UNO’s future as a research institution in doubt as it rejoins LSU System

The University of New Orleans (UNO) will rejoin the LSU System on July 1 as LSU New Orleans, but its future as a research institution is uncertain. LSU System President Wade Rousse stated that while faculty support retaining UNO’s R2 research classification, financial stability is the top concern. The university, one of five R2 institutions in Louisiana, has struggled with declining enrollment, dropping from 17,000 students pre-Hurricane Katrina to 5,670 in fall 2023, with a target of 6,000 for fall 2024. UNO’s transition back to LSU follows a 2011 move to the University of Louisiana System to escape the ‘shadow’ of LSU’s flagship campus. The reintegration aims to address fiscal crises, with the Louisiana Legislature allocating $20 million last year to support the transition. Rousse noted that most funds covered outstanding bills, leaving financial rebuilding as the next challenge. To cut costs, LSU New Orleans reduced its campus footprint from 2.9 million to 2.5 million square feet, saving over $2 million annually on utilities and maintenance. Rousse also directed staff to reuse parts from closed buildings to address maintenance needs. Meanwhile, LSU is offering UNO seats to applicants rejected from the Baton Rouge flagship campus, with a transfer pathway to LSU contingent on performance. Rousse indicated that if financial stability is achieved, LSU may integrate UNO into its research portfolio within two to three years. The broader LSU System has already restructured its research-intensive campuses under Chancellor Jim Dalton to boost research spending and advance its goal of becoming a top 50 research university. However, UNO remains separate for now, pending further stabilization efforts.