LSUA’s mission statement [1] indicates the university will provide a learning environment that "cultivates intellectual, professional, social, and economic growth."  One of  LSUA’s Institutional Goals [2]   is to "Increase the array and flexibility of student activities and support services."  The provision of appropriate support services is essential to student academic success.

LSUA offers a variety of services that are designed to support and enhance the college experience. The units directly supporting student success are: 1) Student Services, which supports the academic program through various appropriate programs; 2) Enrollment Services, which assists with academic placement; 3) Financial Aid and Scholarships, which offers various financial aid opportunities that support students’ ability to pay for college; 4) the Educational Technology Center, which provides students and instructors with technological resources to assist teaching and learning; and 5) the Children’s Center, LSUA’s on-campus daycare facility. Library Services are covered under Core Requirement 2.9.

STUDENT SERVICES

Student Services offers a variety of student services designed to facilitate student development and support the academic program. These programs include the following: the Tutoring, Learning and Computer Lab (TLC Lab); peer tutoring (Writing Lab, and Math/Science Lab), academic, vocational, and personal counseling, a Carl Perkins career education counselor, testing center; career services; services for students with disabilities; orientation; the OAKS (student ambassadors); student activities and intramural sports; student organizations, and student publications. The Student Services office is located in the LSUA Student Center, West Wing. Office hours are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. All services are free and confidential.

Tutoring, Learning, and Computer Lab (TLC Lab)

The TLC Lab [3] provides 16 computers for student use, including one that has enhancements to accommodate sight impaired students. Each of the 16 computers is equipped with software packages that support curriculum needs, including content-specific software. The lab also provides four viewing stations equipped with TV and VCR units for student use in viewing video tapes. The viewing lab also has a group viewing area that consists of a large TV/VCR set with 8 listening stations. Tapes available through Student Services are, MATH 0003, 0004, 1021, 1022, 1100, 1431, 1550, and MATH/STAT/PSYC 2011. Select video tapes may be checked out [4] . The TLC Lab is open from 8:00 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Hours of operation are posted at the entrance of the lab. A description of the services provided in the TLC Lab appears in the LSUA Catalog on pages 57 and 58 [5] and on page 7 of the Student Handbook [6] .

Peer Tutoring

Peer tutoring is available in subject areas where need is greatest. Each semester, grade distributions are requested from Institutional Research and Effectiveness for identification of courses where 30% or more of the students receive a "D," "F," or "W." When these subject areas are identified, tutors are hired to address tutoring needs in as many areas as possible [7] .

Math and science tutoring takes place in the Tutoring, Video, and Testing room located within the TLC Lab. Tutoring is available for students taking the following subjects: MATH 0003, 0004, and 1021; BIOL 1001 and 1002; CHEM 1201 and 1202. These courses were selected from the grade distribution list mentioned above and identified as "high needs" courses. Math and science peer tutors are faculty recommended. Tutoring hours vary from semester to semester, depending on tutor availability.

Tutoring is also available (in the Science building) to students taking "high need courses" BIOL 1161 and 1162. This type of tutoring is called supportive instruction due to the fact that the peer tutor (faculty recommended) attends a section of the biology course and conducts small study groups throughout the week. Study group sessions are scheduled according to tutor availability.

English tutoring takes place in the Writing Center, a separate room located within the TLC Lab.

Tutoring is available for students taking ENGL 0001, 0002, 1001, and 1002. These courses were selected from the grade distribution list mentioned above and identified as "high needs" courses.

The Writing Center is staffed with faculty-recommended and trained peer tutors. Tutoring hours vary from semester to semester, depending on tutor availability. The Writing Center is equipped with a computer, work area, and space for writing resources.

Tutoring Software

In Summer 2005, LSUA upgraded PLATO software to the web learning version which allows students to access it from home. The software is configured to work with LSUA's campus portal so that all students have access through their my.LSUA portal page. PLATO contains remediation tutorials in many subjects, including mathematics, reading, biology, chemistry, and life science. Each subject has a variety of ranges which allow the student to start at the appropriate level based on their skills and knowledge. The biology and chemistry series include interactive video and audio that help promote understanding of concepts. Many of the tutorials are narrated, assisting students who have difficulty reading. Because it is available through the Internet, students will be able to access the tutorials from home (although chemistry and biology require broadband access). This program replaces SMARThinking which did not receive much use by LSUA students last year [8] .

The tutoring program is evaluated through the Annual Survey of Students [9] . According to the data collected on the 2005 Spring Student Survey, 83% of the students surveyed answered "yes," that they are aware of the peer tutoring service provided by Student Services. Fifteen percent answered "yes," that they have used the peer tutoring services provided by Student Services. Ninety-six percent of the students who expressed an opinion on the survey are satisfied with the software available in LSUA’s student computer labs.

