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Fletcher Technical Community College’s leader for 30 years will retire this summer.
Travis Lavigne said he will step down on or around June 15 and that he will use his free time to spend more time with his two transplanted daughters and their grandchildren. Lavigne has been at the community college for nearly 43 years, garnering an unrivaled depth of institutional knowledge as the two-year school’s partnership network, programs, enrollment and infrastructure have blossomed.
The chancellor labeled himself “blessed” for spending what will be 42 years, 10 months at the same school. He spoke fondly of students, educators, the local legislative delegation, corporate partners who invested in the school’s programs and of his mentor, the school’s namesake.
“I was very fortunate to work for Mr. (L.E.) Fletcher back then. He had a vision for creating something that parents would be proud to send their students to, and I’ve been working toward that all these years,” Lavigne said during an interview. “Now I’m 70 years old. Maybe it’s time to let somebody else come in, and hopefully they will be younger and smarter and do an even better job. … I’ve had a wonderful career. I have no regrets. It’s been a blessing.”
Lavigne made the announcement Friday inside the newly minted BP Integrated Production Technologies building ahead of a roundtable discussion with educators, industry leaders and U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu that focused on workforce development. The two-year college sprouted from the fertile confluence of education and industry and has been a focal point as stakeholders seek to rectify labor shortages plaguing south Louisiana’s businesses.
“I really appreciate you stepping up with your leadership for these many years and all that you’ve done to lead Fletcher, one of our great technical and community colleges,” Landrieu said. “We all took that (retirement) news sadly because you’ve been a phenomenal leader and so wonderful to work with.”
Lavigne started his career at the evolving school – then it was South Louisiana Trade School – in 1971 as a related-studies instructor. Three years later he was named assistant to Director L.E. Fletcher, whom Lavigne succeeded in 1984. When the state granted Fletcher status as a technical community college in 2003, Lavigne was named its first chancellor.
Fletcher enrolled nearly 2,600 students last fall, a 3-percent fall-to-fall increase, and counted 2,254 this spring, a 9-percent year-to-date jump, according to Jessica Thornton, the school’s director of philanthropy and stewardship. In fall 2005, enrollment was 809.
Fletcher has not been immune to cuts in state appropriations, so while the school’s enrollment has grown, its budgetary growth has been limited. Two-thirds of the college’s $8.2-million spending plan is funded by tuition, Lavigne said.
The school moved its headquarters into its $21.3 million, 99,000-square-foot Schriever campus in August 2012. Opened last month was the new BP IPT building, which sits behind the main campus and was funded with BP and state contributions to train workers primarily in the deep-water oil-and-gas industry. Work on the school’s new $6 million Louisiana Marine and Petroleum Institute building at Dickson Road is ongoing.
Fletcher offers broad programs, such as criminal justice, accounting, nursing and general studies, but the school has become known for educating students in petroleum, manufacturing and marine programs, which are tailored to south Louisiana’s industrial landscape.
Lavigne along with retired Nicholls State University President Stephen Hulbert aligned programs of the two- and four-year institutions to cut costs to Nicholls, increase Fletcher’s offerings and minimize reduction of services available to post-secondary students in the region during a time of massive budget cuts to higher education. Gov. Bobby Jindal lauded their collaboration as an example of how postsecondary schools should work together in the modern era of fewer state dollars.
Lavigne said Fletcher has embraced its role in the community: Provide an opportunity for students to receive two-year degrees and an avenue for them to transfer to four-year universities. The community college is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools.
“I don’t have any objection to students wanting to leave early,” Lavigne said. “That’s part of our mission.”
Lavigne said he intends to continue his civic engagements. He serves on Houma-Terrebonne Chamber of Commerce’s board of directors and is a member of the Bayou Industrial Group and the South Central Industrial Association. He also chairs the Louisiana Student Financial Assistance Commission, which administers the statewide scholarship program and other financial aid.
The Louisiana Community and Technical College System, a 13-school network, will be tasked with selecting Lavigne’s replacement. LCTCS’ search to select a chancellor for Delgado Community College is ongoing.
Wanting to ease the transition, Lavigne said he doesn’t plan to retire until the next budget is finalized. He said this will likely be in mid-June.
The outgoing chancellor said his successor must recognize the importance of the school’s technical programs that train tomorrow’s machinists, welders, mechanics, electricians and rig workers.
“Obviously, the academic component is critical, and you will find a majority of (candidates) who have a strong background in strictly academics, but what is really critical for us is someone that values the importance of the technical training programs,” Lavigne said. “That is really critical. Because those programs are very expensive, yet certainly critical to our community and our region.”
