Compliance Status

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

Narrative

Louisiana State University and A&M College (LSU), the flagship institution for the state, serves its students in such a manner to promote student learning and enhance the development of the students. The university is designated as a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution whose stated mission is “challenging undergraduate and graduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development” and “the generation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation of the arts” [1]. Support services provided to students help the university achieve this part of the mission.

For fall 2012, total enrollment was 29,549 (24,631 undergraduate and 4,918 graduate and professional students). Of the enrollment, 49% are male and 51% are female, and 74% are native to the state of Louisiana, with 26% being from other states and countries. Additionally, 90% of the total population is enrolled at full-time status. The university offers 70 baccalaureate, 76 masters, and 49 doctoral programs.

LSU offers a wide variety of experiences and support programs to enrich the emotional and intellectual development of students, enhance the quality of co-curricular life, promote cultural diversity, encourage an informed commitment to ethical conduct, assist students in achieving their personal and academic goals, and foster a setting for student-centered learning.

Student support programs and services are included within various administrative divisions. The Division of Student Life & Enrollment (SLE) serves as the primary provider of the largest scope of services. Each department and unit within the division has a mission to foster support for the growth, development, and success of students. Departments within the division also have designed services and outcomes to align with and support the goals of the Flagship 2020 institutonal stragetic plan [2] [3]. Units that comprise SLE include (1) Career Services; (2) the Center for Academic Success; (3) First Year Experience (Orientation and Parent & Family Programs; (4) the Dean of Students (Campus Life, Disability Services, Greek Life, Student Advocacy & Accountability, and Student Government);( 5) Residential Life; (6) Undergraduate Admissions & Student Aid; and (7) University Recreation. Residential Life also offers residential colleges, which groups students by academic major. In addition to the Division of Student Life & Enrollment, several other units share the mission of supporting student success and well-being, including Communication across the Curriculum (CxC);  Equity, Diversity, & Community Outreach (Multicultural Affairs, Women’s Center, African American Cultural Center); Honors College; Student Support Services (within University College); and Student Health (within Finance & Administrative Services).  For all of these programs, assessment efforts to determine student needs and interests, and examples of recent changes resulting from continuous assessment are addressed in detail separately in Comprehensive Standard 3.3.1.3.

Career Services

Support of Mission

Career Services contributes to workforce and economic development by assisting students in gaining the knowledge, skills, and abilities to successfully launch productive careers or be admitted into graduate or professional programs. Services for undergraduate and graduate students include career counseling; career assessments; cooperative education and internship programs; job search skill development and employment coaching; career fairs; on-campus interviews; job vacancy announcements; résumé referrals to employers nationwide; year-round educational workshops; individual appointments, and extensive Web resources, including virtual chat, videos, blog, wiki, tutorials, online bookshelf, and downloadable resources.

In regard to the university mission to challenge “undergraduate and graduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development” [1],  Career Services offers students the support and guidance to discern their career direction by personal exploration; confirm their fields of interest through internships and other work experience; translate academic learning to practical application, real-world problem solving, and critical thinking; establish needed connections to the world of work; develop professional identity; refine job search skills to compete for exceptional career opportunities; clarify employer targets through extensive opportunities to meet and network with organizations throughout their college careers; and achieve career success. According to the 2012 Spring Graduating Student Survey, 49% of graduating seniors noted being somewhat satisfied or satisfied with Career Services, with 40% having no opinion and only 9% indicating that they were somewhat dissatisfied or dissatisfied [4].

Career Services supports student learning by encouraging self-discernment, decision-making, and critical thinking skills, thereby empowering students to choose a focused course of study and challenging them to immerse themselves in their academic programs with a heightened sense of purpose and desire to succeed.  Students who then choose to participate in gaining major-related work experience while in school confirm their fit for their majors and career choices, and thus experience enhanced motivation as they return to the classroom.

Career Services continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. Significant changes were made to the Career Expo following a 2010 survey in which “34% of students said that the current format of the Career Expo did not meet their individual needs having all the majors at one career fair.” As a result, the Career Expo was changed from a one-day event in which all majors and employers were represented in a single career fair into a two-day event: the Engineering, Science, and Technology Expo and the Business and Liberal Arts Expo [5].

