NEWS

LC to name next president Thursday

Leigh Guidry, and Randy Benson

Louisiana College is expected to select the ninth president in school history Thursday at a special meeting of the Board of Trustees.

Board Chairman Tommy French announced Feb. 17 that one candidate would appear before the full board at the special meeting. French has not given interviews to The Town Talk during the search process, and the school has declined to name the candidate in advance of the board's vote.

"We have heard from a variety of the college's constituents, and our search committee believes we have a candidate whose impeccable academic credentials and obvious Christian commitment constitute the caliber of leader who can take Louisiana College into the future," French said in a statement issued by the private Baptist school in Pineville.

Sources close to the board say the candidate is a vice president "from a respected Baptist school outside Louisiana." The candidate reportedly originally emerged as a compromise candidate after the Executive Committee of the board, which has acted as the search committee, was split between two Louisiana candidates, Steve Lemke and Reggie Ogea, both of the New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Lemke is provost of the seminary. Ogea is an associate dean and professor of leadership and pastoral ministry.

The candidate must gain the support from a majority of the board, which typically — but not always — endorses the actions of the Executive Committee.

LC has been seeking a president since April 16, when the board voted to approve an agreement that removed Joe Aguillard as president effective May 31, 2014, ending two years of controversy and turmoil on campus. Aguillard is on sabbatical this academic year and will return to the college in the fall as a tenured professor in the school's graduate teacher education program.

Argile Smith, former dean of the LC divinity school, has been interim president since June 1. When he was named interim president, Smith said he would not be a candidate for the job on a permanent basis.

Aguillard, who became LC's president in January 2005, narrowly survived an attempt to oust him as president in April 2013. The last two years of his tenure were marked by whistle-blower complaints; allegations of misappropriating funds and misleading the LC board; and strong statements made publicly both in defense of Aguillard and calling for his removal.