|
Patricia A. Threatt, Editor
Jennifer Garner and Miguele Guillory, Contributors
Last updated:
March 25, 2009
The McNeese State University Encyclopedia is a compendium of
narrative and descriptive essays about persons, places,
events, institutions, and ideas relating to the history of
the University. The Encyclopedia is
planned as a cumulative and ongoing research and writing
project.
Contributors to the
Encyclopedia gathered information from several
sources.
Please contact the
editor with submissions, errors, or broken links.
1940
| 1950 |
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2000
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|
1939 |
September 11,
1939: Opening session of Lake Charles Junior College
with classes in 21 departments.
Dean of the
College:
Dr. Joseph Farrar, professor of education &
director of student teaching at
LSU.
Registrar:
W.B. Nash,
former principal
of Central Elementary School in Lake Charles.
Librarian:
George Johnson.
Student recreation opportunities included a basketball team, dances, and
service clubs. |
|
1940-1941
|
Fall 1940: The official
name of the college became John
McNeese Junior College of Louisiana State University.
Wayne Cusic became
a professor of
Physical Education and coach of the men's basketball team.
December 15,
1940: Francis Bulber directed the first performance of
Handel’s Messiah in the
McNeese Auditorium. He
was also the director of the newly formed
McNeese Band.
May 15, 1941:
Music students presented the first recital in the new
Auditorium.
May 29,
1941: The first class of John McNeese Junior College
(75 students) graduated.
The Administration Building (Kaufman Hall) dedicated to
John McNeese.
"The Deacons" were formed as the first men's social
organization.
Dr. William B. Hatcher briefly
served as Dean, replacing Dr. Farrar.
Dr. Rodney Cline
succeeded him later in 1941.
Students formed football & boxing teams as intramural sports and a squad of four cheerleaders.
Baptist Student Union organized. |
|
1941-1942 |
Col. Dwight D. Eisenhower used
Kaufman Hall
as his headquarters during the
Louisiana Maneuvers.
Lieutenant General Walter Krueger made the
Auditorium
his headquarters in preparation for war.
Summer 1942: First summer semester offered for the
duration of 12 weeks.
Women's Student Association organized. |
|
1942-1943 |
September 1942:
The official ROTC unit was organized as a branch
of the LSU Army; George
Barrett appointed captain & commander. The first
professor of Military Science was Major Stanford Petty
Brown.
November 1942: Women's training and drill squad, known as the MAC's
(McNeese Auxiliary Corps), was formed under the
supervision of Dolive Benoit.
The
LSU Board of Supervisors
approved an athletic budget for
outside competition.
The “Phalanx Fraternity” was formed.
January 1943: McNeese suffered its first student military fatality:
Ensign Harry Nunez.
Ada Sabatier, Instructor of
History, was named Counselor to Women and
Wayne Cusic, Counselor to
Men.
The Junior College provided a total of three station
wagons and one bus for transporting students and faculty
to and from campus. The fee was $2.50 per month. |
|
1943-1944 |
School colors changed
from red and gold to purple and gold.
Only 49 women and 55 men enrolled in
classes in 1943, due to the impact of World War II.
McNeese selected as the site for
training 200 Army Specialized Training Program students;
men housed in Kaufman Hall and German prisoners of wars
were
responsible for ground maintenance. |
|
1944-1945 |
Dr. Lether E. Frazar
selected as Dean of John McNeese Junior College.
Returning
veterans of the war took advantage of the G.I. Bill to
fund their educations.
The Student Senate became known as the Student Council. |
|
1945-1946 |
The Howard Home
and land where Gayle Hall sits today was purchased for women's
dormitory space.
Male
students lived in the Arena.
Bus service began
to transport students from downtown to campus.
80 acres purchased where the stadium
sits now for a dairy
farm, beef cattle barn, and a poultry house.
LSU purchased the Howell property, where
the President's Home presently sits, as the site for
Dean Frazar's home.
