5.4     Qualified Administrative/Academic Officers [CR]

The institution employs and regularly evaluates administrative and academic officers with appropriate experience and qualifications to lead the institution. (Qualified administrative/academic officers)

Judgment

x   Compliance           o  Non-Compliance           o Partial Compliance

Narrative

The Institution is led by qualified administrators and academic officers

UL Lafayette is led by qualified administrative and academic officers with the educational and experiential credentials to oversee and manage their respective offices and administrative areas of the University. Administrative positions and reporting relationships are detailed in the University's Organizational Chart.

The UL System Requirements for Administrative and Academic Leaders

The UL System BOS’ commitment to high-quality academic administrative leadership is clearly stated in its Rules, which specify the expected minimum credentials for academic administrators:

Qualifications for Academic Administrators: Each academic administrator (department head, director, dean, or vice president) who is to be appointed with rank and in a tenure track position shall have an earned degree in a field appropriate to the position. In addition, each administrator shall have the earned doctorate or appropriate terminal degree for his/her discipline.

In 2011, the BOS adopted a Policy and Procedure Memorandum (PPM) governing administrative searches to ensure that universities in the UL system employ the best available talent in positions of academic leadership. This document outlines effective processes for hiring prospective University leaders, including principles for appointing a balanced selection committee and conducting an appropriate review of candidates. The BOS staff reviews each search process for positions at the level of Dean or above to ensure that it was conducted in accordance with BOS policies.

University Requirements for Administrative and Academic Leaders

The University has enacted explicit policies and procedures governing hiring processes. Every permanent administrative position must be filled through an open, advertised search. Vacancy announcements and advertisements are reviewed by the EEO Officer and approved by the Provost or his designee, usually the Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs – Faculty Affairs. The candidate nominated to fill an administrative position must be approved by the EEO Officer and by leadership at the vice presidential, presidential, and BOS levels. The hiring and appointment process for academic Deans is delineated in “Policy Document XXIV” in the Faculty Handbook.

The documentation below demonstrates that the President, Provost, Vice Presidents, and Deans have the qualifications, experience, and capacity to achieve the University’s mission.

President

President E. Joseph Savoie became the sixth president of the University in the Fall of 2008, previously serving as the Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Louisiana, where he was involved in several major postsecondary education reforms, including:

• the restructuring of higher education governance;
• the creation of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System;
• teacher, education, and school reform initiatives;
• the state's Master Plan for Public Postsecondary Education; and
• the promotion of collaboration within the entire education community.

Under his leadership, financial support for public postsecondary education more than doubled, and Louisiana’s colleges and universities became more engaged in addressing Louisiana's economic and social challenges. Dr. Savoie was a cabinet member in three governors’ administrations: M. J. “Mike” Foster, Edwin Edwards, and Kathleen Blanco. Prior to his appointment as Commissioner of Higher Education, he served in many roles on the UL Lafayette campus, including Vice President for University Advancement, Executive Director of the Alumni Association, Program Director for the Union Program Council, student government Advisor, and Adjunct Assistant Professor. He holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in education from UL Lafayette, and he earned a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration from Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York.

UL Lafayette Officers Reporting to the University President

The following administrative officers report directly to the President: Dr. Jaimie Hebert, Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs; Jerry Luke LeBlanc, Vice President for Administration and Finance; John Blohm, Vice President for University Advancement; Dr. David Danahar, Senior Advisor to the President; Dr. Bryan Maggard, Director of Athletics; and Dr. Taniecea Arceneaux-Mallery, Director of Equity, Diversity, and Community Engagement. A summary of their qualifications is listed in Table 5.4 – 1.

Table 5.4 — 1: President and Administrative Officers Reporting to the President

Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Jaimie Hebert joined the University administration in July 2018. He is responsible for the general direction of UL Lafayette’s instruction, research, and outreach activities, and coordinates Academic Affairs, Student Affairs, Research, Advancement, and Administration. Prior to joining the UL Lafayette administration, Dr. Hebert served as President of Georgia Southern University, and was previously the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Sam Houston State University. Dr. Hebert holds a Bachelor’s degree (1986), a Master’s degree (1988), and a Doctorate (1990)–all in statistics–from UL Lafayette.

Vice President for Administration and Finance Jerry Luke LeBlanc came to the University in 2008, previously serving as the Commissioner of Administration for the State of Louisiana for four years. In that position he advised the Governor on all budget and management issues, was responsible for the statewide capital construction budget, and implemented reorganizations to maximize productivity. He also served as a State Representative for 15 years and chaired the House Appropriations Committee for eight years. His expertise is in strategic planning, implementation, and budget integration. LeBlanc directs University business functions including budgeting, internal auditing, payroll, purchasing, personnel services, accounting, physical facilities, and auxiliary units (e.g., KRVS University public radio, the Bookstore, food services, housing facilities, continuing education, and farm operations). Within information technology, he oversees computing support services and information systems. LeBlanc earned a Bachelor’s degree (1980) in business administration from the University of Southwestern Louisiana.

