The University

Historical Perspective

Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College originated in grants of land made by the U.S. government beginning in 1806. In 1853, the Louisiana General Assembly established the Louisiana State Seminary of Learning and Military Academy near Pineville, Louisiana. The institution opened January 2, 1860, with General William Tecumseh Sherman as superintendent. Because of the Civil War, the school closed June 30, 1861, and reopened on April 1, 1862, with Col. William Linfield as acting superintendent. He was succeeded in 1863 by Professor William A. Seay. Because of the invasion of the Red River Valley by the Federal Army, the institution was closed again on April 23, 1863.

The Seminary reopened October 2, 1865, with Col. David F. Boyd as superintendent. It was destroyed by fire on October 15, 1869, and reopened on November 1, 1869, in Baton Rouge, where it has remained. In 1870, the name of the institution was changed to Louisiana State University.

The Louisiana State Agricultural & Mechanical College, established by an Act of the Legislature in 1874, opened in New Orleans on June 1, 1874, where it remained until merging with Louisiana State University on January 2, 1877. That same year, the university was designated as a land-grant college. The two state institutions began their first joint session on October 5, 1877, under the name Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College.

The first Baton Rouge home of the newly named institution took up residence at what was the Institute for the Deaf, Dumb, and Blind. In 1886, the institution moved to the federal garrison grounds (now the site of the State Capitol). Construction of the present campus started in 1922, and the move, which began in 1925, was not completed until 1932. Formal dedication of the present campus took place on April 30, 1926.

LSU’s chief academic divisions have grown in size and changed names and focus over its more than 150 years of operation to accommodate increasing demand from students and the progression of academia and research.

In 1978, LSU was named a sea-grant college—the 13th university in the nation to be so designated, and the highest classification in the program. In 2005, LSU was designated as a space-grant college.

LSU Today

Today, LSU holds a prominent position in American higher education and is committed to meeting the challenge of pursuing intellectual development for its students, expanding the bounds of knowledge through research, and creating economic opportunities for Louisiana. LSU is in a state of dynamic transformation– changing and evolving to meet the needs of its students, faculty, and the people of Louisiana. Enriched by Louisiana’s natural and cultural distinctiveness, the community of learning at Louisiana’s national flagship university prepares students to meet the environmental, social, economic, scientific, creative, and educational challenges that confront us locally and globally in the 21^st century. LSU Flagship 2025: Leading Louisiana, Impacting the World underscores the university’s commitment to excellence at every level and focuses on the goals of learning, discovery, diversity, and engagement.

LSU is designated as a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution. In addition, the Carnegie Foundation has designated LSU as a Very High Research Activity institution, reflective of the university’s dedication to research.

The State of Louisiana Board of Regents, in its Master Plan for Higher Education, designated LSU as Louisiana’s single “comprehensive university.”

LSU students have the opportunity to experience a rich diversity of courses, curricula, students, faculty, and settings that stimulate and challenge individual growth. As the state’s comprehensive university, LSU offers numerous choices for intellectual development, career options, and cultural exposure. The undergraduate classroom is enhanced through LSU’s research status, ensuring that students are aware of the most recent discoveries and are taught innovative modes of inquiry.

The university has no more important mission than to provide its students with outstanding learning opportunities. LSU offers programs of study that are both rigorous and exciting. These programs attract bright, energetic students who wish to prepare for the career challenges of the 21st century.

LSU’s instructional programs include 244 undergraduate degrees, graduate/professional degrees, and graduate certificates.

The university attracts about 18 percent of the state’s total enrollment in higher education, and LSU students come from many ethnic and religious backgrounds. The student body consists of more than 37,000 students from 50 states and over 100 foreign countries. Although the average age of undergraduates is 21, many older students also pursue degrees at LSU. The student body is 56 percent women and 44 percent men.

Since its first commencement in 1869, LSU has awarded more than 306,000 degrees. The university produces about 25 percent of Louisiana’s baccalaureate graduates, approximately 20 percent of the master’s graduates, about 52 percent of the doctoral graduates, and around 26 percent of the professional graduates. In 2021-2022, LSU awarded 7,741 degrees.

The university is a member of the American Council on Education, an organization of accredited post-secondary educational institutions founded in 1918; the Association of Public and Land-Grant Colleges, founded in 1962 to represent the major public universities and land-grant institutions; and the American Association of State Colleges and Universities, a select group of leading public institutions of higher education.

The university is composed of eight institutions on seven campuses in five cities. It was established by an act of the Louisiana Legislature on February 6, 1965 and includes LSU A&M; LSU Agricultural Center; LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans; LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport; LSU Alexandria; LSU Eunice; LSU Shreveport; and Pennington Biomedical Research Center. Included in the collective system of campuses and facilities is also the Health Care Services Division.

