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| | {{Infobox officeholder | | {{Infobox officeholder |
| − | |name=Douglas Ray "Doug" Miller, I | + | | name=Argile Asa Smith, Jr. |
| − | |image=Doug Miller of TX.jpg
| + | | nationality=[[United States|American]] |
| − | |nationality=[[United States|American]] | + | | office=9th interim president of [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]] |
| − | |office= [[Texas]] State Representative<br> for District 73 (Comal, Gillespite, and Kendall counties) | + | | term_start=August 1, 2014 |
| − | |party=[[Republican Party|Republican]]
| + | | term_end=April 7, 2015 |
| − | |term_start=2009 | + | | preceded=[[Joe Aguillard]]<br> |
| − | |term_end=2017 | + | Aguillard became president emeritus for one year effective August 1, 2014. |
| − | |preceded=[[Nathan Macias]] | + | | succeeded=[[Rick Brewer]] |
| − | |succeeded=Kyle Biedermann | + | | birth_date=July 9, 1955 |
| − | |birth_date=July 14, 1954 | + | | birth_place=Poplarville, Pearl River County<br>[[Mississippi]], USA |
| − | |birth_place=New Braunfels, Comal County]]<br>Texas, USA | + | | residence Pineville, Rapides Parish<br> Louisiana |
| − | |occupation=[[Business]]man | + | | spouse=Connie Kathleen Saucier Smith (married 1975) |
| − | |residence=New Braunfels, Texas | + | | children=Joshua, David, and Dustin Smith |
| − | |religion=[[Christianity]] | + | | religion=[[Southern Baptist]] |
| − | |spouse=Anne Mund Miller | + | | alma_mater=William Carey College<br> |
| − | |children=Douglas Miller, II<br>
| + | [[New Orleans]] Baptist Theological Seminary |
| − | Amanda Miller
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| − | |alma_mater=Texas State University
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| | }} | | }} |
| − | '''Douglas Ray Miller, I''', known as '''Doug Miller''' (born July 14, 1954),<ref name=votesmart>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/102045/doug-miller#.UwgFB8uPIfg|title=Doug Miller's Political Summary|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=November 4, 2020}}</ref> is an [[insurance]] agent in his native [[New Braunfels, Texas|New Braunfels]], [[Texas]], who served from 2009 to 2017 as a [[Republican Party (United States)|Republican] ] state representative for District 73, which encompasses Comal, Gillespie, and Kendall counties in the eastern portion of the Hill Country.
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| − | On May 24, 2016, Miller was defeated in the Republican primary runoff election by [[Kyle Biedermann]], who polled 10,481 votes (55.4 percent) to Miller's 8,438 (44.6 percent).<ref>Madlin Mekelburg and John Reynolds. [https://www.texastribune.org/2016/05/25/brief-may-25-2016/ The Brief: Low Turnout in Runoffs Nonetheless Yields Notable Results], ''The Texas Tribune,'' May 24, 2016.</ref>
| + | '''Argile Asa Smith, Jr.''' (born July 9, 1955), is a [[clergy]]man and scholar who served from 2014 to 2015 as the ninth and interim president of the [[Southern Baptist]]-affiliated [[Louisiana College]] in [[Pineville, Louisiana|Pineville]], [[Louisiana]]. |
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| | ==Background== | | ==Background== |
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| − | In 1976 Miller obtained a degree in law enforcement from Texas State University in San Marcos,<ref name=votesmart/> north of New Braunfels on Interstate 35. He operates Miller & Miller Insurance. He and his wife, the former Anne Mund (born c. 1957), were once named "Small Business Persons of the Year" by the City of New Braunfels,<ref name=bio/> of which he is a former [[mayor]] and city council member.<ref name=house/> The couple has two children, Douglas, II, the vice president of Miller & Miller, and Amanda, a political campaign consultant.<ref name=bio>{{cite web|url=http://www.texastribune.org/directory/doug-miller/#ui-tabs-1|title=State Rep. Doug Miller District 73 (R-New Braunfels)|publisher=''The Texas Tribune''|accessdate=November 4, 2020}}</ref><ref name=house/>
| + | Born and reared in Poplarville in Pearl River County in southwestern [[Mississippi]], Smith in 1977 obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree in [[religion]] from William Carey College in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. He subsequently procured a Master of Divinity and a [[Ph.D.]] from New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, where while in [[New Orleans]], he was thereafter for fourteen years the [[J. D. Grey]] professor of preaching at the seminary.<ref name=argsmith>{{cite web|url=http://divinity.lacollege.edu/dr-argile-smith-biographical-information|title=Dr. Argile Smith Biographical Information|publisher=divinity.lacollege.edu|accessdate=April 23, 2014}}</ref> |
