The University of New Orleans (UNO) is set to rejoin the LSU System on July 1, but its future as a research institution is uncertain. LSU System President Wade Rousse stated that restoring UNO’s financial stability is a priority, and the university’s research status is not guaranteed.

Financial Challenges

UNO has been facing a long-running enrollment decline, which has caused a fiscal crisis. The university had a student body of around 17,000 before Hurricane Katrina, but its enrollment dropped to around 6,000 after the storm. For the fall 2025 semester, its total enrollment was 5,670. Rousse said that LSU New Orleans is on track to enroll 6,000 students for the upcoming fall semester.

Rousse also mentioned that the Louisiana Legislature provided the LSU System with approximately $20 million to aid in UNO’s transition. Most of this funding went towards paying outstanding bills. Additionally, the university has been working to reduce costs by eliminating six programs and restructuring three others.

Research Status

UNO is currently the only public research university in New Orleans and one of five public colleges in Louisiana to earn a research ranking from the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education. The university’s R2 rating denotes ‘high’ research activity, one step behind the R1 status held by LSU and the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Rousse stated that if LSU is successful in stabilizing UNO, the university may consider folding UNO into its research portfolio in two or three years. This move is part of LSU’s efforts to boost its total research spending figures and become a top 50 research university.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.