State Education Superintendent Cade Brumley Chosen to Lead University of Louisiana System

Louisiana State Superintendent of Education Cade Brumley has been selected to serve as the next president of the University of Louisiana System. The system's Board of Supervisors confirmed the decision through a unanimous vote during an emergency meeting, placing the state's top K-12 official at the helm of its largest public university network.

Brumley steps into the executive role following the resignation of outgoing UL System President Rick Gallot, whose departure takes effect on December 1. Gallot announced his decision to step down amid scrutiny stemming from public reporting regarding unresolved federal tax liens dating back several years.

The leadership vacancy developed rapidly after news organizations, including the Louisiana Illuminator, published investigations detailing approximately $350,000 in federal tax liens against Gallot. Under the terms of his departure, Gallot will transition away from the presidency and return to a faculty position.

Brumley has served as Louisiana's state superintendent of education since 2020, guiding policy, curriculum standards, and operational guidelines for public elementary and secondary schools across the state. Prior to his statewide role, he served as a local school district superintendent and worked across various tiers of public education administration.

The University of Louisiana System constitutes one of the state's most extensive higher education enterprises, serving more than 90,000 students across nine member institutions. Member universities include Grambling State University, Louisiana Tech University, McNeese State University, Nicholls State University, Northwestern State University, Southeastern Louisiana University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, the University of Louisiana at Monroe, and the University of New Orleans.

The appointment represents a rare direct transition from leading the state's primary and secondary schooling framework to guiding its major collegiate campuses. Higher education leaders face mounting operational considerations across Louisiana, including evolving student enrollment trends, budgetary allocations, and workforce training alignments designed to retain graduates in the state.

Taking over the university system will require Brumley to pivot his focus from statewide K-12 accountability systems toward academic governance, research funding, and campus leadership. The board's swift and unanimous selection reflects a preference for administrative continuity and a leader already familiar with Louisiana's complex legislative and budgeting processes.

Brumley's pending departure creates a critical opening at the top of Louisiana's K-12 hierarchy. The Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, which oversees the Department of Education, will be responsible for naming an interim superintendent and initiating the selection process for a permanent successor.

As Gallot prepares to conclude his tenure at the end of the month, administrative teams across the UL System are bracing for the formal handover of authority. State education observers and campus constituencies are watching closely to see how Brumley establishes his priorities for the university network heading into the upcoming legislative session.