Compliance Status

Louisiana State University and A&M College is in compliance with this principle.

Narrative                                                                                             

Designated as a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution, the mission of Louisiana State University and A & M College (LSU) is “the generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation of the arts” [1].  LSU has a long history of continuing education, outreach, and service programs, and these are clearly linked with its mission statement.

At most land-grant universities, the activities of the Cooperative Extension Service would be included as part of this principle.  However, at LSU, the LSU Agricultural Center [2], which includes the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station (LAES) [3] and the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service (LCES) [4], and is headquartered on the LSU campus, is a separate campus.  Undergraduate students enrolled in the College of Agriculture (COA) [5], however, have opportunities to participate in LCES service and outreach programs, for example, AgMagic—mentioned below.  Graduate students, although working principally with LAES faculty, can also work with faculty with joint COA LCES appointments; this research usually reflects service programs, such as the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program Education.

Continuing Education

Continuing Education opportunities are coordinated through several agencies on campus, including LSU’s Division of Continuing Education, the LSU Student Union’s Leisure Classes, various institutes/centers, and individual colleges and schools. These programs support LSU’s mission statement [1] through the generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge to the community.  

LSU’s Division of Continuing Education [6] provides a wide array opportunities for professionals and non-professionals alike; it also has programs for children and adults. Among its many courses, the unit offers professional development certificate programs.  Nineteen certificate programs are available, with topics including those that will allow the holder to be eligible for professional credentials as a paralegal, accounting specialist, or notary public.  In addition, online certificate programs [7] are available; examples are entrepreneurship and non-profit management.  None of the certificate courses lead to a college degree.

LSU’s Division of Continuing Education also provides opportunities for children, including pre-college programs [8] such as Tiger Challenge [9] that teaches critical thinking, problem-solving, and leadership skills to students from pre-kindergarten to eighth grade students, and Tiger U [10] that teaches high school courses ranging from film making to video game design to academic skills strategies.

The Osher Lifelong Learning Institute [11] is a member-advised community of lifelong learners, 50 years of age and older.  Topics for these non-credit courses and other activities are diverse, including line dancing, the Louisiana Supreme Court, and hummingbirds in Louisiana.

Enrichment courses [12], including computer application courses and English Language and orientation, are also available to the campus and the wider community.

In addition to the above programs, Leisure Classes, [13] housed in the LSU Student Union, are non-credit classes for the campus and the Baton Rouge community.  Formal registration at LSU is not required. A wide variety of classes is provided; however, the only formal certificate provided is for those who successfully complete a boating safety class.

Institutes/Centers

These on-campus entities provide formal training in a variety of disciplines.  Examples are provided below.

Carrol L. Herring Fire and Emergency Training Institute [14] has served the people of Louisiana, the region, and the nation through extensive fire service training programs that encompass instruction, research, and public service.  Several new programs have recently been added, including one on emergency medicine training.

The Stephenson Disaster Management Institute [15] was established to help save the lives of people and animals by continuously improving disaster response management through research and education.  An example of topics covered is the Large Animal Emergency Rescue Training that the institute provides through the LSU School of Veterinary Medicine; this training is attended by veterinary students, veterinarians, and state mounted police.

Continuing Education in LSU Colleges and Schools

E.J. Ourso College of Business’ Fraud and Forensic Accounting Conference:   Participants, including certified public accountants, certified fraud examiners, certified internal auditors, forensic accountants, governmental accountants and other accounting and auditing professionals or educators can earn up to 16 hours of professional continuing education by attending the conference [16].

Department of Geography and Anthropology’s Disaster Science and Management Program’s Building a Resilient Louisiana: Hazard-Resistant Design and Construction [17]:  Attendees receive up to 10 professional development hours for participation in the 1.5 day workshop. Participants also receive six credit hours of continuing education credits through the Louisiana State Licensing Board for Contractors [17].

School of Renewable Natural Resources’ 4th Louisiana Natural Resources Symposium: [18] This upcoming symposium has a target audience that includes land managers, foresters, land owners, and academicians. The program qualifies for 12 hours of Continuing Logger Education from the Louisiana Logging Council and for 6.5 hours of category one and 3.0 hours of category two continuing forestry education from the Society of American Foresters [18].

Outreach and Service

LSU has a rich history of outreach and public service. The university was admitted to the 2010 President’s Higher Education Community Service Honor Roll for “engaging its students, faculty, and staff in meaningful service that achieves measurable results in the community.”  LSU was specifically recognized for its civic engagement initiatives, including service-learning classes, extracurricular activities, and student-led volunteer initiatives.  Many of these activities are coordinated through the Office of the Executive Vice Chancellor and Provost.  Principal outreach and service systems include (1) the Office of Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach, which oversees the Community University Partnership; (2) the Office of Academic Affairs, which oversees the Center for Community Engagement, Learning, and Leadership and The Gordon A. Cain Center for Scientific, Technological, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM) Literacy; (3) the Division of Student Life and Enrollment, which oversees the Residential Life Program, including the residential colleges; (4) individual colleges or schools, also overseen by the Office of Academic Affairs; (5) centers and institutions that do not report directly to specific colleges or schools; and (6) non-academic organizations/units. 