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including 

• The Five-year Long-range Assessment Plan thoroughly evaluates four primary services each year;
• An evaluation students complete after each appointment and after each recruitment event;
• Benchmark studies with Career Services offices at peer institutions that are conducted on an annual basis; and
• Mid-year and end-of-year performance evaluations that are conducted with each staff member and student employee.

Students Served

Career Services serves the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional. Some support and services extend to the university alumni [6] [7] [8] [9] [10] [11] [12] [13] [14] [15] [16] [17] [18] [19] [20] [21] [22] [23] [24] [25] [26] [27] [28] [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34].

Center for Academic Success

Support of Mission

The Center for Academic Success (CAS) provides educational programming, tutoring, supplemental instruction, and individual consultations - all services critical to the institution’s mission of academic success. Services assist students in becoming critical thinkers, achieve higher levels of intellectual learning, and successfully complete coursework.

A fundamental part of CAS learning strategies is by design a service that fosters both intellectual and personal development by promoting self-awareness in students in order for them to utilize appropriate cognitive-science, research-based strategies for achievement.  Self-awareness promotes personal and intellectual development, increasing productivity and accomplishment, and creating future leaders. Through the innovative, proven methods used by CAS Learning Strategies Consultants, students drastically improve performance in classes, thus allowing them “to achieve at the highest levels of intellectual and personal development.” Of students who completed the Individual Student Consultation Survey in Fall 2012, 63% identified agreement on the 10-point scale saying information shared during the individual consultation was instrumental in improving their overall GPA [35].

Another major part of CAS is the Academic Support unit, which provides tutoring and facilitates study groups in mathematics, chemistry, physics, biology, statics, statistics, economics and various other business, foreign language, and STEM-related courses. Tutors and Study Group Facilitators are College Reading and Learning Association (CRLA) certified – trained to utilize the most up-to-date, research-based techniques in order to emphasize critical thinking principles and concepts, allowing students to apply these newly learned skills to all disciplines within the university.

Additionally, CAS serves as a support unit for faculty and staff.  In an effort to provide progressive methods for superior learning and teaching, CAS provides resources to faculty and graduate students for the purpose of promoting faculty who are “excellent teacher-scholars.”  All of these academic support resources help students persist at the university until graduation, empower and inspire students to meet their academic and professional goals, and help students become independent, self-directed, lifelong learners.

Internationally recognized, CAS provides programs and services key to the LSU mission of “challenging undergraduate and graduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development.”  Through services such as tutoring and supplemental instruction, students are encouraged to develop critical thinking skills and achieve higher levels of intellectual learning.  These services thus promote the “generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge” for students.  The Center for Academic Success continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. Significant changes were made to the CAS tutorial center after approximately 50% stated that there needed to be more space and additional tutors to help. As a result, the CAS addressed the issue of not enough tutors by moving from a decentralized area to a centralized location in Middleton Library in 2009 and will reinforce this effort through an expansion of the center scheduled for 2013 [36].

CAS supports and promotes student learning through collaboration, programming, and academic resources.  Evidence includes 

• LSU Student Government funding and support, including the development of a plan to move the CAS Tutorial Center to Middleton Library;
• Being voted by LSU students to be located in the LSU Union upon the bookstore vacating;
• National awards for the Center (NCLCA) and programs (NASPA);
• Dr. Saundra McGuire’s (former CAS Director) national speaking engagements;
• CAS staff participation and presentations at national conferences (NCLCA, SI, NASPA, CRLA);
• Countless requests for site visits by other institutions to model the LSU CAS success; and
• Key collaborations with colleges, departments, faculty, advisors, and student organizations (e.g., CAS participation in virtually all summer bridge programs on campus).

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways including:

• Performance evaluations for classified and non-classified personnel completed annually;
• A comprehensive assessment plan which includes both quantitative and qualitative assessments on programs completed via Student Voice and obtains program data from the Office of Budget and Planning;
• Student assessment at the end of workshops and presentations; and
• Special projects in collaboration with other departments to create surveys and/or assessments regarding CAS image.

Students Served

The Office serves the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional [37] [38] [39] [40] [41] [42] [43] [44] [45].

First Year Experience

Support of Mission

First Year Experience (FYE), Orientation, and Parent & Family Programs departments are aligned to facilitate the transition and connection to the campus community for all new students—first-year and transfer—and their families. FYE coordinates programming, an extended orientation, a summer bridge program, mentoring programs, book groups, and individual consultations to promote student success and education on campus resources. FYE provides demographic-specific outreach to veterans, transfer, sophomores, and out-of-state students.

