Southeastern Louisiana University

Southeastern Louisiana University
Motto	Fidelitas Integritas Fortitudo (Fidelity, Integrity, Fortitude)
Established	1925
Type	Public
Endowment	$7,694,242
President	John L. Crain
Academic staff	800
Undergraduates	14,500
Postgraduates	2,500
Location	Hammond, LA, USA
Campus	Urban
Colors	Green & Gold
Mascot	Roomie the Lion
Website	southeastern.edu

Southeastern Louisiana University is a state-funded public university in Hammond, Louisiana, United States. It was founded in 1925 by Linus A. Sims, the principal of Hammond High School, as Hammond Junior College, located in a wing of the high school building. Sims succeeded in getting the campus moved to north Hammond in 1928, when it became known as Southeastern Louisiana College. It achieved university status in 1970.

Description

There are approximately 15,000 students representing 43 states and 66 countries enrolled. During the 1990s Southeastern was the fastest-growing college in the United States.^{[citation needed]}

Southeastern's colors are green and gold, and the mascot is the Lions. Southeastern's sports teams participate in NCAA Division I (FCS for football) in the Southland Conference.

History

Commons Area in Southeastern's War Memorial Student Union

What began as a junior college supported by local taxes developed into a major university as Southeastern has grown to meet the evolving needs of southeast Louisiana and the Florida parishes.^[1]

Fayard Hall, completed in 2001, makes practical use of brick, glass, light, and open space.

On July 7, 1925, the voters overwhelmingly approved a bond issue that created Hammond Junior College. Operated under the auspices of the Tangipahoa Parish School Board, Sims opened the doors on September 13, 1925, with a faculty of three women and two men and 40 students. The two-year coeducational institution offered basic undergraduate work in arts and sciences that culminated in a teaching certificate.

Rapidly increasing enrollments quickly forced the college out of its two rooms in Hammond High School. In 1927, voters supported the purchase of the Hunter Leake estate on Hammond’s north end. In 1928, Hammond Junior College became Southeastern Louisiana College, formally adopted into the state educational system under the control of the State Board of Education. The purchase of 60 acres (240,000 m²) adjoining the original 15-acre (61,000 m²) plot provided the space to develop a suitable campus. In 1934, a state bond issue provided for the construction of McGehee Hall and a gymnasium.

Lucius McGehee Hall was built in 1935. As of 2009 it is the oldest building constructed by the University. McGehee Hall is on the National Register of Historic Places.

In 1937, the State Board of Education authorized curricula for four-year programs in liberal arts, teacher education, business administration, music, social sciences, and physical education. The first baccalaureate degrees were conferred in May 1939.

Part of the campus, looking east: Zachary Taylor Hall (left foreground), Tangipahoa Hall (middle), Linus A. Sims Memorial Library (right). Zachary Taylor Hall is the only academic building in Louisiana named for the sole President to come from Louisiana.

Voter approval of Act 388 in 1938, an amendment to the 1920 Louisiana Constitution, granted Southeastern Louisiana College the same legal status as other four-year colleges. The amendment did not, however, require the state to fund Southeastern at the level of other institutions of higher education, despite strong local support.

On January 18, 1946, the State Board made available funds to purchase seven city blocks east and west of the campus, and 275 acres (1.11 km²) of land north and northwest of the campus, increasing Southeastern’s total area to approximately 365 acres (1.48 km²).

On March 3, 1946, Southeastern was formally approved and accepted into full membership in the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), as a four-year degree-granting institution.

Friendship Circle on Southeastern's campus is dominated by Friendship Oak. This tree is hundreds of years old. Like other mature spreading oaks, Friendship Oak is maintained by arborists to prevent the limbs from growing into the ground.

After World War II, returning G.I.s caused exponential growth of the college, necessitating construction of classrooms, a student union, a cafeteria, a health center, dormitories, apartments for married students, and many surplus temporary buildings donated by the federal government. In 1948, the U.S. Navy contributed two steel barracks for use as dormitories including McNeely Hall (which was demolished in 2007).

