Louisiana State University and A&M College

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  2. COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATION
  3. PART 1. Signatures Attesting to Compliance
  4. PART 2. List of Substantive Changes Approved Since the Last Reaffirmation
  5. PART 3. Institutional Assessment of Compliance
    1. Section 2: Core Requirements
      1. 2.1 Degree-granting Authority
      2. 2.2 Governing Board
      3. 2.3 Chief Executive Officer
      4. 2.4 Institutional Mission
      5. 2.5 Institutional Effectiveness
        1. 2.5 Institutional Effectiveness (Continued)
      6. 2.6 Continuous Operation
      7. 2.7.1 Program Length
        1. 2.7.1 Program Length (Continued)
      8. 2.7.2 Program Content
      9. 2.7.3 General Education
      10. 2.7.4 Course work for Degrees
      11. 2.8 Faculty
      12. 2.9 Learning Resources and Services
      13. 2.10 Student Support Services
        1. 2.10 Student Support Services (Continued)
      14. 2.11.1 Financial Resources
      15. 2.11.2 Physical Resources
    2. Section 3: Comprehensive Standards
      1. 3.1.1 Mission
      2. 3.2.1 CEO evaluation/selection
      3. 3.2.2 Governing board control
      4. 3.2.3 Board conflict of interest
      5. 3.2.4 External Influence
      6. 3.2.5 Board dismissal
      7. 3.2.6 Board/administration distinction
      8. 3.2.7 Organizational structure
      9. 3.2.8 Qualified administrative/academic officers
      10. 3.2.9 Personnel appointment
      11. 3.2.10 Administrative staff evaluations
      12. 3.2.11 Control of intercollegiate athletics
      13. 3.2.12 Fund-raising activities
      14. 3.2.13 Institution-related entities
      15. 3.2.14 Intellectual property rights
      16. 3.3.1 Institutional Effectiveness
        1. 3.3.1.1
          1. 3.3.1.1 (Continued)
        2. 3.3.1.2
        3. 3.3.1.3
          1. 3.3.1.3 (Continued)
        4. 3.3.1.4
          1. 3.3.1.4 (Continued)
        5. 3.3.1.5
          1. 3.3.1.5 (Continued)
      17. 3.4.1 Academic program approval
      18. 3.4.2 Continuing education/service programs
      19. 3.4.3 Admissions policies
      20. 3.4.4 Acceptance of academic credit
      21. 3.4.5 Academic policies
      22. 3.4.6 Practices for awarding credit
      23. 3.4.7 Consortial relationships/contractual agreements
      24. 3.4.8 Noncredit to credit
      25. 3.4.9 Academic support services
        1. 3.4.9 (Continued)
        2. 3.4.9 (Continued - 2)
      26. 3.4.10 Responsibility for curriculum
      27. 3.4.11 Academic program coordination
      28. 3.4.12 Technology use
      29. 3.5.1 General education competencies
      30. 3.5.2 Institutional credits for a degree
      31. 3.5.3 Undergraduate program requirements
      32. 3.5.4 Terminal degrees of faculty
      33. 3.6.1 Post-baccalaureate program rigor
        1. 3.6.1 Post-baccalaureate program rigor (Continued)
      34. 3.6.2 Graduate curriculum
      35. 3.6.3 Institutional credits for a graduate degree
      36. 3.6.4 Post-baccalaureate program requirements
      37. 3.7.1 Faculty competence
      38. 3.7.2 Faculty evaluation
      39. 3.7.3 Faculty development
      40. 3.7.4 Academic freedom
      41. 3.7.5 Faculty role in governance
      42. 3.8.1 Learning/information resources
      43. 3.8.2 Instruction of library use
      44. 3.8.3 Qualified staff
      45. 3.9.1 Student rights
      46. 3.9.2 Student records
      47. 3.9.3 Qualified staff
      48. 3.10.1 Financial Stability
      49. 3.10.2 Financial aid audits
      50. 3.10.3 Control of finances
      51. 3.10.4 Control of sponsored research/external funds
      52. 3.11.1 Control of physical resources
      53. 3.11.2 Institutional environment
      54. 3.11.3 Physical facilities
      55. 3.12.1 Substantive change
      56. 3.13 Policy compliance
        1. 3.13.1 "Accrediting Decisions of Other Agencies"
        2. 3.13.2. "Collaborative Academic Arrangements: Policy and Procedures"
        3. 3.13.3. "Complaint Procedures Against the Commission or Its Accredited Institutions"
        4. 3.13.4. "Reaffirmation of Accreditation and Subsequent Reports"
          1. 3.13.4.a.
          2. 3.13.4.b.
      57. 3.14.1 Publication of accreditation status
      58. 3.13.5. "Separate Accreditation for Units of a Member Institution"
        1. 3.13.5.a.
        2. 3.13.5.b.
    3. Section 4: Federal Requirements
      1. 4.1 Student Achievement
      2. 4.2 Program curriculum
        1. 4.2 Program curriculum (Continued)
      3. 4.3 Publication of policies
      4. 4.4 Program length
        1. 4.4 Program length (Continued)
      5. 4.5 Student complaints
      6. 4.6 Recruitment materials
      7. 4.7 Title IV program responsibilities
      8. 4.8 Distance and correspondence education
        1. 4.8.1
        2. 4.8.2
        3. 4.8.3
      9. 4.9 Definition of credit hours
  6. PART 4. Institutional Summary Form Prepared for Commission Reviews
  7. FOCUSED REPORT
  8. QUALITY ENHANCEMENT PLAN (QEP)