Orientation

New Student Orientation administers orientation programs for all domestic undergraduate students on university resources, placement exams, and establishing peer connections for incoming first-year and transfer students.

Parent & Family Programs

Parent & Family Programs coordinates the family orientation program. This is a coordinated program for parents that mirrors the student orientation program and offers specific programs on parent transition. In addition, Parent & Family Programs coordinates the LSU Family Association. During the academic year, monthly communication is disseminated, on-campus programs are provided each semester, and parents are able to access dedicated staff so that they can be better equipped to support their students.

FYE supports LSU’s mission through offering a variety of programmatic initiatives supporting the personal development of LSU students.  Through programming, mentoring and leadership opportunities, and individual consultations, FYE assists students in building a strong foundation to ensure a successful transition in their first year and continued success in the following years leading to graduation. Students consistently identify one of FYE’s programs, S.T.R.I.P.E.S.,  with the focus more about the campus and academic resources and making connections with other students. The 2012 S.T.R.I.P.E.S. assessment revealed that 97% of students agree or strongly agree that “I learned more about college life and being a tiger by participating in S.T.R.I.P.E.S” [46].

FYE supports student learning by coordinating initiatives that encourage critical thinking, decision making, and involvement.  This provides students the opportunity to supplement their academic coursework with out-of-the-classroom experiences, thus enhancing their overall collegiate career and development as well-rounded, engaged contributors to the overall community. FYE, Orientation, and Parent & Family Programs continuously evaluate programs and needs of students and make changes accordingly. Significant changes were made to the Orientation for Transfer Students after a theme arose out of the open-ended responses. Students signified that they wanted more activities pertaining to becoming acclimated to campus life, and, as a result, a myLSU session, a Safety & Security session and a Campus Tour were added to the Transfer Orientation [47].

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways including:

• Program Assessment Plans: All major programs have specific assessment plan outlining the purpose of the assessment, what the assessment is, and how the assessment information will be used;
• Strategic Plan: Each year, this is reviewed to ensure programs and other initiatives are supporting the overall objectives and purpose of FYE;
• FYE checkpoints: Periodically each semester FYE checks in with students around campus (i.e. LSU Student Union, Dining Halls, etc.) to determine areas of concern, what has been helpful, etc.;
• Individual program surveys: Utilizing Campus Labs, surveys are distributed for all programs to determine impact on student learning, what worked, what did not work, what information students are interested in, etc.; and
• Performance evaluations: All professional and graduate staff complete performance evaluations at the end of year academic year.

Students Served

The office primarily serves new students (first-year and transfer) in their first-year transition into the university. Parents and families are supported for the duration of their students’ time at the university [48] [49] [50] [51] [52] [53] [54] [55] [56] [57] [58] [59] [60] [61] [62] [63] [64] [65] [66] [67] [68] [69] [70] [71] [72] [73] [74] [75] [76] [77].

Office of the Dean of Students

The Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS) transforms lives by facilitating opportunities and experiences to discover, engage, and learn in a diverse, inclusive, and just community while promoting social responsibility. The units within the ODOS are Campus Life (involvement, leadership, and service), Disability Services, Greek Life, and Student Advocacy and Accountability. Additionally, ODOS provides advising and financial administrative support for the LSU Student Government [78].

Campus Life

Support of Mission

The Campus Life mission is to enhance student learning through innovative leadership, service, and involvement initiatives that enrich the LSU experiences. That mission is accomplished with over 250 campus life leaders, over 375 student organizations, campus-wide leadership development, major entertainment and educational events, and service opportunities.

Campus Life supports the mission of the university through innovative initiatives, events, and activities enhancing the co-curricular offerings at the university, being particularly focused on civic engagement through the volunteerism/service area; leadership development of all students at LSU; and diversity initiatives throughout the area of Campus Life.