Per the Louisiana State Constitution, Article VIII, §7, the governing body of the university, the Board of Supervisors of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College, is composed of 15 members appointed by the governor to staggered, six-year terms and one student member elected to a one-year term by fellow university student government leaders. Principle administrative officers of the University are the President, Executive Vice President and Provost, Executive Vice President for Finance & Administration/CFO, Vice President for Research & Economic Development, Vice President for Strategic Initiatives, Vice President for Student Affairs, Vice President for Enrollment Management, Vice President for Agriculture, the Vice President for Strategic Communications, Vice President of Legal Affairs and General Counsel, and the Director of Athletics.

The LSU Agricultural Center, including the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station and the Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service and International Programs, has more than 200 faculty members who hold joint appointments with LSU. The Experiment Station has research programs in Baton Rouge and at branch stations throughout Louisiana. The Extension Service disseminates results of research throughout the state through specialists, county agents, and home economists in every parish.

The Paul M. Hebert Law Center, originally established in 1906, became an autonomous unit of the university in 1977. In 1979, it was renamed in honor of Paul M. Hebert, who served as dean from 1937 to 1977. In 2015, the Law Center realigned with LSU A&M

Vision and Mission

Vision

As Louisiana’s flagship university, LSU will deploy the knowledge generated through the work of our faculty, staff, and students to build a more healthy, prosperous, and secure future for the state. 

Mission

Designated as a Land, Sea, and Space Grant institution, LSU secures, elevates, and advances Louisiana and the world through the generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation of the arts and develops students who are prepared, confident, and inspired to achieve lifelong success.

Approved by LSU Board of Supervisors on February 10, 2023.

Teaching

The university has over 1,500 full-time and part-time faculty members. The Boyd Professorship—named in honor of two early university presidents, David and Thomas Boyd—is the highest professorial rank awarded. The William A. Read Professorship of English Literature and the Nicholson Professorship of Mathematics are comparable to the Boyd Professorship.

Other awards for outstanding achievement are Endowed Chairs, Endowed Professorships, LSU Foundation Professorships, Alumni Professorships, and the annual Distinguished Research Master Award. Recognized authorities in various fields are appointed as consulting professors or visiting lecturers.

The university is committed to the principle that excellence in teaching depends upon qualified and conscientious instructors. LSU boasts a nationally and internationally recruited faculty—approximately 85 percent of whom have terminal degrees. Many faculty members are international authorities in their fields and bring esteem and recognition to the university. The recipients of such coveted awards as the Guggenheim and Fulbright fellowships, LSU professors represent an enviable array of knowledge.

Research

LSU is one of a small number of universities nationwide designated as a land-, sea-, and space-grant institution. The university’s success in the leveraging of state funds to obtain federal dollars places it among the best in the nation and represents a good investment of taxpayer’s money.

The University Libraries comprise the largest library in the state. The university has been issued more than 327 cumulative patents.

In addition to more than 40 institutes, centers for advanced study, and other specialized units headquartered at LSU, various state and federal governmental units maintain offices and laboratories on campus. At any given time, more than 1,200 sponsored research projects are in progress. Additionally, faculty and staff members and graduate students pursue numerous research projects that are not sponsored by outside agencies. Research expenditures at LSU in 2018-19 were $296 million. LSU’s awarded grants and contracts from federal, state, and private sources provide a significant boost to the Louisiana economy. Other research projects and instructional programs are undertaken through the LSU Agricultural Center, the Louisiana Agricultural Experiment Station, and Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

Public Service

Government, education, business, and industry in Louisiana benefit daily from the outreach services provided by LSU. New technology is transferred from university laboratories to the community, providing a vital boost to the economy and helping to find answers to some of Louisiana’s most pressing environmental issues.

Several LSU divisions provide public services to the community and state.