In 1960, the State Board authorized Southeastern to offer master’s degrees through the newly-formed Division of Graduate Studies. Southeastern began awarding the Education Specialist degree in 1967. The War Memorial Student Union, constructed in the mid-1960s, is the only student union building in the United States dedicated to alumni who died in World War II. Governor John J. McKeithen on June 16, 1970, signed into law the legislative act turning Southeastern Louisiana College into Southeastern Louisiana University. Early 1970s also saw the construction of D Vickers, the Athletics Building, and the C.E. Cate Teacher Education Building.

After years of planning and fundraising, the Southeastern Louisiana University Center was constructed. An 8000-seat (more if the floor level is used) arena, the University Center hosts all home basketball games and a variety of civic, cultural, and big-name entertainment events.

Southeastern's Lucius McGehee Hall was named for Hammond physician Lucius W. McGehee. McGehee Hall, a sturdy example of Depression Gothic architecture, is on the National Register of Historic Places in Louisiana. Shown is the intricate masonry of the southwest corner. Bicycles are a widespread mode of transportation at Southeastern, and bikeracks are adjacent to all major edifices.

In October 1986, a group of faculty members launched Fanfare, a festival celebrating the arts, humanities and sciences. Since then, Fanfare has become an acclaimed month-long event, drawing nationally and internationally recognized artists and providing recognition for those closer to home. In addition to providing entertainment for Lake Pontchartrain's Northshore Area, Fanfare has an educational-outreach program that works closely with local schools. In October 2005, Fanfare proudly celebrated its 20th anniversary.

Southeastern’s enrollment, continually increasing since its inception, reached an important milestone in 1997, registering over 15 thousand students for the fall semester. Pervasive professional accreditations, such as accreditation of the College of Business by AACSB, and excellent egress from/to I-55 and I-12 figure significantly in the increase. Since 1925 Southeastern has conferred over 50 thousand degrees as of 2009.

As Southeastern celebrated its 75th anniversary in 2000, the fall semester marked an exciting change as Southeastern implemented screened admissions standards for the first time. Also during the 2000-2001 academic year, the Village, Fayard Hall, and the Claude B. Pennington, Jr., Student Activity Center were completed.

Southeastern's main entrance is connected to I-55 via LA 3234 (University Avenue), a multilane thoroughfare. Background: Saint Tammany Hall, namesake of Saint Tammany Parish.

In May 2001, Southeastern received full approval from the Board of Regents for its first new graduate degree program in more than a decade, an MS in Integrated Science and Technology. Since then, Southeastern received approval for seven additional programs: MA in Organizational Communications, MS in Applied Sociology, BS in Athletic Training, BS in Health Education & Promotion, BS in Health Studies, BS in Occupational Health, Safety & Environment, and Master of Arts in Teaching.

In Fall 2003, Southeastern hit a record enrollment of 15,662 students. Fall 2003 also saw the return of football to Strawberry Stadium, after an 18-year hiatus. The Lions completed the season 5-7.

In Fall 2004, Southeastern began implementing portions of the Board of Regents Master Plan admissions criteria, a full year ahead of schedule and before any other schools in the state.

In Fall 2005, Southeastern began its first year under the full Board of Regents Master Plan admissions criterion. In the same semester Southeastern, which was virtually undamaged by Hurricane Katrina, absorbed some two thousand students whom the storm had displaced from institutions in New Orleans. North of the War Memorial Student Union is a large fountain constructed and dedicated in 2007 to the victims of Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita; as of 2009 it is the only such memorial fountain in existence.

Southeastern's already ample parking was augmented in 2008 by this innovation undertaken by the Student Government Association: A parking garage fitted to Strawberry Stadium. Initiated by the students and paid for by student fees and parking permits, it is one of only two parking garages on public university campuses in Louisiana. Juxtaposing the parking garage with the stadium has made the combination especially attractive to the media on game days.

