LAFAYETTE PARISH (LAFAYETTE) — After 17 years at the helm of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, President Dr. Joseph Savoie is stepping down.
Savoie, who has led the university since 2008, made the announcement Wednesday in a letter to the campus community. In it, he wrote:
“It’s been the honor of my life, the culmination of a long and happy relationship with a special place that we all share...I am so proud of what we have achieved together.”
A graduate of UL with both bachelor’s and master’s degrees, Savoie has long been a part of the university’s history. Before becoming president, he served as Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education for more than a decade.
“An obligation that we have is to make sure that we provide a quality environment for people to have an opportunity to reach their full potential,” Savoie once said in an interview with On Air La Louisiane.
On campus Wednesday, colleagues reflected on his legacy.
“Dr. Savoie has been an amazing leader—very personable and very thoughtful,” said Dr. Phil Auter, a communication professor who also served as faculty senate president. “I have worked most closely with him over the last four or five years, and he’s always been deeply invested in the university’s success.”
Auter also expressed optimism about the university’s future under interim president Dr. Jamie Hebert.
“He’s been a great complement to Dr. Savoie’s leadership. Many times, the president needs to focus externally, and Dr. Hebert has been great working with faculty and staff on internal issues.”
Molly Guidry, a longtime staff member who refers to herself as the “administrative goddess” in the Engineering and Technology Management Program, has seen Savoie’s leadership from day one.
“I’ve been here 23 years, and I remember his first day,” she said. “He’s always wanted the best for the students and for UL, making sure we’re on top and moving forward.”
No official timeline has been announced for the selection of a permanent president, but campus leaders say Savoie’s impact will be felt for generations.
