In the midst of the search for the next LSU president, Student Government is looking for the student body’s feedback.
Students are able to select the qualities they value in a university president in a survey that is open until Wednesday night. The four-question survey allows students to put in their major, their anticipated graduation year and the LSU campus they attend.
The survey’s only multiple choice question asks students to pick at least three topics they hope the next LSU president accomplishes, with choices like “transparency and communication,” “focus on student success and wellbeing” and “vision for campus growth and innovation.”
Student Body President Lavar Henderson addressed concerns that the survey may not be comprehensive enough to gauge students’ opinions. To account for this, he encourages students to contact him or Emily Otken, the only student on the presidential search committee, with their thoughts. He says both him and Otken are open to hearing what students value in their president.
“If students have a more specific concern I am begging, please come talk to me, come talk to Emily. As your student representatives we are here for y’all,” Henderson said.
Henderson serves as the student member of the Board of Supervisors, which will ultimately vote to approve the next university president after the search committee recommends a candidate.
While working on this survey as a compromise to hear student opinions, Henderson acknowledged that he did not sign nor veto SGR 7, a resolution calling for more student involvement in the presidential search process. The resolution urged the addition of at least five LSU students from the Baton Rouge campus to the search committee, among other requests. The Student Senate passed it unanimously earlier this month.
Though he did not approve SGR 7, Henderson says he is looking at ways to still incorporate student opinion in the process.
“There is a proper way to do everything and a time and place to do everything, and I did not believe the best way as Student Government was to model a list of demands,” Henderson said.
He emphasized that although he did not endorse this legislation, it doesn’t mean SG cannot or should not call for student involvement.
Student senators reacted to Henderson’s decision to not sign the legislation. College of Music and the Dramatic Arts Sen. James Williams III noted how student organizations at other colleges reach out for student opinions in multiple ways, something he noted he did not see as much from LSU.
“All I can see is another disappointing example of a lack of transparency from the LSU administration and the Board of Supervisors, especially with the committee trying to accelerate the search process,” Williams said. “It’s disheartening to see one of the most connected students, the student body president, and a member of the Board of Supervisors, not fully advocate for the best interests of students.”
The survey will be open until 11:59 p.m. Wednesday night. Click here to access it.