Student learning is central to the mission of Campus Life.  Currently, Campus Life is focused on training and developing student leaders through the Campus Life student-led organizations, providing opportunities for growth and development. Campus Life recently developed rubrics for the citizenship and social responsibility student success outcome of the Division of Student Life to assess student learning on that outcome. Evaluation of the progress in this area among student leaders involved within the Campus Life area showed that students rated above average on a 5-point rubric, with a  mean score of 3.39 on that 5-point scale, for a student “understands the impact of individuals on communities” [79]. Campus Life continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. By assessing student needs through the Leap Into Leadership Fall 2011 Survey, Campus Life determined topics for the Live Gold Leadership Conference held in Fall 2012 [80].

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including the following:

• In 2012-2013, Campus Life submitted three assessment plans to the Division of Student Life:
  • Multi-Institutional Study of Leadership: A national data set assessing the leadership development of LSU students with respect to the Social Change Model, which is the foundation of Campus Life/LSU’s formal leadership development programs through Campus Life;
  • Campus Life Needs Assessment: An online survey sent to a random sample of LSU undergraduates assessing satisfaction of Campus Life offerings and measuring student learning on the Student Success Outcomes; and
  • Student Leader Rubrics:  An online rubric to assess student learning of student leaders in Campus Life.
• Campus Life tracks pre-determined metrics for each initiative.  End-of-the-year programming reports include metrics on the number of programs/initiatives/services; the number of hours spent advising both group and individual students; budget reports; etc.
• All assessment is used to improve initiatives and refine strategic initiatives.

Students Served

The office serves the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional [81] [82].

Disability Services

Support of Mission

Disability Services, in collaboration with other university departments, is committed to providing appropriate auxiliary aids and services for students with disabilities in an effort to ensure their full participation in all activities, programs, and services at the university. The unit is dedicated to promoting the self-advocacy of students with disabilities, and committed to working with the LSU administration on the development and revisions of policies and procedures relevant to students with disabilities. Disability Services also serves as a source of disability-related information for the university.

Disability Services provides services and accommodations necessary for students with disabilities to be successful in the “generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation of the arts” [1].

The services and accommodations provided by Disability Services allow students with disabilities to have equal opportunities to successfully acquire and demonstrate their knowledge throughout the learning processes at LSU. Disability Services continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. Significant changes were made to the new student orientation as a result of the statistic that 26% of students noted the length of the orientation was too long for students with attention-related disabilities. As a result, in 2011, the orientation was shortened to one-and-a-half  hours from three hours [82].   

Services offered through the department are evaluated through a series of satisfaction surveys.

Students served

The Disability Services office serves the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional. Students must be registered with the office to receive accommodations and support [83].

Greek Life

Support of Mission

Greek Life transforms lives by supporting and facilitating opportunities and experiences within the Greek community to discover, engage, and learn while fostering an environment for peer accountability based on fraternal values.  This is achieved by directly supporting the programming, education, and leadership development of the Panhellenic Council, Interfraternity Council, National Pan-Hellenic Council, Greek Board of Directors, Order of Omega, and Rho Lambda, as well as the thirty-eight fraternity and sorority organizations on the LSU campus that comprise 20.2% of the LSU student body. Greek Life continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. On a survey that targeted graduating seniors for specific questions in the NASPA Assessment & Knowledge Consortium, students’ responses to “Overall, my Greek experience enhanced my education at Louisiana State University” showed that,  of the 152 who responded to this question, 142 of the responses were “strongly agree” or “moderately agree,” making up 94% of the student’s responses.. As a result of this survey, Greek Life learned that the Greek experience at LSU had significantly lower ratings from seniors regarding its assistance in obtaining a job or internship. Greek Life used this data to educate chapter presidents and advisors and encouraged organizations to coordinate better efforts to connect members with support in obtaining internships or job opportunities. Also, Greek Life made a change to provide additional positive incentives in supporting career development for the chapters; the office added a career workshop opportunity to the Annual Greek Assessment process as one of the workshops that chapters can host to obtain points for Greek Assessment [84].

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including,

• Use of the CAS Standards for Fraternity/Sorority Life, and
• On-going evaluation and assessment through Student Voice/Campus Labs.

Students served

The office serves students seeking membership into, or current members of, the university-recognized fraternity and sorority chapters [85] [86] [87].

Student Advocacy & Accountability

Support of Mission

Student Advocacy & Accountability (SAA) promotes academic integrity and appropriate standards of conduct for the university community. This office has traditionally been responsible for investigating alleged violations of university rules and for implementing the conduct process. In addition, this office now has supplemental advocacy support services through the CARE (Communicate, Assess, Refer, Educate) program. A CARE manager position was created in February 2009 to target students in crisis, distress, or otherwise in need of assistance. The purpose of the program is not to fix student problems, but to offer students tools and resources to resolve issues they face.

