Letter from the Dean
The Dean Search Committee has done a terrific job. With a
Architectural Record. And then there was Andrea Daugherty,
little luck, a new dean will be in place by July 1, and I will retire.
an interior design professor whose boundless energy and en-
The impact of the change will ripple through the College as a
thusiasm became synonymous with great teaching. Lighting
new source of energy and perhaps a shift in direction. We may
was Andrea’s primary interest, but she turned on more met-
see subtle changes at first—like the visiting pelicans changing
aphorical lights in the minds of her students than anyone
direction as they swim across the LSU lakes; they look so calm
could count. Finally, there was Doc Reich. What more can be
on the surface, even as their feet churn beneath the water to
said about the man who created the Robert Reich School of
take them where they need to go.
Landscape Architecture? His exploits are legendary, and his
If I can carry the metaphor further, it may be time for me to
conviction that field trip experiences are critical to the edu-
consider the reflections on the water, reflections which have
cation of young designers continues to shape the activities of
made up the highlights of 26 years at LSU. My first is how very
the School.
special teachers are. Regardless of where they work, teach-
If there were time and space, I could go on and on, but that
ers are often underpaid and underappreciated, yet they define
nostalgia wouldn’t be fair to our very talented young faculty
their worth by the accomplishments of their students. By that
who have wonderful accomplishments of their own. You will
measure, I have seen a great many success stories here in
read about some of those accomplishments in these pages,
the College of Art + Design. In every school, department, and
but please go beyond this newsletter and click through our
program, the talent and creativity of our faculty sparkles, and
website (www.design.lsu.edu) to see much of their remark-
it takes but a casual glance at these newsletters and annual
able work for yourselves.
reports to see the ways in which they contribute to a vibrant
My point is simple; the faces have changed, but the quality of
and stimulating learning environment for so many students.
our college has remained a constant thanks to the talent and
My interim dean gig began in the summer of 2010, but the
dedication of the faculty we have hired year after year. It has
special teachers I’m talking about go as far back as my first
been such a pleasure to represent this faculty and the impres-
year as dean of the college in 1986. Painter Ed Pramuk, with
sive students they have helped to enter the worlds of architec-
his Gauguin hat and his Rousseau look, comes immediately
ture, art, interior design, and landscape architecture. I hope
to mind. Ed was a teacher as approachable as a big brother.
you have as much pride in your association with the College as
Ed would visit with you and talk about painting, but if you
I do. Please continue to extend your support to the College of
got him on the subject of jazz and how it influenced his work,
Art + Design and to the new dean, who will inevitably need and
you would really be in for a treat. Likewise, Bob Heck in the
appreciate that help as much as I have. And let’s hope that the
School of Architecture was very approachable and yet a clear
pelicans continue to return, year after year.
authority on architecture. Bob could make structures built 2000 years ago seem as relevant to the project a student
Regards,
was currently working on as a building in the latest issue of
Ken Carpenter, Dean
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