Dear Commissioner Jerry Luke LeBlanc:My name is Damian Breaux, and I have served the students of Nicholls State University in Thibodaux as the Student Government Association President for the past two years. I have also served on the state level previously as secretary and presently as Vice Chair for the Council of Student Body Presidents (COSBP).

I am writing to you to ask for your assistance with a project that is four years in the making. In the fall of 2002, my student body approved a referendum to assess themselves $74 per semester for the planning, construction and maintenance of a state-of-the-art recreation center that was to be in operation around the fall of 2006. We have hit a major roadblock in the process. We have nowhere to place the building.

It is my understanding that my University received $2.5 million from the capital outlay projects fund to purchase an area of land neighboring our campus around the time of the referendum and was promised another $2.5 million from the Foster administration. As time passed and the Foster administration left office, we were without the second $2.5 million. With the support of local State Representative Warren Triche and your assistance, we were able to obtain the second portion of funding. Fast-forward to today, and we still have no land. I have been patient during the past four years and totally understand the processes that must occur in order for a project of this size to swing full circle.

I also understand that in light of the recent storm season, the state’s priorities have been rearranged in order to get the state back bigger and better than it was before. But with tighter budgets, hiring freezes and talks of possible tuition increases, we need that extra pazazz in order to recruit and enroll not only the best students our area has to offer, but also those throughout the state. Simply put, I believe that the finalization of negotiations and the purchase of the land will enhance our University in the long run. If we are not able to acquire the land neighboring our University, we will not be able to expand, period. We are landlocked to the north by bayou, to the west by a residential neighborhood and to the south by a hospital. This land is a key component to our master plan, which includes plans for a building to house our unique culinary program, a possible sports arena and much-needed new residence halls; all of those are important when competing with other campuses and recruiting quality students.

With all this said, I would like to formally ask you to once again assist us in this initiative by doing what your powers allow and to help us to expedite the negotiation talks so that we could move on with the construction of our recreation center. I would also like to thank you for your time and consideration in this matter. Please feel free to contact me with any questions or concerns you may have.

Sincerely,

Damian Breaux

President, SGA