This story was originally published by the Louisiana Illuminator
A task force Gov. Jeff Landry assembled is recommending that Louisiana’s colleges and universities join six other university systems from Southern states in a new conservative accrediting body.
The governor’s Task Force on Public Higher Education Reform voted Thursday to request the Board of Regents, which oversees higher education in the state, ask for state money to pursue membership and a board seat on the Commission for Public Higher Education
The alternative accreditor is being formed by state university systems in Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and Texas. Accreditors are necessary to ensure schools meet minimum educational standards.
The task force did not provide public notice of its meeting, which is a violation of the state’s Open Meetings Law. The statute requires all public bodies to take basic steps to ensure the public’s right to observe government proceedings. The Illuminator, which had requested notice to be sent, only learned of the meeting after it occurred when an attendee shared a copy of its recommendations.
Louisiana’s move to change accreditors comes as conservatives have sparred with the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, which evaluates colleges and universities in Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia.
Conservative politicians have taken issue with traditional accreditors at times because of their standards related to diversity, equity and inclusion. They also require safeguards that are intended to limit the influence of external forces, including politicians, in public higher education.
The Southern Association does not require any DEI measures on its members’ campuses.
The Commission for Public Higher Education is seeking expedited recognition from the U.S. Department of Education, which is required for any school it approves to receive federal financial aid.
The task force also recommended state legislation that would allow colleges and universities in Louisiana to be accredited by any group with the U.S. Department of Education’s recognition. The governor’s panel also recommended the removal of all references to the Southern Association from state law and higher education policy.
Landry’s task force is also seeking legislation to prohibit any accreditor from having required standards that would violate state law. Legislators have previously filed legislation that conflicts with accrediting standards, but typically scale back or pull the bills once they are made aware they could risk universities’ accreditation status.
In 2024, a bill that would have given the governor the power to directly hire university system presidents was significantly rolled back after good governance groups voiced concerns it would risk violating standards that prohibit undue external influence on universities.
Task force members also recommended legislation to require schools post on their websites any documentation they submit to their accreditors to gain or maintain approval.
Every member of the task force has been directly appointed to their job by Landry or his conservative allies except two: Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed and Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley, who served as chairman.
Besides Reed and Brumley, the other members are:
- Misti Cordell, Board of Regents chairwoman
- Mark Romero, University of Louisiana System board chairman
- Scott Ballard, LSU System board chairman
- Tony Clayton, Southern University System board chairman
- Tim Hardy, Louisiana Community and Technical College System chairman
- Sen. Rick Edmonds, R-Central, Senate Education Committee chairman
- Rep. Laurie Schlegel, R-Metairie, House Education Committee chairwoman
- Wade Rousse, incoming LSU System president
- Angelique Freel, Landry’s executive counsel
- Taylor Barras, Commissioner of Administration