Dr. Steve Landry, University of Louisiana at Lafayette’s first provost and vice president of Academic Affairs, is now Provost Emeritus. UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie made the designation during Commencement ceremonies on Dec. 18.
“ It is my pleasure and it gives me great pride to award Dr. Landry as our university’s Provost Emeritus,” said Savoie.
Landry announced earlier this year that he would retire at the end of the fall semester.
He was named the university’s first provost in August 2008. He remained the university’s vice president for Academic Affairs, a position he has held since 2000.
The provost is the senior academic administrator and senior vice president on campus. He is responsible for the general direction of UL Lafayette’s instruction, research and outreach activities. He coordinates academic affairs, student affairs, research, advancement and administration.
Deans of each of the university’s academic colleges report to the provost. One of his duties is helping to recruit outstanding faculty.
As vice president for Academic Affairs, Landry led a seven-year transition through increasingly selective admissions standards. He facilitated the development of an accelerated option track in nursing that allows students with four-year degrees in other disciplines to obtain a bachelor’s degree in nursing through a fast track. He also led the development and implementation of the university’s partnership with the Lafayette Parish School System and other district school systems for dual enrollment of high school students.
Prior to being named vice president for Academic Affairs, Landry was the university’s vice president for Research. He had previously served as director of Research and Sponsored Programs. His university career has spanned more than 35 years.
Landry is a former associate professor and department head in computer science and the Center for Advanced Computer Studies at UL Lafayette and director of the University Computing Center.
Before joining the UL Lafayette faculty, he was an assistant professor of computer science at Nicholls State University in Thibodaux, La., and a visiting research assistant for IBM and worked for IBM in Baton Rouge as a computer systems engineer.
He received a Ph.D. and master’s degrees in computer science from UL Lafayette in 1981 and 1975, respectively, and earned a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Nicholls State University in 1968.
Landry has served as vice president of the Louisiana Experimental Programs to Stimulate Competitive Research, chair of the Louisiana Education Quality Support Fund Planning Committee and as a member of the Louisiana Board of Regents Electronic Learning Committee and the Louisiana Partnership for Technology and Innovation.
He is a member of several professional and community organizations.