LSU Initiates Search for New President

Baton Rouge, LA, August 22, 2025

News Summary

Louisiana State University has begun its search for a new president, collaborating with Baton Rouge-based SSA Consultants. The search committee aims to finalize a candidate by the end of the year after the departure of former president William Tate. The committee will meet multiple times this fall, with the LSU Board of Supervisors making the final decision. Interim president Matt Lee currently holds the position as the search progresses, with various candidates already emerging.

Baton Rouge, LA – Louisiana State University (LSU) has officially begun the search for its next president by hiring the Baton Rouge-based firm SSA Consultants. The search committee aims to identify a suitable candidate by the end of 2023, following the departure of former President William Tate earlier this year.

SSA Consultants specializes in recruiting executives from various sectors, including finance, healthcare, and nonprofit organizations. The search committee plans to meet three times this fall to discuss progress and prepare recommendations for the LSU Board of Supervisors, who will ultimately make the final decision on the new president.

LSU Board Chairman Scott Ballard has expressed optimism that the new president could take office by the start of the spring semester in 2024. The search committee intends to provide the board with a list of three to five finalists for consideration.

Currently, Matt Lee, the Vice President for Agriculture, is serving as LSU’s interim president. The hiring process includes collaboration with SSA Consultants and a key role played by Eric Monday, the executive vice president for finance and administration at the University of Kentucky, who will assist in parts of the search. Monday, a former chief financial officer at LSU, is rumored to also be a potential candidate for the presidency.

Christel Slaughter, president of SSA Consultants, stated that there has already been interest from multiple individuals in the presidency, and formal advertisements for candidates will be released soon. Among the rumored candidates are Matt Lee, Wade Rousse, the president of McNeese State University, and U.S. Representative Julia Letlow.

This marks the first leadership appointment at LSU since Governor Jeff Landry’s administration took control over the state’s higher education board appointments, infusing a right-leaning approach towards governance in higher education. Slaughter, known for her ties to conservative politics in Louisiana, is leading the search efforts, which have raised questions about the diversity and representation of the committee members from LSU’s broader community.

The law allows SSA Consultants to engage with potential candidates while keeping their identities confidential, thus protecting current employment situations. LSU’s previous searches for presidential candidates have varied significantly in terms of transparency, with the last successful search being relatively public and past efforts leaning towards more privacy.

The upcoming search committee meetings are set for September 10, October 1, October 29, and November 12, 2023. To streamline communication, an email account has been established for potential candidates to contact the search committee with their inquiries.

Key Facts

• LSU has hired SSA Consultants for the presidential search.
• The search committee aims to have a candidate by the end of 2023.
• Current interim president: Matt Lee.
• Final decision to be made by the LSU Board of Supervisors.
• Search committee includes mixed representation from healthcare, business, and board members.

Upcoming Meetings

The next search committee meetings are scheduled for:

• September 10, 2023
• October 1, 2023
• October 29, 2023
• November 12, 2023

Frequently Asked Questions

Key Features of the Presidential Search at LSU

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Additional Resources

• Louisiana Illuminator: LSU Hires Louisiana Firm for Presidential Search
• Business Report: See Who Will Guide the Search for LSU’s Next President
• WBRZ: Search Officially Begins for Next President of LSU
• The Advocate: LSU Search Committee & SSA Consulting
• Wikipedia: Louisiana State University

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