SLS 181ES-38 ORIGINAL
2018 First Extraordinary Session
SENATE CONCURRENT RESOL UTION NO. 4
BY SENATOR PEACOCK
COMMENDATIONS. Commends LSU-Shreveport on its 50
th
anniversary.
1 A CONCURRENT RESOL UTION
2 To commend Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS) upon the celebration of its
3 golden anniversary and to extend congratulations to its student body, faculty,
4 administration, and alumni for fifty years of academic excellence afforded to
5 northwest Louisiana and the state.
6 WHEREAS, it is with great pride that the citizens of the Shreveport-Bossier
7 community commemorate the founding of LSU Shreveport from its humble origins as a
8 community college to its present status as a professional development institution of higher
9 learning; and
10 WHEREAS, the concept originated in 1936 when the Caddo Parish Police Jury
11 passed a resolution to request the establishment of a branch of the LSU system in
12 Shreveport; those progressive leaders addressed the necessity of postsecondary education
13 to maximize the growth potential and increase the economic opportunity of the region; and
14 WHEREAS, with the enactment of Act 41 of 1964, authored by Representative A.
15 D. Brown and co-authored by Senator Jackson B. Davis and others, the state legislature
16 proposed the creation of LSUS, and the LSU Board of Supervisors acted to establish the
17 Shreveport branch of the system in 1965 as a two-year associate degree program; and
18 WHEREAS, during the 1960s the Shreveport-Bossier economy began to expand
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SLS 181ES-38 ORIGINAL
1 exponentially, and there was an imperative need for a well-trained workforce nurtured by
2 higher education resources; and
3 WHEREAS, during that time, William "Bill" Bronson, editor and publisher of The
4 Shreveport Times, led the fight to elevate LSUS to the status of an undergraduate
5 degree-granting institution, and in 1972, it became a four-year university; in May 1975, the
6 first undergraduate degrees were conferred at spring commencement ceremonies; and
7 WHEREAS, Dr. Donald E. Shipp was appointed as the first dean and later served as
8 the first chancellor; also serving as chancellors were Dr. E. Grady Bogue, Dr. John Darling,
9 Dr. Vincent Marsala, and today, Chancellor Larry Clark; each leader has worked diligently
10 to expand the goals and objectives of the university and to improve academic departments,
11 student environment, and campus infrastructure; and
12 WHEREAS, when classes began in the fall of 1967, student enrollment was eight
13 hundred; presently with a student body of five thousand, LSUS has grown to encompass over
14 twenty undergraduate subject areas, twelve masters programs, and a doctorate degree in
15 education; and
16 WHEREAS, utilizing cooperative endeavors with industry and local government,
17 LSUS continues to leverage the synergy such partnerships provide to enhance progressive
18 economic growth for the state and the nation by the production of a well-trained workforce
19 of educators, health care professionals, and other specialties equipped for the challenges of
20 the ever-changing workplace; and
21 WHEREAS, LSUS possesses an impressive list of vital disciplines including
22 humanities, sciences, education, social work, and criminal justice, and in conjunction with
23 the LSU Health Sciences Center in Shreveport, also provides academic degrees in a myriad
24 of health sciences; in particular, public health, community health, health education
25 specialties, school psychology, and sports medicine; and
26 WHEREAS, LSUS has expanded into many new age curricula realms, such as
27 biological data research, information technology, and cyber innovation and has a nationally
28 recognized online MBA program; and
29 WHEREAS, housed in the Noel Memorial Library, the new LSUS Student Success
30 Center is a transformative learning space; it facilitates a technology and flexible learning
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SLS 181ES-38 ORIGINAL
1 environment that embraces diverse collaborative learning venues; and
2 WHEREAS, extracurricular student opportunities include a nationally ranked debate
3 team and successful athletic teams that include men's and women's soccer, baseball,
4 basketball, track, and weightlifting; and
5 WHEREAS, LSUS has, as its primary focus, a "student-centric" approach to higher
6 learning, with keen attention paid to the attraction, retention, and graduation of its student
7 populace; and
8 WHEREAS, throughout its fifty year history, LSUS has promoted a familial
9 atmosphere between the student body, faculty, and administration, and seeks to strike a
10 balance between academics, athletics, and community service to provide the best possible
11 opportunities in postsecondary education of its students; and
12 WHEREAS, in 2017-2018 as the university fetes a year-long golden anniversary
13 celebration, Louisiana State University Shreveport stands with the state of Louisiana at the
14 threshold of tremendous economic prosperity and provides the vital academic acumen
15 needed to address the challenges of the present as well as those social and economic
16 demands of the future.
17 THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Legislature of Louisiana does hereby
18 commend the student body, faculty, administration, and alumni of Louisiana State University
19 Shreveport (LSUS) for the fifty years of academic excellence it has provided to the citizens
20 of the state of Louisiana and does hereby recognize the occasion of its fiftieth anniversary.
21 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this Resolution be transmitted to
22 Larry Clark, Chancellor of Louisiana State University Shreveport.
The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part
of the legislative instrument, were prepared by Suzi Montague.
DIGEST
SCR 4 Original 2018 First Extraordinary Session Peacock
Commends Louisiana State University Shreveport (LSUS) on its 50th anniversary.
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