Louisiana Baptist University

Infobox University| name = Louisiana Baptist University


established = 1973
type = Private / unaccredited
president = Neal Weaver
city = Shreveport
state= Louisiana
country=USA
enrollment = 1,100 undergraduate
and graduate
faculty = 44
campus =
website = http://www.lbu.edu/

Louisiana Baptist University (LBU, originally called Baptist Christian University) is an unaccredited conservative Christian university, founded in 1973, located in Shreveport, Louisiana.

LBU has both an on-campus program and a distance education program which primarily teaches subjects pertaining to the Bible and Baptist theology. Classes are grouped in five areas: School of Biblical Studies, School of Communications, School of Counseling, School of Christian Education, and Theological Seminary. Distance education courses are offered by mail and via web-based delivery.

Accreditation

The university has declared itself to be "a primarily religious institution" that "has not sought either regional or national accreditation by a secular accrediting agency." The university is approved by the Baptist Bible Fellowship International, cite news | url=http://web.archive.org/web/20061117023415/http://www.lbu.edu/macacademic.html | title=Academics and Vision | publisher=Louisiana Baptist University | date=2007 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-08-18] a missionary organization. It is also a member of the Association of Christian Schools International and is one of several schools with "approval" from the Association of Christian Colleges and Theological Schools (ACCTS), a Christian, non-governmental organization involved in "approving" Christian schools,Fact|date=December 2007 though ACCTS is not a recognized accreditor. [cite news | url=http://www.ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.asp | title=Institutional Accreditation System | publisher=United States Department of Education |date= 2007 | first= | last= | accessdate =2007-04-11]

In 1999, LBU was granted licensure under the religious institution exemption provided for by Act 129 of 1991 by the Louisiana Board of Regents cite web|url=http://www.regents.state.la.us/Board/Minutes/1999/mi042299.htm|title=Louisiana Board of Regents' Minutes of April 22, 1999|accessdate=2008-08-19] , and still operates under such today.

LBU is not accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the US Department of Education or Council on Higher Education Accreditation.

History

LBU was originally started in 1973 as Baptist Christian University, offering distance education allowing full-time ministers to complete their degrees without leaving their pastorates. The charter and management were restructured by the management and the Board of Trustees in February of 1993. According to the school's website it was felt appropriate at that time to change the name to Louisiana Baptist University.cite news | url=http://web.archive.org/web/19990417142448/www.lbu.edu/front.htm | title=Welcome to LBU!| publisher=Louisiana Baptist University (Archived) | date= April 1999| first= | last= | accessdate =2007-03-07]

Louisiana Baptist University has claimed that on February 1, 1994 it became the first non-traditional postsecondary institution in the state of Louisiana to receive full licensure by the Louisiana Board of Regents.

Louisiana Baptist University started offering degree programs in business administration in 1998, which it claimed did not require approval from the Louisiana Board of Regents. ["Unlicensed 'colleges' worry state officials: Legislation being prepared to tighten rules for nonprofit schools", "The Advocate (Baton Rouge)", November 22, 1998. "The Louisiana Baptist University in Shreveport plans to offer a business administration degree. The university doesn't think Regents approval is necessary."] On December 10, 1998, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to deny the University an operating license for its business education programs, required it to cease admitting students, and cease advertising. [cite news | url=http://www.regents.state.la.us/Board/Minutes/1998/mi121098.htm| title=Minutes of Board of Regents December 10, 1998 | publisher=Louisiana Board of Regents | date=December 10, 1998 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-03-13 Orders LBU to stop admitting students.] Students matriculated at the time were allowed until December 31, 1999 to finish their degrees. Then, reversing its prior decision, on April 22, 1999, the Board voted to accept the recommendation of the Planning, Research and Performance Committee to exempt Louisiana Baptist University under the religious institution exemption provided for by Act 129 of 1991, allowing it to operate as a religious institution. [cite news | url=http://www.regents.state.la.us/Board/Minutes/1999/mi042299.htm| title=Minutes of Board of Regents April 22, 1999 | publisher=Louisiana Board of Regents | date=April 22, 1999 | first= | last= | accessdate = 2007-03-13]

Kathleen Blanco, governor of Louisiana, declared the month of April 2005 as "Louisiana Baptist University Month". [ [http://www.gov.state.la.us/assets/docs/Proclamations/honorary/3_louisianabaptistunmth.pdf United States of America, State of Louisiana, Governor Kathleen Babineaux Blanco Proclamation] Signed March 29, 2005.]

