SPRINGFIELD Mass.
The embattled chancellor of the University
of Massachusetts flagship campus is
a finalist for the top job at Louisiana
State University,
according to a person familiar with LSU’s presidential search.
John Lombardi has interviewed for the job at least twice
since UMass announced in May that he would be stepping down as chancellor of
the Amherst campus at the end of the coming school year, said the person, who
declined to speak publicly because of the secret nature of the search.
Lombardi may be formally recommended to LSU’s board of
supervisors this Friday. A vote on a new president could come a week later.
LSU officials said they were not allowed to confirm any of
the candidates to lead the LSU system, which operates five academic campuses,
10 public hospitals and 36 health care clinics on a $3 billion annual budget.
But Charles Zewe, LSU’s vice president for communications,
said Lombardi would be a good fit for the system.
“Someone with John Lombardi’s academic background and
expertise in managing American research universities is attractive to
LSU,” he said.
