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 Louisiana State University of Alexandria 吃瓜直播 of Business released its April 2021 issue of the CENLA Economic Dashboard. 鈥淐entral Louisiana鈥檚 economy is doing well in terms of employment, housing, and travel,鈥� said Dr. Randall Dupont, Dean of the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business.
Employment remains strong as the Alexandria MSA continues to have the tightest labor market in the state with appropriately two job openings for every unemployed, which is three times higher than the state average. 鈥淢any businesses are struggling to find employees with the skills and credentials needed,鈥� said Dupont. March initial and continued unemployment claims in central Louisiana continued downward, falling 3% and 20%, respectively, from a month earlier. The February unemployment rate in CENLA was 6.1% compared to 7.1% statewide, with LaSalle recording the lowest rate in the state at 3.7%.
Sales tax data shows consumer spending in CENLA pulled back in February, which was expected after a strong holiday season, said Dupont. However, vehicle sales in Alexandria were up 25% over January and 54% over the same month a year ago. New business creations in Rapides year-to-date are up 8%. While occupational licenses started the year down in Rapides, occupational license revenue was up 0.3% year-to-date in March, reversing a sharp decline last month.
The April issue of the LSUA CENLA Economic Dashboard reports on remote seller tax collections for the first time. 鈥淐onsumer spending has increased significantly in the past year,鈥� said Dupont. 鈥淗owever, some segments of the economy have loss revenue such as small businesses as consumers turned to more online shopping during the pandemic.鈥� A remote sellers鈥� sales tax collection system went into operation in Louisiana last July. The system collects sales tax from online sellers who do not have a presence in Louisiana and distributes it to the jurisdiction where the purchase took place.
In the first eight months of operation, $8.8 million in online sales tax revenue has been collected in central Louisiana with Rapides collecting $2.6 million, St. Landry $1.7 million, Vernon $1.1 million, and Natchitoches $684,000.
The Alexandria MSA housing market continues to show strength with active listings down 62% from a year ago and pending listings up 72%. The number of days a house stayed on the market fell sharply in March to 75 from 94 the month earlier. The U.S. housing market remains extremely strong entering 2021, driven by low mortgage rates and inventory shortages. 2020 saw the strongest U.S. home price growth of any year since 2005.
鈥淭ravel is rebounding,鈥� said Dupont. 鈥淚ncreases in the vaccination rate, especially among vulnerable populations, mean more people are traveling, but not necessarily by car.鈥� Hotel occupancy in Rapides is up 20% in February compared to January and up 308% compared to a year ago. Avoyelles likewise experienced strong gains in hotel occupancy with a 270% increase over last February. Total passenger traffic at Alexandria International airport (AEX) averaged 145% of last March鈥檚 level, the highest in the state, compared to only 115% nationwide. On the other hand, Louisiana gasoline sales in January decreased -6.6% from December and was 14.3% below January 2020.
The CENLA Economic Dashboard is a service of the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business to help business and community leaders monitor the economic pulse of central Louisiana.
To view the April 2021 CENLA Economic Dashboard, click
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.