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University of Louisiana at Lafayette

Coordinates: 30°12′45″N 92°01′09″W / 30.2126°N 92.0193°W / 30.2126; -92.0193
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University of Louisiana at Lafayette
UL Lafayette logo
MottoFortiter, Fideliter, Feliciter
(Latin)
Motto in English
Boldly, Faithfully, Happily
TypePublic
Established1898
PresidentE. Joseph Savoie, Ed.D.
Academic staff
747
Students16,361[1]
Undergraduates15,564
Postgraduates1,511
Location
Lafayette
,
Louisiana
,
USA
CampusUrban
1,227 acres (4.97 km2)
French namel'Université des Acadiens
ColorsVermilion and White    
AffiliationsSun Belt Conference
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
MascotCayenne
Websitelouisiana.edu

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette, or UL Lafayette, is a coeducational, public research university located in Lafayette, Louisiana, United States, in the heart of Acadiana. It is the largest campus within the eight-campus University of Louisiana System and is the second largest university in the state of Louisiana.

Founded in 1898 as an industrial institute, the university developed into a four-year college in the 1920s and became known by its present name in 1999. Concurrently the university evolved into a major national research and doctoral university as noted by its Carnegie categorization as a RU/H: research university (high research activity), among the top 5% of all U.S. colleges. It offers Louisiana's only PhD in francophone studies and the only industrial design degree, and only doctoral cognitive science program in the U.S. South. The university has achieved several milestones in computer science, engineering and architecture. It is also home to a distinct College of the Arts.

History

File:Ul oak tree.jpg
One of the numerous "Century Oaks" planted on the campus in 1900.

Timeline

  • 1898 - State approved the creation of an "industrial institute and academy."
  • 1900 - Southwestern Louisiana Industrial Institute (SLII) established.
  • 1901 - SLII opened Sept. 18 with 100 students and eight faculty members.
  • 1903 - 18 students were the first to graduate from SLII.
  • 1920 - Began a four-year course culminating with a bachelor of arts degree.
  • 1921 - SLII was changed into the Southwestern Louisiana Institute (SLI).
  • 1960 - SLI became the University of Southwestern Louisiana (USL).
  • 1984 - USL attempted to change its name to the University of Louisiana, which only lasted a few days until overturned by a district court.[2][3][4]
  • 1997 - University's privately-held assets reach $75 million.[5]
  • 1999 - USL was renamed the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.[6][7]

Notable firsts

Campus and other facilities

Martin Hall, named for late state Sen. Robert Martin, who passed the bill founding the institution.
Campus
UL Lafayette's campus consists of 137 acres (554,000 m²) lined by live oak trees planted in 1900. Its quadrangle is encircled by a "Walk of Honor" path which contains more than 80,000 bricks bearing the names of every graduate, beginning with the first graduating class of 1903.

Also centered in the main campus is Cypress Lake, a swamp-like microcosm of the nearby Atchafalaya Basin, home to alligators, turtles, birds and fish.

Athletic complex
The athletic complex and Cajundome sit on 243 acres (983,000 m²). The complex also includes Cajun Field, Blackham Coliseum, Cajun Courts at the Culotta Tennis Center, and several other athletic facilities for training and competitions, fraternity and sorority rows, and the physical education and recreational facilities.
Research park
Adjacent to the athletic complex is the University Research Park of 148 acres (599,000 m²), which is home to the National Wetlands Research Center, a NASA Regional Application Center, and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. The nearby Center for Ecology and Environmental Technology has 51 acres (206,000 m²).
Renewable resources labs
The university has a 600-acre (2.4 km2) farm/renewable resources laboratory with a 30-acre (120,000 m2) pond for crawfish and catfish culture in Cade, Louisiana. It also has a 48-acre (190,000 m2) New Iberia Research Center in New Iberia, Louisiana, which is among the world's largest private non-human, primate breeding colonies. The university also has a horse farm in the center of Lafayette and several other farmlands around Acadiana.
The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum.

Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum

The Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum permanent collection consists of more than 1,500 works of art, including paintings, prints, drawings, sculptures and photographs. This collection represents 18th, 19th and 20th century Louisiana, as well as the United States, Europe and Japan.[13]

Traveling shows featuring work from national and internationally known artists such as Mark Rothko, James McNeil Whistler, Andrew Wyeth, Christopher Rauschenberg, Robert Rauschenberg, Deborah Butterfield and Pablo Picasso have been featured regularly.[14] The museum also holds end-of-the-semester art shows featuring thesis work of graduating students of College of the Arts.[15]