November 1945:
First homecoming held at the Lake Charles High School
stadium, known as “McNeese Day.” The
Homecoming Queen was Adrienne Managan.
"Most Beautiful Co-Eds" were selected by
the
LSU Board of Supervisors.
First student art exhibit.
Girls' basketball team organized. |
|
1946-1947
|
The college was now called McNeese Junior
College.
A.I.
Ratcliff hired as football and boxing coach.
McNeese held its first season of intercollegiate football
with games against Louisiana College and Northeastern Louisiana University.
Drama and music competitions were held. |
|
1947-1948
|
Fall 1947: The
ROTC unit became a Battalion
and Army barracks were moved to the campus for additional
housing and classroom space. In 1948, the Cowboy Rifle
Team was organized.
Girls pep squad formed known as
the Rangerettes.
Over thirteen student organizations established.
Alumni association formed
with Robert
Wheeler as President.
The McNeese Review
first published.
Wayne Cusic named Athletic
Director. |
|
1948-1949 |
The number of night classes increased.
Debate team organized.
Theresa Vidrine named
"Miss McNeese."
Helen Patricia Brown named the first Freshmen Queen.
November 1948: A student rodeo was held and Miss Mary Ogea
was named rodeo queen. |
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|
1949-1950 |
Fall 1949: The State of Louisiana instituted a fourth year for
high schools. This change meant a drastic reduction in
McNeese's incoming freshmen class. Total enrollment dropped to 397 students.
A new gymnasium (Memorial Gym) was built, new
music building erected (Fine Arts Center), and the
Wesley Center opened. McNeese hosted
the the Region VII Junior College Basketball Tournament
The boxing team entered the National Junior College
Ring Championship Tournament in Ogden, Utah.
Spring 1950: 65 students were the last graduates of
McNeese Junior College.
July 1950:
ROTC established a 4-year program. The Cadet Sponsors
were organized and the first "Little Colonel" was Edwina Riquelmy. |
|
1950-1951 |
July 1, 1950: McNeese officially advanced to four-year
status and separated from LSU on July 17th.
Dean Lether E. Frazar
became the first president of McNeese State College and
established six academic departments: Agriculture,
Commerce, Education, Liberal Arts, Mathematics &
Science, and Music.
Robert Browne became Dean of the College.
Wayne Cusic was now
Athletic Director, Dean of Men, Head
of the Education Department, and Basketball Coach.
He began working toward membership in the Gulf States Conference
(GSC)
for McNeese.
Allen Commander was elected president of the student
body and selected as outstanding student.
September 22, 1950: The McNeese Alma Mater,
composed by Kenneth Gaburo of the Music Department, was
first presented in public.
Spring 1951: Dean Brown presented the McNeese Cultural Award to Miss Rosa Hart.
McNeese held no graduation ceremonies in the Spring of
1951, as this was a transition year between a "two-year"
college and a "four-year" college. |
|
1951-1952 |
December 9, 1951:
The Messiah first
broadcast over local radio.
The McNeese Band and its Director Edwin See
introduced "Jolie
Blon" to football fans.
McNeese entered the Gulf States
Conference which brought an end to the sport of boxing at
McNeese.
The Athletics Department introduced the track and tennis teams.
The first student to complete the pre-medical program was
Paul Shorts.
Thirteen students accepted by Who’s Who in
American Colleges and Universities.
First local sororities (Delta Alpha Delta and Alpha Zeta Phi) and
fraternities (Delta Pi Phi, Delta Theta Chi, and Pi Chi) organized.
The first senior recitals of students graduating
from the
Department of Music performed.
The first Junior College graduates of 1941 were honored at
Homecoming and a tribute was made to those graduates who
died in World War II.
May 26,
1952: First baccalaureate
degrees awarded to 55 graduates. |
|
1952-1953 |
An electronic laboratory was opened for the
teaching of foreign languages.
Job placement and counseling services were established; Allen Commander became
Director of the Placement Center and
Student Activities.
