Nicholls State University is in a remarkable period of transition. Beginning this fall, the University’s admission standards will rise for only the second time in the institution’s 57 year history. With this change comes a renewed effort to identify the University in a way that will have even greater appeal to academically well-qualified students as well as to the broader community this institution serves.

With this in mind, Nicholls began its first-ever comprehensive branding initiative last year to define the way people think of the University. One result is a set of new logos for the university and its athletic programs, along with complementary typefaces and fine-tuning of the University’s color scheme.

But logos only skim the surface of a university’s identity. This branding process we undertook went deeper, refining the University’s messages to best reflect our shared institutional values. The new image emphasizes the qualities that make Nicholls special: our strong academic program, our personal attention to the needs of students, our sense of family, the dynamic growth taking place on our campus today, the pathways to success we offer to students, and our vibrant, welcoming culture of the Bayou Region. These are the things that Nicholls represents, and the things we want everyone to think of immediately when they see the University’s logo or hear its name. That’s why the new logo so prominently features the name Nicholls. That name should automatically convey our shared values and the University’s rich traditions.

A tremendous amount of effort and consultation went into developing this new image. The nationally-experienced firm of Lapham/Miller interviewed students, faculty, staff, administrators, alumni and community members, and reviewed countless existing university publications and reports, as well as the University’s Web site, to get a feel for Nicholls, its history, and the type of people who make up the University-community. The firm’s results were presented to an ad hoc committee that also included students, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the University.

The result of this intensive process is a single identity that will represent the entire university now and in the coming years. Over time you will see the new identity in letterhead, print publications, the Web site, campus signage and more. However, because it would be impractical to discard everything bearing the old logos, the new images will be implemented progressively over the next year and beyond. It has been my guidance to involved staff that the new identity be in place for the pivotal fall semester ahead with its new admission standards and in order to signal a new era in the University’s history. Additionally, all campus units, academic departments and administrative offices alike, will use materials with the new logos for all off-campus correspondence but will use the older supplies for on-campus correspondence until they are exhausted.

The complete results of the branding study are available at: http://www.nicholls.edu/news/2005/099.html

This correspondence is written to you in the matter of new parking spaces to be added to the University campus. As you may know, the Parking/Traffic Appeals Committee and involved facilities staff have proposed a major project to resurface roads and parking lots across the entire campus and, in some instances, to surface parking lots that are presently only covered by gravel. Finally, it was proposed to add a new 300 vehicle lot on Madewood Drive across from Picciola Hall.

I approved this rather significant project, including that for the new parking lot, even though I carried reservations regarding the required loss of green space. I know that other university community and area residents have shared that concern. As the architects began to lay out the proposed parking lot, my own reservations again surfaced. Late last week, I cancelled the use of the Madewood Drive green space and asked involved staff and T. Baker Smith, the project architects, to locate alternative sites where approximately 300 spaces could be added.

I have now received and approved proposals to add a parking lot between Ellender Hall and the Baptist Center as well as to expand parking in the lots adjacent to the College of Business and Shaver Hall. The net effect of this action will add almost 300 spaces while protecting the remaining green space at the front of the campus.

I have authorized this change and requested that staff continue to implement the parking lot and road surfacing project in order to begin the year long campus-wide project early this fall.

From: Stephen T. Hulbert, President

Tuesday the University announced the penalties handed down by the NCAA in its academic fraud investigation. I would like to share this news with you as we all prepare to move past this issue. We have learned some painful lessons from this series of events and have initiated significant preventative measures to ensure that such a situation does not occur again, including new wide-ranging policies and more checks and balances.

It is evident from the quality of our athletic performance this past year that our student-athletes and our coaching staff are capable of overcoming any obstacles placed before them. The future of athletics at Nicholls is bright.

The University has fully cooperated with the NCAA in this investigation from the moment we initiated the review, and we are ready to accept the penalties. The list below was developed by the University. The NCAA only made two changes to our self-imposed penalties: an additional year of probation and forfeiture of five victories in the 2003 football season.

Now that this matter has concluded, my hope is that we will move forward as an institution of higher learning with reinforced values that shape ethical citizens of tomorrow.

