NEWS

Commissioner of Higher Education visits with faculty, staff at Louisiana Tech

Nov 1, 2016 | General News

Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joseph C. Rallo visited Louisiana Tech University Monday for a “Coffee and Conversation” forum where he visited with faculty and staff, and shared an overview on the new realities of higher education through the “Elevate Louisiana!” initiative.
Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joseph Rallo talks with area faculty and staff during a Monday visit to Louisiana Tech. - Photo courtesy of Board of Regents.

Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. Joseph Rallo talks with area faculty and staff during a Monday visit to Louisiana Tech. – Photo courtesy of Board of Regents.


Louisiana Tech faculty and staff were joined by colleagues from Grambling State, University of Louisiana at Monroe, Louisiana Delta Community College and members of the local community to hear from Rallo and to learn more about his vision for the future of public higher education in Louisiana.
The event was part of Rallo’s “Stakeholder Engagement Tour” of north Louisiana and precedes Wednesday’s Board of Regents meeting at Squire Creek in Choudrant.  The tour enabled him to engage stakeholders and obtain feedback from stakeholders in the northeast and northwest regions of the state.
“Public higher education in Louisiana is an investment, not a cost,” said Rallo.  “Graduates from our institutions take jobs, create new and better opportunities, and pay taxes.  It’s also important for our higher education community and institutions to innovate, which is something the people here at Louisiana Tech are already doing well.”
During the discussion, Rallo, who has served as Louisiana’s Commissioner of Higher Education since January 2015, described the Regents’ perspectives on higher education funding and fiscal focus areas, and offered an insight into his priorities for the upcoming legislative session.  Following a brief presentation, he opened the floor to questions and feedback from those in attendance.
“It was good to have Dr. Rallo on our campus this afternoon and to give our faculty, staff and guests an opportunity to ask questions and to gain a better insight into the priorities and challenges facing our higher education community,” said Louisiana Tech President Les Guice.  “These types of face-to-face discussions are important to and valued by our faculty and staff, and I appreciate the Commissioner providing an open forum for them to express their ideas and concerns.”
Prior to his Monday afternoon visit to Louisiana Tech, Rallo met with business and legislative leaders during a luncheon at University of Louisiana at Monroe.  He plans to lead a discussion on Tuesday in Shreveport on how higher education can better assist the local community and address the needs of business and industry.