University of Louisiana at Lafayette Top Questions

Overall, I love it here at UL. If I HAD to choose one thing to change about UL is some of the organizational skills that some teachers and advisors have. It's not bad, but it could be better. Lafayette is definitely a "college town". I would think the most unusual thing about UL is that our "lake" or "pond" on campus is actually a swamp! Ha. There is a good amount of school pride. Once again, there could be definitely be more, but it's not dull!

The best thing about UL is definitely the swamp. There were days whenever I was stressed or upset or possibly even bored that I just went outside to sit by the swamp. I think it was very cooling and something relaxing to watch. If there is one thing I could change, I would change the buildings. I think so many of them are horrible and gross. I think our campus is just the right size. People react when they find out I'm from UL Lafayette by being amused at our mascot! I spend most of my time on campus in class! I think the UL administration is growing out of touch with the student needs. I think that standards and expectations are being relaxed and do not have to be met. One example, the building shapes. The lack of cleaning, the lack of so many things that is pure oversight by administration. I think the biggest controversy on our campus is the recent shootings of UL students. I believe there is a lot of school pride. UL Lafayette is unusual for its mascot, the Cayenne (Ragin Cajuns!) and our swamp!!! I think the experiences I will always remember are the great times I had in the debate team and some comical moments in SGA! The most frequent student complaint is parking. However, most students do not realize there is nothing that can be done to fix the problem. All universities have that problem and we are a land locked school.

The best thing of UL has got to be that a good bit of the teachers are from down here and definatly have that home town feeling that i like. I would love to change the parking situation at UL. It is the worst idea ever. they make us park at cajun field, which is like a mile from campus, but provide a bus (which is old and smelly, with student drivers) to take us to campus. the bus has actually got to be the worst thing ever because they pile on as many people as humanly possible, stuffing the last people on the bus to stand in the aisles holding on to the bar on the roof. And that could be bad for everyone. UL definatly has some unusual things going on. First of all, the strip, cuts right through campus. So its not far for the students staying on campus to get a little drunk on a friday night. Also there is a big swamp located right behind the student union. and like most swamps, there are live alligators living in it. Then once a year, they have canoe races in the swamp. (strange huh?)

I was one of those kids who didn't want to go to UL. I wanted to get away from home and meet new people. Little did I know UL was just the place for that. I never see anyone I went to high school with. I joined a sorority and many other organizations on campus, which helped meet to meet lots of new people, many that I can call my best friends.

Having graduated from a small private school, I was nervous about going to a large public university. However, I have very much enjoyed being a student at UL. I have met a great number of people from vastly great varieties of walks of life. The best thing to do at UL (or at any university for that matter) is to get involved on campus. Anyone who says he has a hard time making friends does not try. Being only an hour aways from a 3 time national championship football team (LSU), the Ragin Cajuns often get overlooked, but there are still the Cajun faithfuls. We enjoy our tailgating and wearing red with pride! The city of Lafayette and Lafayette businesses do a great job supporting the university and its students. Many places in town give discounts for students and are eager to support the athletics and student organizations.

It is a rather friendly atmosphere, and there is lots to do around this little town. I would fire every single person affiliated with parking and transit office and completely revamp their system. There isn't a student here who does not absolutely hate them and their system. Our school is growing but is having trouble accomodating the growing numbers. It is a school not too many people from New Orleans (where I am from) think of often, but they know it's their and know a few people there. I am always working out or studying. I sometimes study in the library or in my room. That's about all my time on campus. It is a dry campus (no alcohol) which sucks. There are overly-strict rules about opposite gender visitors. It is a college town, but a little less-so as you move out away from the campus. Like I said, it is a very rapidly growing city. The administration is a bit of a pain to deal with at times. Particularly this goes for the housing department and the parking and transit department. There should be IQ restrictions for working in these big people-person departments. The biggest controversy is probably parking. Though, I often dislike the lack of nutritional value that is put into the cafeteria's food. There is some school pride. Though, we spend most of our time living under LSU's shadow. We are the only campus in the nation with a swamp in the middle of campus. I will always remember going around and writing goofy things on the sidewalk with chalk with my friends when I was a freshman. Most of the complaints are about the food, parking, and housing departments. In recent years, the school has been shutting down at 12:30 on Fridays, which is usually a big errand-running day for the student. Everyone absolutely hates this, except the faculty.

