Martin starts LSU interviews

• By JORDAN BLUM
• Advocate Capitol News Bureau
• Published: May 21, 2008 - Page: 1B - UPDATED: 12:05 a.m.

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LSU’s likely next chancellor described himself as a personable, blue-collar leader who is eager to take LSU to the next level, both academically and financially.

New Mexico State University President Michael Martin began his two days of interviews on Tuesday as the only finalist for the job of leading LSU’s main campus in Baton Rouge.

An agriculture economist by specialty, Martin, 61, said his roots bleed into his leadership style.

“I’m a blue-collar guy,” Martin said. “Some people want an imperial president … I’m a much closer to the ground kind of guy.”

The LSU chancellor search committee still must vote Friday whether to recommend Martin to Lombardi and the LSU Board of Supervisors.

Martin said he sees nothing keeping him from changing his mind about LSU, nor is he trying to use LSU as “leverage” for a better deal at New Mexico State, which gave him a raise last year. But it is far from a done deal at LSU, he said.

“I owe it to my regents (in New Mexico) to have one final conversation,” Martin said.

LSU System President John Lombardi was the University of Florida president when he hired Martin to be vice president for agriculture and natural resources.

Martin said he sees Lombardi as a friend and mentor.

Because of that relationship and because he is LSU’s sole finalist, Martin made sure he denied that “the fix is in.”

Although Martin started talking to Lombardi about LSU in November, Martin emphasized that the talk was never about him replacing former Chancellor Sean O’Keefe, who did not resign until Jan. 15 after losing LSU System support.

“We never had that conversation,” Martin said. “We had a conversation in general.”

Martin said Lombardi, who came to LSU Sept. 1, instead contacted him for advice about the LSU System job and general reorganization issues.