Last month, two state lawmakers requested the Louisiana Board of Regents complete a study to determine whether The University of New Orleans should be moved back into the LSU System.
UNO, which is currently a member of the University of Louisiana System, has recently suffered so greatly from its budget gap that House Speaker Phillip DeVillier and Senate President Cameron Henry requested the regents conduct a study exploring the effectiveness of the potential transfer. The study must be completed within a year.
“The proposed transfer of UNO is a matter of significant importance for the future of higher education in our state,” DeVillier and Henry said in their letter.
UNO began as Louisiana State University in New Orleans in 1958 and was a member of the LSU System until 2011. However, 14 years ago, administrators and alumni encouraged UNO to move into the University of Louisiana System, as some felt overlooked and micromanaged by LSU’s preference for its main campus in Baton Rouge.
The idea was UNO would benefit from being in a system with institutions similar in size. However, UNO began declining before even leaving the LSU System. Prior to Hurricane Katrina, UNO had an enrollment of more than 17,000 students. After Katrina, census data shows the population of New Orleans dropped by as much as 53% and in turn, UNO received significantly fewer applicants as it depends heavily on enrollment from students in the New Orleans metro area.
UNO has been unable to reach its pre-Katrina population since, and as of the fall 2024 had only 6,488 students enrolled. Henry has said that he thinks LSU’s intense recruitment process could help encourage a new wave of students to enroll at UNO in addition to locals.
UNO officials have said due to increasing tuition, ongoing debts and lower enrollment, the university fell into a $10 million budget deficit. In January, UNO laid off 30 employees and furloughed hundreds, about two-thirds of their staff, to combat the budget crisis.
University of Louisiana System President Rick Gallot has said that he was not notified about the study before receiving the request. However, Gallot said that UNO would provide any necessary information regarding the study, as did LSU.
“LSU will cooperate with the study and provide them with any information that they will need,” said Zach Labbé, LSU’s public relations coordinator.
With the change in system, it is possible UNO will see a change in administration. LSU has a chancellor at all eight campuses across the state, but the entire system is overseen by LSU President William F. Tate IV. Joining LSU could potentially alter UNO’s leadership positions, with some worrying that UNO will become another satellite campus and would not retain its administrative power.
However, Katie Dawson, a spokesperson for the University of Louisiana System, said she believes LSU’s administrative autonomy could bring some stability to UNO’s problems. Dawson also said this could give LSU the power to make adjustments to UNO’s academic and athletic programs.
Many of those involved in the potential transfer have said they do not believe that UNO can save itself on its own. Although LSU has the resources to help, there are still high expectations for fulfilling this responsibility. A certain level of financial support, resources and attention will be expected to make such a turnaround. The study aims to decide if UNO will benefit from joining the system, but also if it is plausible for LSU to help.
Once the study is concluded, the switch will have to be approved by the state legislature, followed by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the regional accrediting agency that works to ensure higher education institutions in the South meet its accreditation standards. Their approval of UNO’s shift will depend on whether the change aligns with LSU and UNO’s resources and educational objectives.
