UL Presidential Selection Process

[CajunNation]

BULL!!! If anyone here cares one iota about the future of our university you better da.mn well ask for a nationwide search!!!!

Anything less has a Blanco finger print all over it.

this our shot to make a move, lets not UL.L it.

Z.

not directed at you E White, just a statement! _

Do you honestly believe that doc hasn't had this planned out for a looonnng time now?

This will not be a "search". It will be a carefully orchestrated transfer of power to a very thoroughly "prepared" person.

My only hope is that whoever Doc has chosen as his heir, keeps their grimy little hands off of our football program!!!!!!!!!!

[RCAJUN90]

According to katc Authement has announced his intention to resign from the university...

http://katc.com/Global/story.asp?S=6437917

It was bound to happen sooner or later. He did a tremendous job for the university. I wish he a good retirement. We will see if the K-sippers were right and he was the big problem with athletics. Let's hope we get an excellent replacement. Please not Ray Blanco.

[BrockMeaux]

Thanks to Dr. A for all his many years of service to the University. We've all had our complaints about how he handled athletics, but it was always crystal clear that he wanted to make our academics second to none and we've benefited in ways because of that (case and point, our Nursing, Computer Science, and Business schools are some of the finest in the country), and even though they weren't his first priority, he did love athletics, basketball in particular, and it was great as a member of the Ragin Brass to see him in the crowd or around the hotel for basketball tournaments.

Of course, we now move forward with the hope that his successor place more of an impetus on athletics - or at least the formation of an official, well-known athletic foundation - as a means to generate money to better the university as a whole. I'm not particularly familiar with his policies or affiliations or anything of that nature, but I've heard Steve Landry speak multiple times and he is legitimately excited about the University and where it could go, and I think we'd be in good hands with him. That said, I still wouldn't mind a national search.

[CajunNation]

_ Thanks to Dr. A for all his many years of service to the University. We've all had our complaints about how he handled athletics, but it was always crystal clear that he wanted to make our academics second to none and we've benefited in ways because of that (case and point, our Nursing, Computer Science, and Business schools are some of the finest in the country), and even though they weren't his first priority, he did love athletics, basketball in particular, and it was great as a member of the Ragin Brass to see him in the crowd or around the hotel for basketball tournaments.

Of course, we now move forward with the hope that his successor place more of an impetus on athletics - or at least the formation of an official, well-known athletic foundation - as a means to generate money to better the university as a whole. I'm not particularly familiar with his policies or affiliations or anything of that nature, but I've heard Steve Landry speak multiple times and he is legitimately excited about the University and where it could go, and I think we'd be in good hands with him. That said, I still wouldn't mind a national search. _

You seem to know where Mr. Landry stands on things.

Where does he stand on a PRIVATE Cajun Athletic Foundation modeled after the T.A.F.??

If he is against this, NOTHING will change.

[BrockMeaux]

You seem to know where Mr. Landry stands on things.

Where does he stand on a PRIVATE Cajun Athletic Foundation modeled after the T.A.F.??

If he is against this, NOTHING will change.

Like I said, I'm not particularly familiar. I've heard him talk a couple of times about things related to the arts (being a music person), but I got the vibe that he was kind of a progressive guy and he was genuinely nice and exciting, to the point that a friend and I always joked that he'd get passed over for the job by Coach Blanco when Dr. A retired because it would be "just our luck."

[NewsCopy]

Dr. Ray Paul Authement became acting president of USL when Dr. Clyde Rougeou took a leave of absence in 1973, and was made president by the State Board of Education on July 26 of that year. Authement, Dr. James R. Oliver of USL, and Dr. Frank Thomas, a former president of Lamar University in Baton Rouge, had been recommended to the State Board as “highly qualified” for the post. At the time of Authement’s selection, Richard D’Aquin, the State Board of Education member from Lafayette, called for all of Acadiana to unite behind the new president. “USL continues to rank as one of the greatest assets that can be claimed not only by Acadiana but by the people of the entire state,” D’Aquin said. “Speaking for the State Board and myself and for the thousands of USL students, alumni and supporters, I believe that it is extremely important at this time to unite in support of our fine university. The rest of the story Jim Bradshaw jbradshaw@theadvertiser.com

