As current students and alumni, we are deeply concerned by recent comments from Louisiana Board of Regents member Wilbert Pryor suggesting that the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Louisiana Tech University, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe consider moving their football programs from the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) to the Football Championship Subdivision (FCS).

Those comments were made during the September 22, 2026 Higher Education Budget Hearings, where the Board of Regents was reviewing the fiscal condition and future budget needs of Louisiana’s public universities. The Board has constitutional and statutory responsibilities for planning, coordinating, and budgeting for public higher education across the state.

For students, alumni, student-athletes, and communities connected to these universities, athletics are an important part of institutional identity, visibility, recruitment, alumni engagement, and regional pride. A move from FBS to FCS would represent a significant change in the direction and competitive position of these athletic programs.

Pryor’s remarks have raised serious concerns about whether his approach aligns with the direction we believe our universities should be pursuing. Rather than seeing our institutions scale back their ambitions, we want Louisiana’s higher-education leadership to pursue sustainable solutions and equitable opportunities that allow our universities to compete, grow, and receive fair consideration for state resources.

For those reasons, we are calling for the resignation of Regent Wilbert Pryor or for the appropriate state authorities to review whether his continued service on the Louisiana Board of Regents is in the best interest of the institutions and communities the Board serves.

The Board of Regents plays a significant role in shaping the future of Louisiana public higher education. Its decisions affect institutions, students, faculty, alumni, and communities across the state. This issue deserves public attention, transparency, and a clear discussion about the direction Louisiana wants for its public universities.

Pryor’s remarks that these institutions should be more “humble” have only intensified these concerns. Statements of that nature, particularly when directed at universities seeking to strengthen their programs and compete for limited state resources, raise legitimate questions about the perspective being brought to decisions that affect those institutions.

We are also concerned about whether similar standards are being applied consistently across Louisiana’s public universities. If financial deficits are being cited as justification for major changes to the athletic programs at UL Lafayette, Louisiana Tech, and ULM, then those standards should be applied transparently and consistently across all state institutions.

Our students and student-athletes deserve leadership that evaluates universities fairly, supports their long-term success, and approaches major decisions with consistency and transparency.