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| − | Miller sits on the board of directors of First State Bank in New Braunfels in Comal County. He has also been heavily involved in matters of water development and conservation with service on the Region L State Water Planning Group and as a past chairman of the Edwards Aquifer Authority.<ref name=bio/> Miller is a former president of the Comal County Fair Association, the Wurstfest festival (the New Braunfels equivalent of Oktoberfest), the Comal County [[United Way]], and the Greater New Braunfels [[Chamber of Commerce]]. He is also a former president of the New Braunfels Jaycees..<ref name=votesmart/>
| + | Smith is the author of three ministerial books: |
| | + | *''Holy Gatherings: A Leader's Guide for Engaging the Congregation in Corporate Worship'' |
| | + | *''Interpersonal Relationship Skills for Ministers'' |
| | + | *''Helping Hurting People: A Handbook on Reconciliation-Focused Counseling and Preaching''.<ref name=argsmith/> |
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| − | ==Political life== | + | Before he came to Louisiana College in 2011,<ref name=smithalumnispeech/> Smith was the pastor of the First Baptist Church of [[Biloxi, Mississippi|Biloxi]], Mississippi., where he currently resides. He came to LC as Dean of Chapel and Associate Dean of Pastoral Ministry for the Caskey School of Divinity,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://wildcats.ehclients.com/index.php/newspaper/article/lc_hires_new_dean_of_chapel#/images/sized/images/uploads/DSC_8920_1-400x536.jpg|title=Al Quartemont, "LC hires new Dean of Chapel", 2010|publisher=wildcats.ehclients.com|accessdate=April 23, 2014}}</ref> an entity endowed by the Coushatta [[business]]man [[Edgar Cason]], who has since withdrawn funding for the school and entered into an arrangement with New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary, Smith's former institution.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140417/NEWS01/304170025/Former-LC-benefactors-appear-helping-New-Orleans-seminary|author=Leigh Guidry|title=Former Louisiana College benefactors appear to be helping N.O. seminary"|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=April 17, 2014}}</ref> |
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| − | In the 2008 Republican [[primary]] election, Miller unseated the [[conservative]] one-term Representative [[Nathan Macias]], a businessman from [[Bulverde, Texas|Bulverde]], by 17 votes, 14,684 (50.02 percent) to 14,667 (49.97 percent).<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe|title=2008 Republican primary election returns|publisher=elections.sos.state.tx.us|accessdate=February 21, 2014}}</ref> In the 2006 Republican primary Macias had unseated the former Republican representative, [[Carter Casteel]], by forty-six votes.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://elections.sos.state.tx.us/elchist.exe|title=2006 Republican primary election returns|publisher=elections.sos.state.tx.us|accessdate=February 21, 2014}}</ref> In the 2008 [[general election]], Miller defeated a Democrat, Daniel Boone, 58,118 (69.4 percent) to 21,732 (26 percent). Another 4.6 percent of the vote went to the [[Libertarian Party (United States)|Libertarian Party]] nominee, Shannon Beckett McCracken.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, November 4, 2008.</ref>
| + | Smith and his wife, the former Connie Kathleen Saucier, also a native of Poplarville, married in 1975 when both were twenty. They have three sons, Joshua, David, and Dustin Smith.<ref name=argsmith/> |
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| − | In 2012, Miller won Republican re-nomination, 16,994 (75.1 percent) to Rob Smith's 5,633 votes (24.9 percent).<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, May 29, 2012.</ref> Miller won in the 2012 general election with 88.2 percent of the group against another Libertarian candidate, Miller polled more raw votes, 64,029, than any other state House candidate in Texas that year.<ref name=house>{{cite web|url=http://www.house.state.tx.us/members/member-page/?district=73|title=Biography of Doug Miller|publisher=house.state.tx.us|accessdate=February 21, 2014}}</ref>
| + | ==Tapped as interim LC president== |
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| − | In his third legislative session in 2013, Miller voted to forbid [[abortion]] after twenty weeks of [[gestation]] and to increase medical requirements and licensing of abortion providers.<ref name=votingrecords/> Texas [[Right to Life]] rated him overall 76 percent favorable in 2013, compared to 60 percent in his second term in 2011.<ref name=ratings/>