The BEST thing about UL is by far its history and culture. The second u step foot on our campus, you are welcomed with open arms. The southern hospitality is all over UL's campus. We are the only campus in the U.S. with a swamp in the center of our campus to let students relax. Louisiana's cajun culture is entwined in every aspect of our University. My favorite thing about UL above anything is the interaction that happens between students. I have visited many colleges where students go to class, work, then home every day. Here at UL we have over 150 organizations so most students on our campus are involved and very connected among each other. It is impossible to attend UL and not feel at home. One thing I would change about UL is our recognition. We live in a state where our competing college is ranked #1 in football so it becomes very hard to compete with enrollment. Now a day students would rather be recognized for sports rankings rather than a great education. UL is the perfect size. I have traveled all over the nation going to conferences for UL and I always recieve the same response. People are alwayse amazed at our name... The Ragin' Cajuns. People alwayse ask me what its like to live in Louisiana. When I tell People from Louisiana where I go, im always given a positive response. Louisiana natives know how amazing our education is. I spend most of my time on campus in the Libary. We have the largest library in the state. The Edith Garlend Dupre library is very student friendly; equiped with 2 seperate computer labs available to all students including 50 free pages of printing everyday. We also have soundproof study rooms for students to reserve. The 3 floor building is open 24 hours a day during finals week. Its ALWAYS packed so its easy to find a friend to hang with. Lafayette is a HUGE college town. Everywhere you turn is UL Ragin'Cajun attire. Homecoming week is insane! ALL in all I could never imagine going anywhere else. One big plus is our week vacation for Mardi Gras'

I love the diversity of the students here at ULL. I love the size of ULL. I would make physical changes to the campus such as rebuilding some of the oldre buildings, including Girard and Griffin Hall. Unfortunately, these are both huge tasks and it requires alot of time and money. I am happy to see that there are numerous renovations occurring on campus that will allow ULL's studetns to prosper. I mostly spend my time in class while on campus, but if there is time, I will hang out with some friends at PJ's or CC's. There is not enough school pride here at ULL, it can always be improved. University Program Council is working hard to increase school spirit and I feel they are finally seeing the result of their hard work. The biggest recent controversey on campus is that two of our students were killed because of domestic violence, less than two weeks apart. There were masses and candle light vigils held in their honor. The most frequent student complaints has to deal with the physical look of our campus. Whether it be the cracked sidewalk, the old and nasty bathrooms, or smelly classrooms, all are complaints often seen coming through the SGA senate.

UL Lafayette is just the right size for the community. Lafayette is definitely a college town and there is much pride in and around campus!! Lafayette is also very "homie". I've met very many people who came to UL from out of town and never left.

it is close-knit, affordable, and convenient for students. i would change the size and location of the entire campus; it is overcrowded. the school is big, but the space is too small. they say our athletic dept. sucks and we need better coaching staff and players and it is a pre-dominatedly white school. I spend a lot of time hanging out in the student union and in the dorm. Lafayette. The administration is okay, but some workers are not that helpful, racist, rude, and slow; others are nice, patient, and easy to talk to. Two UL black students died in Jan. and Feb.; there was not much support from our fellow student body besides other black students. It depends on if the team has been winning games for the school to have pride. The teacher/student ratio has not improved over the years, but instead has gotten worse and it's not fair to the students who need more student/teacher interaction for a better grade. In Nov. 2007, I became a new member of the best sorority in the world, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc. food not always good, library hours are not long enough, dorm life is crappy, too many restrictions on a public university campus, no equal rights for students of all races, genders, religions, etc.