General Information

History

Louisiana State University Shreveport originated with Act 41 of the 1967 Louisiana Legislature, which authorized the establishment of a two-year commuter college in Shreveport. On February 06, 1965, the LSU Board of Supervisors formally established Louisiana State University in Shreveport as a division of the Louisiana State University System. The campus is a 258-acre tract located on Highway 1 in south Shreveport.

LSUS began its first session on September 21, 1967, offering basic freshman courses and extending the advantages of a great university system to the residents of northwest Louisiana. Sophomore courses were added in 1968. Following approval by the Coordinating Council for Higher Education, Act 66 of the Louisiana Legislature authorized baccalaureate degree-granting status. Subsequent approval by the LSU Board of Supervisors resulted in the decision to add junior-level courses in 1973 and senior-level courses in 1974. The first class graduated in 1975. The University was first accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools in December 1975. Many baccalaureate and master’s degrees have since become available in the Colleges of Arts and Sciences, Business, and Education, and Human Development. In June of 2014, LSUS received approval from SACSCOC to offer its first doctoral degree. 

Mission

The mission of LSUS is to:

Accreditation

Louisiana State University Shreveport is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award degrees at the baccalaureate, masters, educational specialist, and doctorate levels. Louisiana State University Shreveport also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels. Questions about the accreditation of LSUS may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org). 

Teaching

At all levels of instruction, LSUS maintains high academic standards and emphasizes personal interaction between students and qualified, experienced faculty. A comprehensive library, including the unique James Smith Noel Collection and Northwest Louisiana Archives, supports learning in three kinds of programs:

• Undergraduate programs provide a solid foundation in Business, Education, Liberal Arts, and Sciences.
• Graduate programs address the community’s need for technically skilled professionals and the individual’s desire for advanced liberal education.
• Continuing education and public service programs allow life-long learning and professional development for the region’s diverse population.

Research

The University provides opportunities for undergraduate and graduate students, as well as faculty, to conduct research that often helps the community while advancing knowledge in a particular field. The University will continue to enhance research opportunities by promoting cooperative ventures with other educational institutions in the region, especially LSU Health Shreveport and the Biomedical Research Institute.

Public Service

•  Assistance to local businesses, governments, and schools in developing leadership and solving technical problems; Assistance is available in four forms:
•  Consultation with individual faculty members;
•  Mentorship programs, such as the one established between the Department of English and Foreign Languages and local high schools;
•  Seminars, workshops, and other professional development programs; and
•  Collaboration with public schools.
• Expanded education opportunities by means of cooperative degree programs with other colleges and universities;
• Greater awareness of history and current issues by means of public forums, such as those offered by the American Studies Program;
• Cultural and intellectual enrichment through several educational facilities serving the public and the university alike, such as:
• Noel Memorial Library, which includes the James Smith Noel Collection, the largest private collection of antiquarian books in the United States, and the Northwest Louisiana Archives, a collection documenting the history and culture of northwest Louisiana and the lower Red River region from its earliest settlement to the present;
• KDAQ, a public radio station, which has one of America’s largest coverage areas;
• Museum of Life Sciences, which encourages interest in environmental issues;
• Spring Street Museum, a repository of local historical artifacts and programming in one of the oldest buildings in downtown Shreveport;
• Red River Education and Research Park, which encourages a wide range of activities at C. Bickham Dickson Park; and
• Pioneer Heritage Center, which focuses on the cultural history of the region.
• Opportunities to satisfy vocational and ad-vocational needs in a broad spectrum of non-credit courses, off-campus as well as on campus, through the Division of Continuing Education and Public Service.

The Office of Admissions and Records is an authorized Louisiana voter registration agency.  Louisiana residents needing to register to vote or make changes to their voter registration, including notification of change of address or name, may do so in the Registrar’s office located on the first floor of the Administration Building.

Responsibility

• Explores a portion of human knowledge under the leadership of highly qualified and experienced faculty;
• Learns to think creatively and critically to solve problems in human and scientific contexts;
• Refines skills in oral and written communication to enhance professional growth and interpersonal relationships;
• Examines contemporary issues of professional ethics in each program; 
• Conducts independent projects and communicates the results to others;
• Uses current technology in pursuing knowledge and developing professional skills; and
• Demonstrates competence in a chosen field through examinations, applied research, field experience, and/or community service.

