E. Joseph Savoie

Dr. E. Joseph Savoie is the sixth president of the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

He returned to his alma mater as president in July 2008.

Savoie was formerly the Commissioner of Higher Education for the State of Louisiana, where he was involved in several major postsecondary education reforms, including:

• the restructuring of higher education governance;
• creation of the Louisiana Community and Technical College System;
• teacher, education, and school reform initiatives;
• the state's Master Plan for Public Postsecondary Education; and
• the promotion of collaboration within the entire education community.

Under his leadership, financial support for public postsecondary education more than doubled and Louisiana’s colleges and universities became more engaged in addressing Louisiana's economic and social challenges. Savoie was a cabinet member in three governors’ administrations – M. J. “Mike” Foster, Kathleen Blanco, and Bobby Jindal.

Prior to his appointment as Commissioner of Higher Education, he served in many roles on the UL Lafayette campus, including vice president for University Advancement, executive director of the Alumni Association, program director for the Union Program Council, student government advisor and adjunct assistant professor. He holds bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education from UL Lafayette and earned a doctor of education in educational leadership and administration from Columbia University’s Teachers College in New York.