Wednesday, March 4, 2026

Message from the President

Dear Colleagues,

We are now moving from planning to action as we implement recommendations that emerged through our preparations to transition back to the Louisiana State University system. I write today to share two important updates that will help position LSU New Orleans for stability, strength, and future growth.

Strengthening Our Financial Structure

For many years, some of our financial challenges have stemmed from the way separate revenue sources have operated in parallel rather than in alignment. Tuition and fees, auxiliaries, advancement, research grants and contracts, and athletics have been managed across distinct administrative areas. This has made comprehensive financial forecasting and coordinated budget oversight more difficult than it should be.

To address this, our non-academic areas will now report to a newly configured Chief Administrative Officer role, which will oversee these units, including what is currently Finance & Administration. This more integrated structure will allow us to align strategy, improve transparency, and manage our resources with greater discipline and foresight.

I am very pleased to share that Jeanette Weiland will serve as Interim Chief Administrative Officer. Jeanette brings deep expertise, a genuine passion for higher education, and tremendous energy to this work. She will soon announce an Interim Chief Financial Officer who will oversee financial management functions, including the budget office, procurement, accounts payable, student financial services, and aspects of grants management.

As part of this restructuring, the Vice President for Finance and Administration position previously held by Arlean Wehle has been eliminated. I am profoundly grateful to Arlean for her tireless work ethic, her steady leadership, and her unwavering commitment to our mission. She has given a great deal to this university, and she will be greatly missed.

Aligning Our Physical Footprint with Our Future

We are also making important decisions regarding our facilities as part of the transition planning process.

Beginning in June, we will lease the Human Performance Center to Ben Franklin High School to support their planned enrollment expansion. This partnership strengthens one of our closest educational relationships while generating revenue that will help us better steward our campus resources. It also allows us to resume control of classrooms in the Bicentennial Education Building that have been used by Ben Franklin for many years.

Additionally, based on our financial standing and data analyses provided by the external facilities assessment firm, JMZ, that specializes in universities, we will close the Liberal Arts Building at the conclusion of the spring semester. This is not a decision made lightly. The building holds deep history and meaning for many members of our community. It is also our oldest academic building, and we simply do not have the resources required to restore it to acceptable standards.

The Space Utilization Committee will soon begin its work to support the thoughtful relocation of those currently housed in the Liberal Arts Building and the Human Performance Center to other campus spaces. We will approach this transition with care and intentionality.

Moving Forward Together

Change can be difficult. It asks us to release what is familiar and step into what may feel uncertain. As a faculty member and leader, I have often found change energizing — but I also know that many of my colleagues experience it differently. That perspective matters to me.

These decisions are grounded in responsibility and in hope. They are designed to reduce structural costs, strengthen financial integration, and give LSU New Orleans the agility to respond nimbly to new opportunities. Most importantly, they allow us to concentrate our focus where it belongs: on serving our students and contributing meaningfully to our region through research, creative inquiry, and strong partnerships.

Transitions test institutions, but they also clarify who we are. I am confident that by making disciplined, forward-looking decisions now, we are building a stronger foundation for the next chapter of our university’s story.

Sincerely,

Kathy E. Johnson, Ph.D.
President, University of New Orleans