There will be a new President at Southeastern.
Yesterday in an email to staff President Dr. John Crain said after much personal reflection, he was announcing his retirement as President of Southeastern, effective upon the appointment of a new President, which is anticipated by the end of the current academic year. He called it a difficult decision, but said he believed it was the right time to transition to the next phase in his life and an appropriate inflection point in the course of the University.
He said his decision was closely coordinated with Dr. Jim Henderson, President and CEO of the University of Louisiana System. Crain said Dr. Henderson will soon communicate with the campus community additional details about the upcoming presidential search process.
A native of Franklinton, Crain became the 14th president of Southeastern in February 2009 after having served as Interim President from July 2008. He guided the university through several years of sizable state budget reductions, the COVID-19 pandemic, and multiple hurricanes, including Hurricane Ida, which caused significant damage to the Hammond campus and surrounding region.