• The LSU Cartographic Information Center (CIC), ranked among the largest academic map libraries in the U.S., holds a vast collection of maps, aerial photographs, globes, journals, monographs, slides, and atlases. The center serves patrons from the LSU community, businesses, state and federal agencies, and the general public.
• The J. Bennett Johnston Sr. Center for Advanced Microstructures & Devices (CAMD) is a high-tech research center that serves the public by providing an infrastructure for economic diversity within the state in the area of microfabrication; testing services for local area gas, oil, and chemical industries; a focus for material science research and development at LSU and within the state; and scientific outreach to students in elementary school through graduate school.
• The Center for Analytics & Research in Transportation Safety (CARTS) is responsible for collecting, maintaining, integrating, analyzing, and distributing crash-related data captured from law enforcement and other agencies throughout the State of Louisiana. CARTS utilizes this data to develop business intelligence (BI) and GIS tools, perform research studies, and produce an annual factbook. Decision-makers use these tools and publications to identify potential problem areas, create countermeasures, set policies, and establish programs to improve the safety of roadways in Louisiana. CARTS is a center within the E. J. Ourso College of Business at LSU. 
• The Center for Engaged Humanities supports ethical, equitable, research and practice-based initiatives among campus and community entities. 
• The Center for French and Francophone Studies is designated as a Center of Excellence by the French Embassy to the United States. The mission of the Center is to consolidate and encourage the development of French and Francophone culture in its multifaceted aspects, with particular emphasis on literature and the arts. The Center sponsors seminars and lectures which reflect its current research activities. The Center works closely with faculty in diverse departments who address culture in the French-speaking world. It collaborates with International Programs, the Office of Research and Development, the LSU Rural Life Museum, LSU Press, the LASM, Whitney Plantation, and other units. It hosts internationally known scholars, writers, and artists from France, Canada, Francophone countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, and the French Antilles. Its events are open to the public.
• The LSU Center for Internal Auditing & Cybersecurity Risk Management (LSUCIA&CRM) in the E. J. Ourso College of Business is an internationally recognized internal audit program that provides students with nationwide internships and career opportunities. The program recently expanded to include a focus on cybersecurity risk management and environmental, social and governance (ESG) concerns. The LSUCIA also provides executive training for professionals.
• The LSU Coastal Roots Program is a habitat restoration project in South Louisiana led by the College of Human Sciences & Education in partnership with the College of Agriculture and the Louisiana Sea Grant College Program. This program engages second through twelfth graders in the growing of native plant seedlings and grass plugs that they then plant in coastal habitat restoration sites across South Louisiana.
• The LSU Coastal Sustainability Studio (CSS) provides a laboratory to develop new designs that reduce risks to social, economic, and natural resources, with a focus on adaptation through more sustainable regional and land-use planning. The CSS is a collaborative effort between the College of Art & Design, the College of Engineering, and the College of the Coast & Environment.
• The LSU College Readiness Program is a dual enrollment opportunity: high school students can earn credit for both an LSU course and a high school course at the same time while remaining on the high school campus.  Teacher professional development workshops are also offered.
• Continuing Education (CE) provides valuable learning opportunities by extending LSU’s resources beyond the campus through credit and non-credit courses, certificate programs, and conferences. CE programs serve professionals, business owners, distance learners, and students from pre-kindergarten through retirement age.
• The College of Human Sciences & Education’s Curriculum Theory Project is housed in the School of Education. The project supports trans-disciplinary research at the local, state, regional, national, and international levels concerning curricular issues within a broad social and cultural framework.
• The Department of Economics within the E. J. Ourso College of Business provides the Louisiana Economy Forecasting Model as a service to the State of Louisiana. The model delivers economic forecasts for the state and the nine metropolitan areas for the current quarter and three quarters ahead. At the state level, forecasts are generated for four key economic variables: real Gross State Product, total non-farm employment, the total unemployment rate, and the Louisiana house price index. At the metro level, total non-farm employment is forecast.
• The Disaster Science and Management (DSM) Program is affiliated with the Department of Geography & Anthropology in the College of Humanities & Social Sciences partners with both governmental and nonprofit organizations in Louisiana to provide disaster planning services free-of-charge and internships to students and citizens interested in getting hands-on experience with disaster science and management.
• The Early Childhood Education Institute at LSU is focused holistically on the early years and fills a unique niche by targeting the early care, specifically birth through age three. Holistic development invites collaboration from other disciplines in the study of recommended practice for young children. Housed within the College of Human Sciences & Education, the institute is a leader in early care and education research, dissemination, and advocacy on recommended practices.