A Southeastern alumnus is State Representative Donald Ray Kennard, who has represented parts of East Baton Rouge and Livingston parishes since 1976. Kennard is also a former president of the Southeastern Alumni Association. See also Southeastern Louisiana University alumni.

Southeastern has a demonstrated record of service, offering its University Center for commencement exercises of high schools throughout the Northshore Region^[2] and actively encouraging area high school students to continue on to the university level.^[3]

Southeastern owns the Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts in Hammond's Historic District. The Columbia Theatre, first opened in 1928, was acquired by the University in the 1990s and renovated for $5.6 million. The large foyer is dedicated to State Senator John Hainkel, who was instrumental in obtaining the funding for the renovation.

Academics

Southeastern Louisiana University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) to award degrees at the Associate, Baccalaureate and Master's levels. Southeastern has been accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools since 1946.

This medallion is the State of Louisiana's sole public commemoration of the 1930s governorship of Richard W. Leche (1898-1967). The medallion is on the east side north end of Strawberry Stadium.

Southeastern consists of five colleges with 26 academic departments and programs offering a total of 71 degree programs (4 associate degree programs, 48 baccalaureate degree programs, and 19 graduate degree programs).^[4]

Southeastern's state-of-the-art library houses several important collections, including the Morrison Room, the Rayburn Collection, the Pineywoods People Exhibits, and the Center for Regional Studies.^[5]

Southeastern offers nursing curricula in Hammond and Baton Rouge. In a consortium with the University of Louisiana at Lafayette Southeastern offers a master of science in nursing.

Southeastern became a doctoral-granting institution in 2005 with the inauguration of a doctor of education in higher education leadership.

Southeastern's business programs are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). Southeastern was the first institution in Louisiana to achieve AACSB's separate and special accreditation in accounting. Graduates of both the MBA program and the Executive MBA program are serving widely in education and industry.

In the aftermath of Tulane University's post-Katrina decision to close several engineering programs including computer engineering, Southeastern received approval from the Louisiana Board of Regents to develop an undergraduate curriculum in engineering technology within the Department of Computer Science & Industrial Technology. Dr Cris Koutsougeras was hired from Tulane to head that Department.

Campus locations

• Southeastern's main campus is located in Hammond in Tangipahoa Parish.
• Baton Rouge Center, Baton Rouge. The focus is nursing education.
• St. Tammany Center, Abita Springs
• Livingston Parish Literacy and Technology Center, Walker
• Turtle Cove Environmental Research Station, a field research and educational facility located in Akers, Louisiana to study the Lake Pontchartrain estuarine ecosystem.

Colleges

• College of Arts, Humanities, & Social Sciences

Southeastern participates in research with the Lake Pontchartrain Basin Maritime Museum in Madisonville.

• • Department of Communications
  • Department of English
  • Department of Foreign Languages
  • Department of History & Political Sciences
  • Department of Music & Dramatic Arts
  • Department of Psychology
  • Department of Sociology & Criminal Justice
  • Department of Visual Arts
  • Cultural Resource Management Program

Southeastern's College of Business (shown) is accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) and also has AACSB's special accreditation in accounting. This section of the Garrett Hall, the business building, houses the Internet Resource Center. The photograph also shows the typical campus practice of painting fire hydrants with green and gold, Southeastern's colors.

• College of Business
  • Department of Accounting
  • Department of Business Administration & Finance
  • Department of Management
  • Department of Marketing & Supply Chain Management
  • Master of Business Administration Graduate Program

Charles Emery Cate Teacher Education Center at Southeastern Louisiana University, viewed from North General Pershing Street. Shown is a section of the west side of the building. The University's Laboratory School (K-8) is at the left.