SAA supports the university’s mission by actively engaging students in conversation toward both intellectual and personal growth and by supporting the academic standards of undergraduate, graduate, and professional degree programs.

SAA supports student learning both inside and outside the classroom by challenging and supporting students to model citizenship, by helping them to make healthy life choices, and by modeling academic integrity. SAA continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly.  As a result of data from the 2011-2012 NASCAP survey and comparison data across participating institutions, a half-time coordinator position was added within the accountability area to focus on student organization conduct and to assist with the adjudication of individual conduct matters during peak times. Additional changes based on assessment are detailed  in Principle 3.3.1.3 [88].

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including

• Use of the National Assessment of Student Conduct Adjudication Processes (NASCAP) assessment program as a means to gauge departmental outcomes as compared to the departmental mission statement; and
• Tracking longitudinal data by creating regular reports through the Symplicity Advocate Conduct database.

Students Served

The office serves the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional [89] [90].

Residential Life

Support of Mission

Residential Life houses more than 5,500 students in 18 residence halls and four apartment complexes. Concentrated living and learning environments are available in residential colleges and in the Honors House. Additionally, traditional halls and apartments provide a learning component as a part of their community activities. All activities incorporate sound principles for student development, with a focus on academic success for a holistic living and learning experience. Living on campus also provides students with unique volunteer and staff leadership opportunities to gain experience and develop talents. According to RAs who assessed individuals living in the Residential Colleges through the Connections program, 64% of residents favorably describe the level of support and care for them at LSU [91].

Residential Life supports LSU’s recruitment and retention goals through vigorous programming, through active participation in recruitment events, and through the provision of quality facilities. These facilities are part of a comprehensive housing master plan with extensive maintenance standards which ensure that the on-campus living and learning environment offers students a wide range of living environments that support and enhance the students’ learning experience. Residential Life continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. After survey results indicated that RAs had a hard time managing their time, a time management component was incorporated into the fall 2012 RA training [92].

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including

• EBI Survey;- ACUHO-I/EBI bi-annual Quality of Life Survey;
• Campus Labs/StudentVoice;
• Internal Program Review;
• Performance Indicators;
• Focus Groups; and
• Connections Program (RA and Resident Intentional Conversations).

Students Served

Residential Life provides options for undergraduate and graduate student housing through the application process. Services are available to all residents [93] [94] [95] [96] [97] [98] [99] [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] [105] [106] [107] [108] [109].

Undergraduate Admissions & Student Aid

Support of Mission

Undergraduate Admissions & Student Aid (UASA) strives to help students, parents, high school representatives, faculty, staff, alumni, and friends of the university successfully navigate the admissions, enrollment, scholarship, and financial aid processes at LSU. UASA works with students throughout the “student life cycle” as they move from being prospective students to contributing alumni. Services for undergraduate students include admissions, recruitment, student aid, scholarships, campus tours, prospective student visits, and guidance counselor outreach.

Students Served

The office serves the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional [110].

University Recreation

Support of Mission

University Recreation consists of several programs intended to impact student success.  Adventure Education, Healthy Lifestyles, Intramural Sports, and Sport Clubs are all structured programs that foster leadership, teamwork, and enhanced learning that contributes to student development.  Open recreation, to include gym court usage, free weights, and outdoor fields, is also a vital component within University Recreation that, combined with the structured programs, contributes to a student’s physical and mental improvement. University Recreation continuously evaluates programs and needs of students and makes changes accordingly. According to a 2011-2012 LSU UREC Intramural Sports Assessment, 78% of students moderately or strongly agreed that “Participating in recreational activities or programs has expanded my interest in staying fit and healthy” [111]. Additionally, UREC assesses student needs and makes needed changes. With data showing that 43% of participants desired a greater variety in classes, UREC added numerous class styles, such as Barre Tone, Tiger Pump, Boxing, Hip Hop, Pilates, more strength training, and advanced classes [112].

University Recreation provides exceptional recreation facilities, programs and experiences that inspire, educate, and empower students to cultivate active, healthy lives. This is done by creating opportunities that contribute to student success through physical and social well-being and support the institutional advancement of LSU.