• The Division of Student Affairs provides developmental opportunities in citizenship and social responsibility through service, volunteerism, and educational programs. The Office of the Dean of Students coordinates volunteer and service programs for local communities, such as Community Bound, Geaux BIG Baton Rouge, Greek Week Habitat for Humanity Build, Homecoming CANapalooza, Kitchens on the Geaux, and the LSU Food Pantry.
• The Earth Scan Laboratory is a satellite receiving station and image processing facility for environmental data from six unique earth observing sensor systems. The laboratory specializes in real-time access to satellite imagery and measurements of the atmosphere, oceans, and coastal areas within the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea, W. Atlantic, and E. Tropical Pacific Ocean. Satellite measurements are obtained directly from satellite transmissions many times each day. The mission of the laboratory is to support education, research, and state emergency response. During hurricane season, the laboratory supplies hurricane images every few minutes to the Governor’s Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Response. ESL’s comprehensive web page, www.esl.lsu.edu, provides daily imagery and animations of oceanic and atmospheric circulations both in real-time and as historic archives.
• LSU Executive Education in the E. J. Ourso College of Business offers highly relevant open enrollment, custom, and certificate professional development courses that are designed to provide an immediate impact on corporations and individual’s professional success. LSU Executive Education has prepared individuals and organizations to meet the challenges of a rapidly changing workplace for more than 60 years. A premier program of LSU Executive Education is the Entrepreneurship Boot Camp for Veterans, which opens the door to economic opportunity for veterans by developing their competencies in the many steps and activities associated with creating and sustaining an entrepreneurial venture.
• The LSU FACES Laboratory 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 laboratory 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. As of 2006, the facility has also housed the Louisiana Repository for Unidentified and Missing Persons Information Program, which is creating a database for all unidentified and missing people in Louisiana.
• The LSU Program in Screen Arts LPB and Manship Internships provide students with direct industry experience and fieldwork that directly support the public-service, non-profit missions of both organizations.
• The College of Humanities & Social Sciences Secondary Education concentrations (the Geaux Teach–Humanities Program) in history, English, Spanish, and French have been designed to provide students with the skills and experiences necessary to become successful educators in grades 6-12. This program, a collaborative with the College of Human Sciences & Education, pairs education and content courses with carefully selected field experiences in diverse settings under the professional mentorship of secondary teachers.
• The HopKins Black Box Theatre in the Department of Communication Studies functions as the department’s performance studies area classroom and research laboratory, in addition to offering a full season of public performances each year.
• The Human Resource-Industrial/Organizational (HRIO) Consultancy is an applied research office housed in the College of Human Sciences & Education’s School of Leadership & Human Resource Development. The HRIO Consultancy works with public and private sector organizations in Louisiana and the Southern Region to improve organizational performance and employee well-being.
• The Leadership Development Institute (LDI) serves as an outreach, education, and research initiative within the College of Human Sciences & Education to promote leadership development in the social impact sector (K-12 education, social work, corrections, etc.). Through innovative assessment, curricula, training programs, and strategic partnerships, LDI provides a science-based focus on developing sustainable and effective leaders for Louisiana and the broader community of constituents whom LSU serves.
• The Life Course and Aging Center (LCAC) is an interdisciplinary and inter-institutional research unit headquartered at LSU. Comprised of faculty and students representing the Colleges of Human Sciences & Education, Humanities & Social Sciences, Veterinary Medicine, Art & Design, and Science along with seven other higher education institutions throughout Louisiana, LCAC is engaged in multidisciplinary partnerships promoting healthy development and aging across the lifespan.
• The LSU Hurricane Center is a multidisciplinary center addressing hurricanes and other hazards and their impacts on the natural, built, and human environments. Center faculty work closely with resource managers and emergency preparedness decision-makers, transferring the latest information and technology in areas such as storm prediction, preparedness, response, recovery, and mitigation.
• The Interdepartmental Program in Natural Science provides postbaccalaureate students with advanced content knowledge and the skills and experiences necessary to become successful educators in a variety of science and mathematics fields. This program pairs education and content courses with carefully selected field experiences.
• Providing assistance to inventors, the LSU Libraries’ Patent and Trademark Resource Center maintains the entire back file of U.S. utility and design patents on DVD, paper, and microfilm. Librarians provide assistance in searching USPTO patent and trademark databases to the general public, as well as the LSU community.
• The LSU Libraries Special Collections microfilms for posterity the newspapers of record in Louisiana’s 64 parishes that are not commercially filmed, preserving an important historical record of happenings in those parishes. For example, microfilm produced by the Libraries was digitized and used following Hurricane Katrina by St. Bernard Parish government to restore its records, which were destroyed in the storm.