University Penalties Imposed on May 10, 2005

1. Public reprimand and censure.
2. Four years of probation from May 10, 2005, through May 9, 2009.
3. Exclusion from the Southland Conference television package for the 2005 season in football and the 2005-06 season in men’s basketball.
4. Loss of one scholarship in men’s basketball for the 2005-06 academic year, independent of any reductions in scholarships due to new NCAA academic reform standards.
5. Football must implement the following reductions through the 2007-2008 academic year:
   1. reduce by five the number of official visits;
   2. delay the start of preseason practice by three days;
   3. reduce off-campus recruiting by the coaching staff by seven days;
   4. award no more than 60 scholarships per year in the 2005-06 and 2006-07 academic years (the maximum is 63).
6. Volleyball team must vacate its 2003 Southland Conference championship. The team must also vacate all wins from 2003 in which the ineligible student-athlete competed, reconfigure all 2003 records to reflect the changes and remove all publicity references to the wins.
7. Football must also vacate any wins in which an ineligible student participated for the 2003 season.
8. The university must pay a $10,000 fine for the ineligible student-athlete’s participation in the first round of the 2003 NCAA volleyball championship.
9. Nicholls is now subject to the repeat-violator provision of the NCAA bylaws for five years.
10. The university must also notify its regional accrediting agency regarding the academic fraud.

See the Nicholls news release at http://www.nicholls.edu/news/2005/098.html for more detailed information. A link to NCAA release and complete report of the Infractions Committee about Nicholls is at the bottom of the Nicholls release.

Through this correspondence, I would like to brief the Nicholls State University community with regard to the status of current budget planning for the 2005-2006 fiscal year ahead. This correspondence comes at the outset of the 2005 Legislative Session, a period involving several months of on-going budget discussion and related financial decision making. Before that session ends, the University’s 2004-2005 academic year will conclude and faculty and students alike will leave the campus for the summer. Significant financial decisions will be made at the state and local campus levels before everyone returns in August.

Often as we enter the Legislative Session and the academic year concludes, University community members leave the campus hearing about financial challenges facing the institution and return only to find the budget set. This is common in public higher education and seldom have we, or other institutions, given the members of the University community a full explanation of the impact of decisions made both in Baton Rouge and here on campus. The purpose of this correspondence is to initiate communication with faculty, staff and students regarding current institutional budget projections for the new fiscal year beginning July 1, 2005.

Obviously, at this point in the year such budget projections are fluid in nature and will be subject to constant adjustment throughout the months ahead. Those adjustments will not only result from actions taken in the Legislature but also will reflect the continuing refinement of actual cost demands across all areas of the operating budget of the University.

Simply stated with total revenue increases for Nicholls State University estimated at $1,248,451 and expenditure increases estimated at $4,223,616, approximately $2,975,165 is needed in additional funds to balance the University’s projected 2005-2006 fiscal year budget. Without further operating budget reductions and no additional state support, it would take a 13.44 percent tuition increase (above the previously approved 3 percent tuition increase) to cover the $2,975,165 figure. Such a tuition increase is clearly unacceptable.

Of that $2,975,165 total $1,666,172 is comprised of still unfunded mandated costs attributable to action at the state level (see attached breakdown). If that was the total unfunded impact projected for the 2005-2006 fiscal year ahead, it alone would require a 7.53 percent tuition increase (above the previously approved 3 percent tuition increase). Beyond the yet unfunded mandated cost increases, the University faces scholarship and fee exemption increases much of which are necessitated by the Fall 2005 transition to selective admissions standards. Additional increases are attributable to required accreditation and/or Board of Regents commitments as well as increases in maintenance contracts and operating materials. The University also faces the annualization of modest employee compensation increases for the current fiscal year. The cost of these initiatives totals $1,308,993 (see attached breakdown).

The above summary is part of a complex financial plan and analysis of projected 2005-2006 fiscal year funding levels. If there is any message that I am trying to convey it is that at present at least $1,666,712 of mandated state cost increases still remain unfunded. Additionally, critical need operating budget requirements comprise the remaining $1,308,993 totaling the $2,975,165 difference between projected revenues and mandated and/or critical institutional expenditure needs.

