Louisiana Tech University
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| Louisiana Tech University | |
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| Motto: | Non Sibi Sed Suis |
| Motto in English: | Not for one's self, but for one's own |
| Established: | 1894 |
| Type: | Public |
| President: | Daniel Reneau |
| Faculty: | 394 |
| Undergraduates: | 9,331 |
| Postgraduates: | 2,379 |
| Location: | Ruston, LA, USA 32°31′47″N 92°38′26″W / 32.52972°N 92.64056°W |
| Campus: | Rural |
| Colors: | Reflex Blue Red |
| Nickname: | Bulldogs Lady Techsters |
| Mascot: | Tech XX Champ |
| Affiliations: | SACS WAC |
| Website: | www.latech.edu |
Louisiana Tech University, located in Ruston, Louisiana is a coeducational public institution of higher learning with an enrollment of 10,950 students in the 08-09 year.[1] Louisiana Tech was first instituted as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana in 1894, then as Louisiana Polytechnic Institute in 1921, and finally as Louisiana Tech University in 1970.[citation needed] The University is perhaps best known for its engineering programs and its athletics, especially men's football and women's basketball. Louisiana Tech is attended by students from 46 states and 68 countries.[2] Louisiana Tech operates on the quarter system while awarding semester hours. Three quarters (fall, winter, spring) equal two semesters at other universities. Louisiana Tech operates a satellite campus at Barksdale Air Force Base in Bossier City.
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[edit] History
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Louisiana Tech University (founded as the Industrial Institute and College of Louisiana) was created and founded by Act 68 of the Acts of the State of Louisiana of 1894, established "for the education of the white children of the State of Louisiana in the arts and sciences" (Act 68, Section 1). Classes began September 5, 1895, with 202 students and five faculty members. The Industrial Institute conferred its first degree, a Bachelor of Industry, on 5 June 1897 to Harry Howard.
After a short time, the name of the school was changed to Louisiana Industrial Institute. During its first decade, the school was limited to two structures, the main building or Old Main, and a mechanics building, but during the 1910s and 1920s, additional structures were built, including dormitories and a dining hall. In 1921, the state constitutional convention changed the name of the school to the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute, and gave it permission to grant the Bachelor of Arts and Bachelor of Science degrees.
In 1927, the library had outgrown Old Main and was given its own building. During the 1930s, the South Campus was constructed for the School of Agriculture. In 1935, the first football stadium was completed. On January 6, 1936, Old Main burned to the ground. The modern library stands on its site.
During WWII, the school played host to several military organizations, including a Naval officer training unit.
On February 2, 1965, Louisiana Tech was integrated when James Earl Potts and Bertha Bradford, the first black students, enrolled.
In 1970, the school's named was changed again, to Louisiana Tech University, reflecting its new status as a doctorate granting institution.
During this time, the university constructed the 16-story Wyly Tower, named for the father of two benefactors, alumni Charles Wyly and Sam Wyly of Dallas. The project architect was Hugh G. Parker of Monroe.
Dr. Daniel Reneau has led the University as President since 1987 and the length of his tenure has now nearly equaled that of former longtime President F. Jay Taylor, who led the university through a period of expansion from 1962 through 1987. Dr. Reneau was a former department head of Biomedical Engineering.
Following Hurricane Katrina Louisiana Tech, like many other universities, opened its doors to those displaced by the storm. Students and non-students alike were welcomed into the Ruston community while the reconstruction efforts continued in southern Louisiana. Affected students were offered deferred tuition while non-students were allowed to stay in a dorm previously scheduled for demolition. Caruthers Hall, a dorm that had been closed the spring quarter before Katrina was reopened to house family members of Tech students that were forced to evacuate. Additionally, the Bulldog athletic program also opened up the football facilities including weight rooms, practice fields, and stadium to the Tulane Green Wave.
A similar situation arose during Hurricane Gustav. The Louisiana School system has since created a Sister School Evacuation Plan which Partnered McNeese State University with Louisiana Tech University. The dorms were opened to students from McNeese for a period of 2 weeks.
[edit] Academics
[edit] Rankings
- 1st: Top school with best out-of-state costs by Kiplinger's Magazine[3]
- 1st: Top school with best out-of-state costs after aid Kiplinger's Magazine[4]
- 2nd: Highest rated professors of all U.S. colleges and universities by RateMyProfessors.com[5]
- 3rd: Best micro- and nanotechnology education program by Small Times Magazine[6]
- 4th: Tier national university by US News & World Report[7]
- 7th: Best institution in nanotechnology commercialization in the nation[8]
- 93rd: Best value in public colleges and universities by Kiplinger's Magazine[9]
[edit] Colleges
[edit] Applied and Natural Sciences
The College of Applied and Natural Sciences is made up of the Departments of Agricultural Science, Biological Sciences, Forestry, Health Information Management, Human Ecology, and Nursing. It confers the Associate of Science in Nursing, and the Bachelor of Science in Forestry, Environmental Science, Agricultural Business, Animal Science, Biology, Medical Technology, Geographic Information Science, Wildlife Conservation, Health Information Administration, Health Information Technology, Merchandising and Consumer Studies, Family and Child Studies, Family and Consumer Sciences Education, and Nutrition and Dietetics.