• The Professional Service Assistantship program (PSA), housed in the Strategic Initiatives Unit of the Graduate School, seeks to provide experiential learning opportunities by public, nonprofit and corporate agencies for graduate students across all disciplines. The PSA program proactively engages with Partners to understand their needs and identify qualified graduate students through systemic outreach and internal scouting, and offers the highest level of professional and academic development for participating graduate students.
• The LSU Stephenson Entrepreneurship Institute (SEI) in the E. J. Ourso College of Business promotes and fosters entrepreneurial practices through education, outreach, and research. SEI utilizes various programs, seminars, and other educational offerings to address the challenges of entrepreneurship and positively impact students, the local business community, the regional economy, Louisiana, and the nation.
• Les Voyageurs are the official student ambassadors selected to represent the College of Agriculture and Louisiana State University. The team focuses on the recruitment of prospective students and advocacy of agriculture. Students participate in both on and off campus recruitment events and conventions, promote all fields of study, and play an active role in serving the college in various alumni and networking events.
• The Louisiana Business & Technology Center (LBTC) operates an award-winning business incubator at LSU’s Innovation Park that is home to more than 20 start-up businesses and the Student Incubator. 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.
• The Louisiana Cooperative Extension Service, a division of the LSU Agricultural Center, is a statewide program that maintains agricultural agents and specialists in each of Louisiana’s 64 parishes.
• The Louisiana Geological Survey performs geological investigations that benefit the state of Louisiana by encouraging the economic development of the natural (energy, mineral, water, and environmental) resources of the state, protecting the state and its citizens from natural, geological, and environmental hazards, and ensuring the transfer of geological information.
• The LSU Writing Project was established in 1985 and is located in the College of Human Sciences & Education’s School of Education. It is an intensive professional development program designed to improve writing instruction and increase the use of writing for teachers at all grade levels and in all subject areas. The ultimate goal is helping students become accomplished writers and learners. Through a dynamic and generative approach of “teachers teaching teachers,” the LSU Writing Project provides outreach to a ten-parish network in South Louisiana. This is one of nearly 200 sites in the United States that comprise the National Writing Project, so participants are able to join a large network of educators who actively promote writing in schools and districts.
• The Louisiana Veterinary Medical Diagnostic Laboratory provides a comprehensive animal disease diagnostic service to the agricultural and general communities.
• Parkinson’s Research Program acknowledges the major benefits of physical activity for individuals with Parkinson’s disease and emphasizes the necessity of staying active. The School of Kinesiology faculty in the College of Human Sciences & Education offer safe exercise protocols that can be performed by individuals at various stages of the disease. The consortium also studies more effective training techniques, which can help this population maintain or increase their level of function.
• The Professional Sales Institute (PSI) within the Department of Marketing at the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business is a partnership between LSU and industry, dedicated to the discovery and dissemination of sales knowledge; and the development of professional sales leaders. PSI hosts the annual LSU Sales Symposium featuring regional and national experts and thought leaders on sales, sales management, and sales training.
• The Public Policy Research Laboratory 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. It is a partnership of the Manship School of Mass Communication’s Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs and the College of Humanities & Social Sciences.
• The Real Estate Research Institute (RERI) within the Department of Finance in the LSU E. J. Ourso College of Business studies trends in the Louisiana real estate market for the benefit of growth and development throughout the state. Established in 1985, RERI is partially funded by the Louisiana Real Estate Commission.
• The Reilly Center for Media & Public Affairs provides symposia, forums and research on the relationships between the media and social, economic and political issues.
• The Relation Station Matchbox Interaction Lab in the Department of Communication Studies is used to videotape individuals and small groups of up to five performing experiential activities such as mock job interviews.
• The LSU School of Social Work provides approximately 240,000 hours of service annually to the State of Louisiana and throughout the United States through student internship placements in over 600 agencies and organizations. In addition, the school is involved in ongoing projects that target areas such as addiction treatment, gerontology, poverty, school social work, and other social justice issues.
• The School of Veterinary Medicine, Veterinary Teaching Hospital offers tertiary, secondary, and primary care services for animals of the pet-owning public and animal industries of Louisiana and surrounding states. Specialty services in large and small animal internal medicine and surgery, cardiology, dermatology, avian and exotic animal medicine, radiation and medical oncology, ophthalmology, radiology, pathology, and theriogenology are available.
• The Office of Sea Grant Development communicates the results of marine and coastal research through practical assistance, educational programs, and various media products. Public service efforts are conducted through the Sea Grant Legal Program, Marine Extension Services, Advisory Services in Marine Recreation and Tourism, and the Communications Office.
