With the threat of budget cuts for LSU emerging again, a university staple for disabled, low income and first generation students since 1978 will continue to keep its doors open with renewed help from the federal government.
University College’s Student Support Services received a grant from the U.S. Board of Education for more than $1.6 million dollars through the TRIO grant program to fund SSS for an additional five years.
TRIO is a federal program that provides funding for academic support for students who come from disadvantaged backgrounds. Grant recipients include higher education institutions and public and private agencies among other organizations.
In 1978, SSS was founded to increase the number of disabled students at LSU and to help students who are in need of academic support. The program was a product of former President Lyndon B. Johnson’s “War on Poverty.”
“Back then it was about access,” Director of SSS Debbie Hollier said. “Today, it’s about success. It’s about not just being able to get into college but more about developing careers for students and creating opportunities that allow for an easy transition into a productive career in the work force.”
Counselor Asha Vysa said the refunding of this grant means a lot to her because many students depend on the emotional and academic support they receive from SSS.
“This grant is a different grant from the previously received one and the one before that. Of course there are some similarities, but the needs of the students in 1991 are different from the needs of the students in 2015,” Hollier said. “This grant focuses on the development of non-cognitive development skills.”
LSU alumnus Ricky Richard said in a Media Relations news release the counselors worked hard to keep him on the right path and helped him identify his goals for the future.
“SSS provides a lot of different service projects, and these have helped me network with other LSU students,” Richards said in the release. “Giving back to the Baton Rouge community and world is the greatest feeling. It’s been an awesome opportunity.”
The Center for Freshman Year and The Center for Advising and Counseling are two other departments in LSU’s University College. UCFY gives academic advice to freshman, and UCAC serves students who have not been accepted into a senior college and have 30 plus hours of credits.
“We just want students to know that we exist, that TRIO exists, and we focus on access and opportunity for students,” Vyas said. “This is not just a job. We genuinely care about our students. Our program comes from a very humanistic and holistic approach; we see them as people not just a students.”