Ralph Ward replaced
Wayne Cusic as basketball coach and was named
Gulf States Conference Coach of the Year.
The Cowboy Rifle Team was renamed the "Ware Rifles" in honor of
Col. Charles S. Ware. |
|
1953-1954 |
The campus cafeteria was constructed in the
fall of 1953, and renovations were made to the
Howard Home for
the use of the Home
Economics Department.
The Department of Music received
accreditation by the National Association of Schools of
Music.
First issue of the
Alumni News published.
Rodeo team hosts the National Intercollegiate Rodeo.
A group of student writers organized a local unit of the
College Writers' Society of Louisiana.
The baseball team was organized.
Applications for four black high school students were
received but denied because of a Louisiana Legislative Act
establishing McNeese as a college for white students only. |
|
1954-1955 |
McNeese received national accreditation by the Southern
Association of Colleges and Schools.
September 1954: The W. H. Knight Memorial
Baptist Student Center was formally opened.
Spring 1955: the first black students registered at McNeese.
July 1955: President Frazar
announced his retirement from McNeese. |
|
1955-1956 |
October 15, 1955: Wayne Cusic
took office as President;
Francis Bulber became
Academic Dean
of the College.
John Gregory hired as football coach.
Basketball team won the National Association on
Intercollegiate Athletics tournament and achieved national
exposure under the direction of Coach
Ralph Ward.
McNeese purchased the Arthur L. Gayle estate, now the
McNeese Farm, which
consisted of 280-acres of farm land.
The first nationally chartered fraternity at McNeese, Pi
Kappa Phi, was organized. |
|
1956-1957 |
December 10, 1956: New athletic wing and
basketball court in the
Arena dedicated by Lieutenant
Governor Lether Frazar. December 1956:
Blue Key Honorary Fraternity established.
Dr. Ralph Squires replaced
Francis Bulber as Dean of Fine Arts.
Ellis Guillory replaced Wayne Cusic as Dean of Men. Mrs. Mabel L. Kitt
became Dean of Women.
A women's dormitory, Alpha Dorm (Sallier Hall), was
constructed.
Holbrook Student Union completed.
Baseball
team won the Gulf States Conference championship. The new golf
team took second place.
March 23, 1957: The Science Building (Frasch
Hall) opened.
April 1957: The Student Senate was reintroduced.
Spring 1957: A new Methodist Student Center was completed. |
|
1957-1958 |
Summer 1957: The
Arena sheltered more than 1000
refugees of Hurricane Audrey.
McNeese enrollment grew to over 2,000.
October 1957: The Catholic Student Center was dedicated.
Rodeo team wins National Intercollegiate Rodeo finals led by
Kenneth Sweeney.
Les DeVall hired as football coach.
Apartments were made available for married students and
rented for $50 per month including utilities.
National sororities chartered:
Chi Omega,
Alpha Delta Pi,
Delta Zeta, Phi Mu.
A baton twirling group known as the
Cowbelles performed with the band under its director,
Kelly Love, who also organized the Flag Corps. |
|
1958-1959 |
Summer 1958: a second women's dormitory,
Beta Hall (Bel
Hall) was constructed.
Fall 1958: the first men's dormitory, the
Blue Dorm
(Watkins Hall), was built.
Fall 1958: ROTC battalion unit became a battle group.
Track, golf, tennis,
& baseball teams win championships.
McNeese Federal Credit Union organized.
McNeese nursing program was approved by the Louisiana State
Nursing Examiners.
January 1959: Julie Christ became the first female
student body president.
Katherine Blum was the first student to earn a degree with a
4.0 average. |
|
1959-1960 |
McNeese evening classes became accredited.
The Governor’s Program for Gifted Children established.
The
Debate team won the Louisiana Speech Tournament.
March 16, 1960: Contract awarded to start construction
on a new library
(formerly located in
Kaufman Hall).
