The University of Louisiana at Lafayette is expected to receive about $2 million to pump up its academic and research programs in computing, engineering and nursing.
The money is available through the $40 million WISE Fund proposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal and approved earlier this year by the state legislature. WISE stands for Workforce and Innovation for a Stronger Economy. The fund is intended to encourage innovation and commitment in certain fields.
Universities and colleges competed for shares of the $40 million, largely based on the degrees and certificates each produces in high-demand fields.
Earlier this week, the University of Louisiana System approved the University’s plan for spending WISE funds and OK’d an allocation of $2,012,458 to implement it. To qualify, schools must match 20 percent of the funding from a business partner, either through cash or an in-kind contribution meant to foster better ties to the business community.
The University’s plan must also be approved by the WISE Council and the Louisiana Board of Regents.
“UL Lafayette had already been a leader in working with the business community, recently announcing 1,000 jobs to be created from attracting three new companies to Louisiana and the University ranking in the top 10 in the U.S. for its share of research funding from private industry,” said Dr. Jim Henderson, provost and vice president of Academic Affairs at UL Lafayette.
“Our WISE plan, along with the financial support from the state and private sector, will help us to achieve greater success for our students and the state’s economy.”
UL Lafayette would use the WISE funds to provide more faculty and resources.
New hires would include two faculty positions and a recruitment and retention coordinator in School of Computing and Informatics, a petroleum engineering assistant professor, and two instructors each for engineering and nursing programs.
New scholarships would provide undergraduate and graduate stipends and assistantships to up to a dozen computer science students, a dozen engineering students, and a half a dozen nursing students. Instructional and research laboratories in engineering and computer science would be enhanced, too.