LSUS continuing to grow amid challenging higher education landscape

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LSUS continuing to grow amid challenging higher education landscape

SHREVEPORT - Peek at the higher education headlines at any point in the past year, and one would notice a theme - financial hardship, declining enrollment, layoffs, and even university closures.

LSU Shreveport continues to buck those state and national trends, entering this fall semester in growth mode.

Coming off record enrollment for both the spring and summer semesters, LSUS Chancellor Dr. Robert Smith told faculty and staff that enrollment continues to trend in a positive direction.

"Although we won't know official numbers until after the census date, we're on pace to grow again," Smith said Thursday as LSUS welcome back faculty and staff for its annual Campus Kickoff before fall semester classes start Monday. "That's a fantastic accomplishment.

"It's a really challenging time for higher education. But one reason for our success is our long-time focus on student success. All of the things you do to ensure that our students get to walk across that graduation stage, that's why people are taking note. Our programs are meeting the interests of students and the needs of the workforce."

LSUS set an all-time program record this spring with an enrollment of 10,214 students and posted a summer record of 7,512.

Preliminary fall enrollment data indicate that LSUS is continuing to grow in undergraduate, graduate and face-to-face students.

"Because enrollment is climbing and is strong, that means we're able to initiate more projects on campus that we weren't able to do before," Smith said.

LSUS continued its on-campus transformation thanks to increased monies from a steadily growing enrollment paired with approved funding from the state government.

Recent campus improvements include the construction of the Science Research Annex (LSUS's first new building in three decades), façade improvements to the Science and Technology buildings, and a new advising suite in the Student Success Center.

Thanks to a generous $500,000 donation, the College of Business will debut its Davis Family Business Engagement Center that will host students and community leaders.

LSUS renovated one of its biology labs with more lab renovations in the pipeline.

Renovations to Pilots Pointe Apartments, LSUS's on-campus housing option, is providing improved living spaces for students. Demand for units this fall is outpacing available units, and continued renovations will bring more units online for future semesters.

"The response we're getting about Pilots Pointe is that there is a growing community of students who want to live on campus," Smith said.

LSUS continues to attract community groups to campus, hosting events related to everything from Air Force Global Strike Command to the Girl Scouts.

Nathan Dunams, the director of strategic and collaboratory operations, plays a large role in that area, receiving the Spirit of LSUS award as someone who embodies what it means to be a Pilot.