Louisiana SR 225: COMMENDATIONS: Commends Thomas Lovince for his more than thirty years of state service, particularly for his leadership and determination in re-establishing Delgado Sidney Collier, an essential institution of higher learning following the catastrophic damage sustained by the campus as a result of Hurricane Katrina.

Bill Text

2019 Regular Session ENROLLED
SENATE RESOLUTION NO. 225
BY SENATOR BISHOP
A RESOLUTION
To commend Thomas Lovince for his more than thirty years of state service, and
particularly for his leadership and determination in re-establishing Delgado Sidney
Collier, an essential institution of higher learning following the catastrophic damage
sustained by the campus as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
WHEREAS, in his more than thirty year career, Thomas Lovince focused on the
designing, implementation, evaluation, and administration of information technology
solutions in the administrative and academic computing environment for higher education,
particularly at Southern University, and his teaching career at both Southern University and
at Delgado Community College, beginning in 1985; and
WHEREAS, in 2002, Thomas Lovince took the reins of the day-to-day direction for
the information technology staff in central and satellite locations for Delgado Community
College, an essential institution of higher learning in the Greater New Orleans metropolitan
area; and
WHEREAS, in his leadership of this essential aspect of learning and communication
in the twenty-first century, Thomas Lovince has helped to determine and shape all
information technology policies in collaboration with all user communities, in an effort to
provide users with accessible and functional information systems; and
WHEREAS, in the midst of this technical world, Thomas Lovince might never have
imagined his most challenging job at Delgado Community College, which would be facing
the near-total destruction that Hurricane Katrina wrought at the Sidney Collier campus; and
WHEREAS, the designing, building, and opening for classes of the Sidney Collier
campus was paramount to Thomas Lovince, and in July, 2013 he was named executive dean
of Delgado Sidney Collier; at the time of his appointment, the campus had remained closed
since 2005; and
Page 1 of 2

SR NO. 225 ENROLLED
WHEREAS, to rebuild and revitalize what Mr. Lovince saw as an essential
post-secondary educational campus, was a daunting task, but he accepted the challenge, and
in April 2015, ground was broken on the reconstruction of this campus, at which classes
were again held beginning on Monday, August 18, 2014, a mere thirteen and one-half
months following Lovince's appointment as executive dean; and
WHEREAS, in order to ensure that the public would be aware of the reopening of
the campus and what educational opportunities would be available, Mr. Lovince conducted
ten community outreach meetings for the public, strove to build foundational relationships
with community organizers, and cohosted a weekly radio program to promote the re-opening
of the campus; and
WHEREAS, technical classes began that September 2014, and they opened with
enrollment of more than three hundred credit hour students beginning their studies at Sidney
Collier with an additional seventy-five adult basic education students taking advantage of
this opportunity to enrich their educational experience; and
WHEREAS, a vital educational resource devastated by Hurricane Katrina reopened
to serve the community in need of flexible and accessible higher education opportunities,
including technical and skilled craft training offerings; Sidney Collier owes its rejuvenation
largely to one man, Thomas Lovince, a man deeply committed to restoring a community
resource devastated by damage from Hurricane Katrina, who was willing to work tirelessly
to ensure that the Sidney Collier campus would, again, serve its community as an
unparalleled resource.
THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Senate of the Legislature of Louisiana
does hereby commend Thomas Lovince for his more than thirty years of state service, and
particularly for his leadership and determination in reestablishing Delgado Sidney Collier,
an institution of higher learning following the catastrophic damage sustained by the campus
as a result of Hurricane Katrina.
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
Thomas Lovince.
PRESIDENT OF THE SENATE
Page 2 of 2