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including

• Assessment of student learning outcomes, service, and satisfaction within program areas; and
• Evaluation of positive end-of-year results based on pro forma expectations.

Students Served

Services are available to the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional. Only those students who pay the required additional fee have access [113].

Assessment within the Division of Student Life & Enrollment

Assessment is a primary focus and valued function in the Division of Student Life & Enrollment. In Summer 2009, this became a concerted effort to organize assessment division-wide with the addition of a coordinator with 50% time devoted to assessment.

Assessment is identified in the Divisional Strategic Plan as one of the six values. The division values the use of “data for planning and continuous improvement to provide the best possible services” for LSU students. Detailed assessment data are available in Principle 3.3.1.3.

Departmental Assessment Plans

Each department is responsible for crafting an assessment plan related to the mission of the division and the department and tasked with measuring Student Success Outcomes and Strategic Plan Goals. Assessment plans identify specifics of the project including purpose, method, timeline, population, challenges, and plans to improve current practice and reporting. Assessment plans are peer reviewed by at least two members of the Assessment Contacts Committee and evaluated based on a rubric to ensure quality assessment planning. In addition, the assessment coordinator reviews each assessment plan and provides feedback based on the rubric for any changes to be made. Written feedback from the coordinator and the peer-review team is given to each department.

Assessment Contacts Committee

Assessment within departments is overseen by the assessment contact within each particular department. The Assessment Contacts Committee is made up of staff members from each department within the division. Members, appointed by each department's director, meet monthly to discuss and plan division-wide assessment efforts.  In addition, professional development opportunities are provided to the team through webinars, on-site training, and hands-on experience [13].

Assessment Methods

The Division is a member campus of the Campus Labs Baseline assessment platform which provides assessment tools and consultation. Direct and indirect methods of assessment are used with optional survey tools, rubrics, and benchmarking capabilities. Departments within the Division of Student Life & Enrollment use various assessment methods, including surveys with needs assessment, rubrics evaluating artifacts (such as open-ended essay questions) and behavior, focus groups, and comparisons of institutional data. All data are tracked within the system, providing numerous years of data.

Annual Reports & Priority Planning

Annual reports are drafted by each department to highlight accomplishments based on Strategic Plan goals; to identify objectives for priority planning based on Strategic Plan goals; and to provide a Strategic Plan update, including updates on performance indicators [14] [15] [16] [17].

Assessment is inculcated throughout the division in several ways, as noted above and in additional examples below:

• Assessment Contacts Committee meetings, with training and education components embedded, are held on an ongoing basis [22].
• All departments submit an assessment plan as described through the process above. Assessment plans are then evaluated using the Assessment Plan Rubric [26].
• Assessment training and development are provided for staff through the Professional Development Committee and Assessment Contacts Committee on a regular basis, including mini-conferences, webinars, and guest speakers [18] [19] [20] [21] [23] [24] [25] [27] [28] [29] [30].

Student Success Outcomes (SSOs)

In summer 2010, as a final step to strategic planning and first step in assessment planning, the Division of Student Life & Enrollment embarked on creating student learning outcomes focused on our primary strategic goal: student success. Following an intensive retreat and review of departments focused on student learning, the unit created the Student Success Outcomes (SSOs) (Figure 1). The SSOs were adapted to fit the university from the CAS Standards and the NASPA/ACPA publication Learning Reconsidered I and II. The SSOs focus on student growth and learning in cognitive complexity, knowledge acquisition, intra/interpersonal competence, practical competence, persistence and academic achievement, and citizenship and social responsibility. A concentrated effort is made by the division to provide educational opportunities that are in line with these outcomes. The SSOs are identified as learning outcomes and measurements within departmental assessment plans and select departmental strategic plans.

Additional Student Support Units & Services

Even though SLE contains most of the student support services, units outside of SLE share the mission of supporting student success in fulfilling the academic mission. These include Communication across the Curriculum (CxC );  areas within Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach (Multicultural Affairs, Women’s Center, African American Cultural Center); the Honors College; Student Support Services (within University College); and Health Promotions (within Finance & Administrative Services).