KRVS radio station

KRVS is a listener-supported public radio station facility currently licensed to UL Lafayette. KRVS operates on campus, located in Burke-Hawthorne Hall and plays local music such as Cajun, Zydeco, Swamp Rock, Swamp Pop, Blues, Jazz, and a variety of other programs. KRVS currently broadcasts to 651,000 residents in the Acadiana area of Louisiana. KRVS also broadcasts live from Festival International every April in support of local art and music.[16]

Research

The university is a member of the Southeastern Universities Research Association and is categorized as a Carnegie RU/H: Research University (high research activity).[17] UL Lafayette reported $51 million in external research funding from state, federal, private and self-generated funds for 2008.[18] The university was rated one of the top 100 public research universities in the nation according to a 2010 report by The Nelson A. Rockefeller Institute of Government.[19]

Wetlands research

The biology department has several distinguished professors who are contributing significantly to research on restoration of Louisiana's coastal wetlands. Several research projects are in partnership with the National Wetlands Research Center housed in the university's research park.

LITE

In 2006 the university inaugurated the $29M technology initiative LITE Center, which offers the largest known three-dimensional-immersive auditorium for visualization of fully interactive 3D models and data sets for seismic analysis, computer-aided modeling, product stress test analysis and a host of other applications that require visualization of large data sets for scientists. The center collaborates with students in the architecture, engineering, computer science fields as well as others, allowing use of its facilities to increase local business and furthering of the technological economy in Lafayette.[20] Some of the UL Lafayette research projects using or supported by LITE include:

  • Visualization of geophysical, topographic, and LIDAR data; Kinsland/Geology, Borst/CACS
  • LITE hosting Digital Media Stock Machine; Richard/Cinematic Arts Workshop
  • CajunBot/Robot in virtual and real environments; Lakhotia/CACS
  • Weather forecast simulations of extreme rainfall; Habib/Civil Engineering
  • Software tools for creation of outdoor scenes from LIDAR data; Chu/CACS
  • Virtual Reality Welder Trainer; Reiners/CACS, et al.
  • 3rd Generation Omnidirectional Treadmill; Cruz-Niera/Computer Engineering, et al.

Academic profile

UL Lafayette is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. All undergraduate programs at UL Lafayette that are eligible for accreditation by professional agencies are accredited.[21] The UL Lafayette Honors Program is an active member of the Louisiana, Southern Regional, and National Honors Councils.[22] The university graduates about 1,100 students each fall and spring.

The university offers 78 undergraduate degree programs, 27 master's degree programs, and 9 Doctor of Philosophy programs, which include applied language and speech sciences, biology, cognitive science, computer engineering, computer science, educational leadership, English, francophone studies and mathematics. UL Lafayette has 10 colleges and schools:

Colleges and departments

College of the Arts
The only Louisiana university with a separate College of the Arts, it combines architecture, the visual arts and the performing arts.[23] The college offers the only industrial design degree in Louisiana.[24]

The departments include: Architecture & Design, Fashion Design & Merchandising, Music, Performing Arts and Visual Arts
The college has accreditation from the Foundation for Interior Design Education and Research (FIDER); the National Architectural Accrediting Board (NAAB); the National Association of Schools of Art and Design (NASAD), Commission on Accreditation; and the National Association of Schools of Music (NASM), Commission on Accreditation.

B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration
Originally named the College of Commerce, it was established in 1952 and renamed the College of Business Administration in 1980. In 2003 it was renamed the B.I. Moody III College of Business Administration after a donor to the college's endowment.

The departments include: Accounting, Economics & Finance, Human Resources, Information Systems & Multimedia Lab, Management, Management of Information Systems, Marketing & Legal Studies, Micro Business Development, Small Business Development
The college has accreditation from the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International).

College of Education

The departments include: Counselor Education, Curriculum & Instruction, Educational Foundations & Leadership, Kinesiology
The college has accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Athletic Training Education (CAATE) and the National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE).

College of Engineering

The departments include: Chemical Engineering, Civil Engineering, Electrical & Computer Engineering, Industrial Technology, Mechanical Engineering, Petroleum Engineering.
The college has accreditation from the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology (ABET) and the Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering (ATMAE).

General Studies

Graduate School
The school offers the only doctoral cognitive science program in the South and the only doctoral program in francophone studies in Louisiana.[25][26]

College of Liberal Arts

The departments include: humanities resource center, cognitive science, communication, communicative disorders, counselor education, criminal justice, cultural & eco-tourism, english, history & geography, Latin American studies, Louisiana studies, modern languages, philosophy, political science, psychology, sociology/anthropology
The college has accreditation from the Accrediting Council on Education in Journalism and Mass Communications (ACEJMC); the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (ASHA); and the Council on Academic Accreditation in Audiology and Speech-Language Pathology.