• The College of Science Secondary Education concentrations (Geaux Teach Program) in biological sciences, chemistry, mathematics, and physics have been designed to provide students with the skills and experiences necessary to become successful educators A collaborative with the College of Human Sciences & Education, this program pairs education and content courses with carefully selected field experiences in diverse settings under the professional mentorship of secondary teachers.
• The LSU Social Research & Evaluation Center (SREC) housed within the College of Human Sciences & Education fosters healthy social systems by facilitating the development, implementation, and evaluation of social programs; conducting intervention research; and, providing consultation and expertise to the university, community, policy makers, and partners.
• The Speech-Language Hearing Clinic offers diagnostic evaluation and management services for those with communication disabilities.
• The LSU Stephenson Disaster Management Institute was established to help save the lives of people and animals by continuously improving disaster response management through research and education.
• The Tai Chi Exercise Program in the College of Human Sciences & Education’s School of Kinesiology is designed to assist a portion of older adults with and without known neurological deficits who have difficulty performing activities of daily living. These adults cannot always participate in regular exercise training regimes or feel uncomfortable in those offered in fitness centers. This program offers a safe way for these individuals to exercise, which also may help limit the functional degeneration that occurs with normal aging and/or neurological disorders as with Parkinson’s disease and peripheral neuropathy.
• The Program in Louisiana and Caribbean Studies is a multi-disciplinary initiative that sponsors lectures, conferences, and instruction. The program disseminates knowledge and fosters communication about topics that connect Louisiana and the Caribbean geographically, historically, and culturally. Affiliated faculty and students conduct research onsite in Louisiana, Latin America, and the Caribbean.
• Title 4E Program The LSU School of Social Work, the Department of Children and Family Services, and the consortium of university schools of social work partners have prioritized the need for a skilled workforce in the area of child welfare. The scope of work may be described as implementation of the stipend program and training and technical assistance to child welfare workers, as well as providing support to the Department of Children and Family Services to develop and/or implement child welfare training initiatives.
• To address subsidence problems, the Center for GeoInformatics (C4G) at Louisiana State University, in cooperation with the National Geodetic Survey (NGS), founded the Louisiana Spatial Reference Center (LSRC) in 2002. LSRC installed a network of high precision Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers used as reference stations throughout Louisiana. C4G uses this system to focus research on pinpointing the location of subsidence and measuring exactly how fast the coast is sinking. LSRC also assists NGS in conducting aerial photography surveys and elevation surveys of Hurricane Evacuation routes. In 2007 C4G launched a Real-Time Network utilizing LSRC’s state-wide GPS CORS infrastructure and termed the RTN GULFNet. LSRC’s state-wide infrastructure currently provides the backbone for all surveying in Louisiana as well as provides the foundation for transportation and communication; GIS development; detailed topographic mapping and charting; precision farming; navigation and a multitude of scientific and engineering applications in Louisiana.
• The Louisiana Transportation Research Center (LTRC) conducts short-term and long-term research and provides technology assistance, engineering training and continuing education, technology transfer, and problem-solving services to DOTD and others in the transportation community. LTRC’s goal is to merge the resources of state government and universities to identify, develop, and implement new technology to improve the state’s transportation system. The focus of LTRC on safety-related research, training, and outreach has increased over the past five years as DOTD has affirmed its commitment to reducing the number of highway crashes which result in fatalities and serious injuries in the state. To that end, the Louisiana Center for Transportation Safety, also known as LCTS or the Safety Center, was established in January 2015. LTRC also delivers training and professional development through the Transportation Training and Education Center and the Local Technical Assistance Program.
• The National Center for Advanced Manufacturing (NCAM), located at the NASA Michoud Assembly Facility in New Orleans, is home to the partnership between NASA, the State of Louisiana, Louisiana State University, the University of New Orleans (UNO) and the UNO Research and Technology Foundation. NCAM, originally formed in 1999, is a state of the art research and production center focused on applying advanced manufacturing technologies to lightweight composite and metallic materials in support of the NASA space program and adjacent industries. NCAM also has a strong educational role, sponsoring a coalition of Louisiana research universities, workforce development programs and STEM outreach initiatives.
• The Psychological Services Center provides low cost state of the science assessment and treatment services to members of the LSU, Baton Rouge, and South Louisiana communities under the supervision of licensed LSU faculty members.
• The university also offers numerous cultural and entertainment events, including lectures, musical performances, and plays, to the community each year. In the College of Music & Dramatic Arts, the School of Theatre and Swine Palace present 15-20 theatrical productions, each of which runs over extended periods of time. The School of Music presents more than 300 recitals and concerts each year. These include fully staged operas; choral, band, jazz, and orchestral concerts; and faculty and student recitals. In addition, LSU’s museums—including the Museum of Art, the Museum of Natural Science, and the unique Rural Life Museum and Windrush Gardens—are open to all citizens. 