[Cajun Power]

_ Like I said, I'm not particularly familiar. I've heard him talk a couple of times about things related to the arts (being a music person), but I got the vibe that he was kind of a progressive guy and he was genuinely nice and exciting, to the point that a friend and I always joked that he'd get passed over for the job by Coach Blanco when Dr. A retired because it would be "just our luck." _

Ray Blanco becoming President is preposterous. He certainly doesn't have a PhD, and I don't know if he even has a post-graduate degree at all. He was a football coach and is dean of students, that does not qualify you to be President of a University. Even he knows that.

While I can't say that I am against Dr. Steve Landry becoming President (I don't know anything about him), I would be upset if they didn't have a national search. We've had Authement for longer than any public university, I think a little bit of fresh air would do UL a lot of good. Congratulations to Dr. Authement on a job well done, but let's not just hire someone who's too deep in the forest to see the trees. There are a lot of things about UL that are great, but a lot that need fixing and should have been fixed long ago.

Who we hire as President is going to set the tone for the future of UL. Authement did a great job, all things considered, but do we need 10-20 more years of the same thing? That's never a good idea.

[NewsCopy]

Dr. Steve Landry
photo by Terri Fensel The Ind.

[CajunRed]

A lot of people, and I can not stress the words "a lot" enough here, A LOT of people were waiting for this day. Just as as many people in Academic circles as in Athletic circles were waiting for the annoucement.

I'm here to tell you, that if his replacement employs the same management philosophies as Doc, they may as well close this school down now.

Been a while since I've read a post on here that made as little sense as this one!

Thanks, Doc, for giving us a computer science program that is one of the best in the country... an accounting program that is one of the strongest in the south... an engineering school that is as strong as anything this state has to offer... and probably the best nursing program in the state and one of the best in the south. And I could go on!

[Just1More]

_ Been a while since I've read a post on here that made as little sense as this one!

Thanks, Doc, for giving us a computer science program that is one of the best in the country... an accounting program that is one of the strongest in the south... an engineering school that is as strong as anything this state has to offer... and probably the best nursing program in the state and one of the best in the south. And I could go on! _

I think some people struggle to separate the academic focus and success Dr. Authement had at UL, and the perceived (correctly) lack of attention and success of our athletic programs. I am proud of our athletic successes. I simply comprehend just how much more success is available with improved vision and entrepreneurial spirit. Athletics and academics compliment each other when administered properly. Right, wrong, or indifferent, state university athletic success transforms into greater academic recognition and success. The more the community and alumni are involved, and athletics makes that happen in a big way, you succeed in everything and in every way.

Congratulations Dr. Authement. You deserve to rest and reflect on a tremendous career!

[rhineaux]

_ Wow, we all knew the day would come now it's here and it does sadden me a bit to see Dr Ray step down as President of UL. _

As a UL sports fan it certainly doesn't sadden me. But, as an alumnus, and as a lover of all that UL, there is something there, maybe not sadness, maybe not happiness, but something. A UL under Authement is the only UL i know.

_ As a UL sports fan it certainly doesn't sadden me. But, as an alumnus, and as a lover of all that UL, there is something there, maybe not sadness, maybe not happiness, but something. A UL under Authement is the only UL i know. _

I can definitely see the benefits of having someone from the inside, or at least someone from the area, take over as pres. if for no other reason but because we aren't just some school in the midwest or something. there is a lot to love about this area and the people from here tend to have a lot of pride about where they come from. but, this is also the birthplace of the good ol' boy system and, while having some new-age, progressive, younger candidate would probably fail in having an immediate sense of pride in representing his home, it would be a certain fresh breeze sweeping through the campus and would definitely do us some good.

[CajunKahouna]

UL may now finally have a chance! _

AMEN!