2.7.3 General Education

In each undergraduate degree program, the institution requires the successful completion of a general education component at the collegiate level that (1) is a substantial component of each undergraduate degree, (2) ensures breadth of knowledge, and (3) is based on a coherent rationale. For degree completion in associate programs, the component constitutes a minimum of 15 semester hours or the equivalent; for baccalaureate programs, a minimum of 30 semester hours or the equivalent. These credit hours are to be drawn from and include at least one course from each of the following areas: humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/ mathematics. The courses do not narrowly focus on those skills, techniques, and procedures specific to a particular occupation or profession. If an institution uses a unit other than semester credit hours, it provides an explanation for the equivalency. The institution also provides a justification if it allows for fewer than the required number of semester credit hours or its equivalent unit of general education courses. (General Education)

Compliance Status

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

Narrative

In serving the mission of Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU) to be a leading research-extensive university and challenging undergraduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development [1], the General Education Component at LSU is a fundamental part of undergraduate study. In courses designated as general education, students broaden their base of knowledge of science, culture, and society and begin a process of developing the University Learning Competencies, which continues throughout their academic careers in courses of their major fields of study and electives. LSU’s General Education Component represents a conviction on the part of the faculty that LSU graduates will be able to communicate effectively through multiple media; will have a basic appreciation of historical, cultural, and philosophical complexity; will be aware of the economic, political, psychological, cultural, and linguistic factors that inform global interdependence; will be able to identify and solve important problems through research-based inquiry that employs scientific and mathematical methods and appropriate technology; and will have the requisite abilities and motivation to participate effectively in the civic life of communities [2].  The manner in which general education is structured at LSU assures that all undergraduate bachelor’s degree programs have more than 30 credit hours of general education courses and have at least one course in humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics. There are no associate degrees offered at LSU.

As noted in Core Requirement 2.7.1 and Comprehensive Standard 3.4.6, LSU uses the semester hour of credit as the unit by which course work is measured. Further, Federal Requirement 4.9 demonstrates that the LSU definition of a credit hour is commensurate with the federal definition of a credit hour.

General Education Guidance from the Louisiana Board of Regents

The Louisiana Board of Regents recognizes that all undergraduate students receiving a degree at a public institution of higher education in Louisiana should have “a broad-based common educational experience that enhances students' ability to describe, interpret, and analyze their world” [3]. As such, they acknowledge the importance of general education across the state’s higher education institutions. They describe general education courses as follows:

General education courses should provide an introduction to a discipline, as in a survey course that covers a wide range of material within a specific discipline or area of inquiry and acquaints students with a broad section of the information or skills available in the area, or an appreciation course that introduces students to a creative field and leads to a general understanding and appreciation of work by others.

