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.
Each spring, Louisiana State University of Alexandria hosts its annual Employee Recognition Dinner. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, this year鈥檚 celebration was a little different.
Chancellor Dr. Paul Coreil and Provost and Vice Chancellor of Academic Affairs Dr. John Rowan conducted a virtual celebration to honor the hard work and dedication of the LSUA faculty and staff.
鈥淓ven though we are all having to work from home due to COVID-19 pandemic, we all wanted to appropriately recognize everyone through an online video awards presentation honoring our outstanding employees,鈥� said Dr. Paul Coreil, LSUA Chancellor. 鈥淭his year鈥檚 faculty and staff award winners are great examples of the exceptional diversity of talent and dedicated service we are blessed with at LSUA. While all of our LSUA employees are valued and appreciated, the 2020 award winners are especially celebrated because they were nominated by their peers and co-workers for their good work. They all went the extra mile exhibiting exemplary dedication to our students and to our core mission.鈥�
The most prestigious award given out was the Bolton Award for Teaching Excellence. Established in 1989, the estate of Mrs. James C. Bolton provides funds to the University for an award to recognize excellence in teaching at LSUA.
The Bolton Award for Teaching excellence is presented annually to the full-time faculty member who best exemplifies the University鈥檚 commitment to teaching, service, and professional development. The recipient of this honor is recognized with a cash award and a plaque for his or her outstanding contributions to the University, which will be distributed at a later date.
The Bolton Award for 2019-2020 was presented to Sarita James. James is Associate Professor of Nursing who received her PhD in nursing from Walden University. The Alexandria native has worked at LSUA since 2015.
鈥淒r. Sarita James is passionate about nursing and shares that passion with her students. She implements teaching strategies that promote student engagement and fosters lifelong learning. Sarita serves as a mentor to both students and faculty, she is an excellent role model to all of us, and we are truly blessed to have her as a member of our team,鈥� said Dr. Catherine Cormier, Chair and Professor in the Department of Nursing.
Two new awards were created this year to highlight additional faculty members for outstanding work. Those awards are Outstanding Faculty Scholarship and Outstanding Faculty Service.
The Outstanding Faculty Scholarship award is given to a faculty member who exemplifies outstanding research and scholarship. This year鈥檚 winner is Dr. Jerry Sanson, Chair and Professor of History and Political Science. Sanson鈥檚 award comes just on the heels of the publication of his most recent book, Louisiana During World War II.
The Outstanding Faculty Service award recipient is Dr. Kent Lachney, Assistant Professor of Accounting for his years of service to students and the Central Louisiana business community.
Also, 16 endowed professorships were awarded. The professorships are established through private donations to the LSUA Foundation and matched through the Board of Regents Support Fund to establish a $100,000 professorship endowment. The winners include:
J. H. Johnson Endowed Professorship in Business - Kent Lachney, D.B.A, CPA
Jenkins-Mulder Endowed Professorship in Business - Rafael Romero, LL.M, M.A.
Roy O. Martin, Jr. Endowed Professorship in Business - Beverly Alwell, MBA
Charles Vernon and William Child, Jr. Endowed Professorship - Bob Jones, Ph.D.
F. Hugh Coughlin Endowed Professorship - Mary Treuting, Ph.D.
Robert Rife Saunders Endowed Professorship - Carol Corbat, Ph.D.
Carolyn Cole Saunders Endowed Professorship - Workineh Kite, Ph.D.
Vinita Johnson Martin Endowed Professorship - Guoyi Ke, Ph.D.
Mark Eugene Howard Endowed Professorship in Liberal Arts - Shonu Nangia, Ph.D.
Frances Holt Freedman Endowed Professorship in History - Martha McMillan, MSN-Ed, RNC-EFM
Huie-Dellmon Trust Endowed Professorship in Liberal Arts - Jennifer Innerarity, Ph.D.
Barbara Martin Endowed Professorship in Nursing - Catherine Doyle, MSN
Howard M. and Eloise Ferris Mulder Endowed Professorship - Purujit Gurjar, Ph.D.
Roy and Vinita Martin Endowed Professorship in Math and Sciences - Jessica Ringo, Ph.D.
Joanne Lyles White Endowed Professorship in Education - Tina Hathorn, B.S., M.Ed.
Joanne Lyles White Endowed Professorship in Education - Rhonda Wilson, Ph.D.
Endowed professors receive a salary stipend as well as additional funds for professional development or travel activities. They are usually awarded for a two-year term.
Additionally, Dr. Haywood Joiner, Chair and Associate Professor of Allied Health, received the award for Staff Senate Boss of the Year. The award goes to a LSUA faculty or staff member who is nominated by their direct reports and is awarded to those who exhibit outstanding supervisory skills.
The Outstanding Staff Service Award program began in the 1970-71 academic year as a means of recognizing and rewarding superior performance and outstanding contributions to the University by non-teaching employees. The recipient of this honor receives a plaque and cash award for his or her service to LSUA.
This year鈥檚 recipient of the Staff Outstanding Service Award is Laura Fowler. Fowler is the Executive Assistant to the Chancellor. She assists the Chancellor in all day-to-day operations while also providing a support system for all faculty and staff on campus.
The event also included honoring Service Learning employees as well as all employees who have five, 10, 15, 20, or 25 years of service to LSUA. Those who have retired in the previous year are also honored.
The video can be viewed by clicking . To read the full list of award recipients, click here.
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.