another home on Crown Oaks Avenue in Baton Rouge, according to East Baton Rouge Parish records.
A 1978 Attorney General’s opinion said “when a member of the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors moves from the congressional district wherein he resided … his office becomes vacant because he no longer meets the constitutional requirement for the office” under the 1974 Constitution.
Boudreaux said he no longer lives in the Third Congressional District, but claimed a later opinion from the first assistant attorney general in late 2000 should have overturned the earlier decision.
The attorney general’s office was unable to uncover an opinion overturning the 1978 opinion.
A detailed search of legal documents on the Westlaw search engine also did not reveal such an opinion.
Kopplin said he was unaware of the situation.
“I’m not sure whether it is an issue,” Kopplin said. “I’m not sure what the Louisiana State Constitution says about that.”
The board plans to meet Feb. 20 and 21 at the LSU System Building.