LSU is replacing exterior lights on campus and will continue throughout the spring semester, according to Assistant Vice President of LSU Planning, Design and Construction Roger Husser.
Husser said lighting improvements on campus are a part of the overall lighting improvement plan as well as LSU’s strategic plan to revitalize the campus, which has been in place for over five years.
He said the lighting improvement program’s purpose is to survey the campus to improve and renovate buildings. Husser said the program now looks at renovating outdoor lights between facilities and ongoing operations and maintenance.
Husser said that lighting improvements are a part of the evolution of the campus, with a continual focus on improving lighting as the campus advances and the existing lighting ages.
The continuous improvement enables LSU Planning, Design and Construction to understand where there are dark areas within the campus, according to Husser.
He said the lighting improvement program makes minor improvements to lighting regularly based on feedback from LSU PD, students and parents.
Husser said that LSU implements a campus-wide light study to find the exact issues within light fixtures on campus. He said workers ride on golf carts with GPS and light meters for six weeks to understand where the lighting issues were and where they needed to improve lights.
“The study was able to find out exactly what lighting issues we had on campus,” Husser said.
Husser said that LSU receives funds from Louisiana’s state lighting project. He said the state created the project to upgrade the lights on LSU’s campus. The first phase of the project is already under construction as the commuter lot south of the LSU’s Business School is where some lighting improvements have been made, Husser said.
“The State lighting project allows us to accelerate the next cycle of improvements now and over the next year,” Husser said.
LSU Facility and Property Oversight Executive Director Tammy Millican said replacing lights on campus is only one part of lighting dark areas within the campus, as LSU Landscape Services trims bushes and trees that obstruct lights.
Millican said improving lighting in areas that need it is a step toward making students, faculty, and staff feel safer walking around campus. She said the campus community providing lighting concerns allows LSU to address areas on campus that need lighting repairs.
Industrial engineering sophomore Rachel Davis said that light improvements are long overdue. She said that she is cautious when walking on campus at night.
“I tend to look over my shoulder when walking by myself,” Davis said.
During her first year on campus, Davis saw upgraded lights surrounding new dorms such as Camellia, Spruce, Cedar and Acadian halls.
Now an Ion Apartments resident, Davis said she believes that the lighting around campus hasn’t changed.
She said that lights close to the Ion Apartments, Pentagon and West Campus Apartments are brightly lit at night, but close locations, such as the Enchanted Forest, lack appropriate lighting.
Davis said she hopes that LSU allocated funds to all lights on campus, not only lights close to newer buildings and residential halls.
Regarding campus feedback, She said that LSU should send a campus-wide survey via email so everyone will have their voices heard.
“I’ve received surveys from LSU regarding class materials, so campus light evaluations wouldn’t be a challenge,” Davis said.
The light generator sits on Monday, Nov. 21, 2022, near the LSU Parade Ground in Baton Rouge, La.