Vice President for University Advancement John Blohm has broad responsibility for offices through which the University interfaces with its various external constituencies to build support for programs and initiatives. The University Advancement area includes Alumni Affairs, Advancement Services, the Office of Development, and Communications and Marketing. He joined UL Lafayette in 2015, and previously held advancement positions at numerous universities, including Virginia Commonwealth University, University of Arkansas Medical Sciences, Emory University, University of Alabama Birmingham, University of Florida, Virginia Wesleyan College, and Suomi College. Notable accomplishments include reorganization of divisions and initiation of capital campaigns. Blohm earned a Bachelor’s degree in education (1977) from Central Michigan University.

Senior Advisor to the President Dr. David Danahar has extensive administrative experience, having served as President of Southwest Minnesota State University from 2001-2011. Prior to that, he served as Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs, Loyola University; Dean, College of Arts and Sciences, Fairfield University; Director of General Education, State University of New York at Oswego; and Assistant Professor, University of Massachusetts at Amherst. He has also held a number of interim appointments through the Registry: Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs at UL Lafayette; Interim Dean of Arts and Sciences and Senior Advisor to the President at St. Bonaventure University; and Interim Provost at Valdosta State University. Dr. Danahar received a Bachelor’s degree (1963) in history from Manhattan College, and a Master’s degree (1965) and PhD (1970) in history from the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.

Director of Athletics Dr. Brian Maggard joined the University as Director of Athletics on Feb. 1, 2017. Maggard spent 21 years at the University of Missouri, where his final position was as the Tigers' Executive Associate Athletic Director. He taught sports management courses at the University of Missouri, as an adjunct professor, where he assisted campus leaders in establishing a Sports Management degree program. Maggard also served as a member of the University of Missouri Graduate Faculty, and on doctoral examination and dissertation committees. Previously, he worked for Florida State University and Kansas State University. He is a certified APR consultant with the NCAA/N4A, and has served as a facilitator for various student-athlete leadership summits. Maggard received a Bachelor's degree (1989) in journalism, and a Master's degree (1992) in health and physical education, both from Kansas State University; he received a PhD (2007) in educational and counseling psychology from the University of Missouri.

Director of Equity, Diversity, and Community Engagement Dr. Taniecea Mallery is responsible for fostering diversity among students, faculty, and staff, as well as ensuring that underrepresented groups gain equal access to educational opportunities and resources. Prior to joining the University, she worked as a Senior Diversity Researcher at the Association of American Medical Colleges in Washington, D.C. Her research interests include social networks, group decision-making processes, and mathematical models of diversity in higher education. She earned a Bachelor’s degree (2005) in mathematics from Loyola University New Orleans, as well as a Master’s degree (2009) and PhD (2012) in applied and computational mathematics from Princeton University. Mallery has also completed a postdoctoral research fellowship in the Center for Statistical Research and Methodology at the U.S. Census Bureau.

Academic Officers Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs 

Three of the University’s Vice Presidents report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs: Dr. DeWayne Bowie, Vice President for Enrollment Management; Dr. Ramesh Kolluru, Vice President for Research; and Patricia Cottonham, Vice President for Student Affairs. Three Assistant Vice Presidents for Academic Affairs also report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs: Dr. Fabrice Leroy, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs – Academic Programs; Dr. Robert McKinney, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs – Faculty Affairs; and Dr. Blanca Bauer, Assistant Vice President for Academic Affairs – Institutional Effectiveness. Deans of the University’s eight academic colleges, graduate school, and library also report to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs: H. Gordon Brooks II, Dean of the College of the Arts; Dr. Bret Becton, Dean of the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration; Dr. Nathan Roberts, Dean of the College of Education; Dr. Ahmed Khattab, Interim Dean of the College of Engineering; Dr. Jordan Kellman, Dean of the College of Liberal Arts; Dr. Melinda Granger-Oberlietner, Dean of the College of Nursing and Allied Health Professions; Dr. Azmy Ackleh, Dean of the Ray P. Authement College of Sciences; Dr. Bobbie Decuir, Dean of University College; Dr. Mary Farmer-Kaiser, Dean of the Graduate School; and Susan Richard, Interim Dean of the Edith Garland Dupré Library. A summary of their qualifications is listed in Table 5.4 – 2.

Table 5.4 — 2: Academic Officers Reporting to the Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs

Supporting Documents

BOS Academic Administrators Qualifications Policies

BOS PPM Search Process

BOS Standards for Academic Administrators

Faculty Handbook-Academic Deans Selection

University’s Organization Chart