LSU October Board Meeting Notice & Agenda

Granting greater autonomy in business operations for LSU System campuses with an eye toward enhanced efficiency and cost savings in exchange for better academic performance is the focus of a measure to be taken up at next week's LSU Board of Supervisors meeting.

The board is expected to consider a resolution giving LSU System President Dr. John Lombardi the authority to grant an initial "base level" of autonomy to LSU institutions such as the ability to retain unspent funds at the end of a fiscal year; permission to execute individual contracts up to $49,999 in a 12-month period without further review by the state's Office of Contractual Review; and the ability dispose of obsolete equipment without first getting the approval of another state agency.

The autonomies were part of GRAD Act 2.0, approved by the past session of the Legislature. LSU A&M officials claim the added operational freedoms will save more than $52 million over five years on the Main Campus alone, allowing more money to be directed into the classroom.

Elsewhere, members are scheduled to get a detailed written report on fall enrollments at system campuses as well as a request that they approve the establishment of a Doctorate of Nursing Practice Degree (DNP) at the LSU Health Sciences Center in New Orleans. The DNP degree is designed for nurses seeking careers in advanced clinical nursing and students interested in one day becoming nursing executives.

The board meeting is scheduled to get underway at 1 p.m. with committee sessions, followed immediately by the board's regular meeting. The LSU Board convenes in the Board Meeting Room of the LSU System Building at 3810 West Lakeshore Drive in Baton Rouge.

A tentative agenda for the meeting is attached. Detailed background information on agenda items is available at:

http://lsusystem.edu/boardofsupervisors/minutes/

For further information, contact Charles Zewe, PhD, LSU System Vice President for Communication, 225-578-3941 (czewe@lsu.edu).