The Campus

The university is located on more than 2,000 acres in the southern part of the city, bordered on the west by the Mississippi River. The university’s more than 250 principal buildings are grouped on a 650-acre plateau that constitutes the main part of the campus.

Original campus architecture was based on the Renaissance domestic style of northern Italy (tan stucco walls, red tile roofs), with buildings that house most of the classrooms and administrative offices grouped around two intersecting quadrangles and connected by colonnaded passageways. Architects of more recent campus structures have succeeded in blending contemporary design with the older style of architecture.

The city of Baton Rouge–capital of the state of Louisiana, an inland port, and a major petrochemical center–has a metropolitan area population of around 800,000. According to history, the city’s name is derived from a tall cypress tree that once stood at the present site of Louisiana’s Old State Capitol marking the boundary between the hunting grounds of the Houma and the Bayou Goula Indians. The early French explorers called the tree le baton rouge (the red stick).

Geographically, Baton Rouge is the center of South Louisiana’s cultural and recreational attractions with New Orleans about 80 miles to the southeast. Less than an hour’s drive north lie the gently rolling hills of Feliciana parishes’ antebellum country. The fabled French-Louisiana country of bayous, marshes, and lakes—about an hour’s drive from the campus—offers opportunities for fishing, hunting, and other recreation.

Organizational Structure

The LSU President is the chief executive and administrative officer of the university. The leaders of the following administrative divisions of the university report to the president: Office of Academic Affairs, Office of Finance & Administration, and the Athletics Department.

Office of the President

The president is the chief executive and administrative officer of the university and is empowered by the Board of Supervisors to promote and supervise the functions of the university. The president is delegated sufficient authority to execute the functions necessary to operate the university.

Office of Academic Affairs

The executive vice president and provost serves as both the chief academic officer and as the chief operating officer of the university. The executive vice president and provost acts as chief administrative officer in the absence of the president and represents the president in both internal and external matters.

As chief academic officer, the executive vice president and provost is responsible for the academic programs of the university. The administrative center for exercise of this responsibility is the Office of Academic Affairs.

The Council of Academic Deans, which serves in an advisory capacity to the executive vice president and provost, meets monthly to review, deliberate, and make recommendations concerning academic matters. To provide support and faculty and staff input, several other councils and committees that engage in university-wide planning and budgetary matters report to the executive vice president and provost.

The executive vice president and provost works in tandem with the executive vice president & chief administrative officer to prepare and monitor the operating budget for the university. The executive vice president and provost also leads, with and for the president, programmatic, budgetary, and facility planning for the university; exercises responsibility for space allocation; oversees faculty development programs and human resources issues; and superintends the university’s efforts in assessment, with responsibility for developing policies and programs to ensure that the university is fully accountable in all aspects of its operations.

Office of Communications & University Relations

The Office of Communications & University Relations (OCCUR) is a full-service communications organization that proactively fashions, manages, and delivers consistent messages promoting LSU and the LSU Strategic Plan 2025 to key internal and external audiences; protects and manages the internationally known LSU brand; promotes and supports fundraising efforts for the university; and helps LSU achieve international prominence for its research, teaching, and service. The division provides a full array of resources to all units of the university and helps focus LSU entities on a consistent course of action that promotes university goals among students, faculty, staff, parents, lawmakers, donors, the media, and business leaders across Louisiana and the nation.

Government Relations and Public Policy

Government Relations and Public Policy oversees the unified voice of the university to all community and government leaders at the local, state, and national levels.

Finance & Administration

The executive vice president for Finance and Administration/chief financial officer is responsible for a variety of business functions and institutional support services, including accounting, purchasing, cash management and disbursement, capital financing, budgeting, facilities, information technology, risk management, human resources, police, safety, parking, traffic, transportation, auxiliary services, and trademark licensing.

Office of Research & Economic Development

The vice president for research and economic development is responsible for the overall research and economic development efforts of the university. The Office of Research & Economic Development (ORED) focuses on maximizing the university’s impact on the intellectual, economic and social development of Louisiana, the nation, and the world.

ORED’s mission includes creating a rich environment that promotes advanced research, scholarship, creativity, and economic development. The office coordinates the research efforts of more than 1,400 faculty and approximately 1,200 sponsored research projects each year. The faculty-driven Council on Research assists ORED with its mission.

The economic development focus of the office includes developing corporate partnerships, encouraging entrepreneurial activities, and driving Louisiana’s economy through spearheading intellectual property development and commercialization efforts; development of corporate partnerships; and encouraging entrepreneurial activities.

ORED also coordinates the non-formula component of the budget and acts as liaison to the legislature in this area; in addition, it coordinates the LSU congressional/federal agenda, keeping our congressional delegation abreast of research issues at the university.

Office of Strategic Initiatives

The Office of Strategic Initiatives assists in moving LSU up to a new level of excellence. OSI actively focuses on action steps that will support the educational research and scholarly productivity of faculty and the quality and competitiveness of LSU’s graduate and undergraduate students. OSI’s vision is to become a nationally recognized office of innovation for developing successful educational models that integrate mentoring, education, and research and that also support efforts to improve campus diversity, particularly in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) disciplines.

OSI develops and implements programs that are designed to increase diversity, foster opportunities for discovery, collaborate on improving the campus learning community for all students, and promote community engagement. 

