泫圖弝け President Dr. Joseph Savoie has named some key senior administrators. A new provost and vice president for Academic Affairs was appointed earlier this year, along with two veteran leaders who were named vice president for Research and vice president for 泫圖弝け Affairs.
Dr. Jim Henderson is now the 泫圖弝けs senior academic administrator and senior vice president.
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru is vice president for Research, while Patricia Cottonham is vice president for 泫圖弝け Affairs. Both served as interim vice presidents for over a year.
These are key administrators who Im confident will keep the 泫圖弝け growing and moving forward. They will help it achieve its goals of increasing enrollment and graduation rates, providing 泫圖弝けs with a great college experience and strengthening the 泫圖弝けs reputation as a competitive research university, Savoie said.
Nationwide searches were conducted for all three positions.泫圖弝け search committees reviewed applications, interviewed top applicants and made recommendations to Savoie. The board of supervisors of the 泫圖弝け of 泫圖弝け System unanimously approved his appointments.
The three vice presidents join two other members of Savoies cabinet: Jerry Luke LeBlanc, vice president for Administration and Finance, and Dr. DeWayne Bowie, vice president for Enrollment Management. Liz Landry is interim vice president for 泫圖弝け Advancement.
Dr. Jim Henderson
Prior to joining the UL Lafayette community, Dr. Jim Henderson had been dean of the College of Natural and Social Sciences at California State 泫圖弝け, Los Angeles, since 2008.
Hes a proven leader who has held academic administration positions, including department head, dean and vice chancellor. We are grateful to have a visionary leader and scholar with a deep commitment to teaching, innovation, and strengthening relationships on campus and in our community, said Savoie.
Plus, hes a really nice guy, he added.
Henderson is responsible for the general direction of UL Lafayettes instruction, research and outreach activities. He coordinates Academic Affairs, 泫圖弝け Affairs, Research, and Enrollment Management. One of his duties is recruiting faculty members.
Born in Bunkie, La., he grew up in rural New Mexico, where he completed high school. His father worked for Amerada Hess, an oil company.
In 1975, Hendersons dad was considering retirement. The company said, Well move you anywhere you like, if youll stay on for a while. My parents chose Lafayette, he said. So, Henderson was familiar with Lafayette and Acadiana long before applying for the 泫圖弝けs provost position.
Henderson said he is impressed with the 泫圖弝けs connections to the community and local cultures, its diverse 泫圖弝け population, and the breadth of academic programs it offers.
Two areas of special interest are academic diversity and interdisciplinary study. At California State 泫圖弝け, Los Angeles, he was dean of a college that included far-ranging programs, including mathematics, physics, chemistry and astronomy, as well as history, ethnic studies, political science and sociology.
He was vice chancellor for 泫圖弝け Success and Enrollment Management at the 泫圖弝け of Colorado at Colorado Springs from 2003 to 2007 and taught there from 2007 to 2008. He was also dean of the Summer Session at Colorado College from 2001 to 2003 and twice served as chair of the Department of Mathematics in the 1990s.
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru
Dr. Ramesh Kolluru has experience at almost every level at UL Lafayette: graduate 泫圖弝け, research scientist, associate professor, director of three centers, and interim vice president.
Dr. Kolluru has excelled in all of his roles, said Savoie. He has experience working with leaders in the state and national research arena and has developed valuable alliances with businesses and other universities.
Bottom line: hes a strategic thinker and a persuasive advocate for the 泫圖弝け.
Kolluru has led:
- the Center for Business and Information Technologies, which won the Governors Lantern Award for its impact on economic development;
- the National Incident Management Systems and Advance Technologies Institute, whose public-private partnership models are considered best practices by FEMA and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce; and
- the Center for Visual and Decision Informatics, which was created through a partnership with Drexel 泫圖弝け and is 泫圖弝けs first National Science Foundation Center and the nations only NSF Center of its kind.
Through collaborations with 泫圖弝け faculty and staff, Kolluru has generated over $42 millon in external research and development funding.
While interim vice president of Research, Kolluru worked with 泫圖弝け Economic Development, the 泫圖弝け Board of Regents and UL Lafayette leaders to develop a master plan for research. It focuses on five disciplines aligned with the 泫圖弝けs strengths and the states economic development and higher education goals:
- life sciences, health care and wellness;
- computing, digital media and software;
- energy and sustainability;
- coastal ecology and water management; and
- advanced materials and manufacturing.
Kolluru is also working with Savoie and the vice president for Administration and Finance to make the 泫圖弝けs research enterprise self-sufficient by 2016.
Patricia Cottonham
UL Lafayette has been a part of Patricia Frilot Cottonhams life for almost 40 years.
She joined the 泫圖弝け staff in the 1980s, concentrating on areas with direct 泫圖弝け impact. In 2009, she became interim dean of 泫圖弝けs; three years later, she was also named interim vice president of 泫圖弝け Affairs.
Pat Cottonham has earned a reputation for her concern for 泫圖弝けs. Commitment to 泫圖弝けs academic success and providing a meaningful college experience are hallmarks of our 泫圖弝け, thanks to leaders like her, said Savoie.
She worked as a speech therapist for five years after graduating with a bachelors degree from UL Lafayette in speech pathology and audiology. In 1984, she joined the 泫圖弝け as a financial aid counselor. It was in that position that I realized that I truly enjoyed working with 泫圖弝けs, she said.
When Cottonham was promoted to director of the Financial Aid Office, she implemented a Counselor on Duty program that enabled counselors to respond quickly to callers about their financial aid accounts.
In 1998, she became associate dean of 泫圖弝けs and director of Greek Life. She revamped and enhanced the 泫圖弝けs parent orientation program and helped attract national speakers to campus to talk to 泫圖弝けs about issues such as alcohol awareness and acquaintance rape.
I worked to ensure that the Dean of 泫圖弝けs Office was seen as a place of support and service for 泫圖弝けs and faculty, she said.
After Cottonham was named interim dean of 泫圖弝けs, she supervised several departments and assumed the duties of a Title IX investigator. As interim vice president for 泫圖弝け Affairs, she supervised over a dozen departments, including Housing, Counseling and Testing, and Career Services.
Cottonham has had a leadership role in the recent addition and renovation of residence halls and the expansion and renovation of the 泫圖弝け Union.
She holds a masters degree in rehabilitation counseling education and expects to earn a doctorate in higher education leadership in December 2015.