Academic, Vocational and Personal Counseling

Counseling provides students a confidential environment in which they can obtain support and alternatives to pressing problems that may interfere with their academic progress. Counseling is provided free to students, faculty and staff. Two qualified counselors are on staff. Both staff counselors are experienced and work well with college students. One of the staff counselors is the Carl Perkins career education counselor. The Director of Student Services is also a Louisiana Licensed Professional Counselor and a National Board Certified Counselor. Career, personal, and academic counseling is available. Clients requiring long-term personal counseling are referred to community resources. Qualifications of counseling personnel are discussed in detail under Comprehensive Standard 3.9.3.

According to the data collected on the LSUA Annual Survey of Students [10] , 64% of the students surveyed answered "yes" that they were aware of the academic, career, and personal counseling services provided through student services. Eighty-seven percent of the students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the personal counseling services available to students at LSUA. Eighty-six percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the assistance available to students at LSUA in dealing with such issues as time management, test scores, study skills, etc. Ninety percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that the hours the Counseling Center is open are sufficient to meet their needs. Eighty-six percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the services provided by Student Services.

Testing Center

LSU Alexandria’s Testing Center supports the academic programs and provides a vital service for the students and faculty. The coordinator organizes, administers, and coordinates a university testing program that involves testing for students with disabilities, and serves the needs of students requiring makeup tests, exit tests, or tests for distance education classes. The coordinator also provides students and faculty members with assistance in testing to meet requirements for placement, admissions, and instructional purposes. A variety of national exams such as ACT, CLEP, PRAXIS, ACT Center Examinations, and Person VUE are administered through the Testing Center. The coordinator insures confidentiality and integrity of test results. All tests are kept in a locked file, and tests are picked up by professors or returned by the testing coordinator. Student confidentiality is maintained according to FERPA guidelines. The Testing Center is located within the TLC Lab and is open Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. until 4:30 p.m. Some special testing is administered on Saturday.

According to the 2004-2005 Annual Survey of Faculty [11] , 66.7% of the faculty answered  "yes" to the question, "Have you ever used the services of the Testing Center?" Eighty-nine percent of the faculty strongly agreed or agreed that tests were handled in a confidential and professional manner. Eighty-two percent of the faculty strongly agreed or agreed that tests were returned as instructed. Eighty-eight percent of the faculty agreed that the availability of testing services has helped in the facilitation of special testing situations.

Career Services

Career Services provides many services in support of the career needs of LSUA students. Part-time job placement assistance is provided for those students who are looking for part-time employment. According to the 2005 Annual Survey of Students [12] , 41.2% of LSUA students are working part-time. The part-time services provide students with leads from companies that are willing to work around student schedules. Placement assistance is also available to graduating students. These services for graduating students include, Job Fair(s), referrals, interviews, internships, and resume services. Financial aid and Scholarships offers job placement for students who qualify for on-campus jobs.

DISCOVER, a computer-based career assessment instrument, is available on the campus networked computers. Students may obtain a code from the Student Services office to work on DISCOVER on their home computer. Assisting students in deciding on a college major is provided either through meeting with a career counselor upon request and/or as a follow-up to DISCOVER.

According to the data collected on the LSUA Annual Survey of Students [12] , 70% of the students who answered other than "no opinion" answered that they are aware that Student Services holds a Job Fair each spring. Eighty-five percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" were satisfied with career counseling services. Eighty-three percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they are satisfied with job placement services available to students at LSUA.

Services for Students with Disabilities

Policy Statement 242 [13] provides guidelines for Services for Students with Disabilities. Students may receive appropriate accommodations or interventions based on their documented disability. Complete guidelines of the program are available for review in the Services for Students with Disabilities Handbook [14] . The program is directed by the Director of Student Services. She has a Ph.D. in Education and has more than 12 years of experience in assessing and writing accommodations. Services may vary according to student needs and class requirements. More than 50 students are being served during any semester. Services include interventions in the classroom, special seating, physical accommodations, books on tape, note takers, interpreters, assistance with registration, and others as appropriate.

Orientation

The mission of orientation is to enhance the academic and co-curricular experience at Louisiana State University Alexandria. The program supports incoming students in preparing for educational success as well as develops them as dynamic members of the campus and community. Partnering collaboratively with campus departments and current student leaders, orientation helps students and families gain the information, coping skills, multi-cultural experiences, and builds meaningful relationships important to cultivating intellectual and personal growth.

