An anonymous email saying the LSU Agricultural Center should replace all of its administrators and the dean of the College of Agriculture was sent Friday to the Transition Advisory Team’s subcommittee student members and some University officials.
The letter, which appears to have been written by an LSU Agricultural Center faculty member, also called for a more academic-centric structure and a downsizing of the administration, citing corruption and unqualified administrators.
“We do not respond to anonymous sources,” said Frankie Gould, director of communications for the AgCenter.
University Associate Vice Chancellor for Communications Herb Vincent said the University would not comment on anonymous letters like this.
Charles Lewis, a microbiology junior and student member of the Transition Advisory Team’s Academic subcommittee, gave legitimacy to the investigation by saying this request is on target with the subcommittees’ goals.
The AgCenter has an agenda and philosophy that is “incompatible” with the vision of the rest of the LSU System, according to the letter.
“One of the goals of LSU 2015 is streamlining the LSU System. Some of these positions do seem a bit repetitive,” Lewis said. “But first, an investigation to see whether any of these allegations are true needs to happen.”
The letter proposed a streamlined organizational system without an executive vice president for agriculture, chancellor or any vice positions.
“Employees are constantly instructed to always credit the AgCenter and never be identified as simply LSU. We are never encouraged to develop programs of national or international reputation, but to only respond to political pressures within the state,” the letter reads.
The letter claims the school has an “invisible dean” who maintains no contact with the faculty, students, alumni or industry.
The AgCenter has wasted large amounts of money on “unwise, unnecessary and unjustifiable expenditures at outlying research stations and campus facilities,” according to the letter. These surpluses are made worse by the AgCenter’s 20 outlying research stations, the letter stated.
The letter proposed a major restructuring based on geographical location, commodity or discipline viability, projected future economic industry trends and the changing demographic of clientele.
“An investigation to see whether any of these allegations are true needs to happen.”