LSU also provides several summer bridge and transition programs to facilitate students’ successful transition into the college environment, to prepare them for academic rigors, and to educate them on available campus resources. Programs include Summer Scholars (University College), BIOS – Biology Boot Camp, Encounter Engineering Boot Camp, Tiger Prep Math Camp, and S.T.R.I.P.E.S. (transition camp).

Communication across the Curriculum

Support of Mission

LSU’s Communication across the Curriculum (CxC) program is a university-wide program focused on advancing the writing, speaking, visual, and technological communication skills of all LSU undergraduates.  Through communication-intensive activities within existing courses (200+ certified courses each semester), students learn discipline-specific content at a deeper level while also improving their information literacy, critical thinking, and communication skills, preparing them for today’s multimodal, globalized marketplace. These activities serve students’ advance toward achievement of “the highest levels of intellectual and personal development” [1]. Because technology is such a critical part of communication, CxC operates four innovative learning studios across campus where students learn to work with communication-rich technologies and are able to leverage these resources, creating and disseminating information for curricula and extracurricular projects [114].

The CxC studios provide technologies specifically focused on enhancing communication of disciplinary knowledge. These technologies reflect unique tools not readily available to students anywhere else on campus.  In addition to housing these powerful resources, CxC staff and faculty provide students with rhetorical coaching and technological mentoring to help advance their digital literacy – learning how to select the most appropriate technologies needed for their projects and how to use the technologies to execute the projects effectively [114].

The following provides a brief overview of the types of technologies available and the student activities that take place through the CxC Studios across LSU’s campus [114]. Additional information is found in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.12.

• In CxC Studio 151, which primarily serves students in the humanities, social sciences, and sciences, students have access to a state-of-the-art practice presentation room where they are able to focus on effectively conveying ideas through speech, body language, and/or visuals.  The room also includes advanced, easy-to-use video technologies that capture oral presentations, interpersonal interactions, interviews, etc., enabling the student, professor, or CxC staff to review and reflect on the presentation at a later time and place.  The presentation practice technologies are heavily used by many LSU courses, as well as for out-of-class activities such as student groups who are preparing for research conference and community outreach presentations.  Students also have access to a professional sound booth where they can, for example, transform their writing into audio podcasts and produce voiceovers for film or Web-based presentations. The sound booth is often used by students enrolled in classes that deploy innovative learning assignments, such as creating podcasts on new scientific discoveries, recording public service announcements on public health issues, and capturing oral narratives for historical preservation. While these students may not need to be technical experts in media such as  video and audio, providing access to these tools, support on selecting the appropriate tools, and coaching on the how to use these tools properly supports students’ development of critical thinking and communication skills – the two key elements to post-graduation success.

• In the CxC Engineering Studio, students have access to a 3-D scanner and printer which enables them to visualize drawings and models designed in the 2-D realm of a monitor through the use of 3-D imaging and rapid prototyping technologies. Also, STEM disciplines often present information through poster sessions.  Doing so requires students to distill complex data and think critically about conveying knowledge through text, visuals, and speech.  Through the CxC Engineering Studio, students have access to poster presentation coaching and large-format printing.

• In the CxC Music and Dramatic Arts Studio (CMDA), music education, history, and theory students have access to high-end software suites such as Finale and Sibelius, musical notation and composition software tools that support their amelioration as teachers and/or performers.  For musical composition and theatrical sound design, students visiting the CxC-CMDA Studio also actively use Pro Logic, a unique music/sound/foley editing and creation program.  The studio also provides free check-out of 25-key MIDI Audio keyboards, which enable smaller audio instruments to be plugged in via USB to laptops and transcoded to match a larger 88- or 90-key instrument.

• In the CxC College of Art + Design Studio, students have access to technologies that enable them to combine research and original concepts with sophisticated imagery to create and deliver compelling presentations of their designs, particularly for producing  dynamic presentation and portfolio materials.  This studio provides access to, and aids students in using, 3-D modeling, scanning, and printing technologies; animation; infographics; video technologies; and digital documentation technologies.

Students Served

The CxC program serves the undergraduate student body through the many certified communication-intensive courses at LSU.

Equity, Diversity, & Community Outreach

Support of Mission

Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach (EDCO) is an institution-wide unit that provides cultural, diversity, outreach, and other experiential and learning opportunities aimed at bolstering diversity and equity, creating inclusive environments, promoting personal development, and building relationships. EDCO assists administrators, deans, department chairs/heads, and directors in identifying and implementing policies and procedures to increase diversity in their respective areas; assists in building rapport among people who are different and reducing resistance to diversity initiatives; and provides evidenced-based principles and “best practices,” which strengthen knowledge, awareness, and skills for working and learning in a diverse educational community.