College of Nursing & Allied Health Professions

The departments include: undergraduate nursing, graduate nursing, dental hygiene, dietetics
The college has accreditation from the American Dietetic Association, Commission on Accreditation for Dietetics Education (CADE) and the National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission (NLNAC).

Ray P. Authement College of Sciences

The departments include: biology, chemistry, cognitive science, computer science, computer studies, geology, health information management, mathematics, military science, physics, renewable resources
The college has accreditation from the American Chemical Society (ACS).

University College

The departments and programs include: DOORS Program, ENTRÉE Program, 60-Plus Program, Summer Visitor Program, High School Dual Enrollment Program, Post Baccalaureate, On Site Program

Ratings

Academic achievements

University press

The University of Louisiana at Lafayette Press is the largest academic publisher of Louisiana-related works and the second-largest academic publisher overall in the state. The press has been publishing since 1973 and previously imprinted under the Center for Louisiana Studies prior to 2009.[32]

Louisiana History

The journal Louisiana History is published quarterly through UL Lafayette by the Louisiana Historical Association. LHA was founded in New Orleans in 1889.

Louisiana Center for Cultural & Eco-Tourism

The center's research division houses the world's largest collection of Cajun and Creole folklore, oral history, and folklife materials and some of the nation's largest microfilm collections of French and Spanish colonial records.[33]

CajunBot

In 2004, UL Lafayette students and faculty produced CajunBot, one of 25 autonomous vehicles that competed in the U.S. Department of Defense 2004 & 2005 DARPA Grand Challenges as well as the 2007 DARPA Urban Challenge. CajunBot, which was featured on CNN and on the Discovery Channel science series Robocars, used artificial intelligence and GPS positioning to navigate a designated route while detecting and avoiding obstacles.

CAPE

A group of UL Lafayette engineering students participating in the Cajun Advanced Picosatellite Experiment (CAPE) built a small artificial satellite, known as a CubeSat, that was launched into orbit from the Republic of Kazakhstan in 2007.

BeauSoleil

In January 2008, The UL Lafayette School of Architecture Design was selected to participate in the 2009 Solar Decathlon. The entry of the Louisiana Solar Home named BeauSoleil took first place in market viability and was awarded the "People's Choice".

Student life

UL Lafayette students represent 53 states and possessions. More than 700 students hail from outside of the U.S.

Organizations

Student Organizations:

  • Student Government Association
  • The Graduate Council

Young Professional Organization Chapters:
UL offers a variety of young professional organizations associated with fields of study that routinely perform public services and interact with as well as promote local economic and environmental growth, public service projects or awareness.

Academic National Organizations

Vermilion Newspaper
UL Lafayette publishes a weekly newspaper, established in 1904, named the Vermilion Newspaper . The newspaper is run by a student staff with faculty oversight and features local stories on music, art, business and campus events. The newspaper also works closely with the local newspaper The Lafayette Daily Advertiser concerning printing of the publication. The newspaper has a running tradition of publishing an April Fool's edition in which humorous and parody stories are run as an Onion-like satire. The Vermilion has earned many SPJ journalist awards for published work since its inception.[34]

The Vermilion has changed formats many times in its inception, ranging from a magazine cover and layout, to a traditional newspaper format. It has also run various in-house projects chronicling the night life and cultural events in Lafayette in an attempt to connect students with the local culture.[35][36]

L'Acadien Yearbook
Instituted in the first years of the University, L'Acadien yearbook is an annual publication chronicling the events and student life on campus. The Yearbook is staffed by students with a faculty oversight. The staff then holds a "Yearbook Day" in the Student Union passing out free yearbooks as soon as they are published. The staff holds positions that include graphic designers and journalists, among others.

Greek life
UL Lafayette has several social, Greek-letter fraternities and sororities that date back to 1920.[37]

Fraternities National Pan-Hellenic Council Pan-Hellenic Council

Athletics

File:ULLRaginCajuns.png
Cajundome is the home of Ragin' Cajun basketball.
Main article: Louisiana's Ragin' Cajuns

UL Lafayette's sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (I FBS for football) in the Sun Belt Conference. National sports media often refer to the university as Louisiana-Lafayette.

The Ragin' Cajuns compete in 16 NCAA sports teams (8 men's, 8 women's teams), including baseball, basketball (men's and women's), cross country (men's and women's), football, softball, women's soccer, women's volleyball, men's golf, tennis (men's and women's), and track and field (men's and women's, indoor and outdoor).

The athletic program formally began in 1904 with a track and field program.[38] In recent years, the softball team has been among the most successful of all Ragin' Cajun teams, having won nine regular season championships, nine conference tournament championships, and earning five appearances in the Women's College World Series. The baseball, men's tennis, men's basketball, and football teams have won conference championships.