Collectively, these outreach and service programs serve the LSU community, Baton Rouge, the state of Louisiana, and beyond.  The programs support the mission of LSU [1] since they help undergraduate and graduate students, with the support of the faculty, to generate knowledge and develop new skills to share with the greater community; to preserve knowledge of historic communities, local culture—including language, food, and clothing—and the environment; to disseminate information and practical help to the community; and to cultivate, and help others to cultivate, music, dance, and theater, thus enriching all parties.  Students are able to apply what they have learned in and out of classes and reach out to the larger community to present others with new ideas, to teach new skills, or to rebuild after disaster. 

Examples of the types of programs listed above are presented below:

Community University Partnership (CUP): Through this partnership, LSU has formally committed itself to building community partnerships in the historic Old South Baton Rouge community, the metropolitan area, and beyond [19]. As examples of how the CUP program helps LSU meet its mission, student teachers have impacted the lives of thousands of children, and aspiring architects have developed commercial façades and plans for small businesses and communities across the state.

Office of Academic Affairs Outreach and Service

The Center for Community Engagement, Learning & Leadership (CCELL) helps faculty, students, and community partners build mutually beneficial community-classroom partnerships.  Service-learning addresses critical community needs, builds student leadership skills, and reinforces course content.  Its academic context inside a classroom enriches students’ service experiences by raising questions about real-world concerns and promoting critical thinking about civic responsibility.  As an example of how CCELL helps LSU meet its mission, service-learning projects range from study and control of invasive plant species in the area to heightening awareness of mental health problems.  LSU offers nearly 70 classes that are designated as service-learning classes [20].

The Gordon A. Cain Center for Scientific, Technological, Engineering, and Mathematical (STEM) Literacy [21] fosters and supports STEM initiatives and collaborations among LSU faculty from the Colleges of Human Science and Education, Science, Humanities and Social Sciences, and Engineering and serves as the bridge to link LSU to K-20 colleagues from across Louisiana.  To help LSU meet its mission, the Cain Center informs and educates policy-makers to support and improve teaching and learning in formal and non-formal education settings.  It is committed to local, statewide, and national partnerships, and to a research and evaluation agenda that is national in scope and statewide in approach.

Residential Life Program [22], including the Residential Colleges [23] provides “learning communities by developing programs that promote academic success and personal development and provide attractive, clean, comfortable, and safe facilities that meet the needs of the campus community.”  The Agriculture Residential College (ARC) [24] provides an example of how the Residential Life Program supports the mission of LSU and service and community outreach.  The ARC has Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) as its signature program; this program allows students to work with animals certified through the Tiger Human Animal Therapy Service program to administer animal assisted therapy in nursing homes and assisted living centers in the Greater Baton Rouge area.  ARC students, along with other COA students, also engage in service and volunteerism, through AgMagic, an LSU Campus Sustainability program that “takes children and adults through a journey of Louisiana agriculture and economically beneficial commodities they use every day,” and through the Big Buddy Enrichment program at a local elementary study, where LSU students teach children about dining etiquette and help them prepare healthy food.  

Individual Colleges and Schools: Every college provides outreach and service programs that are consistent with LSU’s mission to reach beyond the university gates and engage the state and contribute to the public good.  Examples from each college or school are provided below:

College of Agriculture’s [5]  The Textile and Costume Museum [25] is a museum that provides students in Textiles, Apparel, and Merchandising an opportunity to study vintage textiles and dress; exhibits change several times a year and are open to the LSU community and to the public.  The museum has a large library with material available for loan to other LSU museums and other venues within the state and the country.  There is also online access to the collections.  Museum personnel frequently lecture in the community.

College of Art & Design’s Office of Community Design & Development [26] provides architectural, landscape, and interior design services, as well as community planning, technical assistance, and educational outreach to local communities, housing authorities, and community development corporations.

The E.J. Ourso College of Business [27] operates a business incubator on LSU’s South Campus that is home to 25 start-up businesses. The Louisiana Business and Technology Center (LBTC) offers flexible space, business equipment, and consulting services to those firms and outside clients through the LSU Small Business Development Center.  Additionally, the LBTC operates the Louisiana Technology Transfer Office for the state of Louisiana that, through its offices at LSU and NASA/SSC, provides technical assistance to Louisiana companies through NASA and other federal laboratories.  Graduate and undergraduate students work on projects through the LBTC.

