Board of Regents votes to transmit study recommending transfer of University of New Orleans to LSU system

The Louisiana Board of Regents voted March [date not specified] to transmit a study and staff recommendations on the potential transfer of the University of New Orleans from the University of Louisiana System to the Louisiana State University System.

The study, prepared at the board’s request and presented by Board staff, documents long-term enrollment decline, program and staffing trends, and a fiscal gap at UNO that staff estimated at roughly $30,000,000. "We will be talking about the transfer of, the potential transfer of the University of New Orleans from the UL system back to the LSU system," said Tristan (Board of Regents staff), who summarized the analysis for the Regents.

Why it matters: the change would shift governance and management of an urban public research university and is explicitly contingent on action by the state legislature and on accreditation approval. The Board voted to forward the report so lawmakers can consider legislative action in the 2025 regular session.

Key findings and context Board staff told Regents that UNO’s full-time-equivalent enrollment was roughly 14,000 before Hurricane Katrina, dropped substantially after the storm and has fallen over the past decade to current levels described in the study. Staff described staffing declines and program-wide enrollment decreases across undergraduate and graduate programs.

Elizabeth (Board of Regents staff) summarized UNO’s fiscal picture: "At present, UNO is working with a potential $30,000,000 shortfall," citing reduced state support, lower tuition revenue, contractual obligations (bookstore, grounds, dining and facilities), athletics costs and deferred maintenance. The report shows tuition and fees at UNO currently make up under 45% of its operating budget while state support was described around 18% of UNO's budget.

Accreditation and next steps Board staff and attendees emphasized the transfer would require several formal approvals. The legislature must authorize the change; staff noted the 2011 transfer was effected via legislation (Act 419 of the 2011 regular session). The regional accreditor (SACSCOC) must also sign off on a substantive change in governance. Board staff said materials to SACSCOC would be due by Sept. 1 if the legislature acts, with a possible accreditor decision by year's end.

LSU and UL system reactions President Rick Gallo of the University of Louisiana System, who was at the meeting, told Regents the UL System administration was "diligently" reviewing the study and was "looking for ways to make it work." He said he was "very confident that we'll come to the right result and in the right ways." LSU representatives present also expressed conditional support and urged that any transition include business and community leaders from New Orleans.

Board action and what it does not do Regent Creed moved and Regent Hixson seconded a motion to approve transmitting the study and recommendations to the legislature; the motion passed on a voice vote. The board's vote was to transmit the staff study and recommendations; it did not itself effect a transfer. Actual transfer would require legislative enactment and SACSCOC accreditation approvals.

What Regents asked for next Regents and system representatives pressed for specific follow-up: a transition team with New Orleans business leaders, a third-party financial and facilities review, regular reporting (quarterly updates) to the legislature, and clarity about how costs and responsibilities would shift between systems. Staff said they would include those steps and recommended benchmarks in follow-up work.

Votes at a glance - Motion: "Approve the Board of Regents study and staff recommendations regarding the potential transfer of the University of New Orleans from the UL System to the LSU System and transmit the report to the legislature." Moved by Regent Creed; seconded by Regent Hixson. Outcome: approved by voice vote; recorded as "motion passes." (No roll-call tally in the transcript.)

Ending The Board will transmit the study to the legislature for consideration during the 2025 regular session; any legal change would be effective only after legislative action and the accreditor's substantive-change approval. Board staff said they will work with campus leadership, both systems, SACSCOC and local business leaders to develop a transition framework and regular reporting if the legislature acts.