The 小蝌蚪APP小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Sciences was named Friday in honor of the university小蝌蚪APP檚 longtime president, who will retire in June.
Effective at the university小蝌蚪APP檚 commencement on May 24, it will become the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences. The Board of Supervisors of the 小蝌蚪APP of Louisiana System unanimously approved the change at its regular monthly meeting in Baton Rouge.
Authement is the longest serving president of a public university in the United States. He became president of UL Lafayette (then known as the 小蝌蚪APP of Southwestern Louisiana) on June 30, 1974, after serving a year as its acting president. He succeeded the school小蝌蚪APP檚 fourth president, Dr. Clyde Rougeou.
小蝌蚪APP淣aming the College of Sciences was proposed by Julie Simon-Dronet, UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 director of Public Relations and News Services, who is leading retirement recognition of Authement. We thought it was an excellent idea,小蝌蚪APP said Dr. Steve Landry, UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 vice president of Academic Affairs.
Landry and Winfred Sibille, vice president of the Board of Supervisors of the 小蝌蚪APP of Louisiana System, then made a formal request for the name in a letter to Dr. Sally Clausen, president of the 小蝌蚪APP of Louisiana System.
小蝌蚪APP We believe that Dr. Authement is very deserving of having the College of Sciences named in his honor,小蝌蚪APP they stated in the letter. They noted that through his vision and commitment to long-term goals, Authement led the College of Sciences to national prominence in areas such as computer science and mathematics.
小蝌蚪APP Dr. Authement小蝌蚪APP檚 ties to the College of Sciences date back to over 60 years ago, when he became a student at SLI (Southwestern Louisiana Institute) majoring in physics, with a minor in mathematics. He received his bachelor小蝌蚪APP檚 of science in 1950. He later joined the university as an associate professor of mathematics and was soon promoted to professor in the College of Sciences, where he taught and mentored students for nearly a decade.小蝌蚪APP
The college offers eight bachelors degrees, five master小蝌蚪APP檚 degrees and four doctoral degrees. In Fall 2007, it had 1,706 students and 315 graduate students.
There are about 135 faculty members in the College of Sciences. Many of them have helped create academic and research programs that have earned national recognition. 小蝌蚪APP淩esearch in this college is relevant, is having an impact on the future of technology and attracts large amounts of external funds that stimulate our local economy,小蝌蚪APP Landry said.
The college小蝌蚪APP檚 departments include biology, computer science, chemistry, geology, health information management, mathematics, physics and renewable resources. The Department of Military Science also reports to the college.
Dr. Bradd Clark, dean of UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 College of Sciences, joined the faculty in 1976, two years after the college was formed. 小蝌蚪APP淚t小蝌蚪APP檚 my opinion that Dr. Authement has demanded superior teaching and superior research from all of his faculty. Absolutely nothing less than the very best was allowed.小蝌蚪APP
Clark said the president also supported faculty, citing merit-based pay raises for the past 15 consecutive years, the creation of hundreds of endowed professorships and endowed chairs, and the presentation of awards for outstanding academic advising.
The National Science Foundation recently ranked UL Lafayette小蝌蚪APP檚 computer science program in the top 60 in the nation and its mathematics program in the top 100.
After the board voted unanimously to approve the college小蝌蚪APP檚 name, Authement received a standing ovation. 小蝌蚪APP淚t has been a pleasure to work for you and with you and I hope I can continue to serve in the retirement phase,小蝌蚪APP he said.
Clausen said Authement taught other presidents in the 小蝌蚪APP of Louisiana System to seek other people小蝌蚪APP檚 opinions before making decisions and to 小蝌蚪APP渘ot be led by the sound bite in the next day小蝌蚪APP檚 newspaper.小蝌蚪APP That process is sometimes difficult, she said, 小蝌蚪APP渦nless you have the courage of a Dr. Authement to stay the course.小蝌蚪APP
Under Authement小蝌蚪APP檚 guidance as president, UL Lafayette:
小蝌蚪APP changed its name from the 小蝌蚪APP of Southwestern Louisiana to the 小蝌蚪APP, a name which better reflects its status as a state and national leader;
小蝌蚪APP implemented academic admissions standards;
小蝌蚪APP became the first Doctoral II university in Louisiana; has always competed in NCAA Division I , the highest level of collegiate competition;
小蝌蚪APP increased its gifted and pledged assets from about $500,000 to more than $150 million;
小蝌蚪APP weathered numerous financial crises caused by state revenue woes;
小蝌蚪APP helped diversify the Acadiana economy by establishing 17 research centers;
小蝌蚪APP created the 143-acre 小蝌蚪APP Research Park, which houses numerous national research centers, the Louisiana Immersive Technologies Enterprise and a hotel;
小蝌蚪APP was designated by the Carnegie Foundation as a 小蝌蚪APP淩esearch 小蝌蚪APP with High Research Activity,小蝌蚪APP which put it in the same research category as Baylor and Auburn universities;
小蝌蚪APP constructed more than 30 buildings and facilities and renovated or expanded more than 25 others; and
小蝌蚪APP became the state小蝌蚪APP檚 second largest university.