Academics and staff

The university employs about 50 people as faculty and staff. The majority of the faculty list graduate degrees from LBU, including its previous name Baptist Christian University and Baptist Christian College. [ [http://www.lbu.edu/faculty&staff.htm Louisiana Baptist University faculty and staff page, accessed February 18, 2008] ] The majority of the faculty hold terminal degrees from LBU, which the institution says reflects the school's "strong stance on inspiration of the scriptures, doctrinal purity and pre-millennialism."

LBU will accept a limited amount of three types of non-traditional credit: experiential learning credits, military experience credits, and credit by examination. Also by purchasing and reading a book by Chuck Missler [ [http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0785264299 Learn the Bible in 24 hours] by Chuck Missler] and writing a short paper, one can receive college credit from Louisiana Baptist University. Assist News quoted Missler as explaining that LBU "has offered course credits for those that do a 'reflective paper' on what they got out of it". In addition to the three semester hours credit, people "also get a certificate for it."Dan Wooding. [http://assistnews.net/strategic/s0104006.htm Learn the Bible in 24 Hours: Chuck Missler releases an extraordinary teaching tool] ASSIST News Service. Garden Grove, CA April 3, 2001] According to Missler's website, the university allows students to transfer "credits" from Missler's Koinonia Institute for "up to half of the credit hour requirements for a graduate degree" at Louisiana Baptist University. [ [http://www.studycenter.com/degrees.html Koinonia Institute degrees] ]

Alumni

Seminary
* Carl Baugh - Th.D. (2005) - author and president of the unaccredited Pacific International University. [Tobia, P.J. [http://www.nashvillescene.com/Stories/News/2006/10/19/Reading_Writing_and_Jesus/index.shtml "Reading, Writing and Jesus: What nearby schools don’t know about the Bible class they soon may be teaching"] , "Nashville Scene", October 19, 2006. Accessed December 19, 2007. "While there are a few reputable legal and theological minds from solid universities associated with the group, they are far outnumbered by the likes of Carl Baugh, who holds a Ph.D. in theology from Louisiana Baptist University, an unaccredited online school."]
* Mal Couch - Th.D. - author and president of the unaccredited Tyndale Theological Seminary. [Perkes, Kim Sue Lia. "Fort Worth school sues to call itself "seminary'", "Austin American-Statesman", April 15, 1999. "Tyndale has about 350 seminary students, about two-thirds of them taking courses by correspondence, said Mal Couch, the school's president and founder. He said he holds five degrees, including a doctorate of theology from Louisiana Baptist Seminary..."]
* Rick Scarborough - D.Min. - author, activist, and founder of Vision America. [Murray, Shailagh. [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/07/AR2005050701266_pf.html "Filibuster Fray Lifts Profile of Minister: Scarborough Has Network and Allies"] , "The Washington Post", May 8, 2005. Accessed December 19, 2007. "After receiving a master's of divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth and a doctorate in ministry from Louisiana Baptist Theological Seminary, Scarborough hit the national revival and crusade circuit for 14 years."] [http://www.visionamerica.us/site/PageServer?pagename=SpeakersLanding Rick Scarborough] Vision America]
* Neal Weaver - D.Min. - current Louisiana Baptist University president

University
* Bob Cornuke - Ph.D. (2005) - author and director of the Bible Archaeology Search and Exploration Institute (BASE). [Wilson, Jennifer. [http://deseretnews.com/dn/view/0,1249,645192466,00.html "Is Noah's Ark on mount in Iran? Man scours the world looking for religious artifacts"] , "Deseret Morning News", August 11, 2006. Accessed December 19, 2007. "Bob Cornuke doesn't have a degree in archaeology; he holds a doctorate in Bible and theology from Louisiana Baptist University."]
* Bill Gothard - Ph.D. (2004) - director of the Institute in Basic Life Principles
* Grant Jeffrey - M.A., Ph.D. (1999) - author and teacher
* Chuck Missler - Ph.D. (1999) - author and founder/operator of Koinonia Institute
* Robert Morey - Ph.D. in Islamic Studies (2003) - author, founder and sole faculty member of the unaccredited California Biblical University and Seminary. [Arellano. [http://www.ocweekly.com/news/news/dr-jihad/24608/?page=2 "Dr. Jihad"] , "OC Weekly", March 2, 2006. Accessed December 19, 2007. "Morey also claims to have received a doctorate from Louisiana Baptist University. Two problems: LBU is unaccredited by the United States government, which means no serious academy would recognize it. Then there’s this: LBU doesn’t offer a Ph.D. in Islamic studies."]

See also

* List of unaccredited institutions of higher learning
* Educational accreditation

References

External links

* [http://www.lbu.edu Louisiana Baptist University] – Official website
* [http://memory.loc.gov/ammem/awhhtml/awgc1/doctoral.html Library of Congress Doctoral Information] – Information on PhD dissertations