������ο��Ƶ

Dear Faculty, Staff and ������ο��Ƶs,

I am pleased to inform you that the university has secured necessary approvals to proceed with two important projects that are prominent recommendations of our 2009-2014 ������ο��Ƶ Strategic Plan.

These projects will build new residence halls, improve existing ������ο��Ƶ housing and renovate and expand our ������ο��Ƶ Union.  The result will be an invigorated campus climate intended to help more ������ο��Ƶs achieve their goal of earning an academic degree.

Funding for these projects involves no state general funds nor any state capital outlay funds.  A ������ο��Ƶ self-assessed fee that was first implemented in 2003 and supplemented in 2005 will finance the ������ο��Ƶ Union project.  The housing improvements are a project of Ragin Cajun Facilities, Inc., a separately incorporated 501(c)(3) organization,  and will be paid for with revenue bonds amortized with income from room rentals.

Here’s a closer look at the construction plans:

Denbo and Bancroft residence halls and the UL Lafayette Federal Credit Union will be torn down.  New housing and a 1,000 vehicle parking garage, which will include a new credit union on the first floor, will be constructed on these sites.  The band practice field will be maintained for its current use and will provide green space for various ������ο��Ƶ and campus activities.

Bonin, Baker-Huger and Evangeline residence halls will be torn down and replaced with new residence halls.  Harris, Randolph and Buchanan residence halls and Alumni Hall, which houses The Vermilion, UL Lafayette’s ������ο��Ƶ newspaper, will be renovated.

New residence halls will have suite-style rooms with a bathroom in each suite.  Certain residence halls may serve particular groups, such as Honors Program ������ο��Ƶs or ������ο��Ƶs who participate in Greek life.  Others will introduce living-learning communities, or clustered residential groups.  Members of these communities will have something in common.  For example, they could be enrolled in the First Year Seminar or be members of the band.  Research shows that living-learning communities improve ������ο��Ƶ retention rates and academic achievement.

Residence halls will also house classrooms equipped with high-tech instructional equipment.  These classrooms will enable the university to provide academic support services, such as tutoring, where ������ο��Ƶs live and study.

Convenience for ������ο��Ƶs and an enriched social environment are at the heart of the ������ο��Ƶ Union expansion and renovation.  Many ������ο��Ƶ support services that are now scattered across campus will be consolidated there to provide a “one-stop” facility.

A new food service area, with a food court atmosphere, will be constructed in the new ������ο��Ƶ union.  The ������ο��Ƶ Bookstore will remain in the ������ο��Ƶ Union, but it will be redesigned.  Spaces where ������ο��Ƶ organizations can meet and where ������ο��Ƶs can gather informally will be included in the renovated facility.  Four buildings will be torn down to accommodate the expanded ������ο��Ƶ Union.  Those are Coronna, Olivier, Guillory, and Saucier.  As part of this project, O.K. Allen Hall will be renovated to accommodate ������ο��Ƶ Health Services and the Counseling and Testing Center.

These are major construction projects that will invigorate the campus.  They also will be an inconvenience and will disrupt the routines of several faculty, staff and ������ο��Ƶs.  Parking and Transit, as well as Facilities Management, are working hard to plan for and accommodate those affected.

I invite you to view a brief, of the residential housing plans.

Thank you for your patience and support as we move forward in improving our campus and implementing our strategic plan.

Sincerely,

E. Joseph Savoie
President
president@louisiana.edu