EDCO supports the university’s central mission of “generating, preserving, disseminating, and applying knowledge and cultivating the arts” through its services (e.g., celebrations, trainings, seminars, outreach, and assessment and reporting).  More specifically, EDCO addresses the following university mission objectives:

• Recruiting to “attract and educate highly qualified undergraduate and graduate students”: EDCO is engaged in specific recruitment and on-campus  activities that attract ethnic minority students and programming that exposes students to the cultural aspects of the campus; EDCO also assists units in developing recruitment strategies;
• Employing “faculty who are excellent teacher-scholars and who contribute to a world class knowledge base”: EDCO engages in faculty recruitment events, partners with the Office of Human Resource Management (HRM) on diversity in hiring trainings, and consults administrative leaders on strategies to attract high caliber and diverse faculty; and
• Using “extensive resources to solve economic, environmental, and social challenges”: EDCO and EDCO units include resource and information centers that work with and inform local, state, and national agencies; these units and centers are designed to address (1) collegiate and cultural environmental factors and( 2) social injustices or inequities, which may impact economic and social climates.

EDCO supports student learning through

• Developing and providing co-curricular experiences with civic engagement and outreach, cultural celebrations, and leadership opportunities that positively impact student learning and enable students to connect classroom experiences with these co-curricular experiences;
• Providing intentional academic support services, which include tutoring services, informal academic advising, and academic referrals;
• Observing and assessing campus climate and collegiate environments and disseminating information to faculty, administrators, and students; and
• Conducting training and seminars for student groups and classrooms.

Services offered through the department are evaluated in several ways, including

• Performance evaluations for individual, professional staff;
• Annual Program Reviews during the unit summer retreat; and
• Students’ qualitative and quantitative assessments following programs.

Students Served

The offices within the unit serve the entire student body—undergraduate, graduate, and professional. Some services are available to alumni and members of the local community [115] [116] [117] [118] [119] [120] [121] [122] [123] [124] [125] [126] [127] [128] [129] [130].

Honors College

Support of Mission

The Honors College engages a diverse population of high achieving students in a dynamic interaction of outstanding instruction, innovative research, and public service. At the core of the Honors College mission is cultivating an academic process of student interaction with faculty and peers. This process occurs in Honors courses of various settings and designs. The courses are taken within a curriculum that advances independent thought, clarity of expression, interdisciplinary knowledge, and original inquiry. Themes extend and support the Honors curriculum. They are emphasized in stages throughout the Honors College career and are connected with student life and co-curricular activities. Commitment to civic engagement, global awareness, specialized focus, and effective research are promoted to expand and increase student development.

The Honors College supports LSU’s mission by challenging its students to “achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development.” The college and its students benefit from being co-located with the Office of Fellowship Advising (OFA). Its goal is to increase the number of LSU students who earn prestigious national and international scholarships and fellowships. OFA (1) serves as a centralized resource for information on distinguished scholarships for LSU students; (2) publicizes scholarship opportunities to the LSU student community and recruits applicants for prestigious awards; (3) provides assistance in the preparation of effective and competitive applications; and (4) publicizes the successful outcomes of such applications. Evidence of its success in increasing the number of students who earn these awards is that since its inception in 2005, the OFA has helped more than 85 LSU students earn prestigious fellowships and scholarships, including Truman, Udall, Goldwater, Fulbright, Soros, Jack Kent Cooke, NOAA Hollings, Critical Language, DAAD, NDSEG, Ford Pre-doctoral, USA Today All-USA College Academic Team, Phi Kappa Phi, NSF, and Rotary.

The Honors College has recently undergone program review through a new procedure. Previously, the college was evaluated directly by the provost on an annual basis. The college also assesses its curricular and co-curricular programs on an annual basis using a graduating senior survey. The Laville Honors House is also part of yearly assessment done by the LSU Department of Residential Life (EBI Survey). Specific programs and initiatives are also assessed on an ad hoc basis.

Students Served

The programs and services are available to undergraduate students admitted to the college [131] [132] [133] [134].

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