| + | At the time he was chosen as interim president, Smith wore four titles at LC: the executive vice president, the associate dean for Christian ministry at the Caskey School, the vice president for the integration of faith and learning, and professor of preaching and pastoral ministry.<ref name=aguillarddeparts>{{cite web|url=http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20140418/NEWS01/304180026/Smith-says-he-ll-work-Aguillard-La-College-moves-forward|author=Leigh Guidry|itle=Smith says he'll work with Aguillard as La. College moves forward|date=April 18, 2014|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=April 23, 2014}}</ref> |
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| − | In 2013, Miller supported legislation to provide marshals for school security. He voted against the bill to authorize [[immunization]] of minors without parental consent, a measure which the House nevertheless approved, 71-61. He voted for the extension of the franchise tax exemption to certain businesses. He voted for the law which prohibits texting while driving. He voted to require testing for [[narcotics]] of those receiving unemployment compensation. He voted against an "equal pay for women" measure, which nevertheless passed the House, 78-61. He voted to forbid the state from enforcing federal regulations of firearms, and he co-sponsored the law which allows college and university officials to carry concealed weapons in the name of campus security. He voted against term limits for certain officials. He voted for the [[redistricting]] bills for the Texas House, the state Senate, and the [[United States House of Representatives]].<ref name=votingrecords>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/key-votes/102045/doug-miller#.UwgFvsuPIfg|title=Doug MIller's Voting Records|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=November 4, 2020}}</ref>
| + | Smith succeeded [[Joe Aguillard]], whose latter tenure was shaken by a series of controversies, including a claim that [[Calvinism]] was being promoted on the Baptist campus, questions about forged documents submitted to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the failure to finish the Paul Pressler Law School, and the diversion of $60,000 from the Caskey School of Divinity to an LC missions project in [[Tanzania]]. The events led to the call of a student strike against Aguillard. Though the strike at first appeared unsuccessful, on March 27, 2014, it was reported that the LC trustees had asked Aguillard to resign.<ref name=aguillardaskedtoresign>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140327/NEWS01/303270016/Sources-Louisiana-College-President-Aguillard-asked-resign-support-dwindles|author=Leigh Guidry|title=Sources: Louisiana College President Aguillard asked to resign as support dwindles|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=March 27, 2014}}</ref> |
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| − | In 2013, [[Phyllis Schlafly]]'s [[Eagle Forum]], then managed in Texas by [[Cathie Adams]], a former state chairman of the Texas Republican Party who later broke with Schlafly over the [[Donald Trump]] candidacy, rated Miller 71 percent favorable, 25 points below the rating for preceding Representative [[Nathan Macias]]. Young Conservatives of Texas ranked him 64 percent. The [[interest group]], Texans for Fiscal Responsibility, rated him 47 percent in 2013 and 50 percent in 2011. The Texas Association of Business gave Miller a cumulative score of 89 percent. He ranked 57 percent in 2013 from the Texas League of Conservation Voters; the [[Sierra Club]] rated him 38 percent favorable. The [[National Rifle Association]] rated him 92 percent.<ref name=ratings>{{cite web|url=http://votesmart.org/candidate/evaluations/102045/doug-miller#.UwgHUsuPIfg|title=Doug Miller's Ratings and Endorsements|publisher=votesmart.org|accessdate=November 4, 2020}}</ref>ary 21, 2014}}</ref>
| + | On April 15, 2014, the trustees named Aguillard president emeritus beginning August 1, with Smith tapped at that same time as the interim president, pending a job search for a permanent holder of the position. Aguillard forfeited the presidency on May 31, at which time Smith for two months assumed the temporary title of "president pro tempore."<ref name=aguillarddeparts/> Aguillard will assist Smith in the transition of administration and may after a year of paid leave beginning in 2015 resume his former tenured professorship in the LC Graduate Teacher Education program.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140415/BREAKING_NEWS/140415014/Louisiana-College-will-seek-new-president-after-moving-Aguillard-emeritus-role?|title=Louisiana College will seek new president after moving Aguillard to emeritus role, April 15, 2014|publisher=''The Alexandria Town Talk''|accessdate=April 15, 2014}}</ref> |
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| | + | Smith told a meeting in [[Shreveport]] of LC alumni that the college must rebuild trust within Baptist ranks. "I don’t have a vision for a long-term future. I have a mandate to make sure we get ready for the arrival of the new president,” he said. Two in the audience questioned whether the search committee would act independently of the trustee.<ref name=smithalumnispeech>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/article/20140503/NEWS01/305030017/Smith-Louisiana-College-must-build-trust-alumni|title=Smith: Louisiana College must build trust with alumni, May 2, 2014|publisher=''[[The Town Talk (Alexandria)|The Alexandria Town Talk]]''|accessdate=May 3, 2014}}</ref> |
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| | + | On June 19, 2014, the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools at its annual meeting in [[San Antonio, Texas|San Antonio]], [[Texas]], placed Louisiana College on probation because of issues related to trustee board governance, institutional integrity, personnel policies, and audit findings regarding both student financial aid and other financial control matters.<ref name=probation/> |
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| | + | Smith said that the decision by SACS is "disappointing" but "represents an opportunity for Louisiana College to address the issues in preparation for the arrival of a new president. Fortunately, the issues don't bring into question in any way the excellent classroom work being done by our professors and students. The issues have to do with administrative areas."<ref name=probation>John Willie, "Louisiana College Placed on Probation by SACS-Commission on Colleges; Maintains Full Accreditation", Louisiana College press release, June 19, 2014</ref> |
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| | + | In November 2014, President Smith disclosed that Louisiana College has a $1 million shortfall for the 2014-2015 academic year. The 2014 enrollment of 1,265 is 141 fewer than in the fall of 2013. A decrease of 141 students, according to Smith, represents a loss of $2.1 million in revenues from tuition and fees paid by students, double the overall budgetary shortfall. Smith said that the institution will attempt to control expenditures but not cut jobs or contracts. Major projects under former President Joe Aguillard will be suspended, including a school in Tanzania, a law school in [[Shreveport, Louisiana|Shreveport]] to have been named in honor of former Texas Judge [[Paul Pressler (Texas)|Paul Pressler]] of [[Houston, Texas|Houston]], and a medical school and film school in Central Louisiana.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thetowntalk.com/story/news/local/2014/11/15/la-college-faces-million-budget-shortfall/19112533/|title=La. College faces $1 million budget shortfall|publisher=''Alexandria Town Talk''|author=Leigh Guidry|date=November 15, 2014|accessdate=November 16, 2014}}</ref> |
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| − | An ally of [[Joe Straus]], the former Texas House [[Speaker]] from [[San Antonio]],<ref>David Saleh Rauf, "Straus among GOP establishment in fights with tea part," ''The San Antonio Express-News,'' February 27, 2016, pp. 1, A10</ref> Miller led two intra-party opponents in the Republican primary held on March 1, 2016. He received 18,509 votes (43.5 percent) to 16,963 (39.8 percent) for the runner-up, Kyle Biedermann. The remaining but potentially critical 7,100 votes (16.7 percent) went to the third contender, Chris Byrd.<ref>Texas Secretary of State, Election Returns, March 2, 2016.
| + | Smith was succeeded as president by [[Rick Brewer]], a former administrator at Charleston Southern University in North Charleston, [[South Carolina]], who was the unanimous choice of the LC trustees. |
| − | </ref><ref>''The New Braunfels Herald-Zeitung," May 25, 2016.</ref
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| | ==References== | | ==References== |
| | {{reflist}} | | {{reflist}} |
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| − | {{DEFAULTSORT:Miller, Doug (Texas politician)}} | + | {{DEFAULTSORT:Smith, Argile}} |
| − | [[Category:Texas]] | + | [[Category:Louisiana People]] |
| − | [[Category:Business People]]
| + | [[Category:Mississippi]] |
| − | [[Category:Politicians]] | + | [[Category:Educators]] |
| − | [[Category:Mayors]] | + | [[Category:Professors]] |
| − | [[Category:Republicans]] | + | [[Category:Southern Baptists]] |
| − | [[Category:Christians]] | |