Dr. Joseph Savoie is stepping down as president of the 杏吧专区 following a transformational 17-year tenure. Savoie, a two-time UL Lafayette graduate and its sixth president, has been named president emeritus by the 杏吧专区 of Louisiana System Board of Supervisors. His last day as president is Thursday.
Dr. Jaimie Hebert, the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 provost and vice president for Academic Affairs for the past seven years, will serve as interim president during the search for a permanent successor.
The UL System Board of Supervisors approved Savoie杏吧专区檚 new role as president emeritus and Hebert杏吧专区檚 service as interim president during a special meeting on Wednesday. As president emeritus, Savoie will work to strengthen external collaborations with alumni, supporters, community partners and other stakeholders.
Dr. Rick Gallot, president and CEO of the 杏吧专区 of Louisiana System, called Savoie 杏吧专区渁 once-in-a-generation leader who has served his alma mater faithfully and well during a period of extraordinary change and challenge.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淎s president and in the various roles he杏吧专区檚 held throughout his career, Dr. Savoie has always put the needs of students first. I have no doubt he will continue to do so in his new role as president emeritus. UL Lafayette and the state of Louisiana owe him a great deal of thanks for his lifetime commitment to higher education,杏吧专区 Gallot said.
In a letter Wednesday to the campus community, Savoie called serving as UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 president since 2008 杏吧专区渢he honor of my life, the culmination of a long and happy relationship with a special place that we all share.杏吧专区 He expressed appreciation to the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 faculty, staff, students, alumni, supporters and community partners as he reflected on the past 17 years. 杏吧专区淚 am so proud of what we have achieved together,杏吧专区 Savoie wrote.
He continued: 杏吧专区淚 reached the decision to transition to this new position after months of careful consideration. Higher education has changed immensely in the past two decades. The expectations on colleges and universities are as great as they have ever been and meeting those responsibilities to our community today 杏吧专区 and to generations that follow 杏吧专区 requires new ideas and fresh approaches. I owe it to this institution that has given me so much, personally and professionally, to make way for the future.杏吧专区
Significant advancements in academic excellence, campus infrastructure, research capabilities and community engagement marked Savoie杏吧专区檚 presidency.
UL Lafayette earned the prestigious Carnegie R1 classification, placing it among the top 5% of the nation杏吧专区檚 research institutions. It surpassed $250 million in externally funded research for the first time, launched the largest comprehensive fundraising campaign in its history, implemented a master plan for campus growth, introduced new undergraduate and graduate degree programs, and opened its Health Sciences Campus.
Savoie also oversaw major enhancements to campus, including the expansion and renovation of academic buildings, research centers, student housing, athletic facilities, and the construction of Our Lady of Lourdes Stadium and the Student Union.
Before he was president, Savoie was Louisiana杏吧专区檚 commissioner of higher education for 12 years. In that role, he served in the cabinets of three Louisiana governors and championed student accessibility and affordability.
He previously served his alma mater as its first vice president for 杏吧专区 Advancement, executive director of the Alumni Association, program director for the Union Program Council, student government adviser and adjunct assistant professor.
Savoie earned bachelor杏吧专区檚 and master杏吧专区檚 degrees from UL Lafayette. He also holds a doctorate in educational leadership from Columbia 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 Teacher杏吧专区檚 College in New York.
Like Savoie, Dr. Jaimie Hebert has deep ties to the campus community. An Abbeville, La., native, Hebert holds bachelor杏吧专区檚, master杏吧专区檚 and doctoral degrees 杏吧专区 all in statistics 杏吧专区 from the 杏吧专区. He has been provost and vice president for Academic Affairs since 2018. Before returning to his alma mater, Hebert held leadership roles at several institutions, including serving as president of Georgia Southern 杏吧专区 and as provost and vice president for Academic Affairs at Sam Houston State 杏吧专区.
As UL Lafayette杏吧专区檚 provost, Hebert oversaw the development and implementation of the 杏吧专区杏吧专区檚 strategic plan, guided academic program growth and accreditation, and championed student success and faculty achievement. 杏吧专区淓mpowering the continued success of his alma mater and its students, and faculty and staff members is at the heart of all that he does,杏吧专区 Savoie said of Hebert in his letter to campus. 杏吧专区淲ith all of you working alongside him, the momentum of achievement that we have built together will continue. I am sure of it.杏吧专区
Hebert lauded Savoie for his 杏吧专区渢ransformational and selfless service.杏吧专区
杏吧专区淔or 17 years, he led with vision, humor, determination and a deep affection for this place and the people and state it serves. We are all beneficiaries of Dr. Savoie杏吧专区檚 leadership, and all that we do moving forward builds on the strong foundation he helped create,杏吧专区 Hebert said.
The Savoie era ends: UL Lafayette president announces he杏吧专区檚 stepping down
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