William Arceneaux

Dr. William Arceneaux

William Arceneaux, Ph.D. (born August 19, 1941) is an American professor, historian, writer, and Louisiana native dedicated to education. Dr. Arceneaux serves as President of the Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL). Elected in January of 2011, Dr. Arceneaux has worked to support and promote the French language in Louisiana, pursuing opportunities in education, culture, careers, and economics for all Louisianians.

Distinguished Visiting Lecturer in History at Tulane University in New Orleans (2007 to 2012) and adjunct Professor of History at Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, Dr. Arceneaux is director and member of the board of trustees of the Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting (FELPB).

Career

Dr. Arceneaux served most of his career as a Louisiana higher education official.

• President of the Louisiana Association of Independent Colleges and Universities (1987-2007)
• Louisiana’s first Commissioner of Higher Education (1975-1987)
• Executive Director of the Louisiana Coordinating Council for Higher Education (1972-1975)

William Arceneaux holds the honor of being the only person to head both the public and private sectors in the history of American higher education.

• President of the State Higher Education Executive Officer’s Association (1979) (public sector)
• President of the National Association of Independent Colleges and Universities State Executives (2002) (private sector)

Dr. Arceneaux is founder and chair of La Fondation Louisiane La Fondation Louisiane is a not-for-profit which provides scholarships for French language students.

• Member of the Board of Directors of the Europe/Louisiana Business Council
• Member of the French/American Chamber of Commerce, Louisiana Chapter
• Member of the World Trade Center of New Orleans

President Bill Clinton appointed Dr. Arceneaux to be Chair of the board of directors of SallieMae Corporation (1993-1997).

Dr. Arceneaux served on the board of Louisiana Public Broadcasting (LPB), the state wide affiliate of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) in numerous capacities from 1989 to 2007.

A weekly television show of classic French films called Cinéma Français aired on LPB from 2009 to 2012 with host Dr. William Arceneaux. The films and Dr. Arceneaux's introductions were in French. English subtitles were provided along with study guides and discussions.

Honors

One of the 2016 recipients of L’Ordre des Francophones d’Amerique by the Quebec government.

Chevalier, L’Ordre de la Pléiade from the International Order of French-Speaking Parliamentarians

Chevalier, L’Ordre des Palmes Académiques from the Republic of France (1984)

Officier, L’Ordre des Palmes Académiques from the Republic of France (2008)

Member of the American Committee on the Bicentennial of the French Revolution

Endowed funds, The William Arceneaux Professorship in Latin American History (2005), Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Endowed funds, The William Arceneaux Professorship II in Latin American History (2005), Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Endowed funds, The William Arceneaux Professorship III in Latin American History (2005), Stone Center for Latin American Studies, Tulane University

Honorary degree, Doctor of Humane Letters by Loyola University (1985)

Honorary degree, Doctor of Laws by Centenary College (2012)

Author

Dr. Arceneaux has written two books to date. ACADIAN GENERAL: ALFRED MOUTON AND THE CIVIL WAR (1981) and NO SPARK OF MALICE: THE MURDER OF MARTIN BEGNAUD (2000).

He was awarded the Jefferson Davis Medal for ACADIAN GENERAL: ALFRED MOUTON AND THE CIVIL WAR.

L.S.U. Press nominated NO SPARK OF MALICE: THE MURDER OF MARTIN BEGNAUD for the Pulitzer Prize in the category of Letters and Drama. It was published in French in 2007 by Editions Atlantique (MEURTRE EN LOUISIANE: L’AFFAIRE DES FRERES BLANC, French edition, published by Editions Atlantique, 2007).

• William Arceneaux (1981). ACADIAN GENERAL: ALFRED MOUTON AND THE CIVIL WAR. University of Southwestern Louisiana. ISBN 978-0940984004.

• William Arceneaux (2000). NO SPARK OF MALICE: THE MURDER OF MARTIN BEGNAUD. L.S.U. Press. ISBN 978-0807124475.

Personal Life

Bill was born in Scott, Louisiana, on August 19, 1941. In 1962, he graduated from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette with a B.A. in History. He received his M.A. in 1965 from Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge followed by his Ph.D. in 1969 in History and Politics.

For most of 1967, Bill lived in Venezuela, His Ph.D. dissertation was on Venezuelan politics. In the mid-1980’s, he founded the Consortium for Service in Latin America (CSLA), an NGO. As revolution occurred in Central America, citizens of the five Central American countries were recruited as "peace scholars" and brought to the United States to participate in democracy training via CSLA until the early 1990’s when the conflicts gradually subsided.

Bill resides in Baton Rouge and is married to Patricia Arceneaux. They have four children and five grandchildren.

Archives

The William Arceneaux Papers are at the Hill Memorial Library at Louisiana State University covering his career and additions to the collection.

External links

• La Fondation Louisiane, La Fondation Louisiane

• Acadian General: Alfred Mouton and the Civil War, Acadian General: Alfred Mouton and the Civil War

• No Spark of Malice: The Murder of Martin Begnaud, No Spark of Malice: The Murder of Martin Begnaud

• William Arceneaux, books.google.com

• WILLIAM ARCENEAUX PAPERS, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library, Louisiana State University Libraries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University

• Manuscript Resources on Cajun History, Louisiana and Lower Mississippi Valley Collections, Special Collections, Hill Memorial Library, Louisiana State University Libraries, Baton Rouge, Louisiana State University - "Arceneaux, William. Papers, 1964-2007 (bulk 1972-2007). 15 linear feet and 20 volumes. Louisiana higher education official. Papers consist of correspondence, business papers, photographs, printed items, and scrapbooks related to the professional, civic, and personal activities of William Arceneaux. A small amount of correspondence is in French and Spanish. For further information, see online catalog Mss. 4107. Referenced in Guides: African Americans, Baton Rouge, Business, Cajuns, Civil War, Education, French, LSU, New Orleans 1866-, Politics, Spanish"

• Board of Regents Funds Chairs, Professorships, The William Arceneaux Professorship in Latin American History

• New Uptown Faculty, Tulane University 2007-2008

• Congrès mondial acadien 2014 Copy of Dr. William Arceneaux Official Biography

• Cinéma Français

• Foundation for Excellence in Louisiana Public Broadcasting

• University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press UL Press Catalog

• Consulate General of France in New Orleans, Visit of the Ambassador of France to the United States

• CODOFIL president awarded L'Order des Francophones d'Amerique, KATC.com

• SallieMae Corporation

• Dr. William Arceneaux Brief Biography