Through the Graduate School, the College confers the Master of Science in Biology, Family and Consumer Sciences, and Nutrition and Dietetics, and the Master of Health Information Management.[10]
[edit] Business
The College of Business comprises the Departments of Accounting, Economics & Finance, Graduate Studies & Research, Management & Information Systems, and Marketing & Analysis. It grants the Bachelor of Science in Accounting, Business Administration, Business Economics, Finance, Computer Information Systems, Management/Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Management/Human Resources, and Marketing. Through the Graduate School, it grants the Doctor of Business Administration, Master of Business Administration, and Master of Professional Accountancy.
Louisiana Tech College of Business also houses Academy of Marketing Science. Academy of Marketing Science is the premier body of both national and international marketing scholars. Academy of Marketing Science publishes the top marketing journal -"The Journal of Academy of Marketing Science". College of Business has one of the strongest professional selling and sales management scholarship. [11]
[edit] Education
The College of Education is made up of the departments of Curriculum, Instruction and Leadership, Kinesiology, and Psychological and Behavioral Sciences. It grants the Bachelor of Arts in Art Education, Educational Services, English Education, French Education, Social Studies Education, and Psychology. It grants the Bachelor of Science in Early/Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Special Education, Middle School Education Math and Science, Agriculture Education, Biology Education, Business Education, Chemistry Education, Earth Science Education, Mathematics Education, Physics Education, Speech Education, Speech, Language, and Hearing Therapy, Health and Physical Education, and Kinesiology and Health Promotion. It confers the Bachelor of Music Education (Instrumental or Vocal.)
Through the Graduate School, the College of Education confers the Doctor of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, and Educational Leadership, the Master of Education in Education Leadership, and Education, the Master of Arts in Teaching in Secondary Education, Early Childhood Education, Elementary Education, Middle School Education Mathematics, Middle School Education Science, Multiple Levels, and Special Education, the Master of Science in Curriculum and Instruction, and Kinesiology, the Master of Arts in Counseling and Guidance, Educational Psychology, and Industrial/Organizational Psychology, and the Doctor of Philosophy in Counseling Psychology (accredited by the American Psychological Association[12]). In the fall of 2009, the college will also offer the Doctor of Philosophy in Industrial/Organizational Psychology.[13]
[edit] Engineering and Science
The College of Engineering and Science has an interdisciplinary structure; as such, each faculty member may be associated with one or more degree programs within the College. It grants the Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Civil Engineering, Computer Science, Construction Engineering Technology, Electrical Engineering, Electrical Engineering Technology, Industrial Engineering, Mathematics and Statistics, Mechanical Engineering, Nanosystems Engineering, and Physics. Through the Graduate School, it grants the Master of Science in Engineering and Technology Management, Engineering, Microsystems Engineering, Molecular Science and Nanotechnology, Computer Science, Mathematics, and Physics.
The College of Engineering and Science also confers the Doctor of Philosophy in Computational Analysis and Modeling, Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering, with a joint MD/PhD program with the Louisiana State University at Shreveport Medical Center. Beginning in 2008, the College will also confer a PhD in Engineering Physics.[14]
[edit] Liberal Arts
The College of Liberal Arts is made up of the Departments of Architecture, Art, History, Journalism, Literature and Language, Performing Arts, Professional Aviation, Social Science, and Speech. The College confers the Associate of General Studies, the Bachelor of General Studies, the Bachelor of Arts in History, Journalism, English, French, Spanish, Music, Geography, Political Science, Sociology, Speech, and Preprofessional Speech-Language Pathology, the Bachelor of Science in Architecture, Professional Aviation and Aviation Management, the Bachelor of Interior Design, the Bachelor of Fine Arts, and the Bachelor of Music.
Through the Graduate School, the college confers the Master of Architecture, Master of Fine Arts, Master of Arts in History, English, Speech, and Speech-Language Pathology and Audiology, and the Doctor of Audiology.[15]
[edit] Student life
Louisiana Tech has over 163 officially recognized student organizations.[16] Students can opt to participate in Student Government, Union Board, The Tech Talk, Louisiana TechTV, KLPI, Lagniappe, Greek, religious, honor, service, spirit, intramurals, club sports, pre-professional, and special interest organizations.
Louisiana Tech requires students to live on campus for 7 quarters or 80 credit hours, in turn coming to a little over two years, unless deemed a commuter. Housing is an issue on campus, and a building program is underway to move from traditional dormitories to apartment-style complexes. The first of these, University Park, was opened in 2005 and houses up to 450 students. The second phase, known as University Park 2 (UP2) opened for the Fall 2008 quarter.
Louisiana Tech and neighboring Grambling State University operate an ROTC exchange program. Louisiana Tech operates the Air Force ROTC while Grambling operates the Army ROTC, and students from either school may participate in either program.
Since 2006, Louisiana Tech has played host to Summer Leadership School for Air Force Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps cadets from public school systems all over the United States. It is operated by normal USAF retirees, but mostly by college level Cadet Training Officers. These sessions are held towards the end of the month of June for nine days.