• Division of General Studies
• College of Education & Human Development
  • Department of Educational Leadership & Technology
  • Department of Counseling & Human Development
  • Department of Teaching & Learning
    

    Southeastern's state-of-the-art Biology Building in the science complex
• College of Nursing & Health Studies
  • Department of Communication Sciences & Disorders
  • Department of Kinesiology & Health Studies
  • School of Nursing
• College of Science & Technology
  • Department of Biological Sciences
  • Department of Chemistry & Physics
  • Department of Computer Science & Industrial Technology
  • Department of Mathematics
  • Integrated Science & Technology Program

Notable faculty

• Alfred J. Cox
• John L. Crain
• Barbara Forrest
• Tim Gautreaux
• Katherine Kolb
• Michael L. Kurtz
• Beth Rickey
• Lawson Swearingen
• Joe Gray Taylor
• George T. Walker

Notable alumni

See Southeastern Louisiana University alumni. K. Brandon Ruh (Private Marketing Consultant)

Athletics

Southeastern Louisiana Lions logo

16 NCAA Division I level varsity teams in the Southland Conference.

Media

Southeastern's major campus media and publications are the Lion's Roar (newspaper), KSLU (radio station), ByLion (weekly online publication), the Southeastern Channel (Public-access television cable TV channel), and Le Souvenir (official yearbook).

The Lion's Roar

The Lion's Roar is the official newspaper of the students of Southeastern Louisiana University. Distributed on Tuesdays, it is published weekly during regular semesters and monthly during the summer semester. The Lion's Roar is planned, written, designed, created, and published by the students of Southeastern Louisiana University working in the Office of Student Publications, a part of the Division of Student Affairs. The Lion's Roar has been in continuous publication since 1937.^[6]

KSLU

KSLU began operation on November 11, 1974, as a radio club at Southeastern Louisiana University, operating at 10 watts of power. Initially the station was on the air a few hours a day during the week; the transmitter was turned off during weekends and holidays. Thanks to support from the Student Government Association and self-assessed fees of the student body, in 1983 the station qualified for membership in the Corporation for Public Broadcasting. Since that time the station has grown to 3,000 watts, the maximum allowed because of the crowded 88–92 MHz band and the university's proximity to Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

In 1988, KSLU became the first radio station in the South to install a digital touchscreen operating system. The installation was featured in Broadcast Engineering magazine and visited by radio personnel from across the world.

Foreground: Pedestrian underpass beneath LA 3234 (University Avenue) on the Southeastern campus. The underpass provides safe and convenient egress between the north and south campuses. Background: Part of the multimillion-dollar Pennington Student Activity Center, a full-service health and exercise club for students. The view is from the north.

The broadcast schedule offers a vast array of non-commercial programs which both enlighten and entertain. Diversity is the strength of KSLU, with offerings including local talk shows, entertainment and sports news, campus and community activities.

In 1993, an emergency situation room was added using amateur radio equipment purchased with grants from State Farm Insurance and Louisiana Power & Light (a subsidiary of Entergy). During critical times, this room is staffed by local ham operators, members of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service in the Florida parish area.

In the past, the station produced several political forums which were fed to all public radio stations in Louisiana and to commercial stations via the Louisiana News Network.

The year 1996 brought another exciting time as KSLU began broadcasting globally via the Internet, enabling families of international and out-of-state students to hear live university events.^[7]

ByLion

ByLion is published weekly online (bi-weekly during the summer session) for the faculty and staff of Southeastern Louisiana University. This newspaper is very popular among freshman students.^[8]

Southeastern Channel

The Southeastern Channel officially hit airwaves July 9, 2002 and less than five years later had established itself as one of the premier university television channels nationwide.

Many Southeastern Louisiana University students reside safely in the fenced and gated on-campus community known as Southeastern Oaks. The guardhouse is at the right. Parking is ample, but towing is common. The gate is about 200 yards or 180 meters north of the LA 3234 pedestrian underpass.

With high-quality production and programming as its staple, the Southeastern Channel has won over 40 national and international awards in the past four years, including two Emmy awards, along with multiple Telly, Aurora, Axiem, Videographer, Communicator, and WorldFest International Film and Video Festival Gold Remi awards. Last year, the Southeastern Channel had eight Emmy nominations; six more than any other television channel (commercial, news, or non-commercial) in Louisiana. The Southeastern Channel is the first university channel in state history to have won an Emmy.

