Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           
    Date: 12/2/96
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  28

Editors: Photo accompanies release
HIGHER EDUCATION COMMISSIONER TO SPEAK AT SLU COMMENCEMENT
     HAMMOND -- Louisiana's Interim Commissioner of Higher Education Dr. E. Joseph
Savoie will be the keynote speaker at Southeastern Louisiana University's December 14
commencement program. 
     Savoie has been in higher education administration and has worked on higher education
issues in Louisiana for the past 18 years. He was a member of Governor Mike Foster's Higher
Education Transition Team and served on the staff of former Governor Edwin Edwards'
Proaction Commission for Higher Education and Commission on Higher Education in the 21st
Century. He also was on the staff of the Louisiana Accountability in Public Higher Education
Advisory Committee.
     Savoie has served as vice president for university advancement at the University of
Southwestern Louisiana since 1992. From 1981-1991 he was executive director of the USL
Alumni Association and he also holds an adjunct assistant professorship in USL's College of
Education.
     Savoie holds a Doctor of Education in educational administration from Columbia
University's Teachers College. He received his master's and bachelor's degrees from USL.
     Savoie is chair of District IV of the Council for Advancement and Support of Education,
which includes Arkansas, Louisiana, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Mexico. As
Commissioner of Higher Education he serves on a variety of educational commissions and
committees.
                                 (MORE) 
SAVOIE IS COMMENCEMENT SPEAKER -- Add One

      Assisting Southeastern President Sally Clausen in presenting diplomas to the expected
800 graduates will be Hammond attorney Andre Coudrain, a member of the University of
Louisiana System Board of Trustees.
     The commencement program will begin at 2 p.m. in the SLU University Center.
                                 -SLU-