In preparation for the situation at hand, Nicholls has budgeted conservatively, eliminating or deferring some faculty and staff positions and deferring program initiatives. Further such activity may be necessary over the spring and summer months ahead. I would note that this same situation occurred for the current fiscal year. Even with the 4 percent operational fee revenue approved late in the last Legislative Session, Nicholls had to implement a $1,066,764 or almost 2.5 percent budget reduction to maintain balanced operating conditions over the course of the current 2004-2005 fiscal year. The recent 1.75 percent or $408,500 savings target reduction, as implemented by the state, only further exacerbated financial conditions this year in support of the academic programs. Simply stated, it is progressively becoming most difficult to make further budget cuts without a harmful impact on the academic program and the students it serves.

One final issue involves the apparent difference between H.B. 1 that indicates $591,862 less funding for Nicholls than does the Governor’s Executive Budget. As we understand it, that difference is the University’s portion of the Governor’s Supplemental Budget “below the line”, thus, representing items for which revenue is not yet available. The current Executive Budget shows a total decrease in State general funds and statutory dedications of $274,430 for Nicholls State University.

The President’s Cabinet, with representation from the faculty, staff and student body, will monitor on-going financial decision-making and planning around the operating budget for the 2005-2006 fiscal year ahead. Every effort will be made to keep the broader University community apprised of the outcome of the planning and decision-making through the beginning of the new fiscal year on July 1, 2005. As importantly, every effort will be made to protect the quality and integrity of the of the academic program and the students it serves.

Budget Information – (PDF) (Excel)

At the Annual Business Administration Honor’s Banquet earlier this week, Dean Ridley Gros announced the decision of the AACSB Maintenance of Accreditation Committee, as ratified by the Association’s International Board of Directors, to reaffirm the accreditation of the College of Business Administration. I am taking this opportunity to share that announcement campus-wide and, at the same time, to offer my congratulations to Dean Gros and the faculty, staff and students who worked so hard to insure this successful outcome.

When the AACSB Peer Review Team visited Nicholls from February 27th to March 2nd of this year they concluded that the business program had achieved high quality and accordingly the Team was recommending reaffirmation of accreditation.

While we believed then that the business program had been evaluated successfully, the action of the AACSB International Board of Directors and its Maintenance of Accreditation Committee still remained as the final hurdles to be surmounted. The news that Ridley Gros received by e-mail confirming reaffirmation brought closure to a long and difficult review process.

I use this means to publicly thank Ridley Gros for his willingness to return to the University to provide leadership to this most important task. At the same time I want to congratulate Betty Kleen for her outstanding contributions in the preparation of the self-study report and support documents and to all of the faculty and staff who worked so hard to contribute to this successful outcome.

The quality that is represented in the Business Administration program results from years of effort by the faculty in building the curriculum and in evolving their own scholarship and service within the broader community. The Self-Study and Peer Review process clearly indicated that in achieving high program quality the faculty has also put into place the processes to assure the maintenance of that quality within an environment committed to continuous improvement.

I am writing to let the University community know that representatives from Westboro Baptist Church of Kansas are scheduled to conduct a demonstration on campus from 11:00 a.m. until 11:30 a.m., April 18, 2005. The demonstration will take place on the cement area directly to the right of the entrance to the student union. This group is coming to campus to protest the establishment of a student group named the NSU Gay/Straight Alliance (GSA).

The University’s position is that students have the right to assemble and to establish student organizations without censorship relative to content or purpose. Therefore, student groups will be permitted to operate at Nicholls as long as their purpose and activities do not thwart the aims and purposes of the University or violate state or federal law.

Nicholls is a diverse community. This diversity is respected on a daily basis as we go about our academic and extracurricular endeavors.

Please note that we did not invite the Westboro Baptist Church to our campus. However, as a state institution, we are obligated to provide for public protests, including the expression of political and religious speech. The University has followed U.S. Supreme Court rulings regarding the designation of areas where protests may occur on campus. These two sites are the flagpole area near the entrance of the campus and an area just to the right of the main entrance of the student union. Designation of these areas allows protests to take place without disruption of classes and scheduled campus activities.

The Kansas group has reportedly conducted protests which include hateful and provocative language. Some believe this type of protest is aimed at inciting onlookers to lose their tempers and assault members of the protesting group. I strongly urge that members of the Nicholls community not provide this group the reaction they may desire. Let’s not bring any attention to the protesting group or the hateful message that they spread.

Nicholls State University celebrates its diversity. We must continue to support a campus environment which is inclusive. Please join me in celebrating what Nicholls is about on April 18, 2005. Ignore these individuals, respect their constitutional right to protest while they are on campus, and let them go their way.