May 16, 1960:
Lether Frazar
died at Lake Charles
Memorial Hospital. |
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the MSU Encyclopedia Index |
|
1960-1961 |
September 1, 1960: Master’s degree in Education approved by the
State Board of Education.
First publication of The Arena, a journal of
creative works
by students and alumni.
April 11, 1961: The City of Lake Charles observed Ralph Ward Day.
Ward led the basketball team to four GSC
championships and one national title in nine years. |
|
1961-1962 |
November 14, 1961: McNeese dedicated
the new two-story
library
named in honor of Lether Frazar.
Dr. Samuel Marino was the Director.
Master
of Arts, Master of Science, Master of Education, and Master of
Music Education degrees offered.
April 1962:
Ralph Squires died from
Hodgkin's Disease;
the new auditorium in the Fine Arts
Building was dedicated to
him. |
|
1962-1963 |
Fall 1962:
ROTC battle group
became a Brigade.
December 1962: State Board of Education authorized
Master’s degrees in
Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics, English, and History.
48 new apartment units available for student families.
The University defined
"student family" as a family where the husband was a full-time student.
President Cusic created five divisions each headed by a
dean: Division of Science -
Stephen Spencer, Division of Humanities - Raleigh A. Suarez,
Division of Fine Arts -
Francis
Bulber, Division of Education - Bruce Landers, and
Division of Graduate Studies -
C.A. Girard.
The State Board of Education ordered state colleges to
provide a required course in "Americanism" vs.
Communism.
May 1963: First master's degree outside of
Education
awarded to Mrs. Althea Davis Pitre.
McNeese began holding three graduation ceremonies per
year. |
|
1963-1964 |
Additions to Fine Arts and
Administration
buildings completed.
The Field House for athletics was constructed.
Health and Physical Education was added to the Master's
program. |
|
1964-1965 |
A second men's dormitory, The
Red Dorm ( Zigler Hall) was
built.
Cowboy Stadium completed and dedicated.
Spring 1965:
The McNeese Foundation established.
April 1965: Funding provided for the conversion of
Chennault Air Base buildings for use as Engineering classrooms
and laboratories. Federal funds received for grants to
students from low-income families.
Mrs. Annie Pinder graduated with a degree in elementary
education at 72 years of age.
March
1965: Names approved for streets
and buildings on campus
|
| |
Campus streets named after Southwest Louisiana
parishes. |
|
1965-1966 |
President Cusic is
the first president to live in
the newly-completed, $86,000
President’s Home.
September 1965:
Dr. Joseph Farrar
died.
January 1966: The establishment of a Division of
Commerce was authorized.
January 27, 1966: A fire breaks out in the offices of campus printing, the Log, and
the
Contraband, destroying
many records and photographs from the early days of the
college.
McNeese suffers its first ROTC member killed in action
in Vietnam, Donald Cornett.
The governor signed a bill allowing the state to pay
interest on student loans.
The "Friends of the Library" was organized.
Jim Clark hired as football coach.
Holbrook Student Union annex added. |
|
1966-1967
|
Collette Hall, a women's dormitory,
was completed and named after
Ida King Collette, a pioneer
Calcasieu Parish Teacher.
Spring 1967:
the new cafeteria and
infirmary
opened.
Bob Hayes hired as track coach.
The
Student Constitution was revised and redefined the
Student
Government Association.
McNeese authorized to offer curricula leading to the
degree of Education Specialist. |
|
1967-1968 |
Fall 1967: The Department of
Engineering began full operation at Chennault Air Base.
November 1967: McNeese became authorized to grant a
Doctor of Education degree.
The Student Union Board was created.
Dr. Clifford M. Byrne became Library Director. |
|
1968-1969 |
Farrar
Hall (College of Education) named after
Dr. Joseph Farrar
was constructed.
Education Specialist was added to the
graduate program; Associate of Science included in degree
program.
Last year for men to be required to register
for military training; ROTC became a voluntary program.
Joe Barbour, 73 years old, named outstanding student.
