John L. Crain

John Luther Crain (born 1960, Franklinton, Louisiana) is president of Southeastern Louisiana University at Hammond, having been appointed to the position on 2009 February 17 by the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System. He succeeded Randy Moffett.

Crain, a 1978 graduate of Franklinton High School, Louisiana, holds B.S. and MBA degrees from Southeastern and received a Ph.D. in accountancy from the University of Mississippi. He is an inactive CPA and an accomplished pianist.

Crain (left), listens while F. King Alexander, chancellor of Louisiana State University and president of the LSU System, responds to questions about funding for Louisiana's public universities, during a panel hosted by the Greater Hammond Chamber of Commerce.

Crain previously served as interim president, provost, vice president for academic affairs, accounting department head, president of the Faculty Senate, and tenured professor of accounting. He began full-time employment as an assistant professor of accounting at Southeastern in 1987 and held his first administrative position as interim director of the University's Small Business Development Center. In 1992 Crain received the Southeastern President's Award for Excellence in Research; by 2009, on being named president, he had authored 63 refereed journal articles.

Southeastern President John Crain addresses the Faculty Senate about the Fiscal Year 2016 budget.

Crain's accounting background appeared well matched to the challenges he soon faced as president, in that Louisiana's public institutions of higher education confronted unprecedented budget cuts and looming budget cuts. In an article in the student newspaper, Crain announced mid-academic year eliminations of 35 positions; expecting "even deeper cuts in the future," Crain said:

These changes would almost certainly involve the elimination of programs, including academic programs, and the termination of some tenured faculty. Despite the challenges we have dealt with and may still face, we remain absolutely committed to the success of our students and the ongoing viabillity of the university, albeit in what may be a smaller scope and scale.

Crain is involved in Southeastern's fundraising.