The LSU Board of Supervisors announced a plan to push back the first-year residency requirement, previously scheduled to go into effect fall 2009. Mike Gargano, vice president of student and academic support services, said the change came after a request was made by the Baton Rouge campus. “This will give the campus a chance to assess and evaluate and review and consider all the serious options,” Gargano said.
Acting chancellor William Jenkins said the University is increasing its focus on the freshman experience.
“It has become apparent that the first-year experience is fundamental to our success,” Jenkins said. “First-year retention leads to more students graduating, and first-year retention is very dependent … on the first-year experience and the acclimation of students.”
Jenkins said the University has taken the academic component out of the Division of Student Life and Academic Services and shortened the name to the Division of Student Life.
“There’s a new department called the Department of Campus Life,” Jenkins said. “It’s very profited to the well-being of our freshman students. We expect more students; they have to be housed, have to be accommodated. They have to be acclimated.”
The Board also unanimously approved a motion to grant posthumous doctoral degrees to three deceased students.
Carrie Yoder, a graduate student in biology, was murdered in March 2003 by convicted serial killer Derrick Todd Lee.
Chandrasekhar Komma and Kiram Allam, doctoral students in biochemistry and chemistry, respectively, were killed in the December on-campus shootings.
During the Board meeting, System President John Lombardi commented on the highly debated Louisiana House Bill 199, which seeks to allow individuals with concealed carry permits to bring guns onto campus.
“This is not a bill that was supported by us, city or campus police, or students of various student organizations,” Jenkins said. “We believe that there is sufficient recognition of the difficulties of implementing a bill of this type that … This will not succeed.”
During the meeting, the Board also approved Michael Martin as the new chancellor for the University. More information on this story can be found here.
—-Contact Katie Kennedy at [email protected]