# High-paying VP positions among latest cuts at UL Lafayette this week
**URL:** https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311
**Category:** The Marsh
**Created:** [December 5, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311 "2025-12-05T19:08:08Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@RaginCajun77](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/RaginCajun77)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 7:08pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/1 "2025-12-05T19:08:08Z")
> High-paying vice president positions were among those cut at [the University of Louisiana at Lafayette](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/whats-happened-ul-lafayette-during-president-search-2025-timeline/article_332bc0df-da4f-4cb2-bcd8-471d24efb225.html) this week as the school’s new interim president works to close a financial deficit he inherited.
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> The changes were announced Friday afternoon in an email from interim President Ramesh Kolluru to faculty and staff.
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> Three vice presidential positions were eliminated — vice president for enrollment management, vice president for student affairs and vice president for university advancement.
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> DeWayne Bowie, who oversaw enrollment, will retire, according to the email. Patricia Cottonham, who oversaw student affairs, will become the dean of students. John Blohm, who was over university advancement, will solely focus on overseeing the UL Lafayette Foundation.
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> The changes are part of an organizational restructuring, Kolluru said in the email and are “ focused on improving efficiency and streamlining administrative functions” while ensuring “our structure aligns with our financial realities while furthering our academic and R1 mission, positioning us for sustainable future growth.”
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> Kolluru said he asked that his interim president’s salary only be $1 more than when he served as vice president of research, innovation and economic development.
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> He also said the vice presidents of academic affairs and intercollegiate athletics were asked to take temporary 15% salary cuts.
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> The 2025-2026 budgeted salary for Bryan Maggard, who oversees intercollegiate athletics, was $472,962. A 15% salary cut would bring his pay to about $402,000.
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> In addition to the staffing changes, Kolluru said in his email that there must be reduced spending through the end of June, when the fiscal year ends. Without that reduced spending, he threatened that “additional budget reductions may be required.”
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> Kolluru said he and other UL leaders are developing a “comprehensive revenue generation plan and exploring additional strategies to strengthen our financial position.” More information about that plan will be released in a meeting scheduled for next week.
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> “These personnel actions affect colleagues and campus leaders who have contributed to our University in meaningful ways, and I am deeply grateful for their service,” Kolluru said in his email. “These changes are difficult – but they are necessary to ensure that our University emerges stronger and is positioned for long-term success.”
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> This week’s cuts are the latest in a series of [position eliminations](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/see-the-positions-ul-lafayette-cut-to-address-25m-deficit/article_29a363f7-e7cc-483a-b691-333476b71ea6.html), retirements, resignations and reassignments that have happened since July, [when UL President Joseph Savoie stepped down](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/ul-lafayette-louisiana-president-joe-savoie-to-retire-early/article_b239f44c-35c5-4b9c-a5c5-c6b4fff9894a.html) before his contract was up.
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> Since then, the university’s [bleak financial reality](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/ul-faces-25-million-deficit-unclear-if-layoffs-are-coming/article_5ce13869-a1b8-4c9c-ab1a-a2811e240a6f.html) has come to public light along with [faculty and staff frustration](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/ul-aaup-responds-to-ul-system-board-over-president-search/article_2d0c1853-8339-4356-868e-0ad5f3c27fcc.html) over the lack of transparency surrounding cuts and the search for a new president.
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> The first wave of positions was eliminated under former interim President Jaimie Hebert, who served in the role from Aug. 1 until Nov. 13, when [he asked the UL System Board](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/jaimie-hebert-ul-lafayette-steps-down-from-interim-president-ramesh-kolluru-new-interim/article_3ea3db41-b9de-48e9-871f-8fd2da60665c.html) to return to his role as provost of the university. That’s when Kolluru took on the role of interim president.
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> While serving as interim, Hebert announced that the university had a $25-million deficit on top of a $25-million recurring annual budget shortfall.
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> Layoffs, position eliminations and shuffling of staff to help alleviate the university’s budget issues have been ongoing since September, when [six positions were eliminated](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/ul-eliminates-six-positions-closes-sustainability-office-amid-25-million-budget-crisis/article_501fb637-0d77-4816-9718-e754cc0b9b21.html) and the Office of Sustainability closed. In October, another 51 people were laid off, and 19 positions were eliminated. [Among those laid off](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/see-the-positions-ul-lafayette-cut-to-address-25m-deficit/article_29a363f7-e7cc-483a-b691-333476b71ea6.html) were professors, assistant coaches and police officers whose annual salaries ranged from $16,153 to $171,600.
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> However, signs of financial issues surfaced earlier in the year.
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> In January, the Louisiana Legislative Auditor’s Office released its [annual audit for UL’s athletics department](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/sports/ul_lafayette/it-s-just-today-s-college-athletics-ul-athletics-addresses-corrections-deficit-in-state-audit/article_59124002-dd7e-11ef-af8a-07e2401cbe2a.html) and noted a $12.6-million deficit for the department. And in March, the LLA released its [annual audit for the university](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/ul-lafayette-louisiana-audit/article_59ccf1d7-9163-4ddc-b91e-4e867efbaff7.html) as a whole and noted four findings mostly related to timely billing and proper controls surrounding grants. Two months later, then-Vice President for Administration and Finance Jerry Luke LeBlanc resigned from his position.
