Dear Students,

As we begin this new semester amid the excitement of championship success both on and off the field, I wanted to welcome you back to campus and say how much I’m looking forward to these next few months working together as the Board of Supervisors searches for the next president.

For those of you who don’t know me, I’ve been dean of the Paul M. Hebert Law Center since 2016, and I’ll be serving as LSU’s interim president. When I first arrived on campus as a brand new law professor nearly 35 years ago, I never dreamed that I would one day have the opportunity to lead this great institution. LSU is an incredibly special place for me and my family, and we are very excited for this opportunity to work even more closely with you.

While the university administration is in a time of transition, your educational achievement and academic success remains our top priority. I am a teacher and my students—you—matter to me. Your learning and our teaching is the center and launching point for everything else we do—research, scholarship, creative activity, athletics, and more. None of it happens without you. You and your education come first and I promise to never forget that basic fact.

Each and every one of you have played and continue to play a critical role in LSU’s achievements and in making our university one of the nation’s best. You are part of a historic student body at our university, one that has shattered records in terms of size, diversity, and accomplishment. I know that we will build on that momentum this semester, and together, there is nothing that we can’t do.

While serving as interim president, I will regularly communicate with you about events on campus and other important topics. Meanwhile, please feel free to share any suggestions, questions, comments or concerns with me at galligan@lsu.edu.

Best wishes for a happy and successful semester.

Geaux Tigers!

Tom Galligan
LSU Interim President