Mission: Student Affairs

Student Development helps students establish personal autonomy, form satisfactory personal relationships, and set goals for their years at the University and after. The following support services are offered to students from the time they enter the University until the time they leave:

• Career development, 
• Personal Counseling,
• Disability support,
• Learning support,
• Recreational sports,
• Student activities,
• Student advocacy and accountability, and
• Title IX coordination.

Mission: Division of Finance and Administration

The Division of Finance and Administration ensures that the University uses the financial and physical resources entrusted to it with effectiveness, efficiency, and complete accountability. The division carries out its mission in two ways:

• By using sound fiscal management practices in conducting University business,
• By maintaining a physical environment that is pleasing to the eye, safe for everyone, free of barriers, and conducive to learning.

Thus, the division plays an important role in supporting the academic mission of the University.

Louisiana State University Administration

Louisiana State University is a multi-campus, multipurpose system of higher education, accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges, encompassing all Louisiana, and exerting a major influence on the economic, social, and cultural life of its citizens.

Law and tradition have assigned LSU a three-fold purpose: developing, to the highest level, the intellectual and professional capacities of its citizens through resident instruction; enriching instruction and establishing new frontiers of knowledge through research and scholarship; and providing all Louisianans with information useful in advancing the state’s economy and culture through extension services.

LSU is composed of eight major administrative units located throughout the state. Three of these: LSU, LSUA, and LSUS provide undergraduate and graduate instruction. A two-year campus is located in Eunice. The LSU Agricultural Center, with headquarters on LSU campus, administers a system of agricultural experiment stations and the Cooperative Extension Service through Louisiana. The two LSU Health Science Centers, in New Orleans and in Shreveport, train physicians and scientists in health-care disciplines. The Pennington Biomedical Research Center promotes healthier lives through research and education in nutrition and preventative medicine.

President of the University System

William F. Tate, IV is the Executive Officer of LSU and is responsible for the execution of the administrative and educational policies of the Board of Supervisors.

The LSU Shreveport Foundation, Inc.

www.LSUSFoundation.org

The LSU Shreveport Foundation was established in 1983 as the University Associates. Its name was changed in 1990 to better identify the organization as the official foundation for the University. The Foundation is a nonprofit and tax-exempt organization, and all contributions are deductible to the full extent of the law.

The Foundation fosters private financial support for the University, manages investments, and serves as trustee for funds and other assets contributed. Resources raised through the Foundation provide scholarships, support research and faculty development, and afford discretionary funds to fuel continued growth and success for LSUS. The Foundation is governed by a board of directors. 

Unrestricted contributions to the LSUS Foundation provide discretionary funds for activities that cannot be paid for with state or tuition-generated monies. Donations may also be restricted in a variety of ways, including to specific academic colleges, athletics, programs, and endowments for chairs and professorships. Fundraising activities also include contributions for annual and endowed scholarships. 

Additional information about the Foundation may be obtained from the LSUS Foundation Office, located on the second floor of the Administration Building, 318/797.5257.

The LSU Shreveport Alumni Association

www.lsusalumni.org

The LSUS Alumni Association is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that directs activities among the University, its alumni, and the community. It is supported by the LSUS Office of Alumni Affairs, which maintains the alumni master database and coordinates the work of the LSUS Alumni Association Board of Directors. Students who have successfully completed at least 3 hours at LSUS are eligible for membership in the alumni association. 

The Alumni Association works with the LSUS Foundation on various campaigns throughout the year. The Association also provides funds for scholarships, helps promote enrollment, supports the continuation and expansion of programs at LSUS, and encourages community involvement through financial contributions and cooperative events with community and civic organizations. Its activities and traditions help increase community awareness of the University’s programs, special events, and specific needs.

The Office of Alumni Affairs directs the activities of the University’s alumni association, including membership, alumni giving, alumni news, community partnerships, and special alumni events. Additional information may be obtained from the Office of Alumni Affairs, located on the second floor of the Administration Building, (318) 797-5190 or emailing alumni@lsus.edu. 

