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.
STERLINGTON, La.—For the first time since 2018, the LSUA baseball team has won the Red River Athletic Conference Tournament.
LSUA (33-14) accomplished that feat with a 13-2 over Houston-Victoria.
"It feels incredible," LSUA Interim Head CoachKody Gautreauxsaid. "The work that these guys have put in, the hours put in, the ups and downs, the wins and losses, everything has led us to this point.
"We've played 28 games on the road. I thought these guys were more prepared to handle a tournament like this than any team I've been a part of. This team showed they were willing to do anything and everything to get the job done."
LSUA swept through the RRAC Tournament, outscoring its competition 47-14 in the process.
Will Vice, playing in the biggest game in his young LSUA career, allowed just two runs in six innings against a red-hot UHV (24-26) offense.
"I pitched against them in our weekend series," Vice said. "I learned how to get those guys out. Go with fastballs and keep it out of the middle of the plate and stick to the outside edges and let them get themselves out."
Vice was one of six Generals on the All-Tournament team.
The Generals began fast with three runs in the first two innings, all of them scoring after the second out was recorded. In the first, the first two batters were retired, butJordan Ardoin's walk began a stretch of five consecutive Generals to reach.
Brant Leslie, who joined Vice on the All-Tournament Team, started the scoring with an RBI single. A wild pitch on a strikeout scored another run.
In addition to Vice and Leslie, catcherPeyton Marcanteland pitchersSeth TrahanandSlone Greaves made the All-Tournament team as well as second baseman and Tournament MVPCameron Daigle.
Ardoin hit an RBI double off the wall in the third inning to make it 3-0. It was the shortstop's 100thrun driven in during his LSUA career becoming just the third Generals player to reach that milestone.
LSUA's lead grew to 5-0 after RBI singles fromJulien Kliebertand Marcantel before the Jaguars found its way to on the scoreboard on a two-run home run off the bat of Amilcar Montanez.
But like always, LSUA was resilient, responding with a four-run inning to take back control of the contest.
Ivan Prejeanbegan the inning with a double before coming in to score on a failed pick-off attempt that sailed past the first baseman Zach Lee. Ardoin's second RBI hit and a Marcantel fielder's choice wrapped up the inning, as LSUA had a 9-2 advantage.
Broussard had the final two run-scoring hits, tallying a two-run double in the sixth and two-run single in the ninth to round out the scoring.
The junior center fielder went 3-for-5 in the game with a game-high four RBI.
A leadoff walk in the sixth by Vice caused LSUA to turn toAustin Manuel, who threw 2.2 innings of shutout ball, keeping the hot-hitting Jaguars off balance, quickly inducing a double play to erase the leadoff walk.
Team captainJacob Jensencame in and finished off the game by inducing a fly out toBryson Broussard to end the game, which set off a dogpile in the infield to celebrate the victory.
"We put a lot of work to get to this point," Jensen said. "I couldn't be happier to do this with this group of guys. This is a special group."
LSUA finds out where it is headed on Thursday at 4 p.m. during the selection show.
"It was an amazing weekend," Gautreaux said. "They created some memories that these guys will never forget, but we still have a lot of work to do."
Written by Jonathan Zenk, LSUA Sports Information Director
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.