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 Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges 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 College offered the upper-level course work for select bachelor's degree programs on the LSUA campus through a program known as LSU Senior College. 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 College of Business has released its July 2020 issue of the CENLA Economic Dashboard.
The Dashboard shows the central Louisiana economy remains strong in terms of consumer spending and future construction activities with continuing improvement in employment, according to Dr. Randall Dupont, Dean of the LSUA College of Business.
Compared to April, consumer spending in May as measured by June sales tax revenue was up in seven of the nine reporting parishes and cities, with Pineville having the largest percentage increase at 25%, followed by Rapides up 14%, and Alexandria up 11%. Vehicles sales in May were up 43% in Rapides and Avoyelles, and 26% in Evangeline, according to the report.
The valuation of building permits filed in June increased 32% in Evangeline, 50% in Rapides, and 65% in Avoyelles over May filings, with the valuation of new residential construction permits issued by the Rapides Area Planning Commission increasing 78% over last June.
“Strong consumer spending in May and increased construction activities starting in June will further strengthen local employment, which continues to improve,” said Dupont. “The Alexandria MSA had the lowest unemployment rate among the state’s metro areas again in May at 9.2%, while Rapides had a rate of 9.3%. The average unemployment rate for Cenla stood at 10.8%, compared to 13.1% statewide.”
Initial unemployment claims are down 68% in Rapides, falling from 1,541 claims at its April 18th peak to 495 claims last week. However, continued unemployment claims remained high, down only 9% to 4,992 from a May 23rd high of 5,495.
“The $600 a week federal supplement to unemployment benefits is set to end July 31st. If the supplement is not extended, consumer spending may be adversely impacted until local employment returns to pre-COVID levels,” Dupont continued.
Other key findings of the Dashboard include:
•Passenger traffic at AEX continues to exceed the national average with AEX ranking second among statewide airports, while area hotel occupancy continues to be weak. Through May of this year, occupancy was down 23% in Rapides and 15% in Avoyelles.
•Twenty-two percent of Louisiana small businesses said it would take three months or less for their business to return to normal, compared to 14% nationally.
•For the week ending June 20, new business formations in Louisiana reached an all-time weekly high for the third straight week with 1,770 business applications filed. Through June 20th of this year, 31,010 businesses were formed compared to 29,360 during the same period in 2019.
The CENLA Economic Dashboard is a service of LSUA to help business and community leaders monitor the economic pulse of central Louisiana.
To view the July 8th CENLA Economic Dashboard, click here.
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 College 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 College 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 College, 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 College (Okla.), Huston-Tilloston University (Texas), Jarvis Christian College (Texas), Langston University (Okla.), LSU-Shreveport, Our Lady of the Lake University (Texas), Paul Quinn College (Texas), Texas College, University of St. Thomas (Texas), University of Texas-Brownsville, University of the Southwest (New Mexico) and Wiley College (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.