Barbour was also a member of the Kappa Sigma fraternity.
Kappa Alpha Psi, a black fraternity, was formed.
Spring 1969: McNeese had 4 sororities, 7
fraternities, and 44 other student organizations.
Summer 1969:
Kirkman
Hall (Physical Sciences), named after
Dr. William Kirkman,
was constructed. |
|
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|
|
1969-1970 |
September 11, 1969:
Dr. Thomas Leary from the
Engineering Department named
President.
Fall 1969: Smith Hall
(Administration
Building) named after deceased board member,
A.D.
Smith. Gayle Hall (Agriculture
and Home Economics)
completed.
Student protest movements began due to the Vietnam War
and racial discrimination.
"Rules of Personal Conduct" adopted by the State Board
of Education for all students and faculty in state
institutions.
The official student dress regulations were changed,
allowing women to wear slacks to class for the first time.
Jack Doland named head
football coach and led the team to win the SLC championship.
Schools of Business, Education, Fine Arts, Humanities,
Sciences & Technology, and Graduate Studies were
established.
First Doctor of Education degree granted. |
|
1970-1971 |
Act 138 of the Louisiana Legislature changes
the name of McNeese State College to McNeese State University.
Billy Frank Gossett became the first full-time
alumni affairs director.
Robert Pittman became the Vice-President of Student and
Public Affairs.
Fall 1970:
Burton Hall (women’s
dorm), named for Alice Burton, and
King Hall (men’s dorm), named for
Governor Alvin O. King, were dedicated.
January 1971: Campus
Security Building was completed (now called the
H.C. Drew Center).
March 1971:
President Leary
vetoed a petition to form a Young Republican chapter on
campus.
Norma Guillory was the first
black contestant in the
LaBelle
pageant.
Spring 1971: first graduation to offer cum laude,
magna cum laude, and summa cum laude
designations for honor
graduates. |
|
1971-1972
|
Robert Pittman was the Vice-President for Academic Affairs.
Tony Byles was the Vice-President for Student and Public
Affairs.
Phi Kappa Phi, a national honorary scholastic
fraternity, established on campus.
Installation of a chapter of
Alpha Kappa Alpha, the oldest national black sorority,
on campus.
Blue and gold became the official
colors of McNeese.
Spring 1972: Athletic Director A.I. Ratcliff announced his retirement
and was replaced by
Jack Doland.
February 17,
1972: The last basketball game is played in the McNeese
Arena. The games were played in the Lake Charles Civic Center for 14
years, then in Burton Coliseum.
March 1972: The last stock show in the
Arena. The shows
would now be held in the new
Burton Coliseum.
The Alumni Association gave the final money needed to
purchase a telescope for the McNeese Observatory.
|
|
1972-1973 |
Construction began for a new addition to the
library under the direction
of Mrs. Ruth
Reedy.
McNeese's property at Chennault Air Base provided 70
apartments for married students and housed the School of
Engineering & Technology and the Department of Nursing.
McNeese began a mini-grant program to aid faculty members in
research; grant recipients included: Michael Connella III
(McNeese Farm), John M. Norris III (Environmental Health),
George Dukes (Biology), and Joe Gray Taylor (History). |
|
1973-1974 |
The McNeese Faculty Council began with Dr. Robert Hebert
as Chairman.
Dr. Raleigh Suarez was the
Vice-President for Academic Affairs. Kenneth Sweeney was
the Vice-President for Student and Public Affairs.
Arthur Lee was the Vice-President for Business Affairs.
Coordinating Council for Higher Education (Board of
Regents) approved the criminal justice curriculum.
First black student elected as President of the
Student
Government Association: Whitney G. Harris.
April 1974: Construction of fraternity and sorority
homes on Auburn Street.
May 19, 1974: Lake Charles Mayor James Sudduth
declared "Francis Bulber Day." |
|
1974-1975
|
Retirement of
Francis Bulber.
Four-story addition to
Library completed.