The Office of Media and Public Relations

The Office of Media and Public Relations organizes and directs all external communications and the University’s message to the broader community. The office assists news media in obtaining information and insight on current events through the wealth of resources at LSUS. Marketing, advertising, and campus photography are also coordinated through this office. Media and Public Relations publishes all news releases and manages all aspects of social media and the www.lsus.edu website for the University. For more information, visit http://www.lsus.edu/community/media-and-pr or call 318.797.5324.

The LSUS Campus

The campus, located at One University Place on 258 acres of land between E. Kings Highway and LA Highway 1, is being developed in accordance with the LSUS master plan. The Science Building, the original Library (currently the Technology Center), and the Facility Services Complex were completed in 1967, followed by Bronson Hall in 1973, the University Center in 1979, the Business Administration & Education Building in 1980, the Health and Physical Education Building in 1982, the Administration Building in 1986, and Pilots Pointe Apartments in 2020. Noel Memorial Library was constructed in 1994.

University Facilities

Administration Building (1), a two-story structure located on the southwest side of campus, houses the administrative offices of the Chancellor and Vice Chancellors for Academic Affairs, Division of Finance and Administration, and Development. Other administrative offices include: Accounting Services, Admissions and Records, Alumni Association, Counseling Services, the Dean of Students, Financial Aid, Human Resource Management, Information Technology, Institutional Research, LSUS Foundation, LSUS Police, Purchasing, Sponsored Research, and Student Advocacy and Accountability.

Baptist Collegiate Ministry (2), a single-story structure, designed to support the student Baptist ministry programs. It is also the location of GOLA Coffee Shop.

William H. Bronson Hall (3), a four-story building containing classrooms, faculty offices, administrative offices for the College of Arts and Sciences and various departments, seminar rooms, language laboratories, and other special-use rooms.

Business Administration & Education Building (4), houses classrooms for the College of Business, the College of Education and Human Development, as well as faculty and administrative offices. This three-story facility also houses the Business Engagement Center, a curriculum resource center and laboratories for the Departments of Accounting and Psychology, an Educational Technology laboratory, and university computer classes.

Health & Physical Education Building (10), is a two-story facility housing the Athletic Department. It contains an indoor Olympic swimming pool, a multipurpose exercise room, The Dock (home court of the LSUS Pilots and Lady Pilots basketball teams), volleyball and badminton courts, a dance studio, an athletic training room, LSUS Olympic Development Weightlifting Center, and classrooms.

Facility Services Complex (8), includes administrative offices that house facility maintenance, custodial, and grounds functions, a workshop, maintenance yard, and a central heating/cooling plant that serves all major campus buildings.

Noel Memorial Library (12), is crucial to the intellectual and cultural growth of the University community. It collects materials adequate to support the University’s curricula, organizes these materials, and makes them readily available. The Library currently has over 250,000 books and provides access to more than 450,000 electronic books and 70,000 electronic journals. Additionally, the library provides for access to a number of required etextbooks that come at no cost to students. The Library is also a select depository for United States Government Documents and receives all Louisiana State Documents. The LSUS Northwest Louisiana Archives area preserves, organizes, and makes available primary materials relating to or originating in northwest Louisiana. The 200,000-volume James Smith Noel Collection of rare books is on permanent loan to the University. The Student Success Center can be found on the first floor of this building, as well, and houses First-Year Experience, the Office of Student Success, and Career Services. It is also the location of STACKS Coffee Shop.

Red River Radio Building (7), includes the broadcast studios (renovated in 2011) and administrative offices for the regional Red River Radio public radio network serving 2.5 million people in northwest and central Louisiana, East Texas, and South Arkansas. The stations include KDAQ Shreveport, KLSA Alexandria, KBSA El Dorado, KLDN Lufkin, and KTYK Overton with an additional transmitter at Grambling.

Red River Watershed Management Station (14), is a unique, multidisciplinary, educational and research endeavor with a 585-acre wetland, state-of-the-art water monitoring technology, GIS laboratory, and environmental assessment and monitoring laboratory. The Station building borders the oxbow lake, Old River Lake, at the Red River Education and Research Park and features an indoor classroom, covered porch for outdoor education, a laboratory, office, and restrooms.

Science Building (15), a three-story facility, contains laboratories for Chemistry, Physics, and Biological Sciences, classrooms, and faculty and administrative offices for Sciences. A 300-seat lecture auditorium is adjacent to this building. The Science Building was modernized in 1998.

