LSU athletics recently laid off employees and said that "high-ranking members took pay cuts as ongoing budget constraints affect the department," according to Alexander & Kubena of the Baton Rouge ADVOCATE. The athletic department said that it "expects to lose $80 million in revenue." As a result, LSU announced "department-wide reductions in compensation." Staff earning above $80,000 are "subject to a 5% salary decrease in 2021; the athletic department won't give bonuses to coaches and staff for one year; and LSU will only approve new positions, promotions, salary adjustments and position replacements in 'essential situations' through June 30, 2023." Coaches and other employees with contracts "have been asked to voluntarily reduce their annual salary by 5% next year." Reducing football coach Ed Orgeron's annual base salary of $6M "would create $300,000 for the athletic department." The release "did not specify the exact numbers of layoffs." Sources said that eight people were "laid off and that the number of affected jobs is more than 20 when including the halting of hires for job vacancies" (Baton Rouge ADVOCATE, 10/30).
