LSU Board Approves Contracts of President and Chancellor, and Makes Major Organizational Reforms to Position the University for Research Excellence

BATON ROUGE - The LSU Board of Supervisors today approved a series of significant organizational changes that realign the LSU System's leadership structure, reinforce presidential oversight, and set the stage for a more unified and ambitious research enterprise. The Board also approved new contracts for President Wade Rousse and Executive Vice President and Chancellor James T. Dalton, affirming confidence in the leadership team guiding LSU through this pivotal transition.

As part of the reorganization, the Board cemented that all chancellors will report directly to President Rousse, who will also directly supervise Athletics, External Relations, including government relations, and the University Laboratory School. They also formally reinstated the role of Chancellor at the Flagship Campus, restoring a role critical to academic leadership at LSU.

This new structure ensures that the entire LSU System speaks with one coordinated voice, particularly when working with the Legislature, state agencies, federal partners, and the public. It establishes the President as the strategic convener of the LSU System's statewide mission, aligning academic leadership, systemwide operations, and external engagement under a singular, coherent direction.

"These changes give the LSU System the clarity and unity required to move forward together," said President Rousse. "When our campuses, our leaders, and our research engines are aligned, we are better positioned to serve Louisiana and to show the country what LSU is capable of."

A Unified Foundation for Research Excellence

After defining the President's systemwide role, the Board approved a major realignment of LSU's research operations - an effort long viewed as essential to elevating Louisiana's standing among top public research institutions.

For years, LSU's research output has been distributed across five campuses: the Flagship, AgCenter, Pennington Biomedical Research Center, LSU Health New Orleans, and LSU Health Shreveport. While collectively strong, the merit of individual institutions has not been demonstrated in national rankings because their research expenditures have been reported separately. In the 2023 National Science Foundation's Higher Education Research and Development (HERD) report - the gold standard for measuring university research productivity - LSU (including the AgCenter and Pennington) ranked 83rd nationally with $384 million in research expenditures, while LSU Health New Orleans came in at 200th with $68 million in research expenditures, and LSU Health Shreveport recorded $36 million, ranking 249th. When combined, however, LSU produced $488 million in research - equivalent to the #69 public research university in the nation.

"Louisiana has been investing in a research university that punches far above its weight, but the full story hasn't been seen nationally," said LSU Board of Supervisors Chair Scott Ballard. "By bringing our research enterprise together, we're making sure LSU is recognized for the powerhouse it already is, and the even stronger university it is becoming."

These units will now operate as a singular Flagship university under the leadership of Executive Vice President and Chancellor James T. Dalton.

LSU's new model mirrors the structure used by many top public research universities, including Wisconsin, Ohio State, Maryland, Florida, Penn State, Arizona, Illinois, and Georgia - universities that unify academic, health, and research leadership.

"We have the talent, infrastructure, and ambition to be a leader in research," said Dalton. "A unified research structure better positions us to successfully compete for major grants, attract exceptional faculty, and expand the discoveries that improve life across this state. It gives Louisiana the visibility and momentum it has long deserved."

Aligned With National Standards and Built for Louisiana's Future

In summary, under the revised framework:

• Chancellors report directly to the President, strengthening strategic coordination.

• Regional campuses continue their foundational work in student access and support.

• The research core will pursue growth, collaboration, and statewide impact.

• The LSU System will present one unified voice in legislative, federal, and research engagement.

The realignment also enhances the LSU System's ability to meet statewide priorities, from expanding agricultural innovation to advancing biomedical research and making meaningful progress toward securing a National Cancer Institute designation, widely recognized as one of the most consequential steps toward improving health outcomes in Louisiana.

"This is about giving Louisiana the flagship research university it has long deserved and doing it in a way that keeps every campus at the table," Rousse said.

Next Steps

Implementation will continue over the coming months, and additional details will be shared as the work progresses. Today's decisions mark the beginning of a deliberate, collaborative process aimed at building a better LSU for a better Louisiana.

More information will be provided as planning continues.