OAKS (Student Leaders)

An OAK Leader is an identified campus student leader who is recommended by faculty or staff for consideration for an OAK position. OAKS assist with various campus projects and activities. The OAK assists with orientation and plays a vital role in facilitating the adjustment of new students to the campus and community. An OAK Leader may also become actively involved in campus recruiting. The OAK recruiters may accompany the campus recruiters to recruiting events and assist with student contacts. The Senior OAKS will have the opportunity to represent the university at various functions. The OAK position is an outstanding opportunity for students interested in improving leadership skills and enhancing their marketability.

Student Organizations

Students may organize and/or join organizations to promote their common interest in accordance with the educational aims of the university. Membership is open to students without regard to race, creed, or national origin except for religious qualifications, which may be required by organizations whose aims are primarily sectarian in nature. Organization categories include the following: governing, honorary, international, military, political, professional, religious, service, social fraternity, social sorority, special interest and sports. The university currently has 31 active organizations. Policy Statement 239 [15] provides for the guidelines, procedures, and participation in organizations at LSUA.

According to data collected on the 2004 LSUA Annual Survey of Students [16] , 21% replied "yes" that they are currently a member of a student organization at LSUA. Seventy-five percent of the students responding replied "yes" they were aware that LSUA has a Student Government Association. Only 9% said they had considered becoming an active member of the Student Government Association. Thirty-eight percent of the students surveyed answering other than "no opinion" indicated they were very likely, or somewhat likely to join a sorority or fraternity if available on the LSUA campus. The interest indicated in sororities and fraternities will guide the development of this area by Student Services. Eighty-two percent of the students who answered other than "no opinion" indicated that they are satisfied with the variety of student organizations available for students to join at LSUA.

Student Activities/Intramural Program

Student Activities operates in the belief that a complete educational experience includes extracurricular activities. Students should have the opportunity to discover and develop their own special abilities and interests. Student Activities and Intramural programs are authorized under Policy Statement 251 [17] . This program is staffed with a Coordinator of Student Activities/Intramural Programs. The coordinator’s credentials may be reviewed in Comprehensive Standard 3.9.3.

According to the results of the 2004 Annual Survey of Students [18] , 32% of the students taking the survey answered "yes" to the question, "Have you participated in at least one student activity during the fall or spring semester?" Seventy-eight percent of the students who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the variety of campus activities available for students to participate in at LSUA. Seventy-six percent of the students who answered other than "no opinion" are satisfied with the variety of intramural sports available for students at LSUA. Thirty-two percent of the students who answered other than "no opinion" answered "yes" they are interested in participating in recreational or competitive sports. Men’s baseball (19.3%) and women's softball (35%) were chosen as the top recreational or competitive sports by students completing the survey. These results support the move to collegiate sports of men’s baseball and women’s softball. LSUA’s population is also reflected in the results, 24% of the students are men; 76% of the students are women.

Student Publications

Guidelines for the provision of student publications are set forth in Policy Statement 215 [19] . LSUA students produce three publications, The Paper Tiger, the campus newspaper, the Sauce Piquante, the campus yearbook, and the Jongleur, the campus literary magazine. These three publications have editors and staff who work to report the happenings, create lasting memories, and establish a pictorial history for LSUA students, faculty, and staff. Student publications are supported through student fees.

ACADEMIC PLACEMENT

LSUA is an open admissions university. Entering freshmen are required to submit scores on the American College Test (ACT). LSUA offers the ACT on campus on the published national test dates and also provides residual testing through the Testing Center. All freshmen and new transfer students who have not completed freshman English and math must take the ACT assessment before registration. Appropriate placement of entering freshman is essential to their academic success. LSUA has developed guidelines for placement designed to support student success. These guidelines are published in the LSUA Catalog on page 30 [20]

For those students admitted to the university who are identified by their scores on the ACT as not being academically prepared to meet the rigors of college-level course work, remedial course work is available. LSUA offers two levels of developmental Reading. Students who are placed in reading based on their ACT scores are given the Nelson-Denny assessment during the first week of classes to determine if the placement is correct. Two levels of developmental English and developmental mathematics are offered. College Study Skills is required for all students with an ACT composite score of 16 and below. Provision of this array of developmental courses enables many students who would otherwise struggle or fail in college to progress to regular college course work and ultimately succeed in their academic and career goals.

