Louisiana State University Shreveport

Louisiana State University in Shreveport
Type	Public coeducational
Established	1967
Endowment	$16,287,118
Chancellor	Paul Sisson (interim)
Academic staff	137
Students	4,535 (Fall 2012)
Location	Shreveport, LA, USA; 32°25′36″N 93°42′22″W / 32.426788°N 93.706234°W
Campus	Urban
Colors	Navy and gold
Nickname	Pilots
Affiliations	NAIA, RRAC
Mascot	Pete the Pilot
Website	www.lsus.edu

Louisiana State University in Shreveport (LSU Shreveport or LSUS) is a branch institution of the Louisiana State University System located in Shreveport, Louisiana. LSUS opened in 1967 as a two-year community college but transitioned into a four-year college nine years later in 1976. With an enrollment of 4,535 students, LSUS is a multipurpose system of higher education, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. Although the University does not provide on-campus housing, University Court is contracted by the University to provide apartment-style housing adjacent to the northwest corner of campus for LSUS students. The school's athletic programs, nicknamed the Pilots, are National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) and the Red River Athletic Conference. LSUS offers more than 70 extra-curricular organizaitons. LSUS operates Red River Radio, a public radio network based in Shreveport.

History

After nine years as a two-year institution, LSUS was advanced to four-year status in 1976 through the efforts of state Senator Don W. Williamson of Shreveport and state Representative Joe Henry Cooper of Mansfield, the seat of De Soto Parish.

Since becoming a four-year institution, LSUS has acquired regional and national accreditation and has added more programs.

In early 2009, LSUS announced it was attempting to cut expenses by merging the College of Liberal Arts with the College of Science to form the College of Arts and Sciences and also merge the College of Business Administration and the College of Education and Human Development into the College of Business, Education and Human Development. Further, LSUS announced it would eliminate two dean and two associate dean positions.^[1]

After decades of neglect by the LSU System, Shreveport-Bossier civic and business leaders supported a recommendation by Eva Klein and Associates to merge LSUS into Louisiana Tech University to bring a top tier national research university to the metro area.^[2] In 2012, the merger proposal achieved unanimous approval by the Louisiana Board of Regents, and the House Education Committee passed the merger bill with a 14-4 vote in favor of the merger. However, the bill failed to achieve a two-thirds majority on the House floor. The result of the merger talks was the LSUS Commitment Plan to offer some LSU degrees on the LSUS campus and for the merger to be revisited again in three years.

Academics

LSUS offers 25 undergraduate programs and 11 Master's degrees. Within the College of Business, Education and Human Development there is the School of Business, School of Education and the School of Human Sciences. Within the College of Arts and Sciences there is the School of Humanities and Social Sciences and the School of Mathematics and Sciences. Within each college LSUS grants undergraduate and graduate degrees at the masters and specialist degree levels. Additionally, all of LSUS' business degrees are accredited by AACSB-International. LSUS offers many night courses, catering to its non-traditional student population. LSUS also offers many on-line course and two 100% online Master's degrees (Master of Science in Human Services Administration and Master of Health Administration).

The University has a student-teacher ratio of 21:1 and 78% of the professors have doctoral degrees. Many of LSUS' professors have been published and nationally recognized. Many of LSUS' professors sit on nationally-recognized boards related to their disciplines.

Athletics

LSU–Shreveport (LSUS) teams are known as the Pilots. The university is a member of the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA), competing in the Red River Athletic Conference (RRAC). The Pilots formerly competed in the Gulf Coast Athletic Conference (GCAC). Men's sports include baseball and basketball; while women's sports include basketball and tennis. LSUS cut their men's and women's soccer teams citing excessive costs and replaced them with cross country. The LSU–Shreveport Pilot baseball team has had many players drafted in the Major League Baseball Draft, including three taken in the 2010 MLB Draft.

Mascot

Pete the Pilot was introduced to students in the fall of 2007 after a process that began in 2005 with the passage of a bill calling for a new mascot by the Student Government Association (SGA). The idea initially met resistance by the administration based upon cost, but was further pursued. He is a combination of steamboat pilot and pelican, which is the state bird of Louisiana. Students offered naming suggestions during student government elections in 2007, with a final decision made by a committee of students and faculty. The committee was composed of the Professor of the Year, the current SGA president, and a former SGA president representing the students, alumni and faculty of LSUS. The mascot was named in accordance with the majority opinion of students expressed during the vote.

People

Notable alumni

Sherri Smith Cheek, state senator from Caddo and DeSoto parishes

Notable faculty

Hubert D. Humphreys, a charter member of the LSUS faculty, was a specialist in oral history.
Harold R. King, Jr. (1945–2010), American novelist from Shreveport who taught writing at LSUS.
Lloyd E. Lenard (1922–2008), a Shreveport businessman, Caddo Parish commissioner, and author, taught finance and insurance at LSUS on an adjunct basis.
Jeffrey D. Sadow, an LSUS political science professor and widely known political blogger, journalist, and satirist.

References

^ LSUS Academic Reorganization Proposed in Preparation for Budget Cuts. LSU System News, March 3, 2009. Retrieved Sep 30, 2010.
^ http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/05/lsu-shreveport_and_louisiana_t.html

External links

[1] LSUS Academic Reorganization Proposed in Preparation for Budget Cuts. LSU System News, March 3, 2009. Retrieved Sep 30, 2010.

[2] ttp://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2012/05/lsu-shreveport_and_louisiana_t.html

[1]

[2]

v t e Public colleges and universities in Louisiana
Research universities	Louisiana State University Louisiana Tech University University of Louisiana at Lafayette University of Louisiana at Monroe University of New Orleans
Comprehensive universities	Grambling State University Louisiana State University of Alexandria Louisiana State University Shreveport McNeese State University Nicholls State University Northwestern State University Southeastern Louisiana University Southern University Southern University at New Orleans
Specialized centers	LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport Paul M. Hebert Law Center Southern University Law Center
Community and technical colleges	Baton Rouge Community College Bossier Parish Community College Delgado Community College L. E. Fletcher Technical Community College Louisiana Delta Community College Louisiana State University at Eunice Louisiana Technical College Northwest Louisiana Technical College Nunez Community College River Parishes Community College South Louisiana Community College Southern University at Shreveport Sowela Technical Community College