[StBernard] Regents, LRA to Hold Public Hearing on University Research and Educational Enhancement Plan

Westley Annis westley at da-parish.com
Wed Feb 7 19:58:54 EST 2007


Regents, LRA to Hold Public Hearing on University Research and Educational Enhancement Plan

BATON ROUGE, La. (February 7, 2007)-The Louisiana Board of Regents and the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) will host a public hearing at 9 a.m. Friday, February 9, in New Orleans to solicit input on a draft strategic plan for the first phase of the Research Competitiveness and Educational Enhancement Program. The plan suggests an approach for spending the $28.5 million in Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, provided by the U.S. Departmen! t of Housing and Urban Development, for investment in research institutions impacted by the hurricanes. These funds are intended to help rebuild the storm-damaged university campuses in ways that help Louisiana develop and grow a technology- and innovation-driven economy. Funds may be used to support research, facilitate commercialization of university-developed products and processes in Louisiana, and support educational activities that will build a trained workforce for technology-based companies. Public and private colleges and universities in the eight parishes hardest hit by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita will be eligible to apply for these funds.

"In terms of the education and training they provide and the potential economic impact of the research they conduct, colleges and universities have a significant impact on their local communities," said Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie. "With the strong support and assistance of the Louisiana Recovery A! uthority, we have been able to secure federal funding to maximize that impact, and we look forward to this opportunity to share our strategy with the community and hear what they have to say about the plan." "This program invests recovery funds in our storm-damaged campuses to help Louisiana further develop and grow a knowledge-based economy," said LRA Executive Director Andy Kopplin. "It will focus on supporting research that can lead to new products and processes, ways to link these processes and products to companies that can use or sell them, and training the workforce needed to support these companies.

" The hearing will be held from 9 a.m. through 3 p.m. in the le de France Ballroom, Salon Three of the J.W. Marriott Hotel (614 Canal Street). According to Dr. Kerry Davidson, Board of Regents Deputy Commissioner for Sponsored Programs, the public hearing has both immediate and longer-range purposes. "The first purpose is to inform completion of a regional Phase I Strategic Plan; second, to have the Phase I Plan inform developmen! t of a request for proposals leading to college and university grants of approximately $28 million by May 2007; and finally, to have the regional Phase I Plan and the RFP process lead to a statewide Phase II Strategic Plan for economic development by October 2007," Davidson said. Copies of the draft Strategic Plan, prepared by Regional Technology Strategies, Inc., are available for public inspection at the offices of the Board of Regents at 1201 North Third Street, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70802 (Telephone: 225-342-4253) and on the Board's website, http://laregents.org. Additional information and the approved Action Plan for the RC/EEP are available on the Board of Regents' website. Written comments may be received by the Board of Regents in advance of the public hearing. These comments and any questions in advance of the hearing may be directed to Dr. Kerry Davidson, at the Board of Regents.

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