FINANCIAL AID AND SCHOLARSHIPS

The Financial Aid and Scholarship office administers a number of federal, state, and institutional financial aid programs. Students are offered access to the Federal Family Education Loan Program (FFELP), General Pell Grants, Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants, and Leveraging Educational Assistance Partnership (LEAP) - Formerly SSIG. Other federal financial aid available to students comes from Vocational Rehabilitation Grants and Veterans Benefits. LSUA participates in the State of Louisiana’s TOPS program which provides financial aid to high school graduates who complete a specified high school curriculum with a specified grade point average, attend college full time, and maintain satisfactory academic progress. LSUA also provides a number of institutional scholarships and awards to students who meet eligibility criteria. These awards are listed in the LSUA Catalog on pages 39-46 [21] . LSUA students receive more than 15 million dollars per year in financial aid.

The LSUA Annual Survey of Students [22] contains items related to financial aid services. Eighty-four percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" were satisfied with the service (helpfulness of staff, waiting time etc.) in the office of Financial Aid and Scholarships. Eighty-four percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that the hours that Financial Aid and Scholarships is open are sufficient to meet their needs. Eighty-five percent of the students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the services provided by Financial Aid and Scholarships.

EDUCATIONAL TECHNOLOGY

Excellent educational technology is essential to the support of the academic program. LSUA’s department of Institutional and Educational Technology ensures that students have access to and training in the use of technology. Educational Technology Services administers all of the university's instructional computing labs which are described in more detail in Comprehensive Standard 3.4.14. The major student-use computer laboratory is the Electronic Resource Center (ERC) lab. The ERC is located in the Electronic Resource Center, room 105, and is open from 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m. Monday through Thursday and until 4:30 p.m. on Friday. A full-time Educational Technology Specialist and a full-time Network Administrator staff the ERC lab and are available to act as technology resources for faculty, staff, and students. Student workers also staff several of the LSUA computer labs, including the ERC.

Educational Technology personnel maintain the instructional computer network, generate network logon information for all students, provide Desire2Learn (D2L) instruction, set up student e-mail accounts, identify hardware and software needs of the campus, and provide training for students and faculty.

According to the data collected on the Annual Survey of Students [23] , 57 percent were aware that content-specific software was available in the LSUA computer labs. Ninety-seven percent of the students taking the survey were aware that Internet access is available in all LSUA student computer labs. Eighty-three percent answered yes to the question, "Are you aware that Blackboard (Internet course software) support is offered through the Educational Technology Center?" Eighty-one percent of the students answered "yes" to the question, "Are you aware that certain LSUA computer labs are staffed with student workers to assist you?" Ninety-seven percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the hardware (equipment) available in LSUA’s student computer labs. Eighty-six percent had access to the Internet at home. Ninety-six percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that they were satisfied with the software available in LSUA’s student computer labs. Ninety-six percent of students surveyed indicated they were satisfied with the educational technology services provided to students. Ninety-five percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that the hours that the ETC lab is open are sufficient to meet their needs. Ninety-five percent of students surveyed who answered other than "no opinion" agreed or strongly agreed that the equipment in the LSUA student computer labs functions properly.

The Education Technology Center is supported in part through a student technology fee plan. This fee is dedicated to the acquisition, installation, maintenance, and intelligent use of state-of-the-art technology for the purpose of supporting and enhancing student life and learning and of preparing graduates for the workplaces of the twenty-first century. The Student Technology Fee Committee makes recommendations to the administration on appropriate uses of the technology fee each fiscal year. The administration ensures that all expenditures from the Student Technology Fee account are consistent with the goals and objective of the program [24] .

CHILDREN’S CENTER

The demographics of LSUA’s student population make provision of on-campus childcare services an important issue. LSUA’s student body is approximately 75% female. Slightly more than 40% of the students are 25 years old or older. Many students are married with children and as many as 20% of students in past surveys have indicated they are single parents. Availability of on-campus childcare gives LSUA students the opportunity to place their child in a safe nearby setting, thereby freeing student parents to concentrate on their course work and spend time between classes studying.

The LSUA Children’s Center is a Class "A" licensed, early care and education facility, accepting children ages 12 months to five years. School-age children may be enrolled during elementary school holidays if space and staff permit. The Children’s Center can enroll approximately 50 children, depending on the number per age group. First priority is given to LSUA students requiring full-time child care. The goal of the Children’s Center is to provide a safe, happy, nurturing environment where children will be motivated and enriched socially, emotionally, intellectually, and physically.

All units providing student services evaluate student satisfaction through the LSUA Annual Survey of Students [25] . In addition, all units have desired outcomes that guide unit improvement through the campus-wide Institutional Effectiveness program [26] . Institutional Effectiveness provides all areas of campus the avenue to measure success and create plans for improvement of services and programs. Through these programs of assessment, the university continues to improve and expand student services.