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October 22, 2010

Nick Bruno named Eighth President of the University of Louisiana at Monroe

The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System today named Nick J. Bruno the eighth president of the University of Louisiana at Monroe.

"I don't know many occasions when I've been speechless, but I hoped for this result.  I am proud to be named president of ULM.  I will work very hard with all who love this university.  Linda and I will dedicate ourselves.  Thank you very much," said Bruno.

President Bruno was one of three finalists that interviewed this morning for the university's top position.  The Board vote was 13 yea and one abstention.  Student Board Member and ULM Student Government Association President Brook Sebren's abstention was followed by the following remark, "I am a big supporter of Dr. Nick Bruno and will stand behind him no matter what the voting record shows."

During his interview, Bruno spoke about bringing "synergy" to the campus.  "If we work with sister schools, community colleges and the community we will maintain a great institution.  ULM is critical to Northeast Louisiana, and I will work very hard to build a certain type of synergy to satisfy the mission of having a great institution," he said.

Bruno's wife, Linda, expressed excitement when asked about her role as the president's spouse.  "To a large extent I will continue to be a partner and helper to Nick, but I am very excited about the possibilities to do more on campus."  She referenced spending extensive time at events, especially athletics, with their daughters when they were last in Monroe.

Although Bruno currently serves as the Vice President for Business and Finance at the UL System, he spent three years (2002-2005) at ULM as Vice President for Business Affairs and Associate Vice President for Business Affairs.  Prior to his work at ULM, he worked for 27 years at Southeastern Louisiana University in various capacities.   His teaching experience includes adjunct instruction in the area of management at Southeastern.

Referencing the nation's longest-serving sitting university president, Xavier University of New Orleans Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs Loren Blanchard said, "There is no magic formula that says a path to the presidency has to be achieved unilaterally.  My own president, Norman Francis, is a lawyer by training.  Nick Bruno is an educational administrator with the characteristics of a president.  He is a man who has prepared himself for a very long time for this; a man with a proven record in every role he has served."

Bruno's salary and terms of appointment will be negotiated with UL System President Randy Moffett.  His official start date is not yet known, although he told the Board he could be on campus as early as one week.

To learn more about the search process, visit www.ulsystem.edu/ULMSearch. 

Founded in 1931, ULM is a selective admissions university classified as a Carnegie Master's L (large) and SREB Four-Year 3 institution.  The university offers several undergraduate and graduate degrees to almost 9,000 traditional, non-traditional and distance-learning students.  The 238-acre campus located in northeastern Louisiana is home to the only state-supported College of Pharmacy.

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