There was a story in Thursday’s Baton Rouge paper about one member of the LSU Board of Supervisors taking a principled stance on the selection of the next president of the LSU System.

I am not one of those who think that Bill Jenkins is irreplaceable. Nobody is irreplaceable. Our school and our state deserve to have the best at the head of our “flagship university.” It is our “flagship” and thus it is how our state is judged when it comes to higher education. We need someone the public stature or academic credentials that will be recognized by others in academia and otherwise, not only in LA, but the U.S. and abroad. If we have to pay that person as much as our football coach, so be it. The reputation of the academic side of our school is worth it.

The issue at hand is not one of gender, sexual or other relationships. It is about getting the best person to head the LSU System which is reeling from the devastation of two hurricanes and the neglect of our elected officials.

What I am currently seeing at LSU is an attempt to turn our school into the same type “political football” that has been the fate of the Southern University System since the leges and other politicians were allowed by our governors to control it.

Kudos to Hank Gowen for standing up for those of us who still care about LSU and our state.

C.B.

LSU B.S.’67, J.D. ‘71