The Cowboy Stadium was expanded to seat 20,000
and include a new track.
Women's basketball and volleyball teams organized.
Sale of beer on campus permitted.
The
Miss LaBelle competition became a preliminary for
the Miss Louisiana and Miss USA contests. |
|
1975-1976 |
Fall 1975: women outnumbered men in
the student body
for the first time.
Department of Educational Services established.
Proceeds from the sale of land at Chennault Air Base would go towards building
Engineering & Technology and Nursing facilities on the main
campus. McNeese donated some land to the Calcasieu
Training and Evaluation Center for retarded children.
November
1975: A fountain dedicated to the
memory of Seaman A. Knapp
was placed in front of Gayle Hall.
Sundaran Swetharanyam ("Sweth")
named Director of the Computer Center.
Basketball and cross country teams won the Southland
Conference championships. |
|
1976 -1977 |
October 1976: Groundbreaking ceremonies
held for the alumni center in memory of
William Gray Stream.
The astronomical observatory on the
McNeese Farm completed.
Football, Basketball, Cross-country and
Golf teams (Hubert Boales, coach)
won the Southland Conference
championship. Coach Jack Doland led his football team to win the
first Independence Bowl in 1976. |
|
1977-1978
|
William Gray Stream
Memorial Alumni Center opened its doors with W.F. Gossett
as
Director.
December 1977: Another annex added to the Holbrook
Student Union (The Ranch).
February 1978: Parra Ballroom named after
Leland Parra.
Student Rodeo organized at Burton Coliseum.
The School of Education received approval of the National
Council of Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE). The
Louisiana Legislature ruled that all students seeking teacher certification
must take the National Teachers Examination (NTE).
July 1978: New tennis courts constructed. |
|
1978-1979
|
Division of Basic Studies organized with
Dr. Robert Hebert as
Director.
Charles Goen named
head of Campus Security.
Women's tennis and softball teams established. |
|
1979-1980 |
Dr. Joe Gray Taylor received the first Distinguished
Teacher/Faculty Award.
Ernie Duplechin
led the football team in an undefeated season.
Baseball coach Johnny Suydam is Southland Conference
Coach of the Year.
December 1979: marked
The Messiah's 40th
anniversary.
July 1, 1980: Jack V. Doland
became
the fourth
President of McNeese. |
|
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|
|
1980-1981 |
September 30, 1980: ground-breaking ceremonies
for the renovation of the
Arena.
Renovations continued with
Frasch Hall,
Kirkman Hall, the Main
Auditorium, and
dormitories.
Robert D. Hebert named Vice President for
Academic Affairs; Kenneth Sweeney became Vice President of
Administrative and Student Affairs.
October 1980: Schools become Colleges:
§
College of Liberal Arts
(Fine Arts, Humanities) - Richey Novak, Dean
§
College of Education -
Louis Rzepka, Dean
§
College of the Sciences
- Dr. B.E. Hankins, Dean
§
Graduate School - Dr.
Judith Morgan, Dean
§
College of Business -
Dr. Eldon Bailey, Dean
§
Department of Nursing
(soon to be the College of Nursing) -
Dr. Anita Fields, Dean
Richard H. Reid became
Director of Library
Services upon the retirement of Mrs. Ruth Reedy.
Cowgirl Kickers organized.
|
|
1981-1982 |
Retirement of
Dolive
Benoit, the last of the original 1939 faculty.
State Board of Nursing gives complete
approval to the Department of Nursing.
Department of Nursing nationally accredited
by the National League for Nursing in 1982.
Summer 1982: Completion of renovations to
Fine Arts
building including the Band Rehearsal Hall. |
|
1982-1983 |
Fall 1982: King Hall reconverted to a
dormitory.
November 1982:
Opening of the Intramural
Recreation Complex
which includes an indoor/outdoor pool, racquetball courts,
steam room & sauna, basketball courts, and indoor track.
