Eunice Rotarians hear from retiring LSUE Chancellor Willam "Bill Nunez

Retiring LSU Eunice chancellor speaks at Rotary Club
By Claudette Olivier
claudette.olivier@eunicetoday.com
Retiring Louisiana State University Eunice chancellor William “Bill” Nunez and his wife Adele will follow the advice of baseball great Yogi Berra when Nunez’s tenure at the university ends.
“Yogi said, ‘When you come to a fork in the road, you take it,’” Nunez said. “That’s what we plan to do.”
The Eunice Rotary Club bid adieu to Nunez, a former Eunice Rotarian and club president, at Wednesday’s meeting. Nunez will retire as chancellor of the university at the end of the month.
“Today we celebrate your work as a civic leader and Rotary member,” said Rotarian Pat Dossman. “We hope you come back here to visit and enjoy your legacy. Thank you from the Rotary for your wonderful work in the community.”
Dossman presented the couple with a $500 check from the Rotary for the Nunez/Holbrook Family Memorial Scholarship Fund.
“Rotary represents service above self,” Nunez said as he addressed the crowd.”All great world leaders from the past were service leaders. That’s why Rotary is important.”
“It has been a sincere pleasure (to be part of Eunice Rotary).”
Nunez recalled being a pledge at LSU in Baton Rouge when local attorney Donald Mayeax was an upperclassman, attend Retiring LSU Eunice chancellor William “Bill” Nunez and his wife Adele were the guests of honor at Wednesday’s Rotary meeting. The Nunez’s will move to the Convington area later this summer to be closer to a son and daughter-in-law who live in New Orleans. ing his first meeting as a Rotarian with Raymond Fontenot and late Eunice Rotarians and past club presidents Nilas Young and Shorty Naquin.
“Eunice Rotary has had wonderful leadership,” he said. “Drake (Aguillard) is a wonderful president. He keeps everyone abreast. I didn’t do that.”
“We have had many good presidents, and that is what keeps this going. It’s been a real honor to be a Rotarian.”
Nunez’s wife also thanked the club for its donation to the scholarship fund.
“College tuition has doubled, even at our institution,” the chancellor said. “My replacement will be facing a difficult time with the budget.Texas and Alabama are putting money into higher ed, and Louisiana is taking it out at the highest rate in the country. What is wrong with our state? It’s a lot cheaper to educate than it it is to incarcerate.”
Nunez called on Ellis Daigle to tell the crowd how much it costs each year to incarcerate a criminal.
“Thirty-six thousand a year,” Daigle responded.
“If we have more educated people, we will have less crime,” Nunez said. “I’m afraid our state is not getting it. Call (elected officials).”