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.
ALEXANDRIA - Cleco completed its pledged giving of $100,000 to support LSUA鈥檚 Accountants for the Future initiative. LSUA Chancellor Dr. Paul Coreil and Cleco President and CEO Bill Fontenot celebrated with a ceremonial 鈥渂ig鈥� check presentation.
Like many local business leaders, Fontenot supports the idea that we can educate and employ qualified accountants right here in central Louisiana. Accounting is essential to the growth and sustainability of nearly every industry. As such, LSUA has devoted significant energy to revitalizing its pathway into this crucial career.
鈥�颁濒别肠辞鈥檚 significant commitment to LSUA鈥檚 Accountants for the Future initiative will result in more qualified accountants entering the workforce,鈥� said LSUA Chancellor Coreil. 鈥淏y adding faculty and enhancing curriculum, the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business is committed to preparing and graduating job ready accounting students that can live and enjoy a successful career right here in central Louisiana.鈥�
鈥淐leco is honored to be a part of the Accountants for the Future project to grow the accounting department at LSUA,鈥� said Bill Fontenot, president and CEO of Cleco Corporate Holdings. 鈥淭his donation is an investment in the communities where we live, work, and serve, and Cleco is committed to helping leading institutions like LSUA prepare their students to meet current and future workforce needs.鈥�
Dr. Randall Dupont, Dean of the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business, explained Cenla Accountants for the Future is a public-private initiative by seven central Louisiana firms to place more accounting graduates in the workforce. Members of the group include Cleco, RoyOMartin, Crest Industries, Virtual Partner Advantage, Red River Bank, Payne Moore Herrington, and Central Management. Other partnerships are in progress. The initiative was spearheaded by Roy O. Martin, III in 2020, who brought together other companies to address the local shortage of professional accountants and auditors. Members of the group wanted to equip more LSUA graduates with the knowledge and competencies to successfully complete the CPA exam and enter into public accounting, industry, governmental, or non-profit employment in Central Louisiana and beyond.
Accountants and auditors are listed as five-star occupations, according to the Louisiana Workforce Commission, and the profession has been under-represented locally based on the area鈥檚 population. Accountants and auditors earn an annual salary range of $44,000 - $78,000.
鈥淭he accounting profession is changing,鈥� noted Dupont. 鈥淓mployers now need graduates who are well versed in information systems and data analytics. With support from Cleco and other members of Cenla Accountants for the Future, we have been able to identify these new workforce needs and have elevated our program to meet the challenge. LSUA鈥檚 B.S. in Accounting now offers a concentration in Accounting Information Systems and Data Analytics. The program is offered on-campus and 100% online.鈥�
For more information about Accounting at LSUA, visit .
Written by Adam Lord with Dr. Randall Dupont
Photo credit - Nathan Parish
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.