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Louisiana has more work to do to close funding gap between Southern, LSU, governor says
Gov. John Bel Edwards says more work is needed to close the gap in funding between the state’s two land-grant universities. Across the nation, there is a huge gap between funding for historically Black and historically white land-grant universities within the same state, a report from the progressive think tank The Century Foundation found. Louisiana […]
Southeastern cyberattack did not result in theft of student records, personal information
A cyberattack on Southeastern University this spring did not result in the theft of student records or personal identifiable information, president William Wainwright said in a message to the university. The university suffered a security breach in February that crippled IT at the university for weeks. Wainwright said the investigation into the incident, which involved […]
LSU women’s basketball coach ‘surprised’ by inclusion of PMAC funds in budget
LSU women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey said she was surprised – but happy – state legislators included money for the school’s basketball arena in Louisiana’s construction budget. “I didn’t know anything,” Mulkey said of the project in an interview with the Illuminator. “I’m happy for anything LSU can get, whether it’s for the library, whether […]
Louisiana Republican Party endorses Liz Murrill for attorney general
The Louisiana Republican Party endorsed one of Attorney General Jeff Landry’s top deputies, Liz Murrill, in the race to replace him, the party announced Thursday. “With a new governor, legislature, and attorney general, we will have an opportunity to bring true conservative reform to state government,” Murrill said in a press release. “Now is the […]
Harsher fentanyl sentencing law pushed by Louisiana AG candidate takes effect
A new law pushed by a Republican candidate for attorney general that sharply increases the criminal penalties for fentanyl possession took effect Tuesday. It sets up a tiered system that doles out increasingly harsher penalties for fentanyl possession based on the amount of drug a person possesses and subsequent convictions. “The hope is that this […]
As LSU strategy chief leaves university, strategic plan remains unfinished
Almost two years after he came to LSU as the newly-created vice president for strategy, Mark Bieger has left the university, leaving LSU’s strategic plan unfinished. Bieger, who served alongside President William F. Tate at the University of South Carolina, was charged with creating LSU’s new strategic plan, a process universities engage in every several […]
Louisiana public service commissioner slams carbon capture
Davante Lewis, a newly-elected progressive Democrat on the Public Service Commission, criticized carbon capture and sequestration at a Monday meeting of the Baton Rouge press club. “We heard a significant rise of movement about carbon capture, which I think is an untested, unproven science,” Lewis said. “That is costly, but one of the questions that […]
Free speech group demands LSU rehire graduate assistant terminated for vulgar voicemail
A national free speech organization has sent a letter to LSU President William F. Tate that demands the university undo its termination of a graduate assistant who left a vulgar voicemail for a state senator. In a letter sent Friday, the Foundation for Individual Rights and Expression (FIRE), a national First Amendment advocacy organization known […]
Louisiana to offer free credit monitoring following massive OMV data leak
After millions of Louisianians had their personal information leaked in a global cyberattack, the state announced it will offer a year of free credit monitoring to impacted residents. The state will offer 12 months of free monitoring through LifeLock. Interested residents can sign up for the program at nextsteps.la.gov. The Louisiana Office of Motor Vehicles […]
LSU fires graduate assistant who left vulgar voicemail for state senator
An LSU graduate assistant will be relieved of his teaching duties — but remain at the school as a student — after leaving a vulgar voicemail for a state senator, the university confirmed Thursday. The student, Marcus Venable, was incorrectly identified as a professor at LSU by conservative commentator Greg Price, who circulated a voicemail […]
Over 15,000 in Louisiana to have student loans forgiven, White House announces
More than 15,000 Louisianians will have their student loan debt automatically discharged under the Biden administration’s changes to federal repayment plans. The U.S. Department of Education announced last week that over 800,000 borrowers nationwide would have their remaining debt forgiven, wiping out about $39 billion in student debt. The total debt wiped out for Louisiana […]
LSU’s College World Series win drives Louisiana sports betting revenue
LSU’s first College World Series win since 2009 was a home run for Louisiana sports betting revenue, according to the chairman of the Louisiana Gaming Control Board. Ronnie Johns credited the Tigers’ performance with an increase in gambling revenue for the state over the previous June. “I think the win ratio was actually down, so […]