The College of Basic Sciences announced on Friday it will now be called the College of Science.College of Science Dean Kevin Carman said the change will not have any effect on students’ degree paths or the college’s academic offerings.”It’s simply a name change,” Carman said. “We are working to change the names on our rubrics, but students will see no change to their classes or our course offerings.”Carman explained the name had been an issue for many years, and the change in 1983 to College of Basic Sciences was controversial.”When the College of Basic Sciences changed its name in 1983, there was strong sentiment to call it the College of Science,” Carman said. “But some were concerned the name would exclude other sciences outside the college as non-science.”Carman said he hasn’t heard any objection from departments like the College of Arts and Sciences and doesn’t anticipate any confusion with the name change.”Our college was the only one in the country that went by the name of College of Basic Sciences,” Carman said. “College of Science is the accepted standard.”Carman explained the name was changed for three reasons.Medical schools are often divided into sections referred to as Basic Sciences and Clinical Sciences, Carman said. The change will end the common misconception that the College of Science is part of a medical school.Carman said having “basic” in an academic name implies faculty and students are engaging in research with no practical applications.”That is a misconception,” Carman said. “Our faculty and students are engaged in many forms of research that have direct practical and economic implications.”The change will also end the misconception that the College of Science teaches primarily introductory courses, Carman said.The change was approved by the provost, chancellor and LSU System, Carman said.
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