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.
Melinda Descant, LSUA Tennis Head Coach, has earned national recognition for being named the 2023 Wilson ITA Coach of the Year.
Amidst a wave of coaching changes within the LSU Alexandria Athletic Department, Coach Descant has played a vital role in guiding new coaches through the intricacies of the university and campus dynamics. Leveraging her nine years of experience and remarkable success, she has provided invaluable support to emerging coaches, aiding them in their transition from assistant to head coach, as well as in various other areas of need.
Coach Descant's teams consistently set the academic standard in the department, boasting an impressive average GPA of over 3.7 for the past two years and achieving a remarkable graduation rate of over 90%. Over the last two years, Coach Descant has demonstrated an extraordinary winning streak, remaining undefeated in regular season matches with a flawless 15-0 record in 2022 and a commendable 12-0 record in 2023. Under her guidance, the Generals achieved their highest ranking at #3 in 2022, and they have maintained a strong presence, entering the NAIA National tournament as the #4 seed in 2023.
In 2022, Coach Descant led her team to the national semifinals, marking their best finish to date. Her outstanding performance earned her the title of RRAC Coach of the Year in the same year. In 2023, her team excelled in the ITA Indoor National tournament, reaching the national semifinals before narrowly falling to the eventual champions, Keiser University. With a remarkable winning percentage of over 75%, Coach Descant's overall record for the past nine years stands at an impressive 111-36. Since the inception of the program in 2015, every team under Coach Descant's guidance has qualified for the national tournament.
Tyler Unsicker, Director of Athletics at LSUA, offered his congratulations, “This award is a true testament to your coaching and teaching ability. You have been doing the little things over the last nine years that have put you in a place with the NAIA Tennis community and your peers to be so deserving of this award. We are excited for you and blessed to have you at the helm of our Women’s Tennis team.”
The LSUA community extends its heartfelt congratulations to Coach Melinda Descant on this well-deserved recognition, and we eagerly anticipate her future accomplishments in the realm of collegiate athletics.
Written by wearecollegiatetennis.com
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.