Noted people

Main articles: List of University of Louisiana at Lafayette people and List of University of Louisiana at Lafayette presidents

UL Lafayette is home to many outstanding alumni who have held posts as business bellwethers, government and military leaders, Olympic and professional athletes, artists and entertainers. For example, from literature: James Lee Burke, Pulitzer nominee, best known for his Dave Robicheaux series; from entertainment Marc Breaux, choreographer of movies such as Mary Poppins, The Sound of Music, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, and Richard Simmons, TV fitness personality; from government: Kathleen Blanco, former Louisiana governor (2004–2008), and John Breaux, former US senator (1987–2005). Two military alumni Charles B. DeBellevue and Jefferson J. DeBlanc were recognized as flying aces; DeBlanc also was awarded the Medal of Honor.

Also several distinguished faculty members have taught at the university, such as John Kennedy Toole, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of A Confederacy of Dunces, Ernest J. Gaines, nominated for a Nobel Prize in Literature and a Pulitzer Prize for fiction, Paul Prudhomme, American celebrity chef, Elemore Morgan, Jr., internationally-known landscape painter, and Burton Raffel, poet noted for his translation of Cervantes's Don Quixote.

Several football alumni have played in the National Football League, including Jake Delhomme (Cleveland Browns), Brian Mitchell (retired), Brandon Stokley (Denver Broncos), Charles Tillman (Chicago Bears). Several baseball alumni have played in the Major Leagues, including Ron Guidry, retired (New York Yankees), who won the Cy Young Award. Kim Perrot played for the Houston Comets, helping them to win two WBNA championships. Other alumni include Olympic track and field medalist Hollis Conway and world-title trampolinist Leigh Hennessy, who holds the record for winning the most US national championships for women. Two alumni were inducted to the College Football Hall of Fame: Chris Cagle and Weldon Humble.

References

  1. ^ http://www.louisiana.edu/Advancement/PRNS/media/fastfacts.shtml
  2. ^ University of Louisiana: Battle for a Name
  3. ^ www.louisiana.edu "For a while in the 1980s, UL Lafayette literally made a name for itself, The University of Louisiana. A subsequent act of the Louisiana Legislature nullified that name change, but Authment persisted."
  4. ^ www.athleticnetwork.net"The university flirted briefly in 1984 with the idea of yet another name change. The Board of Trustees declared the school to be the University of Louisiana, but the Board of Regents soon reversed the move. It would be more than a decade before the name stuck."
  5. ^ http://www.louisiana.edu/AboutUs/History/General.shtml#ULL
  6. ^ University History: General
  7. ^ Proper use of the University's Name by UL Lafayette webpage
  8. ^ 50 Years Later: The Desegregation of SLI. Sept. 1, 2004
  9. ^ ACM Student Chapter Manual: Part 2
  10. ^ Center for Advanced Computer Studies (CACS)
  11. ^ Council for the Development of French in Louisiana (CODOFIL) Louisiana's French History
  12. ^ CAPE-1 Launch in chronology to others
  13. ^ http://museum.louisiana.edu/html/about.htm
  14. ^ http://museum.louisiana.edu/html/pastexhibitions.htm
  15. ^ http://museum.louisiana.edu/html/pastexhibitions.htm
  16. ^ http://www.krvs.org/about.htm/
  17. ^ Carnegie Classification listings
  18. ^ UL Lafayette's Impact in 2008
  19. ^ http://www.rockinst.org/newsroom/news_stories/2010/2010-03-24-KATC_TV3.pdf UL Lafayette Among Top 100 Public Research Universities in the Nation - March 24, 2010
  20. ^ http://www.lite3d.com/about_summary.htm
  21. ^ http://www.sacs.org/
  22. ^ UL Lafayette Honors Program
  23. ^ http://www.ull.edu
  24. ^ [1]
  25. ^ [2]
  26. ^ [3]
  27. ^ 2011 Best 373 Colleges
  28. ^ UL Lafayette’s MBA Program One of Best in Nation
  29. ^ http://rankings.usnews.com/best-colleges/lafayette-la/louisiana-lafayette-2031 U.S. News & World Report
  30. ^ America's Best Colleges 2010, Forbes Magazine.
  31. ^ 2010 Best Southeastern College
  32. ^ Center for Louisiana Studies
  33. ^ Center for Louisiana Studies
  34. ^ http://www.spj.org/moe00r12.asp
  35. ^ http://vermilion.louisiana.edu
  36. ^ http://vermilion.louisiana.edu/displayer/list/2.html
  37. ^ UL Lafayette :: Greek Affairs
  38. ^ Overall Introduction - Louisiana's Ragin Cajuns Athletic Network
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30°12′45″N 92°01′09″W / 30.2126°N 92.0193°W / 30.2126; -92.0193

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