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 released its January 2021 issue of the CENLA Economic Dashboard.
“Local consumer spending continues to exceed expectations,” said Dr. Randall Dupont, Dean of the LSUA College of Business and creator of the monthly dashboard.
Although total consumer spending for December is not yet available, preliminary data indicates a positive outlook the month. Consumer spending in Rapides Parish the first week of December was up 4% over January 2020. Consumers in Rapides spent more time shopping and dining than the state average. However, the small businesses have taken the brunt of the economic impact, said Dupont. Researchers at Harvard-based Opportunity Insights report small business revenue in Rapides was down 44% at the end of the year compared to 36% statewide.
“The number of new business applications filed in Louisiana last year is very encouraging,” said Dupont. Applications for 82,000 new businesses were filed in 2020, compared to 54,000 a year earlier. Of the new businesses, 24,000 are likely to have planned wages according to Census Bureau data. “We are encouraged by the growth in new business applications,” he said.
“Our goal in creating the Louisiana Small Business Development Center (LSBDC) at LSUA is to support existing small businesses and to help these new businesses through the formation process,” he added. In Louisiana, it takes three to six months to form a business after making application. The local SBDC will hold a ribbon cutting January 21 at the Central Louisiana Regional Chamber office on Third Street in Alexandria.
Louisiana’s employment picture improved in November with the unemployment rate falling 1.2% statewide to 8.1%. Employment in the Alexandria metro area improved as well with the unemployment rate falling to 5.9% in November, while the rate for Central Louisiana stood at 6.9%. Initial and continued unemployment claims in Central Louisiana and statewide trend downward in December. However, initial claims increased sharply with the new year. Initial claims in Central Louisiana the first week of January more than doubled from late December, while initial claims statewide tripled, rising from 8,273 to 25,414.
Six of the nine Central Louisiana jurisdictions included in the Dashboard reported higher tax revenues in December, reflecting increased consumer spending in November. Avoyelles, Evangeline, and St. Landry reported decreases of 10% to 14%. Year-to-date tax revenues were up as well, with the exception of Concordia and LaSalle. November vehicle sales activity was down slightly compared to October, but sales activity was up more than 30% over last November, with Rapides posting a 16% gain so far this year.
Construction permits in Rapides and Avoyelles were up significantly in December. Rapides saw $36 million in construction being permitted last month, bring its total to $81 million for the year compared to $72 million in 2019. Likewise, Avoyelles issued $53 million in permits in December, bringing its total to $105 million for the year compared to $52 million last year.
The CENLA Economic Dashboard is a service of the LSUA College of Business to help business and community leaders monitor the economic pulse of central Louisiana.
To view the January 13 edition of 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.