[High-paying VP positions among latest cuts at UL Lafayette this week](https://www.theadvocate.com/acadiana/news/education/ul-lafayettes-first-cuts-under-ramesh-kolluru-include-vps/article_e35c9c62-e286-4ab4-8928-09d7b07bef03.html?taid=69332bc73b4ba40001a30d1f&utm_campaign=trueanthem&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter)
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### Author:  [@ChairmanMarlin](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/ChairmanMarlin)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 7:12pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/2 "2025-12-05T19:12:43Z")
15% cut and reduction of the budget I dont see Maggard being here after the Holidays.
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### Author:  [@anon19438194](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/anon19438194)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 7:15pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/3 "2025-12-05T19:15:14Z")
> [@ChairmanMarlin](#):
>
> 15% cut and reduction of the budget I dont see Maggard being here after the Holidays.
> [@RaginCajun77](#):
>
> temporary 15% salary cuts
You think he dips due to a temp cut?
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### Author:  [@ChairmanMarlin](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/ChairmanMarlin)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 7:17pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/4 "2025-12-05T19:17:39Z")
I think he will bounce because of the athletic budget cuts . The 15% reduction is just the icing ontop.
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### Author:  [@RCajunRunner](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/RCajunRunner)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 7:38pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/5 "2025-12-05T19:38:16Z")
Shit…my coworkers and I took a temporary 30% pay cut when the COVID shutdowns wrecked our industry and economy.
Amazing temporary 15% cut on those making their incomes off public dollars would make some jump ship. Reality of the real world they don’t live in.
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### Author:  [@anon19438194](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/anon19438194)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 7:43pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/6 "2025-12-05T19:43:25Z")
He is still making over 400k…he’ll be aight.
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### Author:  [@RedTails](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/RedTails)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 9:03pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/7 "2025-12-05T21:03:49Z")
Curious what their revenue generation plans will look like. Bringing in more international students to boost enrollment? More tuition fees? I really think the long-term prospect of the American career-centric university model is bleak, especially with AI enveloping the world’s socioeconomic outlook in a blanket of uncertainty. I would be baking in decreased enrollment trends into my 5/10/20 year projections.
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### Author:  [@zeppelincajun](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/zeppelincajun)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 9:57pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/8 "2025-12-05T21:57:08Z")
Getting rid of the guy who’s been in charge of undergrad admissions and recruiting sounds like a wise decision to me. Tanking our admissions standards and our lack of effort in attracting worthy students have both become embarrassing hallmarks of this university
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### Author:  [@zeppelincajun](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/zeppelincajun)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:06pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/9 "2025-12-05T22:06:54Z")
Call me crazy but I’m not gonna cry myself to sleep at night if Maggard leaves. He’s done some great things for UL, but he’s also been coasting for some time now and has done NOTHING in terms of fan engagement in his career here that suggests he is worth upwards of $400K. Ask for more from the same base of donors. Rinse. Repeat. Somebody could do that for half the cost.
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### Author:  [@anon19438194](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/anon19438194)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/10 "2025-12-05T22:09:00Z")
> [@zeppelincajun](#):
>
> Somebody could do that for half the cost
Careful what you wish for
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### Author:  [@ChairmanMarlin](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/ChairmanMarlin)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:09pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/11 "2025-12-05T22:09:20Z")
I think he is getting 200k more than he is worth even with the cut.
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### Author:  [@ChairmanMarlin](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/ChairmanMarlin)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:10pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/12 "2025-12-05T22:10:30Z")
Oh its going to be Jessica to replace him since alumni hires have worked out great here. Got a .500 football coach , a softball coach who missed the post season for the first time in almost 30 years . A WBB whos top achivment is a buy in tournament and a prez that ran the univ into the ground.
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### Author:  [@zeppelincajun](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/zeppelincajun)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:13pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/13 "2025-12-05T22:13:15Z")
I didn’t say I’m wishing for it. I said I’m not gonna cry myself to sleep if it happens. $400K has gotten us genius ideas like $5,000 TG spots. We ain’t growing the fanbase no matter how many games we win with business skills like that. May as well go cheap.
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### Author:  [@angeleast](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/angeleast)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:15pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/14 "2025-12-05T22:15:55Z")
It seems there was a lot of henchmen T Joe elevated to help out his boys. Too many high paid vice president’s and bloated administration. Im impressed our new president is cutting out the waste and from what I heard, the fraud too. The ole Cajun mafia needs to be done with.
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### Author:  [@RaginRed](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/RaginRed)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:23pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/15 "2025-12-05T22:23:47Z")
Nico Yanko needs to be our next athletic director if the position becomes available. He could take us to the next level.
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### Author:  [@anon19438194](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/anon19438194)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:45pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/16 "2025-12-05T22:45:20Z")
Nico wanted to charge for fans to park in CF lot for basketball games, id advise you get ready for that.
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### Author:  [@zeppelincajun](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/zeppelincajun)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:56pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/17 "2025-12-05T22:56:39Z")
Right because Maggard is notorious for not outpricing this community.
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### Author:  [@anon19438194](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/anon19438194)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:57pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/18 "2025-12-05T22:57:22Z")
Did i say he wasnt?
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### Author:  [@zeppelincajun](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/zeppelincajun)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:58pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/19 "2025-12-05T22:58:48Z")
You’re telling people to get prepared for the same type of fuckery we see now on a daily basis.
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### Author:  [@anon19438194](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/u/anon19438194)
#### Post date: [December 5, 2025, 10:59pm UTC](https://cajunthreds.discourse.group/t/high-paying-vp-positions-among-latest-cuts-at-ul-lafayette-this-week/1311/20 "2025-12-05T22:59:33Z")
Watch your language please
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