Specifically, OSI

1. Assists the university in recruiting academically gifted high school and community college students into LSU undergraduate degree programs;
2. Assists LSU students and faculty in the receipt of major national/external awards and in increasing the national and international recognition of the university;
3. Supports the academic success of students through structured mentoring and research programs;
4. Assists the university in attracting more undergraduate and graduate students, particularly from under-represented groups;
5. Assists in increasing the enrollment and graduation rate of under-represented Ph.D. students in STEM disciplines;
6. Provides support to precollege students and teachers.

OSI collaborates with units within the LSU system, the entire state and throughout the nation for the advancement of education, both locally and nationally. The aim is to provide a strong infrastructure for enhancing services that will assist in increasing and improving the learning environment at LSU for all students.

Please visit the OSI website for more information about existing programs and activities, including the application process for students.

Office of the Vice Chancellor and Director of Athletics

The vice chancellor and director of athletics manages a broad spectrum of intercollegiate sports programs for men and women. LSU is a charter member (1932) of the Southeastern Conference. LSU meets teams from other major universities in NCAA Division 1A competition in football, basketball (Men’s &Women’s), baseball, indoor and outdoor track and field (M&W), cross country (M&W), golf (M&W), tennis (M&W), swimming (M&W), women’s gymnastics, women’s volleyball, women’s sand volleyball, women’s soccer, and women’s softball.

LSU athletic teams have won 49 national championships and 140 Southeastern Conference championships since the beginning of the intercollegiate athletics program in 1893.

Division of Student Affairs

 The Division of Student Affairs is committed to ensuring that the 153 hours students spend outside the classroom each week are preparing them for success and achievement when they are inside the classroom. Departments in the division include the Cale P. Katherine Smith Student Financial Management Center, Campus Life, Dean of Students, Disability Services, Greek Life, Mental Health, Olinde Career Center, Parent & Family Programs, Residential Life, Student Advocacy & Accountability, Student Government, Student Health Center, University Recreation, Wellness & Health Promotion, and the William A. Brookshire Military & Veterans Student Center. 

Division of Enrollment Management & Student Success

The Division of Enrollment Management & Student Success is the catalyst for positive and sustainable changes to support students in becoming LSU graduates. We are committed to maintaining a culture of excellence, the academic mission of the university, and maximizing innovation and data-driven insights that exemplify the power of education.

EMSS includes the offices of Undergraduate Admissions, Future Scholars, Transition & Student Success, Financial Aid & Scholarships, and the Registrar. Additionally, the University College, Center for Academic Success, Student Support Services, Roland E. McNair Scholars, and University Testing & Evaluation are all included in the division.

Office of the University Registrar 

The Office of the University Registrar is responsible for maintaining timely and accurate records of academic progress and accomplishments of LSU’s students while ensuring the privacy, integrity, and security of those records.

The office strives to provide excellent customer service to students, faculty members, administrators, alumni, and the public in the areas of record keeping, course scheduling, course registration, information management, and data analysis. The Office of the University Registrar uses its central university position to add value to the information that it manages by participating in activities to recruit, retain, and graduate the most academically talented and diverse students possible.

LSU Online and Continuing Education

LSU Online & Continuing Education empowers lifelong learners with a transformative education. By bringing together the combined academic strength of 6 institutions, LSU OCE offers over 150 degrees, certificates, and courses that align with students’ aspirations, wherever they are in their personal, professional, or global journey.

LSU OCE’s affordable and forward-looking portfolio of online offerings support personal and career growth while connecting students to a global LSU community. Aspiring degree holders receive a top-notch education that mirrors on-campus programs, delivered entirely online. The same exceptional faculty teach the courses, and graduates receive the same diplomas as graduates from on-campus programs.

 In addition to degrees, LSU Continuing Education provides a vast array of credit and non-credit educational options that promote lifelong learning. Whether it’s for upskilling, career advancement, or community participation, there’s a path for every stage of life.

 LSU Online & Continuing Education delivers a comprehensive support system that drives student achievement. To learn more about LSU Online and Continuing Education programs, visit  “LSU Online ” or “Continuing Education .”

Equal Employment Opportunity

LSU provides equal opportunity for all qualified persons in admission to, participation in, or employment in the programs and activities which the university operates without regard to race, creed, color, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, or veteran’s status, as well as to implement a procedure to address complaints for those who believe they have been subjected to discrimination and/or harassment in violation of this policy.

Anyone having questions or complaints regarding equal opportunity at LSU should contact the Office of Human Resource Management, 110 Thomas Boyd Hall, Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803; telephone 225-578-8200.

Finances

LSU receives most of its funds from legislative appropriations. To view the current operating budget, please visit the Office of Budget & Planning website at http://www.lsu.edu/bgtplan/.