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 ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥s of the Southern Association of ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥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 ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥. 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.
Louisiana State University of Alexandria holds its annual Employee Recognition Dinner on Tuesday, March 29 to celebrate the hard work and dedication of faculty and staff.
The most prestigious recognition awarded each year is 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’s 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.
The Bolton Award recipient for 2021-2022 is Susan Myrick, Associate Professor of Education. Myrick served as an educator for over 40 years in various capacities. She has been the recipient of awards from both students and colleagues in professional organizations and has been a presenter at national, state, and school district conferences. Myrick is most proud of her former students who presently serve as directors in national programs, school district supervisors and principals, and mentors to aspiring teachers.
LSUA also recognizes the recipients of seventeen endowed professorships. 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 recipients of this year’s endowed professorships are:
Roy O Martin, Jr. Endowed Professorship - Rafael Romero
J.H. Johnson Endowed Professorship in Business - Dr. Robert Jones
LSUA Division of Administration Endowed Professorship - Dr. Kent Lachney
Jenkins-Mulder Endowed Professorship in Business - Beverly Alwell
Joanne Lyles White Endowed Professorship in Education - Dr. Tina Hathorn
Joanne Lyles White Endowed Professorship in Education - Dr. Arlene Duos
Barbara Martin Endowed Professorship in Nursing - Julie Bordelon
Roy O Martin Lumber Company Endowed Professorship in Nursing - Mary Kay Sunderhaus
Frances Holt Freedman Endowed Professorship - Laurie Pittman
Roy and Vinita Martin Endowed Professorship in Math and Sciences - Dr. Christof Stumpf
Howard M. and Eloise Ferris Mulder Endowed Professorship - Dr. Purujit Gurjar
Huie Dellmon Trust Endowed Professorship in Liberal Arts & Science - Jessica Thacker
Mark Eugene Howard Endowed Professorship - Eric Alai
Carolyn Cole Saunders Endowed Professorship - Melissa LaBorde
F. Hugh Coughlin Endowed Professorship - Dr. Robert Wright
Robert Rife Saunders Endowed Professorship - Deborah Wood
Vinita Johnson Martin Endowed Professorship - Dr. Zebulon Bell
Endowed professors receive a salary stipend as well as additional funds for professional development or travel activities. Professorships are usually awarded for a two-year term.
The Staff Senate Boss of the Year award is given by direct reports to a manager who demonstrates excellence in personnel management, leadership, responsibility, and professionalism. This year’s winner is Jerri Weston, Registrar in the Office of the Registrar.
The Staff Senate Scholarship is awarded to a full-time staff member to defray the costs of achieving a degree or continuing their education. This year’s scholarship recipient is Summer Knight, Staff Accountant in the Division of Finance and Administration.
Student Choice Awards are included in this year’s program. The awardees are nominated by current LSUA students. The winners are:
Life Changing Class – Dr. Carol Corbat, Professor of Biological Sciences
Outstanding Staff Service – Hayley Bryant, Retention and Advising Specialist in the Department of Student Engagement
The Teaching Innovation Award and Grant are given to showcase and reward innovative teaching in the classroom. The winners are:
Teaching Innovation Award - Dr. Julie Gill, Professor of Kinesiology
Teaching Innovation Grant - Dr. Cheryl Bardales, Assistant Professor of Biological Sciences
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’s recipient of the Staff Outstanding Service Award is Haylee Malone, Student Life Coordinator in the Department of Student Engagement.
The Outstanding Faculty Mentor Award is presented annually to the professor who has demonstrated excellence in coaching and guiding his or her students through hands-on experience to develop their own research projects. This year, the award goes to Dr. Hal Langford, Professor of Business Administration.
The Faculty Award for Outstanding Scholarship is given to a faculty member who exemplifies outstanding research and scholarship. This year’s winner is Dr. Prakash Ghimire, Chair of the Department of Mathematics and Computer Science.
The Faculty Award for Outstanding Service recipient is Dr. Tanya Lueder, Assistant Professor of Computer Science.
The Outstanding Adjunct Award recipient is Dr. Krista Redmond, Adjunct Instructor of Education.
Dr. Jerry Sanson was recognized as Professor Emeritus.
The Service Above Self Award is presented by LSUA Chancellor, Dr. Paul Coreil. The award is given to an individual who has gone above and beyond the call of duty throughout the past year to ensure the well-being of LSUA students. This year’s recipient is Melinda Anderson, Chief of Staff in the Office of the Chancellor and former President of the LSUA Foundation.
LSUA also honors Service Learning employees, those who have retired in the past year, as well as all employees who have 5, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, or 35 years of service to LSUA.
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 ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ 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 ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ 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 ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥, 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 ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ (Texas), Texas ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley ³Ô¹ÏÖ±²¥ (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.