General education focus areas, as defined by the Board of Regents, should share common characteristics and include courses in English composition, mathematics and analytical reasoning, natural sciences, humanities, social/behavioral sciences, and fine arts. The Board defines the distribution of credit hours in these general education areas for each type of undergraduate degree [4]. Each institution in the state designates courses that are to be included in the general education inventory. However, the Board of Regents notes that “all applicable general education requirements of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges shall apply.” The LSU general education requirements are consistent with the statewide general education requirements of the Louisiana Board of Regents.

LSU General Education Component in Baccalaureate Degree Programs

LSU requires that every undergraduate student in all bachelor’s degree programs complete 39 hours of general education courses that encompass a breadth of knowledge and are integral parts of their degree programs [2]. These 39 hours of general education courses are college-level. Courses to be offered in the general education component of undergraduate education must first pass stringent review by the Faculty Senate Courses and Curricula Committee when initially created as a course, followed by a formal proposal review by the Faculty Senate General Education Committee (FSGEC) [5] [6]. Upon approval by the FSGEC, the course is listed in the general education component area. All general education courses are on a five-year renewal cycle through which FSGEC assesses each courses to ensure that it maintains the expectations, including breadth of knowledge, as set forth in the focus area criteria [7].  

The General Education Component of undergraduate education comprises a significant component (32.5%) of the minimum 120 credit hours required for an undergraduate degree and are completed in the six focus areas of English composition, analytical reasoning, arts, humanities, natural sciences, and social sciences. The focus areas (with links to courses in the focus areas), goals, and credit hour requirements are listed in Table 1. More detailed information on the criteria of each focus area is considered in Comprehensive Standard 3.5.1.  Of particular importance is that the organization of general education courses at LSU mandate that at least one course in humanities/fine arts, social/behavioral sciences, and natural science/mathematics is taken.

Table 1.  General education focus areas and credit hour requirements for bachelor’s degrees at LSU

Focus Area [general education courses]

Goals of Focus Area

Required Credit Hours

English Composition [8]

The goal of the English composition requirement is to prepare students to become good communicators, thinkers, and researchers.

6

Analytical  Reasoning [9]

The goal of the analytical reasoning requirement is for students to gain an understanding of the reasoning processes used in drawing conclusions, and to gain competence in using these processes.

6

Arts [10]

The goal of courses in the arts is to reveal the order, diversity, and beauty of the arts and, in so doing, enable students to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of the present world as the result of a rich, cultural heritage.

3

Humanities [11]

Every disciplinary course designed to fulfill the humanities requirements must impart an understanding of how knowledge is acquired in the discipline.

9

Natural Sciences [12]

The goal of the natural sciences requirement is to reveal the order, diversity, and beauty of nature and, in so doing, enable students to develop a greater understanding and appreciation of the world around them.

9

Social Sciences [13]

The goal of the social sciences requirement is to introduce students to this systematic inquiry so that they will better appreciate the complexity of the social world and act as free and responsible citizens, able to make informed choices in governing their own lives and participating in their communities.

6

 

The intention of the University Learning Competencies is for all graduates, regardless of major, to develop a set of intellectual abilities, a degree of sophistication, and a civic-minded perspective that correspond to the high level of functionality represented in the outcomes taken as a whole [2]. The University Learning Competencies are stated as follows:

  1. LSU graduates will demonstrate effective communication of complex knowledge and ideas through written, oral, visual, and technological media.
  1. LSU graduates will demonstrate an understanding of historical, cultural, and philosophical complexity that supports sophisticated discourse.
  1. LSU graduates will conduct research-based inquiry, including articulation of complex disciplinary and interdisciplinary problems, effective evaluation and analysis of primary and secondary sources, and integration of relevant information into original discourse.
  1. LSU graduates will employ scientific and mathematical methods and technology in the resolution of laboratory and real-world problems.
  1. LSU graduates will demonstrate an understanding of factors associated with global interdependence, including economic, political, psychological, cultural, and linguistic forces.
  1. LSU graduates will have the knowledge, skills, and disposition that attest to a commitment and ability to recognize and to participate in processes that improve the civic life of communities.

As noted on Comprehensive Standard 3.5.1, the extent to which students have attained the University Learning Competencies is examined through the assessment of graduating senior portfolios cross-referenced with data from standardized testing (i.e. CLA and NSSE).

