UL's longtime president Ray Authement has died at the age of 91.

He is survived by his wife, Barbara, his daughter, Julie Johnson, and his son, Ray Authement Jr.

He was preceded in death by his daughter, Kathleen A. Prouet, who died of leukemia in 1999.

Authement was the president of the University of Louisiana At Lafayette for more than thirty years.

He was able to propel UL under his leadership into a major economic force in Acadiana.

He also assisted in earning the university national reputation in the sciences.

He was responsible for the development of University Research Park, the LITE facility and a hotel.

KATC reports that since the mid-1980s, Authement established more than a dozen research centers, including the Louisiana Productivity Center and Institute of Cognitive Science.

Current UL Lafayette President Dr. Joseph Savoie announced Authement's death in a statement released Sunday evening.

You can read the full statement below.

Dr. Ray P. Authement was president of this University for 34 years, yet longevity alone is an insufficient measure by which to assess the transformational nature of his tenure.

Through dedication, determination and selflessness, he changed how the University saw itself and how others perceived it as well. He guided our growth from a strong regional University to one recognized nationally and globally for its research and scholarship.

During Dr. Authement’s presidency, we became the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, a significant center of learning, an engine of economic growth, and a place that prioritizes student success and academic excellence.

Our University’s achievements today – and its importance to Louisiana’s future – are rooted in the foundation he built. UL Lafayette stands as a monument to his visionary leadership.

Gail and I join the University community in offering our condolences to Barbara, Julie and the entire Authement family.

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