Technology Center (17), renovated in 2003, the former library building provides space for Continuing Education and Public Service, the Department of Nursing, the Pioneer Heritage Center, Veterans Resource Center, and the Department of Computer Science. In addition, the Campus Mailroom, including shipping and receiving, is located on the first floor of the Technology Center. This building also includes the Cyber Collaboratory.

University Center (18), houses The Port Grille, Barnes and Noble campus bookstore, gaming areas, lounge areas, meeting rooms, an auditorium, an events hall, student government offices, the Food Pantry, the University Police substation and a computer lab. Other parts of the campus are described below as University Services.

University Services

Intercollegiate Athletics

The Chancellor oversees Intercollegiate Athletics. The Office of Intercollegiate Athletics coordinates the LSUS varsity athletic programs. The LSUS Pilots compete in men’s and women’s soccer in the fall. In the winter, our men’s and women’s basketball teams take the floor while baseball and women’s tennis compete in the spring. LSUS is a member of the Red River Athletic Conference, which is affiliated with the National Association of Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA). Since the year 2003, the LSUS athletic programs have claimed 25 regular season conference titles, 31 conference tournament championships, and have made 59 appearances in the NAIA National Tournament. The men’s basketball team has made 20 consecutive trips to the NAIA National Tournament while the baseball team has been to the NAIA Opening Round every year since it began and has made five trips to the Avista-NAIA World Series. The women’s basketball team has now established themselves as one of the top teams in the RRAC with eight championships in the last eight years and, in 2024, set the new win-streak record at 28 games. Men’s and women’s soccer returned to the campus in the Fall of 2017 and have both sprung to the top of the RRAC winning conference championships and competing at the national level. The Pilots have also represented the University well in the classroom, as well as in the community with more than half the student-athletes achieving over a 3.0 GPA and the teams completing thousands of hours of community service. The NAIA promotes character-driven athletics through the Champions of Character Program, which involves the teaching of five core values: respect, responsibility, sportsmanship, servant-leadership, and integrity.

Museums and Galleries

The Museum of Life Sciences is a research and teaching collection devoted to the scientific study of vertebrate animals (amphibians, reptiles, mammals, birds, and fish), mollusks, insects, spiders, crawfish, and vascular plants. The collection contains more than 71,000 scientific specimens representing the diversity of the flora and fauna of northwestern Louisiana, as well as regions throughout the United States and the world (including Mexico, Costa Rica, Nicaragua, Canada, Kenya, and India). Museum holdings are available for study by students, faculty, and visiting scientists; to other museums on loan, and to other institutions through an exchange system. The collections form the basis of more than 200 peer-reviewed scientific papers by LSUS students and faculty. The museum promotes local natural history research, gives informative programs and scientific collection tours, and disseminates knowledge through scholarly scientific journals and other publications. The museum’s own publication, The Bulletin of the Museum of Life Sciences, is distributed worldwide to scientists and institutions.

The Pioneer Heritage Center, founded in 1977 as a joint project of LSUS and the Junior League, is a history laboratory offering a glimpse of how people in northwest Louisiana lived during the pioneer years from the 1830’s to the early 20th century.

Located on the northeast side of campus, the Pioneer Heritage Center consists of the Caspiana House, a raised cottage built in 1856 on the Hutchinson’s Caspiana Plantation 15 miles south of the campus; the 1850 Thrasher House, a log double-pen “dog trot,” moved 35 miles from near Castor, Louisiana; a detached kitchen; a typical late 19th century board-and-batten shotgun house from the Webb Plantation; the 1903 doctor’s office from the Caspiana Plantation; the Webb Commissary (circa 1900) from the Webb Plantation; a log single-pen blacksmith shop (circa 1870) from the Jack W. Grigsby farm in DeSoto Parish; and in 2003, the Riverfront Mission of First Baptist Church was donated to LSUS. Both Caspiana House and Thrasher House are listed in the National Register of Historic Places.

Trained volunteers offer tours and lectures that use these structures and related artifacts to demonstrate the region’s early folk architecture and social history. The authenticity of everything in the Center is ensured by many primary sources: original letters, diaries, ledgers, plantation records, successions, interviews, photographs, and other archival materials from the period. Public events and educational programs are scheduled throughout the year. Tours are by appointment only. For more information, call 318/797.5339.

