Louisiana State University at Alexandria operates, maintains, and plans for a wide range of facilities on a campus of 205 acres [1] . These facilities total approximately 322,417 gross square feet [2] , with 224,519 net assignable square feet (NASF) [3] . Five modular buildings [4] were added in July 2002, adding 1,920 square feet of instructional classroom space. A modular building of approximately 4,998 gross square feet was added during fiscal year 2003-2004 to create a new Electronic Resource Center [5] . Additionally, nearly 81,000 gross square feet of new classroom space is in development, at an estimated cost of $14.6 million, and with an estimated completion date of June 2008.

LSUA has broad and comprehensive strategies that focus on detailed operations and maintenance and planning [6] for its facilities to support the overall university mission. Facility Services is primarily responsible for all areas of operation and maintenance of facilities, including planning and design. The building conditions [7] are monitored, logged, and compared to statewide institutions. The electrical infrastructure of the campus was upgraded [8]  last fiscal year. This upgrade was funded through the Louisiana Board of Regents Capital Outlay Program. Included in this same program was the installation of two chillers and the upgrade of mechanical closets. One chiller has been installed; the second chiller and the mechanical closet upgrade is occuring this fiscal year. The renovation of the science building is now occuring.  This work will be completed in 2007 [9]   [10]   [11] . The campus Capital Outlay Committee [12] meets monthly to update and plan for the needs of the institution.

Facility Services provides services to support the institution’s educational programs. This department is organized [13] into plant maintenance, support service functions and custodial service. Funding for this department is provided through the operating budget [14] and capital renewal process. Policies and procedures [15] were developed and encompassed in a work control system [16] designed to generate work requests, track maintenance costs, and assure equipment is maintained adequately. One component of the work control system includes tracking of work orders generated and completed. Assets [17] and buildings [18] [19] are tracked. Building and utility distribution systems [20] are outlined, reflecting the equipment necessary to provide an exceptional educational environment, and the site and utility requirements needed for operation of the facility. Policies, procedures and practices necessary for planning, scheduling, performing and controlling facility cleaning operations [21] are provided in detail. The facilities plan is reviewed annually [22] .

The Louisiana Board of Regents provides comparisons for statewide higher education facilities. These comparisons are available on the Board of Regents website in the 2004 Facilities Utilization Study. Universities report classroom and laboratory usage to the Board of Regents each fall semester. [23] LSUA compares favorably with other institutions in the state in many aspects of room usage. The average weekly room usage in classrooms is rapidly approaching the standard of 30 hours per week used by the Board of Regents. [24] The average weekly room usage in the daytime greatly exceeds nighttime usage. [25] LSUA’s average weekly room usage in class laboratories is comparable to other state institutions. [26] The average weekly class lab usage in the daytime greatly exceeds nighttime usage. [27] LSUA’s average weekly use of student stations [28] is also comparable to other state institutions. LSUA’s average weekly use of student stations in class laboratories [29] is similar to the use at the majority of other statewide institutions. The percent of student station utilization [30] of occupied classrooms and class laboratories is somewhat below the average for most statewide institutions. The assignable area per FTE student [31] at LSUA exceeds the four-year institution average in all instructional room use categories. The assignable square feet per student station for classrooms is slightly less than most four-year schools [32] , but the assignable square feet per student station for class laboratories at LSUA exceeds that at the majority of statewide institutions. [33] All of these comparisons are for 2004-2005. These data do not include the modular buildings that have been added as discussed above.

Shortages of three types of space will be addressed by the construction of a new MultiPurpose Academic Center at LSUA. [34] LSUA would benefit from additional office space.  LSUA's assignable square footage for office space is markedly below the state average for four-year institutions.  As LSUA has added faculty and staff during the transition to four-year status, office space has been exhausted.  Additionally, as LSUA expands its programs and course offerings, there is a need for additional specialized space for studio arts, theatre, and music. Planning funds of $950,000 were allotted for fiscal years 2004-2005 and 2005-2006. [35] Construction will begin when planning is completed and should be finished within three years, depending on available funding. This new building will provide an additional 80,750 square feet of classroom and office space.