Louisiana
University of Louisiana System president optimistic about Trump’s return • Louisiana Illuminator
University of Louisiana System President Rick Gallot said he is anticipating beneficial things for his nine universities after Donald Trump claimed last week’s presidential election.
“If the House doesn’t change, and Mike Johnson remains speaker, then obviously that bodes well for the Maritime Academy and some other initiatives that we’ve got commitments on from he and the other members of the delegation,” Gallot said at the Baton Rouge Press Club luncheon Monday.
The Legislature created the Universities of Louisiana Maritime Academy in 2023. It will primarily be based at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux and will specialize in training students for jobs navigating vessels inland and on coastal waterways.
Gallot also said former President Trump’s commitment to reversing oil and gas regulations could be good for his system, particularly McNeese State, home to the LNG Center for Excellence, which studies the liquified natural gas industry.
When asked about the potential downsides of the administration, including rumors of scaling back or eliminating the U.S. Department of Education, Gallot said he is taking a wait-and-see approach.
“We will have to cross that bridge when we get there,” Gallot said. “Right now, I’m hearing some things that are, quite frankly, going to be beneficial to our institutions.”
In addition to potentially disbanding the Department of Education, policy experts predict Trump’s platform could have an impact on the number of student visa-holders that could affect universities that enroll a large number of international students. UL System institutions primarily serve students from Louisiana, however, with approximately 88% calling Louisiana home, Gallot said.
Gallot also said the UL System is unlikely to take any steps on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) programs until it has reviewed the data.
DEI has been in the crosshairs of right-leaning politicians across the country, premised on the idea that such programs bloat college budgets, increase student debt and conflict with conservative viewpoints.
A bill to ban DEI on college campuses stalled in the Louisiana Legislature this year, but it is likely to pass in 2025.
LSU notably has taken advance measures to dismantle its own DEI programs in anticipation of this ban, but Gallot said the UL System will wait at least until a report on its schools’ DEI undertakings is complete to take any action.
A state law passed earlier this year requires an accounting of every DEI program at every school, as well as its cost and purpose, to be reported to the Louisiana Board of Regents at the end of the year.
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A state lawmaker whose district includes Iberville and nine other parishes will lead the way on the drawing of a new congressional map when the committee convenes Friday.
Sen. Caleb Kleinpeter, R-Port Allen, will chair the hearings to draw a new congressional district map. He currently serves as chairman of the U.S. Senate and Governmental Affairs Committee.
On Wednesday, Kleinpeter said he has not worked on any maps. He is letting the committee members and the members of the Senate work on this with staff.
The move will come nine days after the U.S. Supreme Court on a 6-3 vote ruled one of Louisiana’s two majority-Black U.S. House districts unconstitutional.
“We can’t base it on race anymore, so the minority party is the Democrats,” he said. “The Democrats have migrated away from the New Orléans area, so we’re looking at Democrats versus Republicans, so the minority party — the Democrats — which means it’s more favored toward Baton Rouge.”
The move would work in favor of incumbent 6th District Congressman Cleo Fields, who was a candidate for the race which Gov. Jeff Lndry suspended in the wake of the Supreme Court decision.
The ruling stemmed from Louisiana vs. Callais – a consolidation of Robinson vs. Callais – that centered on racial gerrymandering and redistricting in the state of Louisiana following the 2020 United States census. The lead plaintiff, Phillip “Bert” Callais, is a resident of Brusly.
The Supreme Court vote came despite the African American population comprising nearly one-third of the state’s population.
According to the 2020 Census, the Black or African American population in Louisiana was approximately 1,464,023,representing 31.4%of the state’s total population. Louisiana has one of the highest percentages of Black residents in the United States, ranking second behind Mississippi.
The Baton Rouge district would likely be the area to undergo the remap, he said.
It amounts to an intricate balancing act.
“What far-right Republicans don’t understand is that with Congress maps, you have to be within 776, 280 votes – within 50 votes of the other districts,” Kleinpeter said. “It’s not like our legislative maps where you can be off by thousands … when you start changing a precinct, it can run down a rabbit hole chasing this precinct over here and over there.
“We can easily draw a really strong nine Republican and one strong Democrat, so if you start watering districts down you could wind up with a 4-2 map.”
Republicans currently have a two-vote super majority vote.
“But some Republican districts are strong and others are weak,” Kleinpeter said. “If you take 58 percent Democrats and put them in Republican districts, you could end up losing Republicans.
“Drawing congress maps is very difficult – you have the leader of the party, and you have the Speaker of the House you have to protect,” he said. “You don’t want to jeopardize their maps at hole.”
One other issue is looming for the state, Kleinpeter said.
“What people don’t understand is that we will have to do this all over again in five years, after the next census comes out,” he said. “Hopefully we’ll people by that time.”
The 2030 Census will play a key role in the process, but it still requires participation.
“I had plenty of next-door neighbors who didn’t want to fill out their census” he said. “I’m going to push to fill out their census. We miss out on federal money and potentially risk losing a seat. “
Neuty, the iconic Bucktown nutria visits the state capitol, with Myra Lacoste, Denny Lacoste, Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Dennis Lacoste Sr., and Louisiana state Senator J. Cameron Henry Jr. Neuty was an orphan, rescued by the Lacostes. In March 2023, LDWF agents attempted to confiscate the illegal pet.
VIDALIA, La. — Louisiana State Police arrested 18-year-old Gregory Steele early Sunday morning on two counts of vehicular homicide, one count of underage operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, one count vehicular negligent injuring and one count careless operation, according to Concordia Parish Jail records.
Steele, 18, a white male, was arrested in connection with an accident that occurred at approximately 1:54 a.m. on Sunday morning on Minorca Road in Vidalia. Two passengers in the vehicle were killed. Steele and another passenger were able to escape the vehicle.
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