University students will graduate over the course of two days this May in response to the increase of graduates and lack of space, something LSU has not done in at least 25 years. 

Though the Registrar’s Office has not finalized graduation times yet, Patricia Beste, senior associate registrar, said two colleges will graduate in the PMAC on May 16 and four other colleges will graduate in the PMAC on May 17.

Beste said some colleges, like the College of Engineering, usually use the Carl Maddox Fieldhouse for graduation, but the venue is under construction.

Since the Computer Science Department moved from the College of Science into the College of Engineering, Beste said the number of engineering graduates has increased.

She said they believe the college will eventually outgrow the Fieldhouse and will graduate in the PMAC this May.

“This allows for more space and more family and guests to celebrate their culmination of hard work,” Beste said.

In addition to graduation changes, Beste said the Registrar’s Office moved the first day of classes for the spring semester from Jan. 22 to Jan. 14.

ALEKS test prepares students for calculus, teaches precalculus skills

Clay Benton, assistant registrar, said the University implemented ALEKS, assessment and learning in knowledge spaces, last spring as a prerequisite test to Math 1550 or 1551.

“The purpose behind it is to test students’ basic capabilities before they enroll in calculus courses,” Benton said.

Charles Delzell, mathematics professor, said the test prepares students for calculus, especially those who may have forgotten a concept from precalculus.

“We don’t teach [those concepts]… but ALEKS does,” Delzell said.

He said the test shows which topics the student missed and how to master these topics. Delzell said students must score at least 70 percent for Math 1550 and 75 percent for Math 1551.

Benton said students who do not pass the test the first time can take it multiple times as needed to pass.