LSU vice provost leaving to take job in Minnesota

LSU on Friday announced the loss of administrator Katrice Albert, vice provost for equity, diversity and community outreach, to the University of Minnesota System.

Albert is expected to take on a similar role in Minneapolis as the vice president for equity and diversity.

Albert’s impending departure follows the Nov. 27 announcement that LSU Chief Financial Officer Eric Monday is leaving Baton Rouge for the University of Kentucky after nearly two decades with the university.

LSU’s voluntary departures have been adding up as of late. Since the beginning of the year, LSU has lost its Baton Rouge chancellor, College of Science dean, business school dean, CFO and now Albert.

Higher education leaders from around the state have said years of repeated budget cuts — more than $425 million since 2008 — are hastening the departures of some of the state’s top talent.

A continued exodus of talent, they say, will hurt Louisiana schools in national rankings.

The University of Minnesota System is ranked 13th in the highly regarded National Science Foundation rankings. LSU has ranked in the low-70s over the past several years.

During Albert’s 12-year career at LSU, she has been credited with ushering in increasingly diverse student bodies. LSU saw its most diverse student body in history enroll this year.

This fall’s black student enrollment of 3,054 students eclipses the previous high of 3,035 set in 2002 and represents a 200-student increase over last year, according to LSU’s Office of Budget and Planning. LSU also saw Hispanic enrollment rise by 156 students this fall, increasing from 1,305 students compared with the previous high of 1,149 set last year.

LSU’s Provost and Executive Vice Chancellor Stuart Bell said Albert served LSU with “passion” and “expertise.”

“She has cultivated a campus environment that embraces individual difference, sustains inclusion and enhances access and equity,” Bell wrote in an email to LSU faculty, students and staff.

A message posted on the University of Minnesota website says Albert is expected to begin her new role on June 28.

Comments

1) Comment by Scrooge - 08/12/2012

BH1962 , now you otter know better. them there people went to LSU, they gots seasoned tickets

2) Comment by jeffsadow - 08/12/2012

On the contrary, it is the uninformed attitudes of those like a couple of commenters below which drive the continued deterioration of higher education because of the fetish for "diversity.". That's not just my opinion of a quarter century in higher education, most of that being in LA, but of many others, where here you can find trenchant analysis and commentary about that issue: http://www.nas.org. And a good example of the perverse costs associated with this mindset in another university system can be found here: http://www.city-journal.org/2012/cjc0920hm.html.

3) Comment by BH1962 - 08/12/2012

Hahahaha @8point6 and mj6338. DERP! I aint never been to one of them there fancy learnin places and I dont know what that there diversity provost is, but it sounds like its for them queers and negroids, so it needs to go. DERP! Effing hillbillies!

4) Comment by gvm - 08/12/2012

@lovemykids: Don't despair. As the recent elections clearly showed, those who cannot understand or accept the concept of diversity essentially have been relegated to the dustbin of history. Unfortunately some, as evidenced by a few of the posts below, continue to hold on to weak-minded and foolish beliefs. Oh well, their inexorable slide into irrelevance is almost complete.

5) Comment by lovemykids - 08/12/2012

Another troubling departure from LSU. Sadder for the future of this state are the people who posted some of the previous comments.

6) Comment by 8point6 - 08/12/2012

@mj6338: You beat me to it. That's what I was going to say. IMO, LSU won't lose anything by abolishing that position.

7) Comment by spqr - 08/12/2012

@Mr. T...they say the same thing for anyone who moves to Louisiana.And she's probably getting more money.

8) Comment by Mr. T - 08/12/2012

We really don't want anyone who is so stupid that they move to Minnesota in December. Thry can have her!

9) Comment by mj6338 - 08/12/2012

With all the strains on scarce university dollars, why do we even have a "vice provost for equity, diversity and community outreach". GIMME A BREAK !! politcal correctness run amuck; whatever happened to the concept of the meritocratic society ??

10) Comment by mj6338 - 08/12/2012

With all the strains on scarce university dollars, why do we even have a "vice provost for equity, diversity and community outreach". GIMME A BREAK !! politcal correctness run amuck; whatever happened to the concept of the meritoctic society ??