[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 107 (Thursday, June 26, 2008)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1379]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 COMMENDING DR. RAY AUTHEMENT UPON HIS RETIREMENT AS PRESIDENT OF THE 
                  UNIVERSITY OF LOUISIANA AT LAFAYETTE

                                 ______
                                 

                     HON. CHARLES W. BOUSTANY, JR.

                              of louisiana

                    in the house of representatives

                        Thursday, June 26, 2008

  Mr. BOUSTANY. Madam Speaker, after 34 devoted years as president of 
the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, Dr. Ray Authement retired 
this month. A legend in higher education, he stood as the longest 
serving university president in the country. The significant changes to 
the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and for the city of Lafayette 
demonstrate his invaluable service to the school and the greater 
community.
  As the university's chief, Dr. Authement is credited with producing 
nationally recognized programs for computer science, Francophone 
studies, and environmental and biological research at UL Lafayette 
during his tenure. He supervised the construction of a significant 
portion of the campus, including Lafayette's Cajundome and convention 
center. And, most notably, he is responsible for raising the 
university's stature academically, spearheading higher enrollment 
requirements and recruiting highly qualified faculty and staff.
  His vision and commitment for the school shaped lifetimes for the 
thousands of alumni, like myself, for which we are forever grateful.
  Dr. Authement's vision for UL Lafayette first manifested itself as he 
pushed to develop a computer science program during the new 
technology's infancy. His leadership drove the university to create the 
first Master's program in the United States for computer science, 
defining a cutting-edge path for the university's future growth. The 
nationally recognized computer science program continues to maintain 
this distinction since the 1980s.
  When Authement began his tenure in Lafayette, the school was 
officially known as the University of Southwestern Louisiana. Dr. 
Authement recognized the misperception by many of the institution as 
simply a regional school. Perspective students, potential employers and 
many across the State failed to consider the school as a top-tier 
university, and as a result, the school was unable to flourish fully.
  After a protracted fight with the State legislature and other State 
leaders, Authement successfully changed the school's name to the 
University of Louisiana at Lafayette in 1999. Most importantly, the new 
name conveys the prominence of the university. In bonding the 
university to the city in the title, Authement highlighted the 
connection between Lafayette and the school.
  Dr. Authement leaves the university a much better place. One of his 
final projects, the Capital Outlay program, which outlines construction 
and renovation for 5 years, enables UL Lafayette the opportunity to 
continue its growth. The plan increases the university's foundation 
endowment from $600,000 to $140 million. A chief component of the 
project's success was Authement's famed fiscal responsibility, which 
inspired enormous confidence that donations would be used wisely.
  Enabling the success and achievements of the University of Louisiana 
at Lafayette, Dr. Authement developed and maintained an impressive 
reputation for the school. His dedication to improving Lafayette 
encouraged the city to greater heights. The legacy Dr. Authement leaves 
behind at UL Lafayette and in the community is everlasting as the 
students who carry the university's banner are attributable to his good 
work.
  I wish he and his wife Barbara all the best as they begin a new 
chapter in their lives together, and I thank both of them for their 
commitment to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

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