The Southeastern Conference filed an amendment Tuesday to its federal lawsuit against Louisiana State University, head football coach Lane Kiffin, and school officials. The conference is seeking to establish their authority to expel LSU from the league under its governing rules and agreements.

The filing does not mean LSU is being expelled from the SEC. The conference has scheduled a vote of the conference presidents for Thursday, September 10, over whether they will expel the Tigers from the league. However, the SEC is not currently expected to take that step.

No immediate change to LSU’s membership status is anticipated as a result of the amendment. Instead, the filing represents another development in the ongoing federal litigation between the SEC and LSU. The conference is outlining the potential remedies available to it under its bylaws and agreements with member institutions as the dispute continues.

The lawsuit names LSU, Kiffin, and other school officials as defendants. The SEC’s latest filing further underscores continued escalation of the dispute and the seriousness of the conference’s position as the case moves through the federal court system.

Major college athletics conferences operate under extensive membership agreements and governance rules determining institutional conduct, compliance, and the actions of coaches and other personnel. Those rules can provide conferences with a range of potential remedies when disputes arise between the league and one of its members.

By seeking authority to expel LSU, the SEC is putting the most severe potential remedy before the court without necessarily indicating that it intends to pursue that outcome. Such a request can preserve the conference’s options as litigation proceeds and allow the SEC to argue that its governing documents give it broad authority to respond to violations or disputes.

The amendment is a procedural development in the existing case and does not resolve the underlying dispute between the conference and LSU. The parties remain involved in active federal litigation, with additional proceedings expected as the case moves forward.

For LSU, the filing does not currently alter its standing as an SEC member. The Tigers remain in the conference while the legal dispute plays out. Any decision regarding LSU’s membership would have to proceed through the appropriate legal and administrative channels.

The latest filing nevertheless demonstrates that the SEC is prepared to assert the full scope of the authority it believes it possesses under its agreements with member schools. Further court proceedings will determine how the dispute develops and what remedies, if any, ultimately become available to the conference.