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 releases its July 2023 issue of the Central Louisiana Economic Dashboard.
Central Louisiana鈥檚 economy continues to be supported by a strong labor market and consumer spending, says Randall Dupont, Dean of the LSUA 吃瓜直播 of Business. Although the Alexandria-Pineville area unemployment rate rose from 2.9% in April to 3.6% in May as new graduates entered the workforce and students sought summer work, Dupont expects the rate to fall as graduates find jobs in the local market. The same is true for Natchitoches as the unemployment rate there rose from 3.8% in April to 4.6% in May.
Alexandria remained the tightest labor market in the state, although it is easing both locally and statewide. Since Spring, Baton Rouge has had the lowest unemployment rate in the state with the Alexandria metro area a close second. Overall, the unemployment rate in central Louisiana was 4.2% in May, compared to 4.4% for the state.
Through the first half of 2023, consumer spending in central Louisiana was ahead of last year in nearly all jurisdictions as measured by sales tax revenue. According to June sales tax collections, vehicle sales were up 31% in Rapides in May and were 12% higher than a year ago. Likewise, year-to-date auto sales in Natchitoches and Evangeline outperformed the first half of last year.
Online consumer spending in central Louisiana continues to outpace traditional sales in terms of percentage growth. Through June, online sales in central Louisiana were up 14% over the same period last year.
Higher interest rates are impacting construction activity and the housing market. Building permit valuations, which is a measure of future construction activity, were down -26% in central Louisiana through the first half of 2023, compared to the same period in 2022. Permits year-to-date are down in all reporting jurisdictions, except Rapides which has a 3% increase and the City of Natchitoches with an 11% increase. Home prices remain robust despite rising interest rates. The median price of a home is up from a year ago in all four metro areas of central Louisiana (Alexandria, Natchitoches, Leesville, and Opelousas), ranging from 2% in Alexandria to 23% in Leesville. As home prices increase so do active listings, which are up year-over-year with Alexandria and Natchitoches reporting increases of 31% and 58%, respectively.
New business applications in Louisiana through May were down -8% compared to the same period last year. In Rapides, new business applications through June were up 1% for the year at 229, compared to 226 in 2022.
The Central Louisiana 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 July 2023 CENLA Economic Dashboard, click.
Written by Randall Dupont, Ph.D. | LSUA 吃瓜直播 fo Business
Photo credit - LSUA Strategic Communications
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.