Dr. Jim Brown replaced Dean Rzepka in the
College of
Education.
Dr. Wilford Miles became Dean of the
College of Business.
Hubert Boales became head football coach.
Spring 1983: students voted to assess
themselves one dollar
per semester for a theatre on campus and in return receive
free
admission.
February 1983: Groundbreaking ceremonies held for
the Business Economic Center.
In baseball, Ray Fontenot signed by the New York Yankees; Shanie Dugas
signed by the Cleveland Indians. |
|
1983
|
Department of Agriculture began its sponsorship of the McNeese
Classic Livestock Show and Rodeo at the
Burton Coliseum. McNeese
took ownership of
Burton Coliseum from the
Calcasieu Parish Police
Jury.
Buford Jordan selected football
All-American.
John McCann became head football coach.
Dr. Joe Gray Taylor replaces Richey Novak as
Dean of the College of Liberal Arts.
Vice-President for Business Affairs was Robert Turner.
Outstanding Alumni Award presented to William F. (Bill)
Gossett. |
|
1984 |
The Business Economic Center completed.
Outstanding Alumni Award presented to Dr. John R. (Mickey)
Royer.
Winner of the Distinguished Faculty Award was Fred Sahlmann
of the
Department of Music. |
|
1985 |
Winner of the Distinguished Faculty Award was David Tauber of
the
Department of Chemistry.
Joe Dumars
named basketball All-American.
First female athlete honored in the McNeese Hall of Fame for
basketball, Vicky Chapman. |
|
1986 |
Dr. Charles Bettinger replaces Wilford Miles
as Dean of the
College of Business.
The College of Basic Studies receives
national recognition for excellence in academic advising by
the National Association of Academic Advising.
The Ranch received a third
annex.
Fall 1986: home basketball games played in
Burton Coliseum.
Former McNeese football stars, Stephen Starring playing for
the New England Patriots and Keith Ortego playing for the
Chicago Bears, participated in the Super Bowl.
McNeese
participated in its first National Invitational Tournament
in basketball.
Bill Reigel was the first McNeese athlete to be inducted into the
Louisiana Sports Hall of Fame.
Outstanding Alumni Award presented to Dr. Cecil Cyrus Vaughn.
James N. Beck of Chemistry was the winner of the
Distinguished Faculty Award. |
|
1987 |
February 1, 1987: Academic Vice
President,
Robert D. Hebert,
became acting President.
Dean of the
College of Sciences,
Dr. Bob Hankins, appointed
as Academic Vice President.
Dr. Kalil Ieyoub replaced Hankins as Dean of the
College
of Sciences.
Sonny Jackson became head football coach.
Fall 1987: Steven C. Welch
became head basketball
coach.
Heather Kelley of Visual Arts won the Distinguished
Faculty Award.
BACCHUS (Boosting Alcohol Consciousness Concerning the
Health of University Students) organized and chartered. |
|
1988 |
The Department of Visual Arts sponsored the
first McNeese National Works of Art on Paper Exhibition.
The Business and Economic Center was renamed
the Burton Business Center in honor of Mr. and Mrs.
W.T.
Burton.
The Engineering and Technology building was
named Drew Hall in honor of Harrison C. Drew.
The baseball
team won the Southland Conference championship.
Kalil Ieyoub became the
Vice-President for Administration & Student Affairs.
The Distinguished Alumni Award presented to Vice President
for Administration and Student Affairs Kenneth Sweeney.
Greek organization racial protests broke out causing
suspension of three organizations, disciplinary action for
student violations of the Code of Conduct, and resignations
from 2 university representatives.
The men's tennis team was among the top 25 teams among American
universities; the men's basketball team finished in the first round of
the NCAA Division I National Championship. |
|
1989 |
Dr. Daniel Sutherland, Head of the Department
of History, receives Pulitzer Prize nomination for his book,
The Confederate Carpetbaggers.
April 1989: The
College
of Business receives national accreditation by the American
Assembly of Collegiate Schools of Business.
