Students and faculty packed the area outside the Student Union at the University of Louisiana at Lafayette on Wednesday, turning a regular weekday afternoon into a full-on celebration as Dr. Ramesh Kolluru prepared to take the stage as the university's newly named president. The crowd spilled onto the plaza around Cypress Lake, with supporters, campus leaders and longtime colleagues gathering as Kolluru readied himself to address the university community he has served for decades.
The moment, complete with red gear and raised phones, was captured by photographer Leslie Westbrook and shared by NOLA.com, which showed Kolluru just before he walked onstage outside the Student Union. Organizers said the outdoor event followed the system board's formal action naming him president and was designed as a welcome for students and employees as the campus turns the page from interim leadership.
Board Makes Appointment Official
The University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors unanimously signed off on Kolluru as UL Lafayette's seventh president during a special meeting, according to University of Louisiana at Lafayette. The announcement underscored his long tenure on campus and credited him with helping grow UL Lafayette's research profile.
"This University shaped my life and prepared me to serve it in this role," Kolluru wrote in a message to the campus community, the release from University of Louisiana at Lafayette noted. That same release pointed to administrative moves he made as interim president, including a reorganization of Enrollment Management and the launch of a campus mental health task force.
Campus Context And Reaction
Kolluru had been serving as interim president since November and was widely viewed as the favorite for the permanent job, local reporting noted. The Current reported that his appointment capped a three-month search and arrived amid calls from faculty members for a transparent selection process.
Budget Crunch Looms
Stabilizing the university's finances will be an immediate test. Kolluru told reporters that UL Lafayette began the fiscal year with roughly a 50 million dollar deficit and had already worked through about 38 million dollars of it, leaving around 12 million dollars to close, according to Louisiana Radio Network. Local outlets have also reported that the university sought board approval to sell several properties as part of its strategy to reduce the remaining shortfall.
For the students and staff gathered on the plaza, though, Wednesday's celebration was less about spreadsheets and more about momentum. The event signaled continuity and a renewed focus on research, student success and fiscal stabilization in the months ahead. Campus leaders say Kolluru's promotion shifts UL Lafayette from interim stewardship to an administration expected to carry through the financial and organizational changes already in motion.