During the Spring Semester 2004, the Campus Operations Committee was created to receive additional recommendations, suggestions and expressions of concern from faculty and staff on how to further improve university services. Attached you will find a copy of the list of recommendations and related issues that were forwarded to me by the Committee. Each vice president was asked to respond to the list of suggestions, implementing change where ever possible, and to report how these matters were being or will be addressed. Our collective intent was to administratively make service improvements where ever possible and to refer issues warranting broader campus participation to the appropriate individual or committee for further study and recommendation.

A wide range of service change have been implemented since receipt of this report. Others are being prepared for implementation or will be so considered as time and resources permit. A copy of the Campus Operations Committee Report, along with the response from each vice president, will be posted on the administrative M drive (Campus Improvement Initiatives) for review by the interested members of the campus community. A paper copy is also being shared with Faculty Senate, the Unclassified Advisory Committee, and the Classified Advisory Committee.

We thank the Committee members for their considerable effort in this process. We especially thank everyone who took the time to make suggestions on how to make Nicholls better. While much progress has been made over the past twenty months, just as clearly, the University has a long way to go in enhancing service. The continued interest and support of everyone in the University community is appreciated as we affect further change.

The official numbers are complete for the Spring 2005 semester and I am pleased to report that the University’s enrollment reflects just over a 3% increase. Enrollment is up to 6922; 208 higher than last spring’s total figure. The largest increase is in our first year students. After an increase of 190 new students in the Fall 2004 semester, the University has an increase of 203 students for this spring.

Retention of first time entering freshmen from fall to spring actually took a slight downward turn, dropping from 83.34% to 82.72%. Since the entering class was so much larger than the previous fall, the number of students retained was still 148 more than last year. While over all retention dropped slightly, retention of minority students saw a slight increase. African American students were retained at a rate of 82.7%, an increase of 0.8%. All other minorities, excluding African American, increased from 84.26% to 84.51%.

Total credit hours have increased again for Spring 2005. The total credit hours figure for Spring 2004 was 83,439, which represents a 4.1% increase against last year. The increase of 3,461 hours brings this semester’s total to 86,900. The average course load for undergraduate students remained steady, but the average course load for graduate students rose by 0.18 to 5.63 hours.

Several changes were made in academic departments in the fall semester as the result of a university reorganization plan. All comparisons of growth in academic departments take into account these changes. The academic area of greatest growth in percentage points was the Department of Psychology and Counselor Education with an increase of 34.6 % (36 students). The largest increase in number of students was the Department of Nursing with an increase of 132 students (19.4%). The College of Nursing and Allied Health Sciences had the most growth with a 12.5% increase from last spring.

Biological Sciences showed a significant increase of 17.2%, with its current enrollment of 354 students. History and Social Sciences had an increase of 9.2%, from 272 in Spring 2004 to 297 in Spring 2005.

Enrollment in Graduate degrees is continuing to show a downward turn in all colleges. More analysis of this trend will be forthcoming as it represents a significant change for the University’s move in standing within the Southern Region. Undergraduate majors showing decreases include Languages & Literature (-10.0%), Physical Sciences (-8.1%), Information Systems (-18.3%) and Management and Marketing (-8.4%).

Faculty and staff wishing to review the detailed enrollment data for Spring 2005 are invited to go to the Institutional Research site on the University web page at http://www.nicholls.edu/ir.

Through administrative reports, news releases, and the resulting media coverage, you are aware that the Nicholls State University Intercollegiate Athletics Program has been the subject of an on-going investigation by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

The involvement of the NCAA was prompted by an internal University investigation initiated in early August 2004. That investigation was conducted by the University’s Coordinator of Compliance for Intercollegiate Athletics supported by counterparts from the Southland Conference. After close coordination with the Southland Conference and the NCAA, on September 8, 2004, the latter organization asserted its responsibility to notify the University that a formal investigation was being initiated. As is consistent with NCAA practice, that investigation applied to the University’s entire Intercollegiate Athletics Program.

Similar athletics program investigations across the NCAA membership often take a year or more to conduct and then months longer to bring before the organization’s Committee on Infractions. Based on the proactive measures taken by Nicholls in stepping up to the investigation and in taking all appropriate corrective measures, this investigation was basically concluded by October 29, 2004 when the NCAA released its formal Notice of Allegations, Nicholls State University, Case No. M218.

