Dillard University Interim President James Lyons has been appointed to serve on a new commission to study the governance, management and supervision of public postsecondary education in Louisiana. The commission, created by the Board of Regents in accordance with House Concurrent Resolution 184 of the 2011 Legislative Session, includes 18 educators, politicians and business leaders from across the state.

The commission will examine the higher education governance structure and its affect on resource efficiency, student success, tuition, transfer students, historically black colleges and universities, and more. The commission, which will hold its first monthly meeting in Baton Rouge on Aug. 19, will submit a plan for the reorganization of the management of postsecondary education to the Legislature by Jan. 12, 2012.

“I am truly honored to accept this appointment, and look forward to working with the Board of Regents and the House and Senate Committees on Education to reorganize the governance, management, and supervision of postsecondary education in Louisiana,” said Dr. Lyons.

“This is a very critical time for higher education,” Lyons said. “President Obama has challenged us to lead the world in the number of citizens receiving some post-high school education; college costs continue to rise and threaten to put higher education out of reach of many deserving students; and the achievement gap along racial and ethnic lines continues to grow.

“I hope that one outcome of our work will be to ensure that every student in the state of Louisiana who is desirous of a college education will be given that opportunity.”

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