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.
In a press conference this week, seven central Louisiana businesses stood with LSUA to announce an official partnership known as LSUA Accountants for the Future that will provide funding, support, and professional opportunities to increase the number of qualified accountants graduating into the workforce.
In 2017, the Alexandria statistical area reported having only 53% of the accountants needed for a region its size as measured against national averages. Over the last five years, the administration of LSUA and the faculty of LSUA鈥檚 吃瓜直播 of Business have met regularly with area employers to assess their workforce needs. In direct response to these conversations, LSUA has focussed on redesigning an innovative Accounting degree program accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).
Spearheaded by the vision of Roy O. Martin, III, CEO and CFO of RoyOMartin, the LSUA Accountants for the Future partnership is a collaboration between LSUA and seven area businesses, including RoyOMartin; Red River Bank; Payne, Moore, & Herrington; Cleco; Crest Industries; Virtual Partner Advantage; and Central Management.
Martin explained his motivation for encouraging the partnership between like-minded businesses and LSUA, 鈥淭his collaboration is about the business community working directly with the university to address a critical need. Our businesses cannot grow until we grow our workforce. We have the raw material here in central Louisiana. We have to send them through the factory that is LSUA to produce the high-quality product we are all looking for鈥ccountants!鈥�
Randall Dupont, Dean of the 吃瓜直播 of Business, said, 鈥淭his partnership is a great opportunity. We have put in the work to elevate the Accounting program because it is the right thing to do. We need to understand the needs of the business community and continue to improve our programs. We are working every day to do both.鈥�
Nearly every partnering company noted the need and desire to hire local talent educated in central Louisiana. Isabel Carriere, Executive Vice President at Red River Bank, noted 鈥淏anks are always looking for good employees in all areas of the financial services sector. We want to help graduating students stay and work here in our community.鈥� Similarly, Rebecca Morris, Managing Partner at Payne, Moore, & Herrington, added, 鈥淥ur CPA firm hires accounting graduates every year. We are looking to the future to hire more accountants that will continue to help us grow and move up in the industry.鈥�
Kent Lachney, Chair of the Accounting and Finance Department, along with Assistant Professor of Accounting Beverly Alwell, explained the motivation, process, and results of the innovative changes LSUA has made to the Accounting degree program. Students in the Bachelor of Science in Accounting not only acquire the skills and knowledge necessary to pass the CPA exam, but they also develop expertise in Excel, the preparation of financial statements, audit standards, taxation, data analytics, and data visualization.
Cleco Chief Financial Officer Kristin Guillory said, 鈥淎ll of the hires Cleco makes in the financial office start with a strong foundation in accounting. We are a big business in a small town. LSUA is forward-thinking, and we will continue to be a next-level company as LSUA feeds our talent pipeline with the graduates we need.鈥�
Ken Wasmer, Vice President of Virtual Partner Advantage, spelled out exactly what this program will mean to area businesses stating, 鈥淭his is a fabulous partnership. You may not know much about our company here locally, but we are a back-office accounting firm for technology companies across the country. There is a nationwide need for accountants. Like many businesses, we can grow as fast as we can hire accountants.鈥�
LSUA鈥檚 accounting graduates pursue a variety of paths after graduation. Most seek careers in public accounting (auditing, tax preparation, and business consulting) or private accounting (financial accounting, management accounting, and internal auditing). Some graduates continue their education to earn a Master of Science in Accounting, a Master of Business Administration, or to attend law school.
Written by Adam Lord
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.