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.
LSU鈥檚 interim president, Thomas Galligan, spoke to faculty and staff at LSUA on the school鈥檚 plan for the upcoming year and also met with legislators ahead of the 2021 Legislative Session.
Galligan said the main priorities he is focusing on is trying to improve student life on all LSU campuses and receiving more financial support for higher education.
LSUA is looking to add a Student Success Center to help attract more students to the campus after already setting back-to-back enrollment records. The university is hoping to have 5,000 students enrolled by 2025.
The eight million dollar facility would hold the offices for admissions, advising and career services. LSUA began a capital campaign in 2019 for the project and raised $2.5 million before COVID-19 slowed down the process. The school is hoping to raise more money and also receive support from the state level to get the facility.
Galligan added that he wants to work with the state legislators to try and get more funding to give salary increases to the faculty members.
District 28 State Representative Daryl Deshotel said because of the efforts that teachers and staff have put in last year dealing with COVID-19, they should receive more money.
鈥淲e鈥檝e asked teachers, faculty and staff to change the way they operate. We鈥檝e asked them to learn new techniques and asked them to learn new methods of teachings. It鈥檚 important that they be rewarded because I think they鈥檝e done a fabulous job,鈥� said Deshotel.
鈥淐ongress hasn鈥檛 acted to provide that money again to state and local governments so they have to deal with what they are going to do with that $100 million. We hope Congress will step in and say we will do this so that we can allow the states to support higher education,鈥� Galligan said.
Galligan said budget stability is a challenge to maintain every year and 2021 will certainly prevent its own challenges. He anticipates the budget being cut and is trying to work with those on the state level to avoid those cuts.
Don Pierson, the Secretary for Louisiana Economic Development, said, 鈥淓ducation is certainly a priority in our state and Governor Edwards has been very aggressive in working with all of our four-year institutions. We are making sure that the things LSUA wants to achieve moving forward are front and center.鈥�
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.