Revived football program helps increase enrollment at Lamar University

[bigred360]

http://www.beaumontenterprise.com/news/local/lu_sees_enrollment_growth_through_2020.html

[NorthoftheBorder]

Wouldn't that be great!  20k+ students with hopefully at least 8-10k living on campus.  Can you imagine what that would do for the revitalization of Beaumont, especially South Park.  If I was City Manager Kyle Hayes, I would be working with Dr. Simmons closely (like weekly) to see what infrastructure the city can provide to help fuel the growth.  Maybe finally our leaders will work together and use their collective brain power and resources for the good of the community.

[TradinUp BH]

The problem is I don't see Dr. Simmons staying around too much longer. He wanted to get enrollment up and restart the football program. Both have been done. He might not be around for very many more years. Hopefully they continue to buy up all of the land between campus and MLK. I would tear down those apartment complexes, and I think they might be able to expand that way. The problem is you have ugly scenery around the campus. ie concrete company, old warehouses, plants, falling down homes. I hope it happens and they do expand though.

[NorthoftheBorder]

[quote name="Scalp'em" post="855110" timestamp="1285350306"]
The problem is I don't see Dr. Simmons staying around too much longer. He wanted to get enrollment up and restart the football program. Both have been done. He might not be around for very many more years. Hopefully they continue to buy up all of the land between campus and MLK. I would tear down those apartment complexes, and I think they might be able to expand that way. The problem is you have ugly scenery around the campus. ie concrete company, old warehouses, plants, falling down homes. I hope it happens and they do expand though.
[/quote]

That's the 64k question.  How long will he continue to be president.  My guess is 3-5 years.  He has to be in his mid 60's but appears to be very vibrant.  I would hope that there is a succession plan in place (not a specific individual necessarily) but a profile of the type of person.  It needs to be the [b]best[/b] person, not someones friend.  He is unique because he truly loves the University and the area and wants the best for both.  That is why Kyle Hayes should capitalize on the time left during Dr. Simmons tenure.  I've said it before, based on his body of work todate, he is the greatest leader in my 33 years of association (as student and alum) with the LU.  I believe an argument can be made he is the best all time.  I think it will only get better before his time is up.