CRIME BRIEFS: Denham Springs woman
SPORTS: Hill hits the field
found with Schedule II drugs near campus, p. 5
after a tumultuous past, p. 7
Reveille The Daily
www.lsureveille.com
Wednesday, August 22, 2012 • Volume 117, Issue 3
‘STUDENTS BELIEVE IN THEMSELVES, AND I FIND IT INSPIRATIONAL.’
Jenkins, interim system president and chancellor, on why he’s back at LSU Chris Grillot Staff Writer
Editor’s note: This is the first in a two-part profile of the University’s newest leaders. From a farm in South Africa to the Louisiana swamps, Interim System President and Chancellor William “Bill” Jenkins has done it all when it comes to higher education, and most of it fell into his lap without his asking for it. The 75-year-old has served as the University’s chancellor twice, system president once and dean of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine — and he’s never applied for an administrative job. Born on a farm in South Africa, he never intended to work in higher education. He spent his childhood playing rugby and cricket, while aspiring to become a veterinarian. “I always wanted to do it and fulfilled that dream,” he said. He thought the highest level he would ever reach was being a
CATHERINE THRELKELD / The Daily Reveille
veterinary school dean. But Jenkins moved through the ranks of higher education. He came to the United States and received a Ph.D. in veterinary medicine from the University of Missouri in Columbia in 1970. He returned to South Africa and
practiced veterinary medicine for four years before joining the faculty of the University of Pretoria in South Africa. In 1978, Jenkins moved back to the United States amid violent turmoil in South Africa. He spent 10 years working
in the Department of Veterinary Physiology and Pharmacology at Texas A&M, and was appointed dean of the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine in 1988. By 1993, he became the executive vice chancellor and provost, and in 1996, he was named chancellor for the first time. “I thought being a dean would be the culmination of my career,” he said. As an administrator, Jenkins won awards, served on select national committees and even met six presidents — Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush, Jimmy Carter and Bill Clinton. Jenkins’ ability to relate to all people regardless of status led him to many positions, said Peggy, his wife of 51 years. “He’s honest, and he’s got integrity,” she said. “And he’s a people person. He’s always there to spend time with the little people.” His achievements also come from his ability to assess multiple angles of problems from different perspectives, said Laura Lindsay, dean of the College of Human Sciences and Education. Lindsay has worked with Jenkins since he started working at the University. “He tries to bring people together who have a stake in issues JENKINS, see page 5
See an extended interview with Interim System President and Chancellor Bill Jenkins at Tigertv.tv
CONSTRUCTION
Expansion planned for Nicholson Drive Ben Wallace Senior Contributing Writer
Imagine a Nicholson Drive four lanes wide from American Mart to Walk-On’s with bike lanes and widened sidewalks flanking the heavily trafficked stretch of road. Envision turning lanes in all four directions at the intersection of Nicholson and Brightside drives. Think about more efficient light timing cycles to help shorten the line of cars that regularly backs up southward hundreds of feet past Ben Hur Road, as well as hundreds of feet westward down Brightside during peak traffic hours.
That daydream is only a few years away from becoming reality, according to David Guillory, interim director of Public Works for the city. As part of Baton Rouge’s Green Light Plan to alleviate roadways and abate citywide traffic issues, Nicholson will undergo two separate construction projects beginning in fall 2013. Construction at the notoriously gridlocked intersection of Brightside and Nicholson could begin as early as October 2013, Guillory said. The second project expanding Nicholson from Brightside to Gourrier Avenue EXPANSION, see page 6
TAYLOR BALKOM / The Daily Reveille
A line of vehicles is caught in traffic Friday evening on Nicholson Drive at Brightside Drive. An expansion project at the intersection is slated to begin fall 2013.
CAMPUS LIFE
LSU drops off top 20 party school list Students surprised by loss of status Wilborn Nobles III Senior Contributing Writer
The 2013 edition of “The Best 377 Colleges” by The Princeton Review lists the nation’s top 20 party schools, and LSU is nowhere in sight. After students answered questions about aspects of college like campus life, academics and the student body, West Virginia University was chosen as No. 1 among the list of colleges known to party. Last year, LSU sat in the 13th spot. LSU students offered mixed explanations for why the University is absent from the list, but most agreed the revelation was surprising. “There’s a whole bunch of parties here. We should be the top party school,” said Daney Glover, music education freshman. Other students said the reason LSU may be absent from the list is because students are more interested in other college aspects. “Maybe people are interested in organizations or going off campus or maybe they’re studying more,” said Caroline Boley, a history junior who responded to the new list with disbelief. Some students, like interdisciplinary studies senior Angelica Martin, said The Princeton Review may have chosen to ignore the University’s status as the top partying school to give other colleges an opportunity to make the list. Martin said she thinks people are “sick of seeing LSU on the list every year” and said people are probably curious to learn about different schools that are not as well known. “Maybe it’s because LSU’s been considered a party school for so long and it still is, but maybe the newspaper people are trying to highlight other schools,” Martin said.
Contact Wilborn Nobles III at wnobles@lsureveille.com