Led by an international award-winning professional staff, some with decades of experience at the national television network level, the Southeastern Channel produces over 300 hours of fresh, original programming each week—roughly two-thirds of its 24/7 schedule.

Of the 1,000 hours of telecourses airing each year, 900 have been produced using Southeastern faculty.

Rustic footbridges across Ponchatoula Creek provide passage between Southeastern's campus and spacious North Park. Besides fields and a softball complex, North Park features a 2.1-mile (3.4-km) all-weather jogging and hiking trail.

The Southeastern Channel recently won four Telly Awards. Staffmember Steve Zaffuto won two Bronze Tellys for animation of "Native Sounds" and "Current Events" promos, and Josh Kapusinski won a first-place Silver Telly for animation and a Bronze Telly for editing the "Florida Parish Chronicles" promo. Josh Kapusinski’s “Florida Parish Chronicles” promo won a 2006 Emmy Award in the Suncoast Region.^[9]

In the short history of the Southeastern Channel, the channel has provided a valuable training ground for university television students who have worked and studied over 17,000 hours at the state-of-the-art studio production facility. Students have gained great preparation for the television marketplace, and several graduates have landed jobs right after graduation. The channel has an extensive line up of programs like Northshore News, The Big Game, College Night, Southeastern Times, and Indi-Visual. The channel is run by talented student workers Nick Elliott (editor/videographer), Danielle Konnecker (anchor/editor), Sujan Pant (Operations Assistant/anchor), Daron Short (editor/videographer). Southeastern Channel was named best college station in the South.^{[citation needed]}

Southeastern Channel alumni include Randi Rousseau, Christopher Guagliardo, Chris Lecoq, Matt Milton, Nick Brilleaux, Robbie Rhodes, Travis Connelley, Tim Tregle, Tim Tully, John Reis, Allen Waddell, and Chris Coleman. ^[10]

Le Souvenir

Le Souvenir is the official student yearbook of Southeastern. It is published annually and distributed to the student body in the fall semester. Le Souvenir is planned, written, designed, created, and published by the students of Southeastern working in the Office of Student Publications, a part of the Division of Student Affairs. Le Souvenir (French for "the memory") has been in continuous publication since 1929.^[11]

See also

	Louisiana portal
	University portal

Southeastern's relationship to the Lake Pontchartrain Maritime Museum in Madisonville includes oversight of the Madisonville lighthouse near the southern terminus of LA 1077.

• Charles Emery Cate
• John Hainkel
• LA 3234
• Ponchatoula Creek
• Sixty Rayburn
• Jerry A. Thomas
• University Center (Southeastern Louisiana)

External links

• Southeastern Louisiana University website
• Southeastern News and Media
• Lion's Roar Campus Newspaper
• 90.9 KSLU
• Le Souvenir
• Southeastern Channel
• University of Louisiana System Economic Impact Study of Southeastern
• Columbia Theatre for the Performing Arts

References

1. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2006). A Brief History of Southeastern.
2. ^ Billy Turner, "Five Northshore High seniors face a dilemma, but they think they're on the right track" in Times-Picayune (New Orleans), 2009 May 09, Saint Tammany Edition, pp. A1, A10.
3. ^ Kia Hall Hayes, "Sneak preview at SLU: High schoolers see what's in store" in Times-Picayune, 2009 May 09, Saint Tammany Edition, pp. B1-B2.
4. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2006). Accreditation Information.
5. ^ The campus is also home for the state's sole commemoration of the governorship (1936-1939) of Richard W. Leche (1898-1965). It is a large medallion on the north exterior wall of the east side of Strawberry Stadium.
6. ^ The Lion's Roar Newspaper.
7. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2006). 90.9 KSLU History.
8. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2007). ByLion.
9. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2007). Southeastern Channel wins four Telly awards.
10. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2008). The Southeastern Channel.
11. ^ Southeastern Louisiana University. (2006). Le Souvenir.

Coordinates: 30°31′02″N 90°28′12″W / 30.517349°N 90.469963°W / 30.517349; -90.469963