About the President

President Joseph Savoie

Dr. E. Joseph Savoie is the sixth president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He has served as president since 2008.He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from UL Lafayette and earned a doctor of education degree in educational leadership and administration from Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York City.

He previously served as Louisiana’s commissioner of higher education for 12 years, and was involved in several major postsecondary education reforms during his tenure, including:

• the restructuring of higher education governance;
• creation of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System;
• teacher education and school reform initiatives; and
• the state’s Master Plan for Public Postsecondary Education.

Under his leadership, financial support for public postsecondary education nearly tripled and Louisiana’s colleges and universities became more engaged in addressing the state’s economic and social challenges.

Savoie has held numerous other state positions. Louisiana governors M. J. “Mike” Foster, Kathleen Babineaux Blanco, Bobby Jindal and John Bel Edwards each appointed him to higher education committees and commissions. Savoie was in Foster, Blanco and Jindal’s cabinets, and he served on Edwards’ Higher Education Transition Team.

His regional and national board memberships include the Southern Regional Education Board, the national State Higher Education Executive Officers, the Council for Advancement and Support of Education, American Association of State Colleges and Universities, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, the Association of Public and Land-Grant Universities, and the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Prior to his appointment as commissioner of higher education, Savoie served in many roles on the UL Lafayette campus, including vice president for University Advancement.

He and his late wife, Gail Heinbach Savoie, have a daughter, Blaire; a son, Adam; and a granddaughter, Addison Marie.

Contact:
president@louisiana.edu
(337) 482-6203