Regulations for General Education Courses

Students must complete the 39-hour general education requirement prior to graduating from LSU. It is recommended that students complete the requirement during their first four semesters at the university [2]. The following regulations apply to general education courses:

  1. Only those courses designated as general education in the LSU Catalog may be used to satisfy the General Education requirement.
  2. No more than six hours of credit taken through correspondence study may be applied to a student's general education requirement.
  3. An entering student may receive three or six hours of credit in English composition on the basis of ACT scores and/or performance on approved placement tests.
  4. An entering student may receive credit for one or more of the required mathematics courses on the basis of placement test scores.
  5. Advanced placement and advanced standing credit may be used to satisfy the general education requirement.
  6. General education courses will be graded on the “A,” “B,” “C,” “D,” “F” system. No courses taken on a pass/fail basis will count toward the General Education requirement.
  7. Appeals for an exception to the general education requirements: A request, using the appropriate form, for an exception to the general education requirement must be submitted to the dean of the student's college. Scheduling difficulties or allegations of poor advising typically do not constitute a reasonable basis for an appeal. The dean’s evaluation as well as the student’s request must then be submitted to the Office of Academic Affairs. A final decision will be made after consideration by the Faculty Senate Committee on General Education. Students are strongly encouraged to obtain a decision prior to registering for an LSU course intended to substitute for an approved general education course.

Academic Path Guidance

LSU utilizes the Comprehensive Academic Tracking System that not only establishes a framework to guide the student through their major coursework but through the entire degree program, including the General Education component.

The Comprehensive Academic Tracking System (CATS) is designed to help you reach academic success at LSU and make sure that you are progressing toward graduation each semester. Each major has a RECOMMENDED PATH that is the optimal path for graduation in four years. CATS checks your progress each semester by tracking you on the CRITICAL REQUIREMENTS needed and gives you feedback when you are not meeting those requirements.

CATS provides feedback on a student’s progress in a major, helping them to find the best academic path to complete their degree. By assessing students’ progress toward degree completion, CATS will identify those students who may be struggling. This affords the university the opportunity to provide additional counseling and advisement resources to assist students [14].

Students also have access to academic counselors and advisors to aid in guiding the student through their academic paths.

Transfer Course Approval

In terms of transfer of courses for general education, the LSU General Catalog states that:

Deans are to determine the applicability of transfer courses to a component of LSU’s general education requirements.

If the course is deemed to be applicable, and there is no equivalent LSU course, deans are asked to enter a course substitution on the Student Records and Registration database, indicating that the course is accepted for general education credit. Documentation concerning this decision should be kept on file in the college.

If it is determined that a course is equivalent to an LSU course, colleges should notify the Office of Enrollment Management so the Admissions Transfer Table can be updated.

If the college does not approve a transfer course for general education credit, the student may petition the Office of Academic Affairs for a decision [2].

File Attachments:
  1. [1] LSU Mission Statement [1] LSU Mission Statement
  2. [2] General Education Component [2] General Education Component
  3. [3] La Board of Regents: Statewide General Education Requirements [3] La Board of Regents: Statewide General Education Requirements
  4. [4] La BoR Statement General Education Requirements [4] La BoR Statement General Education Requirements
  5. [5] Faculty Senate General Education Webpage [5] Faculty Senate General Education Webpage
  6. [6] Faculty Senate General Education Criteria [6] Faculty Senate General Education Criteria
  7. [7] Faculty Senate General Education: Five-Year Cycle [7] Faculty Senate General Education: Five-Year Cycle
  8. [8] English Composition General Education Courses [8] English Composition General Education Courses
  9. [9] Analytical Reasoning General Education Courses [9] Analytical Reasoning General Education Courses
  10. [10] Arts General Education Courses [10] Arts General Education Courses
  11. [11] Humanities General Education Courses [11] Humanities General Education Courses
  12. [12] Natural Sciences General Education Courses [12] Natural Sciences General Education Courses
  13. [13] Social Sciences General Education Courses [13] Social Sciences General Education Courses
  14. [14] Comprehensive Academic Tracking System Webpage [14] Comprehensive Academic Tracking System Webpage
Author: Stephenie Franks
Last modified: 7/1/2015 8:33 AM (EDT)