The Auditorium was placed on the
National Register of Historic Places.
Former President Jack Doland
became a State
Senator.
March 1989: McNeese
basketball team makes first appearance at the NCAA
tournament. |
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|
1990
|
Bobby Keasler became head football
coach.
The McNeese Arena was renamed to
Ralph O. Ward Memorial
Arena.
Director of the Division of Basic Studies - Raymond E. Chavanne.
Coordinator of Academic Advising - Edward Khoury;
Coordinator of Orientation - Sandra Moore; Director of
Special Projects - Brenda Ball; Coordinator of the
Counseling Center - Betty Jeanne Cayton; Director of
Office of Community Services - George Kuffel. |
|
1991 |
Shearman Fine Arts Center
named for Flora I. &
Thomas B. Shearman, Sr.
McNeese adopts the slogan "Excellence with a
Personal Touch" to reflect the qualities of the
university. |
|
1992 |
The Lake Charles Junior College
Auditorium was renamed the Bulber Auditorium after
Dr.
Francis G. Bulber.
The Athletic Complex & Field House was named for
Jack V. Doland. |
|
1993 |
Frasch Hall Annex completed.
First director of the Master of Fine Arts Creative
Writing Program -
Robert Olen
Butler receives the Pulitzer Prize for fiction. |
|
1994 |
|
|
1995 |
Dr. James M. Brown,
Jr. serves as Vice President for Academic Affairs
and Provost.
The NFL drafted two MSU football players: Kavita Pittman
for the Dallas Cowboys, and Henry Fields for the former
Cleveland Browns. Fields was also known for having broke
Buford Jordan's rushing record. |
|
1996 |
The women's soccer team was organized. |
|
1997 |
ROTC program closes.
First student representative to be elected to the
Louisiana Board of Regents since 1979 was Vera LeBrun. |
|
1998 |
Adams Distance Learning, named for John Arthur Adams, was
created and is housed in the BBC.
Vice-President for Business Affairs - Don McNeil;
Vice-President for Development and Public Affairs -
Richard Reid.
Summer: Division of Basic Studies hired students
as "Peer Leaders" to assist first-time students at
McNeese. |
|
1999
|
Kirby Brucchaus became head football
coach. |
|
2000
|
Fall 2000:
Hardtner Hall, named
for Juliet Hardtner,
completed & housing the
College of Nursing and the
Department of Mass Communications.
Tommy Tate became head football
coach.
The Sports Medicine Center was added to the
Doland
Athletic Complex.
The women's golf team was organized.
Director of the Division of Continuing Education - Betty
Anderson. |
|
2001 |
The Wellness Center was completed as an
annex to the
Recreation Complex.
King, Watkins, and Zigler Halls were demolished and plans were made for the
building of new student apartments.
A new student group organized called S.P.U.R.S.
(Students Performing with Untiring Rowdy Spirit). This
is a spirit organization and provides scholarships to
help students who pay out-of-state tuition.
Colleges, Deans, and Departments:
|
|
2002 |
Dr. Jeanne Daboval
named Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
(first female VP in McNeese history).
Vice-President for Special Services and Equity - Dr. Whitney Harris. |
|
2003 |
Department of Agriculture Sciences is
named in honor of
Harold and Pearl Dripps.
Department of Teacher Education
adds an Alternative Certification concentration for
graduates without a degree in education and Graduate
Studies later adopts the Master of Arts in Teaching
program. |
|
2004 |
Dr. Rosemary Gray
named Vice-President for Special Services and Equity. |
|
2005 |
Vice-President for Business Affairs - Eddie Meche.
The Department of Languages became the
Department of English & Foreign Languages; Department
Head - Joe Cash. Entrance Plaza constructed as part of the
Campus Development Committee's plan to attract students
and visitors to the university.
September 2005:
Campus closed due to mandatory parish evacuations for Hurricane Rita which
caused major destruction to campus facilities. |
|
2006 |
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