As is the case with an NCAA investigation, the NCAA staff also looked at broader issues under review within the Association. In this instance, the topic also involved the recruitment of international student-athletes. To that end on November 22, 2004, the NCAA notified the University that it was amending its original October 29, 2004 Statement of Allegations addressing issues surrounding the recruitment of an international student-athlete.

Accompanying this letter of transmittal to both the University family and to the broader community, I am providing correspondence that documents the issues under investigation as well as the University’s response. From the beginning, I have stated the University’s commitment to an open, candid review of all aspects of this matter. The integrity of the University and our shared obligation to the students we serve require such a course of action.

At the same time in releasing these materials I have an obligation to avoid identifying students and others who are entitled to confidentiality or privacy under the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and the Louisiana Laws with regard to public records and individual privacy.

Over what has become a highly involved and sometimes tense period of months throughout fall and early into the new year, Nicholls State University has completed its formal response to the original and amended NCAA Statement of Allegations. That document was submitted to the NCAA Committee on Infractions on January 19, 2005.

On January 4, 2005 the University received its final notification for an appearance before the NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions at 8:30 a.m. on February 11, 2005 in San Diego, California. I will lead the group representing the University. Joining me at the hearing are the following individuals:

• Glenn Antizzo – Faculty Athletics Representative
• Robert Bernard – Director of Athletics
• Deanna Falcon – Coordinator of Compliance for Intercollegiate Athletics
• Kelly Rodrigue – University Registrar
• Jay Thomas – Football Coach
• J.P. Piper, the Men’s Basketball Coach who had been scheduled to attend, has been excused from attending because of a scheduled basketball game the night before that would prevent him from arriving in San Diego by 8:30 a.m. on the 11th.

Once the University has presented itself before the NCAA Committee on Infractions and that group has determined the range of punitive actions to be taken, I will release the specifics of those actions. Included with that information will be policy and procedural changes being introduced by the University to prevent future such violations of University and NCAA policy and procedures.

For Nicholls State University and its affected student-athletes and coaching staff, this has been a most challenging and painful experience. I regret, sincerely, the harm that has fallen to all of the student-athletes and coaching staff across the entire athletics program. I am particularly appreciative of the manner in which the coaches and student-athletes in football, men’s basketball and volleyball have conducted themselves this year. For the many, many athletes who were not involved in this matter, I thank you for your leadership and hard work in performing so well on the field and court.

Nicholls State University and the intercollegiate athletics program will get beyond this recent embarrassment. We will learn from this experience and together we will protect the integrity of the University and fulfill our obligations to the students we serve.

Thank you.

Yesterday afternoon, the University received notification from University of Louisiana System President Sally Clausen announcing a budget reduction initiative. Based on a directive from Governor Kathleen Blanco, the U. L. System is effecting a “savings target” to bring the current year budget to the 98.25% level for the year ending on June 30, 2005. The 1.75 percent “savings target” assigned to the U. L. System amounts to a total of $5,033,400 of which $408,500 is the share assigned to Nicholls State University. This budget reduction is not one time in nature but we are being asked by Governor Blanco “to continue these efficiencies through the next fiscal year.”
In accordance with the established reporting deadlines for the Office of Planning and Budget, we have been given our own deadline of noon on Thursday, January 27th, to complete the decision-making process and to submit the necessary reports in which we identify the sources of the program and service cuts.

This budget reduction comes in a fiscal year of enrollment growth, which in itself entails additional institutional and operating costs. When one considers that in bringing up the 2004-05 fiscal year budget, it was necessary to implement an approximate four percent budget reduction within the University that, combined with the 1.75 cut, reflects the evolving burden on the institution, the academic program, and the students both serve.

I sincerely regret the necessity of the action and the expedited decision-making process. Decisions will be made within the central administration over the next 48 hours but with notification to the broad University community for communication purposes. I will also be inviting representatives of the various University constituent groups to briefings in this matter.

I appreciate the continued hard work and support of everyone in the Nicholls family, as we move through what clearly will be another period of challenging financial conditions. Budget planning for the 2005-06 Fiscal Year ahead and considerations regarding tuition and fee revenues will be very much impacted by the budget shortfall facing the State of Louisiana.

Of necessity, Nicholls will have to work carefully over this period, as we complete the transition to admission standards 2005 and prepare for SACS accreditation 2006.