[edit] Athletics
Currently Louisiana Tech sponsors men's intercollegiate baseball, basketball, cross country, football, golf, indoor track and outdoor track along with women's intercollegiate basketball, bowling, indoor track, outdoor track, volleyball, soccer, softball and tennis.
Notable alumni, including Charles Wyly, Willie Roaf, Karl Malone, and Terry Bradshaw, have made significant donations to enhance Tech's athletic facilities and sense of institutional sports history. Recent years have significant investment in the athletics physical plant, including renovations to the football stadium, the basketball arena, the baseball diamond, track, etc.
Louisiana Tech's historical rivals include Northwestern State University, the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, and the University of Louisiana at Monroe, though it is of note that the Bulldogs have largely sacrificed all of these rivalries in the name of seeking higher profile conference affiliations and greater national prominence for their programs.
[edit] Football
Louisiana Tech currently competes as an NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision institution in the Western Athletic Conference. The football team has competed at the Division I FBS level since 1989 after previously competing at both the Division I Football Championship Subdivision and Division II levels. Current head coach is Derek Dooley, formerly of the Miami Dolphins coaching staff and Louisiana State University football program.
[edit] Men's Basketball
[edit] Women's Basketball
The women's basketball program is notable for having won three national championships, including a title in the first NCAA National Women's Basketball Championship in 1982. The Lady Techsters' most recent title came in 1988. Until they failed to make the 2007 tournament the Lady Techsters had participated in every NCAA postseason women's basketball tournament going back to 1982. Alumnae of the program include WNBA All-Stars Teresa Weatherspoon, Betty Lennox, and Cheryl Ford, as well as Kim Mulkey, the first (and, as of 2009, the only) woman to have won NCAA Division I basketball titles as a player and head coach.
[edit] Traditions
[edit] Lady of the Mist
In the midst of a fountain in the quadrangle, the Lady of the Mist is a landmark of the Louisiana Tech campus. In 1938, the Lady was funded by the campus's young Panhellenic System - the sororities on campus. The sculpture was specifically located to welcome all to the campus as through the columns that stand north of Prescott Memorial Library, which served as Tech's main entrance. The statue was the idea of two Tech faculty members - Mary Moffett and Elizabeth Bethea. The inscription on the Lady states that she symbolizes "Alma Mater," welcoming new students and bidding farewell to graduates. She symbolizes a hope that Tech graduates will fulfill their ambitions and their highest callings.[17]
[edit] Legend of the Bulldog
In the autumn of 1899, five Tech students returned home from school. They came upon an old, hungry bulldog sitting under a tree. The boys fed the dog with what food they had and continued their journey. When they finally reached their destination, however, they found that the dog had followed them. Being sensitive young men, they sought permission for the dog to stay the night, and the landlord agreed - if the animal remained in the kitchen. That night the house caught fire. Their overnight guest was the first to awaken. The dog ran from room to room, rousing everyone in the building. Then, after all the other occupants had made their way to safety, one boy remained inside. The bulldog re-entered the smoke-filled house in an apparent attempt to rescue him, not realizing the boy had escaped in a different direction. After the fire was extinguished and smoke had finally cleared, the boys went inside to see if the dog had indeed made it out to safety. But when they entered, they found the lifeless bulldog lying in an unburned corner of one room. He had died from the smoke and the heat. Naturally, the young men were shaken due to the death of their new friend. So they picked him up and carried him to the place they had found him the previous day. They then dug a grave and wrapped him in two jackets - one red and the other blue. When the boys returned to school and related their story, the whole campus mourned the death of the homeless dog. The dog with no name had found a place in the hearts of Tech students. Two years later, Tech organized a football team and decided the team needed not only school colors, but a mascot. A unanimous decision was reached as the bulldog, the first hero of Tech, was given the honor.[18]
[edit] Alma MaterO Tech, thy halls so beautiful, Chorus Those old Tech days, those joyful days, |
[edit] Fight SongFight! Fight! Fight! For ole red and blue! Get on your toes when you meet your foes, TECH! TECH! TECH! Hit those lines like good ole canines! Hold up your chin and let's all go in |
[edit] Notable people
Some of Louisiana Tech's notable alumni include:
- Businessmen: Charles Wyly, Sam Wyly, Glen F. Post III, James E. Davison, and Michael McCallister.
- Country music performers: Kix Brooks and Trace Adkins.
- Football players: Terry Bradshaw, Fred Dean, Willie Roaf, Luke McCown, Josh Scobee, Ryan Moats, Troy Edwards, Tim Rattay, and Matt Stover.
- Men's basketball players: Karl Malone, P.J. Brown, and Paul Millsap.
- United States politicians: Saxby Chambliss, Jim McCrery, Rodney Alexander, and Joe Waggonner.
- Women's basketball players: Teresa Weatherspoon, Venus Lacy, Cheryl Ford, Betty Lennox, Vickie Johnson, and Kim Mulkey.
[edit] See also
[edit] External links
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