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Regular Session, 2010 ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 118
BY SENATORS MORRISH AND MOUNT
A RESOLUTION
To commend and congratulate Dr. Robert D. Hebert upon the occasion of his retirement, to
recognize his forty-one years of service to McNeese State University and twenty-
three years of leadership as president of the university, to record his myriad
accomplishments and remarkable contributions to the university and the state of
Louisiana, and to extend to him the best wishes of the Senate on his future
endeavors.
WHEREAS, on the occasion of his retirement, it is appropriate that a sincere measure
of commendation be expressed to Dr. Robert Hebert for his outstanding accomplishments
at McNeese State University, where he has served with great honor and distinction as
president from 1987 to 2010; and
WHEREAS, with his retirement as president, Dr. Hebert becomes the longest serving
president in the history of McNeese State University; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hebert's stewardship, dedication and positive leadership to the
university have facilitated growth toward the institutional core values of commitment to
academics, student success, fiscal responsibility, and community and university linkages,
which has led to increased scholarships funded and awarded, notable faculty achievements,
program expansion, applied research initiatives, campus initiatives to enhance student life
and experiences, and partnerships with community leaders, all focused on strengthening
academic integrity and scholarship; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, the institution has achieved a national
accreditation of one hundred percent for all four-year and graduate programs required for
accreditation by the Board of Regents, and has expanded the use of electronic delivery of
instruction; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hebert was instrumental in creating centers and institutes at the
university including the Violet H. Howell Institute for the Study of Industry-Community SR NO. 118 ENROLLED
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Relations, Groundwater Research Institute, Center for Management Development, Institute
of Performing Arts, Real Estate and Professional Development Institute, Center for
Economic Education, Lake Area Industries/McNeese Engineering Institute, Louisiana
Environmental Research Center, H. C. Drew Center for Economic Development, H. C. Drew
Institute, Kay Dore' Counseling Center, and Small Business Development Center; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hebert also conceived the creation and development of two
important initiatives of the university, including the "Banner Series", which is widely
recognized as one of the finest Arts and Humanities series in the southern region of the
country, and the university library archives; and
WHEREAS, during his tenure, he launched a major emphasis on fund raising and
increased university foundation assets from less than one million dollars to over fifty-five
million dollars, which is the third highest in the University of Louisiana System and is the
highest among public universities of its size in the state; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hebert's commitment to fiscal responsibility resulted in numerous
campus capital improvements, including acquisition of property and construction of new
facilities; responsible budgeting through difficult economic times; and steadfast guidance
through the challenging recovery efforts from the devastating effects of Hurricane Rita in
southwest Louisiana; and
WHEREAS, he is credited with leading the successful effort to enhance campus
safety, including significant improvements in outdoor lighting, emergency call boxes, loud
speakers, and emergency alert systems; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hebert is also credited with improved communication with faculty,
staff, and students that has been accomplished by 1) the installation of a hotline telephone
in the president's office, which is the only one of its kind in the state, and one of only a few
in the entire country; 2) the establishment of a "Memo from the President" which is
distributed to every employee and posted on the university website; and 3) the inclusion of
faculty on certain university councils who are charged with keeping the other faculty
informed; and
WHEREAS, under his leadership, the university has placed a high priority on
individualized attention to students, as McNeese was one of only three universities in the SR NO. 118 ENROLLED
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South and twelve in the nation ranked in the national listing of "Schools that Offer a High
Level of Individual Academic Attention From Faculty" in the College Catalog 2001,
published by Kaplan and Newsweek; and
WHEREAS, in 1989, a motto was adopted on the fiftieth anniversary of the
university, Excellence with a Personal Touch, which is a reflective philosophy of the campus
administration of Dr. Hebert, his staff, and faculty; and
WHEREAS, although the growth and accomplishments of the university can be also
attributed to the many faculty and staff that have given their time and talent to moving the
institution forward, much of the credit for the historic accomplishments is given to Dr.
Hebert, who is widely respected and admired for his superb leadership and for the
immeasurable contributions and improvements he has made as president; and
WHEREAS, Dr. Hebert is highly regarded for earning the trust and admiration of the
members of the Senate and respected for his integrity, which will continue long after his
retirement as he leaves behind a legacy of professionalism, along with a host of colleagues
who wish him the best as he embarks on a new chapter in his life; and
WHEREAS, the members of the Senate sincerely wish to acknowledge Dr. Robert
Hebert for a lifetime of contributions he has made to postsecondary education, to his
community and state, and to the students, faculty, and staff of McNeese State University
during the course of his highly effective career.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby congratulate Dr. Robert D. Hebert upon the occasion of his retirement as
president of McNeese State University and commend him for the generous and admirable
way in which he has devoted his energy and talents to the full development of students into
informed, capable, and productive citizens of their communities and the world.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to Dr.
Robert D. Hebert.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE