In 1959, the Louisiana Legislature authorized the establishment of LSUA as a two-year commuter college under the governance of the LSU Board of Supervisors. LSUA registered its first students in September of 1960. The first degree program, an Associate in Nursing degree, was initiated in the Division of Nursing in 1964.
The additional academic divisions of Liberal Arts, Business Administration, and Sciences were created in 1967. In 1974, LSUA was accredited by the Commission on 吃瓜直播s of the Southern Association of 吃瓜直播s and Schools (SACSCOC) to award associate degrees. This accreditation was reaffirmed in 1984, 1994, and 2004.
Only one associate degree was available at LSUA from 1964 to March 1986, when the Associate of Arts and Associate of Science transfer degrees were approved. Over the next 15 years, several associate degree and certificate programs were added that the university continues to offer including:
From 1976 through Spring 2003, Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical 吃瓜直播 offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior 吃瓜直播. Initially, the Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and Bachelor of General Studies were offered. The Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education was added in 1982-83.
For the first time in central Louisiana history, the two student body presidents at LSUA and CLTCC have been selected to serve on their respective system board of directors in the same year.
Richard 鈥淩icky鈥� Brazzel at LSUA and Shanco Williams at CLTCC work to ensure students from the entire LSU and CLTCC systems are represented on their respective board of supervisors. They help protect student interests when questions regarding funding, fees, and degree programs are brought before the boards.
Williams is a native of New Orleans who arrived at CLTCC after a 20-year career in the United States Air Force. He is a graduate of Wayland Baptist University in Wichita Falls, Texas with a bachelor鈥檚 degree in management. He is currently studying drafting and design at CLTCC with the hopes of joining the Army Corps of Engineers Drafting Department in New Orleans as a veteran.
Brazzel is a senior at LSUA and entering his second term as student body president at the university. He is a history major with a political science minor and intends to attend law school following graduation in May 2020.
Both students were selected earlier this year and will serve one-year appointments.
鈥淚t鈥檚 a major honor to be selected to represent over 50,000 students from across the system, from our undergraduate, graduate and medical schools on the LSU Board of Supervisors. It鈥檚 a responsibility that I don鈥檛 take lightly. I represent them while listening and making sure they are heard,鈥� says Brazzel.
For Williams, serving on the Louisiana Technical Community 吃瓜直播 Board of Supervisors means learning and understanding the process of how the colleges strategic business gets formulated and carried out to where those decisions impact two-year technical colleges across the state.
鈥淏eing elected to serve on the LCTCS Board allows me to interpret data in order to make informed decisions and vote with the students best long-term interest in mind,鈥� says Williams.
Williams was elected to the board as one of two student positions from the membership composed of the student body presidents of the community college system. The process is similar to Brazzel who was elected to the LSU Board of Supervisors by the council of Student Body Presidents, a group of all public university student body presidents from across Louisiana.
Both the LCTCS Board and the LSU Board of Supervisors are composed of members from throughout the state who are appointed by the governor with Senate approval.
鈥淭he board consists of amazing leaders from across the state and at the highest levels of their individual professions with a love for the state and LSU. It鈥檚 a blessing and an honor to have the opportunity to build relationships with them and learn from them,鈥� says Brazzel.
Of course, both Williams and Brazzel also have to continue to lead their respective student bodies while serving on the state level at the same time.
Williams says serving as student body president at CLTCC means being there for the student community at all times. 鈥淏eing student body president is advocacy on behalf of students for all things pertaining to student actions and being the first line of contact for resolving or elevating issues to the administrative channels,鈥� says Williams.
Serving as a two-term SG president at LSUA, Brazzel says his focus is the ensure that there is a bridge between students and administration and that the student voice is heard.
鈥淢y goal for this year is not only to advocate for students, but also to empower them. I want students on campus and across the state to realize they don鈥檛 have to wait on the men and women in government positions to make a change. Students have the ability, if unified, to initiate the change they want to see,鈥� says Brazzel.
On June 5, 2001, following approval by the Louisiana State University Board of Supervisors and the Louisiana Board of Regents, the Louisiana Legislature passed legislation (Senate Bill 853) allowing Louisiana State University at Alexandria to offer baccalaureate degrees. In December 2002, SACSCOC approved a substantive change request from LSUA, thereby accrediting the university to award both associate and baccalaureate degrees.
In Fall 2003, LSUA was reorganized into colleges and departments rather than divisions. The 吃瓜直播 of Arts and Sciences is comprised of the departments of Arts, English and Humanities; Behavioral and Social Sciences; Biological Sciences; and Mathematics and Physical Sciences. The 吃瓜直播 of Professional Studies is comprised of the departments of Allied Health, Business Administration, Education, and Nursing.
LSUA began offering four baccalaureate degrees in Fall 2003: Bachelor of Science in Biology, Bachelor of General Studies, Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, and Bachelor of Liberal Studies. Because there were students at LSUA who had completed upper-level course work through LSU Senior 吃瓜直播, LSUA produced its first bachelor's degree graduates in December 2003.
A Bachelor of Science in Psychology, approved by the LSU Board of Supervisors in March 2005, and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics, approved by the LSU Board in June 2006, are now offered. In 2008 the university began offering Bachelor of Arts degrees in English, Communication Studies, and History, along with Bachelor of Science degrees in Business Administration, Criminal Justice, and Nursing.
In addition to the Department of Education offering courses that lead to an Associate of Arts in The Care and Development of Young Children and the Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education, courses are offered for alternative certification in the following areas: Elementary Education, Grades 1-5; Health and Physical Education, Grades K-12; and Secondary Education, Grades 6-12 for the areas of biology, English, history, and mathematics. Students who major in biology, English, history, or mathematics may declare Secondary Education as a minor in these areas of study, earning certification to teach that subject in Grades 6-12. Add-on certifications are available for Early Childhood Education (PK-3) and Special Education in area of existing certification(s).
The Oaks, the university’s first student housing complex, opened in the fall of 2007. The complex, which includes four apartment buildings and a community center.
LSUA hired its first athletic director in January 2007 and began competing in NAIA men’s baseball and women’s fast-pitch softball in Spring 2008. In January 2010, LSUA’s new on-campus baseball-softball complex was unveiled in an opening day dedication and ribbon-cutting ceremony. The complex is located on the north side of campus adjacent to the Fitness Center and features seats transferred from the famed Alex Box Stadium on the Baton Rouge campus.
LSUA added five sports in 2014 including men’s and women’s basketball and soccer teams along with women’s tennis. LSUA joined the Red River Athletic Conference in 2014. The RRAC includes Bacone 吃瓜直播 (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian 吃瓜直播 (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn 吃瓜直播 (Texas), Texas 吃瓜直播, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley 吃瓜直播 (Texas) in addition to LSUA.
The university’s newest building, Mulder Hall, was opened in August 2011. The building is a 70,000 square-foot facility that provides 18 classrooms, 4 academic department office suites, 52 faculty offices, 2 conference rooms, a computer lab and a writing lab, a painting and drawing studio, a ceramics studio, a photography suite, and a black box theater that seats 175 people.