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June 1, 2008 LSU System President Recommends New ChancellorBATON ROUGE---Louisiana State University System President Dr. John V. Lombardi tonight said he will recommend that New Mexico State University President Michael V. Martin become LSU’s eighth chancellor. "LSU is exceptionally fortunate to be able to attract an academic leader with the experience and accomplishments of Mike Martin,” said Lombardi, who plans to submit Martin’s appointment Thursday to the LSU Board of Supervisors for approval. Martin is expected to assume his duties in early August. The LSU A&M Chancellor Search Committee last week voted unanimously to recommend Martin become chief executive of Louisiana’s Flagship campus. "The decision to leave NMSU has been a very difficult one but we are very excited about the opportunity to be part of the leadership team at LSU,” said Martin. “It is a great university committed to becoming still better. I look forward to working with President Lombardi and the other fine people at LSU in shaping a bright future for the university and all it serves" An agricultural economist, the 61-year-old Martin, who has been NMSU president for four years, is a native of Minnesota. He held agricultural administrative posts at the University of Minnesota and the University of Florida before becoming New Mexico State president where he won legislative approval for the construction of new buildings and praise from university supporters for significantly increasing the NMSU endowment. “His record of achievement will provide him with the background and understanding that will accelerate the LSU Flagship Agenda,” Lombardi noted. “We are delighted to welcome Mike Martin and his wonderful wife, Jan, as Chancellor and first lady of our flagship institution of LSU." At New Mexico State, Martin administered the state’s land-grant university system that includes five, two-year branch campuses. The main campus has 28,000 students. NMSU also operates cooperative extension offices in the 33 New Mexico counties, and 13 research and science centers statewide. At an LSU public forum with faculty and staff two weeks ago, Martin said he believes in “high-spirited debate;” that he has strong opinions about where a university ought to go. “We come together about shared values, which leads to progressive policies that lead to strategies that advance the institution,” Martin said. Martin told the LSU chancellor search committee that his biggest challenge as LSU chancellor would be to replace large numbers of faculty members nearing retirement age with new personnel dedicated to quality teaching and research. “Whether it’s teaching in the classroom, working in the lab, mowing the lawns or painting the buildings,” he said, “the standard must be a continual journey toward excellence.” LSU’s new leader also said it is important for universities to be transformational. “We have to reach out beyond the campus to touch the lives of every citizen as well as those that come to our campuses in ways that makes better citizens, more systematically curious citizens, who come to our campuses not only come to pursue an occupation but also participation in advancing society.” For further information, contact: Charles Zewe, PhD |
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