Ramesh Kolluru Named Sole Finalist for UL Lafayette President

LAFAYETTE, La. (KPEL News) — The search for UL Lafayette’s next permanent president is nearly over, and the frontrunner who’s been running the show all along appears set to make it official.

The university’s presidential search committee named interim President Ramesh Kolluru the sole finalist Tuesday. The full University of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors takes it from here, with a special meeting set for Friday, Feb. 27.

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Who Is Ramesh Kolluru?

Kolluru isn’t new to UL Lafayette. He arrived in Lafayette in 1992 as a graduate student from India, earning both his master’s degree and Ph.D. in computer science from the university he’s now poised to lead. He and his wife, Padma, a systems analyst with Lafayette Consolidated Government, have called Acadiana home for more than three decades. Their twin children grew up here and are currently seniors at Tulane University.

Before stepping into the interim role last fall, Kolluru served as the university’s vice president for research, innovation, and economic development. That’s the job where he drove UL’s push to maintain its coveted R1 Carnegie research designation and secured nearly $25 million in federal appropriations in the most recent spending cycle, including $12 million for a joint cybersecurity and national security research project with Radiance Technologies.

Faculty and staff who backed him pointed to that track record throughout the search process. Mechanical engineering professor Terrence Chambers said publicly that protecting UL’s R1 status was critical, and that the university needs someone who can both work through the current financial mess and set the school up for what comes after.

How the Search Unfolded

The presidential seat has been vacant since July, when longtime President Joseph Savoie abruptly stepped down. Provost Jaimie Hebert stepped in on an interim basis before Kolluru took the role in November — under circumstances that generated significant campus debate. At the time, there was widespread speculation the UL System board intended to install Kolluru permanently without conducting any search at all. Faculty, staff, and community members pushed back hard, demanding a transparent process.

The board ultimately agreed to a formal search, which drew 12 applicants. The 21-person search committee narrowed the field to three semifinalists last week: Kolluru, Kathuria, and Ludwick. All three came to campus Monday for public forums where students, faculty, alumni, and community members got to ask questions and size them up in person.

The Budget Crisis at the Center of Everything

Whoever ends up with the job inherits a serious fiscal challenge. UL Lafayette has been working to close what administrators have described as a roughly $50 million budget gap, and Kolluru told attendees at this week’s public forums that he’s made real progress. According to KATC, the university is now approximately $12 million away from finishing the current fiscal year in the black.

“And that’s our commitment: that we’re going to go through this the next few months and end the fiscal year in black,” Kolluru said during the forum.

The other two finalists offered their own takes on the university’s financial future during their campus visits. Kathuria stressed a targeted approach to cuts rather than sweeping reductions, while Ludwick framed his entire leadership philosophy around student outcomes and social mobility.

What Comes Next

Under Louisiana law, a 21-day waiting period must pass after a sole finalist is announced before the board can officially make the appointment. The process isn’t over yet — the full UL System Board of Supervisors will convene a special meeting Friday, Feb. 27, to conduct its own interview with Kolluru before that clock starts running.

If all goes according to plan, UL Lafayette could have a permanent president in place in mid-to-late March.