In 2019, the LSUS Foundation acquired the Spring Street Museum in downtown Shreveport. The Museum, housed in one of Shreveport’s oldest buildings, has been on the National Register of Historical Places since 1976 and its collection includes many historical artifacts, including vintage clothing dating back to 1835, antique toys, firearms and swords, photographs, antique maps, Persian rugs, and original 18th and 19th century furniture, accessories, and paintings. Revolving exhibits on the first floor offer insight into the Shreveport area’s long and varied history. The Museum provides LSUS opportunities to help preserve that history for the public and to allow students hands-on learning experiences through internships, archeological projects, and primary source research.

On-Campus Housing

Pilots Pointe Apartments offers over 350 LSUS students the space and privacy of apartments with all the benefits of living on campus. From our spacious renovated floorplans and clubhouse to our amazing amenities, we are here to serve our residents by offering an academic environment coupled with recreational and social programming that enhances the overall college experience. For more information about Pilots Pointe, call 318/797.8588 or visit us on the web at www.pilotspointe.com.

Public Radio

The University operates the Red River Radio Network, five full-power public radio stations affiliated with NPR, the BBC, American Public Media and licensed to the LSU Board of Supervisors. KDAQ (89.9FM) is the flagship station serving residents of the Ark-La-Tex. KLSA (90.7FM) serves the central Louisiana region, KBSA (90.9FM) serves South Arkansas, KLDN (88.9FM) serves the deep East Texas region, and KTYK (100.7FM) serves the Tyler, TX area. Red River Radio also has a translator in Grambling, LA (90.7FM). Red River Radio is the first broadcaster in the region to provide HD Digital Radio. Operating out of studios on the campus of LSUS, the station broadcasts 24 hours a day and reaches a population of nearly 2.5 million people. Programming includes news and information, classical music, jazz and blues, as well as eclectic and original programs. A cultural service of LSUS, underwriters, corporations, foundations, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and listener contributions support the network.

Information Technology Services

Comprehensive technology services are provided for students, faculty, staff, and administrators. The University’s Enterprise Resource Planning System (ERP) provides both online and web access for all administrative functions. LSUS is a member of the Louisiana Optical Network Initiative (LONI). Also available in laboratories and classrooms are microcomputers that provide access to the campus local network and to the Internet. The most commonly used computer languages and statistical and utility packages are available for instruction, research, or production. Short courses and seminars keep the campus community informed of software and hardware developments.

LSUS Police Department

The University employs a staff of full-time, commissioned police officers who maintain campus security around the clock. In or out of uniform, these officers possess all authority granted to peace officers under state laws. Each commissioned officer is Louisiana POST certified from a law enforcement training program. When they see or learn of crimes, officers will ordinarily conduct the investigation, make arrests, and work with local authorities as the case passes through the court system.

The LSUS Police also monitor parking areas and investigate traffic accidents. Questions concerning the operation and parking of vehicles should be directed to an officer upon receiving an LSUS parking decal. Detailed traffic regulations are printed in the Student Handbook, in brochures available at registration, or found online at http://www.lsus.edu/current-students/lsus-police. Details regarding the appeal process for citations can be found there as well.

Student Success Center

The Student Success Center (SSC) is a 5,800 square foot space providing students with a supportive learning and growth environment.  The center houses various departments and function areas to support students, including Career Services, Academic Success, Academic Advising, and First Year Experience. The facility offers numerous study spaces, small group meeting rooms, classrooms, as well as a computer lab, printer access, Wi-Fi access, and other technology.  Services provided include both in-person and virtual appointments, educational events and workshops, as well as a variety of online resources.  The Student Success Center and Advising Suite are located on the first floor of Noel Memorial Library.

Veterans Resource Center

The Veterans Resource Center (VRC) provides guidance and services to all military and military-affiliated students and their families. The VRC works to ensure that students get the support they need to transition smoothly into an academic setting and civilian life. Through individualized resources and in-person social and educational workshops, the Center strives to create a student veteran community that helps students identify and achieve their goals and turn their military experience into academic and career assets. Services include academic support, career services, assistance with benefits, campus and community outreach, financial planning, internship and networking opportunities, life skills workshops, and volunteer opportunities. The Veterans Resource Center is located on the first floor of the Technology Center and can be reached by calling 318/798.4178 or emailing veteransrc@lsus.edu.