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.
The City of Alexandria is partnering with the Louisiana State University of Alexandria 吃瓜直播 of Business to create a 10-week online business training program for local entrepreneurs.
The Launchpad program, which will run from March 1 until May 5, is designed to help individuals interested in creating their own business develop an effective business plan and create a sustainable business model.
鈥淏y participating in the Launchpad program, these entrepreneurs will be able to search for a dynamic, proven business model that they can incorporate into their operation,鈥� said Alexandria Mayor Jeffrey W. Hall. 鈥淭hat is a tremendous advantage for a start-up business. We are extremely fortunate to have outstanding resources available to us at the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business and we are grateful to Dr. Coreil and Dr. Dupont for stepping forward to help us serve our local business community. This is a program that will provide tremendous benefit not just to Alexandria, but to all of Central Louisiana.鈥�
鈥淭he Launchpad program creates an amazing opportunity for business entrepreneurs in our community,鈥� said Dr. Paul Coreil, LSUA Chancellor. 鈥淭he joint effort between LSUA and the City of Alexandria utilizes the three main university objectives 鈥� workforce development, community collaboration and public service. Partnerships like these are what changes lives and creates opportunities right here in Central Louisiana.鈥�
The program will be taught using Kauffman FastTrac庐 online content. Dr. Randall Dupont will serve as the program director and the training will be delivered by trained facilitators Dr. Hal Langford and Dr. Laura Carroll of LSUA. The majority of funding for the program will come from a $15,000 grant from the National League of Cities.
Participants will attend two 90-minute online sessions per week. At the conclusion of the program, each participant will deliver an oral presentation of their business plan鈥檚 executive summary. Topics covered include market research, business model design, pricing strategy, legal strategy, distribution and sales, financial management and building the organization.
The City of Alexandria is designated as a Small and Emerging Business Development Intermediary by Louisiana Economic Development. As such, the City is required to offer economic development-related training and project funding to SEBD certified small and emerging businesses. However, since only a small number of local small businesses that are eligible for SEBD certification have been certified, attendance has been low at local SEBD training events.
鈥淲e know there are many people locally who are interested in starting a small business, or are just starting out, that we have not been able to reach in the past,鈥� said Richard Johnson, an economic development specialist with the City of Alexandria. 鈥淭his program will allow us to reach anyone interested in starting a small business; they don鈥檛 have to be SEBD certified to participate. And then the hope is that when they launch their businesses they will go on to get SEBD certified and become eligible for additional training resources.鈥�
The Launchpad program is open to entrepreneurial-minded individuals in the Alexandria Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA) area, which includes Rapides and Grant parishes, who have or are planning to locate a business in the Alexandria MSA. Space is limited and will be awarded on a competitive basis. Priority will be given to aspiring entrepreneurs and existing small businesses located in the Alexandria MSA that have been in operation three years or less. Participants are expected to attend at least 90 percent of the scheduled class sessions.
Applications are available online at . For more information, email business@lsua.edu.
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.