UL System Board Evaluates Clausen, Calls Her Performance “Extraordinary”

UL System Board Evaluates Clausen, Calls Her Performance “Extraordinary” – Mar 28, 2003

BATON ROUGE, LA. – University of Louisiana System President Sally Clausen received the highest evaluation possible today from her board, the second such evaluation since Clausen assumed the presidency in July 2001.

After reviewing Clausen’s goals and accomplishments, the Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System determined that she had completed 10 of her 16 goals for 2002-03. The others are either ongoing efforts or projects that are expected to be completed “in a timely fashion.”

“It’s difficult to measure Dr. Clausen’s performance with a checklist. Her performance is really off the charts. It would be very difficult for us to come up with an adjective to describe her performance. It’s simply extraordinary,” UL System Board Member Andre Coudrain said.

Coudrain, chair of an ad hoc committee that conducted the evaluation, acknowledged Clausen’s higher education leadership, both locally and nationally.

“Our campuses, our system, our state and even the region are lucky to have her. I don’t think it’s an overstatement to say she’s a leader in higher education in the nation,” Coudrain said.

“The committee attempted to talk with her about compensation, but she stopped us. It’s clear an adjustment is warranted and earned, but she asked us to defer action on that.”

The Board asked UL System staff to provide a comparative analysis of compensation for use at a later date.

Among Clausen’s accomplishments, she and UL System staff have:

Completed institutional reviews of Grambling State University and Nicholls State University

Conducted a national search and hired a new president for Nicholls

Furthered partnerships between the UL System, the Louisiana Community and Technical College System, other systems and the Board of Regents

Continued collaboration and sharing of resources and information among pre-K-12 schools and universities in the UL System.

Conducted two statewide forums: an education forum for gubernatorial candidates and other state leaders and a clinic to assist universities in achieving National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education (NCATE) accreditation

In her first evaluation in August 2002, Clausen received equally high marks. She turned down compensation at that time as well, saying she wanted to complete all of her 2001-02 goals, which she has since done.

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For More Information Contact:
Catherine Heitman
225/342-6950