School of the Coast and Environment’s Ocean Commotion [28] is a program, sponsored by Louisiana Sea-Grant College Program, designed to teach students in kindergarten through eighth grades about Louisiana’s coastal areas.

College of Engineering’s Marathon eXploration Camp for Inspiring Tomorrow's Engineers (XCITE) [29] is a summer experience for ninth and tenth grade female high-school students.  The focus of the program is to introduce these students to the field of engineering and to LSU through hands-on demonstrations, field trips, and contact with industry professionals.

College of Human Sciences and Education’s French Education Project [30] works to improve the teaching of French and francophone cultures, with special emphasis on Louisiana’s francophone heritage. Among its offerings to K-12 teachers of French and science is the Virtual Museum, a collaborative effort between the College of Human Sciences and Education and the LSU Museum of Natural Science that provides statewide access to LSU’s collection of natural science specimens and rich academic expertise.

College of Humanities and Social Sciences’ FACES Laboratory [31] is a public service, research, and educational facility designated to assist law enforcement agencies in the positive identification of human remains, profile analysis, and trauma analysis.  Since 1981, this unit of the Department of Geography & Anthropology, the only one of its kind in the state and region, has offered complete methods of identification through forensic anthropological autopsy and computer-generated techniques.

Manship School of Mass Communication’s Public Policy Research Laboratory [32] combines the talents and disciplinary perspectives of mass communication scholars and political scientists. The lab offers an innovative approach to original public opinion research on behalf of policy makers, state and local government agencies, nonprofit organizations, media outlets, and academicians.

College of Music & Dramatic Arts’ Performing Arts Academy offers [33] private and group lessons in the areas of music, theatre, and dance.

College of Science’s secondary education concentrations (the Geaux Teach Program) [34] in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and physics has been designed to provide students with the skills and experiences necessary to become successful educators. This program pairs education and content courses with carefully selected field experiences.

School of Veterinary Medicine’s Open House [35] is an opportunity for the community to explore the world of veterinary medicine and the latest developments in preventive medicine, animal health care, welfare, and biomedical research. A self-guided tour takes visitors through the school, where students, faculty, and staff provide information and show exhibits on various facets of veterinary medicine. The anatomy laboratory, intensive care units, and surgery and radiology suites are featured on the tour.  More than 4,000 people attended the last School of Veterinary Medicine’s Annual Open House.

Centers/Institutes also provide service to the community.  For example:

The LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute [36] utilizes various programs, seminars, and other means to address the challenges of entrepreneurship and to positively impact students, the regional economy, Louisiana, and the nation.

Non-academic Organizations also provide service to the community.  For example:

Community Bound [37] is a program offered through the Office of the Dean of Students and sponsored by Volunteer LSU, an organization of LSU Campus Life, Honors College, Office of the Chancellor, First Year Experience, Greek Life, Career Services, Aramark, Volunteers in Public Schools, and City Year Baton Rouge.  LSU students, along with primary and secondary students from Baton Rouge, provide service to the community.

LSU has 349 student organizations [38].  Although not all participate in outreach and service, many do.  As an example, during National Nutrition Month, the Student Dietetic Association sponsors a “spice drive” to provide recipients of the Greater Baton Rouge Food Bank with non-sodium-containing flavoring alternatives.

The Greek community [39] also participates in outreach and service.  For example, Pi Kappa Alpha supports St. Jude Children’s Hospital with an annual volleyball tournament called “sPike It” [40].

As mentioned previously, another component of LSU Student Life and Enrollment is Volunteer LSU [41].  Volunteer LSU was created in 2006 as LSU’s umbrella service organization to help make an impact in the Baton Rouge community and beyond. Volunteer LSU has five main focus areas: Baton Rouge restoration and beautification, civic awareness and engagement, environmental & disaster response, health and wellness outreach, and youth programs.

Ask Mike [42] is a program whereby students, faculty, and staff can find information on a wide range of health issues, including diet and other lifestyle factors.  Since this information is not password protected, it is also available to the general public. 

There are other continuing education and outreach and service programs available through LSU.  The ones presented herein were chosen to show the breadth and variety of programs available across campus.  Every academic unit on campus participates in outreach and service.  These programs service LSU students, the state of Louisiana, and beyond.  They also clearly support LSU’s mission statement since they generate and preserve knowledge, as well as allow for the dissemination and application of this knowledge or the cultivation of the arts.

LSU Policy Statement 09 [43] Continuing Education, Outreach, and Service Programs defines University policies and operating procedures for the offering of continuing education, outreach, and service programs through the Division of Continuing Education and through other academic and non-academic units of the university.

Assessment

Information on the manner in which LSU assesses the effectiveness of community and public services is detailed in the compliance certificate for Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1.5.