BATON ROUGE, La. – On the heels of the 2026 Regular Legislative Session, the Board of Regents approved updates to eight policies, including the Uniform Anti-Hazing Policy, on Wednesday during its August meeting.
The existing Uniform Anti-Hazing Policy was significantly enhanced to align with the new Caleb Wilson Anti-Hazing Prevention Act, which was signed into law by Governor Jeff Landry on May 22. The policy increases institutional accountability by establishing enhanced organizational sanctions, including a lifetime ban of organizations found responsible for hazing deaths, increased education and training and enhanced access to organizations’ records regarding hazing violations. Mrs. Urania Wilson, mother of Caleb Wilson, attended the Regents meeting to support the stronger policies.
“Thank you to Commissioner Reed for her support of this updated policy, and I want to thank the entire Board from the bottom of my heart,” said Urania Wilson. “One child lost to hazing is one too many. I know Louisiana can be the leader for anti-hazing policies and enforcement.”
The Board also approved revisions to the Uniform Policy on Power-Based Violence to align the definition with updated Louisiana statute. Additionally, the updates direct institutions to share information regarding power-based violence with the parent or legal guardian of an enrolled student who is a minor.
“We have no tolerance for hazing or power-based violence on our campuses,” said Commissioner of Higher Education Kim Hunter Reed. “As we welcome students back this fall these new policies strengthen the focus on safety for all learners.”
Other policy revisions and updates addressed the following areas: dual enrollment, institution and program accreditation, facilities and property, BoRSF endowment programs, and a new joint policy with Louisiana Works for Workforce Pell. Most of the approved changes are directly aligned with new state laws.
August’s Statewide Programs spotlight focused on Regents’ Hunger-Free Campus Program, created by Act 719 of the 2022 Regular Legislative Session. All public postsecondary institutions as well as four private institutions earned Hunger-Free Campus designations for 2026. Twenty-one of those campuses were awarded a combined $110,000 in grant funding in the past fiscal year to support campus-based food security initiatives, with plans now underway to distribute $1 million in new state support in FY 2027.
In other business, two speakers shared insights into work-based learning opportunities they are providing to further prepare Louisiana’s workforce.
New LCTC President Richard Nelson shared his vision for the future of Louisiana’s Community and Technical Colleges. One of President Nelson’s goals is to reduce barriers for non-traditional students 26 and older. He also shared that LCTC intends to open a charter school to allow students in grades 10, 11, and 12 to graduate high school as well as gain advanced technical skills or even graduate with an associate’s degree.
The Regents also received an update on a partnership with the National Association of Higher Education Systems (NASH) and Google around digital credentials. A year after announcing the state’s inclusion in NASH’s Google Community of Practice, Southern University at New Orleans adjunct professor Dr. Elizabeth Hornsby outlined how educators can organize the integration of Google Career Certificates into their courses. These digital credentials reinforce existing course outcomes, providing structured industry-aligned content while tying back to the course to build targeted skills and enabling students to gain real-world experience. Google’s AI Essentials course has been particularly pivotal in introducing students to the ways in which AI tools can be used across a variety of disciplines and occupations.
The next Board of Regents meeting is scheduled for September. The two-day meeting will include Higher Education FY27 budget hearings on Tuesday, September 22, followed by the full Board meeting on Wednesday, September 23.