DIVERSITY

We believe that cultural inclusion at LSU is paramount to our success as an institution. LSU’s strategic plan, Flagship 2020, highlights our land, sea, and space grant designations and reaffirms a commitment to educational excellence through learning, discovery, diversity, and engagement. These four thrusts foster curiosity, cross-cultural understanding, engaged scholarship, and an appreciation for all members in our campus community.

This realization of increasing cultural competence and developing connections across differences is both rewarding and challenging. It requires us to stretch beyond our imagination. Our success around diversity and engagement is directly related to our university community–one that listens, interacts, and responds.

We hope you find this brochure informative as it will guide you through the primary areas of Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach (EDCO). You will get a glimpse into our individual units and the services, initiatives, and resources provided by each, which focus on LSU’s commitment to diversity and outreach.

At LSU, Love Purple Live Gold means that every student’s passion becomes genius. So, stand with us as we surge forward to become a national pacesetter for educational excellence, cultural inclusion, and public service while creating transformational change in the lives of the community of scholars we serve.

At Louisiana State University, we stand together in the pursuit of transforming lives through inclusive excellence and civic engagement.

LSU recognizes that achieving national prominence depends on the human spirit, participation, and dedicated work of the entire university community. The National Flagship Agenda: LSU 2020 will be realized by bringing together diverse ideas, perspectives, skills, and talents of the nation's pre-eminent scholars, brightest students, and leading higher education professionals.

Through its Commitment to Community, LSU strives to create an inclusive, respectful, intellectually challenging climate that embraces individual differences in race, ethnicity, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, age, spirituality, socio-economic status, disability, family status, experiences, opinions, and ideas.

LSU proactively cultivates and sustains a campus environment that values open dialogue, cooperation, shared responsibility, mutual respect, and cultural competence—the driving forces that enrich and enhance cutting edge research, first-rate teaching, and engaging community outreach activities.

Diversity is fundamental to LSU's mission and the university is committed to creating and maintaining a living and learning environment that embraces individual difference. Cultural inclusion is of highest priority.

DR. AlbERT

Our success around diversity

and engagement is directly related to our university

community–one that listens, interacts,

and responds.

Katrice AlbertVice Provost

for Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach

Academic colleges and units may also have established departments and initiatives that address programs and issues related to diversity and community outreach. We encourage you to contact the respective college or unit.

AcADEmIcS

Academic program options may include:

A minor in African and African American Studies, working with scholars who examine and African American history and contemporary issues

A degree or a minor in International Studies, which equips graduates with a cosmopolitan view of world issues

A Jewish Studies program, which focuses on cultivating knowledge about Jewish cultures

Women's and Gender Studies, an interdisciplinary program that examines the multiple roles gender plays in everyday life

Courses in Philosophy and Religious Studies

The Spring Faculty Enrichment Series is three-part diversity series that allows participants to have conversations about major topics around pedagogy and strategies that improve teaching in multicultural classroom environments.

The Pre-Doctoral Scholars Institute (PDSI) is a summer-intensive doctoral preparation program that exposes undergraduates from underrepresented populations to the personal and academic demands of doctoral study and to the rich culture and diversity of LSU and Louisiana.

The Ronald E. McNair Postbaccalaureate Achievement Program is designed to encourage low-income students and ethnic-minority undergraduates to consider careers in college teaching and prepares these students for postbaccalaureate study.

lSU offers interdisciplinary programs and seminars, in addition to courses and scholarship on cultural, international, religious, pop culture, and queer topics. A variety of academic options and discipline-specific research programs are offered that promote and enhance diversity.

Other unique programs and initiatives:

Minority Serving Institution (MSI) outreach aims to foster faculty collaboration and increase the presence of scholars and students from underrepresented populations on campus. Ask about our MSI Domestic Exchange for undergraduate students.

The Black Male Leadership Initiative (BMLI) is designed to improve the retention, graduation, and participation rates for black male students through institutional efforts and programs, like the BMLI Fellows Program, aimed at providing mentoring, leadership development, and academic support, while connecting these students with faculty, staff, and the campus community.

The Black Faculty and Staff Caucus serves the special needs and concerns of LSU African American employees and provides support to African American students.

The University Council on Women serves as an advisory council that addresses specific, tangible concerns and issues affecting all women in the LSU community.

In addition to these initiatives, LSU offers several resources and support organizations such as Campus Life, the Diversity Action Team, sororities and fraternities, academic associations, the Black Graduate and Professional Student Association, the Women’s and Gender Studies Graduate Organization, International Student Association, Faculty and Staff Senates, and the Student Health Center. Also, Ombuds Services provides neutral and confidential conflict mediation services to faculty and staff.

There are many opportunities for the campus and greater community to discover, explore, and learn about self and others. The Hispanic Cultural Showcase shares Hispanic culture through music, dance, and martial artistry. Rainbow Rush is an annual campus and community resource fair for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) students and those who support them. The Louisiana Women’s Summit is a statewide conference focusing on professional, economic, leadership development, community, and networking. The Multicultural Student Leadership Conference allows participants to engage in interactive workshops intended to enhance their leadership skills and challenge them in areas of diversity.

lSU strongly believes in developing cultural awareness and promoting cultural inclusion through focused efforts. Some efforts include Black History and Women’s History Month celebrations, a Gender on Film Series, and the SPRINGFEST Minority Recruitment Weekend.

UnIVERSITY lIfE

Among these are:

The LSU Community University Partnership, which serves as LSU’s first point of contact, strives to build relationships, promote civic engagement, with special attention given to the Old South Baton Rouge community.

Volunteer LSU, the university’s center for student-led community service and involvement, aims to promote and coordinate volunteer opportunities.

The Center for Community Engagement, Learning & Leadership is designed to assist faculty, students, and community partners in building mutually beneficial community-classroom partnerships.

The LSU Poverty Initiative is dedicated to studying the root causes of poverty and its damaging effects on the people of Louisiana and the Mid-South Delta Region. The collaborative effort bridges research, practice, and policy by developing evidence-based models for decreasing poverty with both local and national applications.

OUTREAch

lSU has several diversity outreach opportunities and the Consortium on Civic Engagement for faculty, staff, and students who wish to actively engage with communities—local and abroad, national and global, including K-12 partnerships and international study abroad.

In addition to these efforts, there are numerous academic colleges and operating units that have outreach initiatives designed to link LSU with the community.

The Honors College hosts the F.O.C.U.S. program, which provides high school students from underserved communities with an arts and humanities immersion experience.

The School of Veterinary Medicine hosts Pets & Vets, an annual children’s educational program that introduces the public to veterinary medicine and basic pet and animal care.

EDCO MissionEquity, Diversity & Community Outreach (EDCO), a division of the Office of Academic Affairs, is committed to fostering inclusive educational opportunities and an equitable workforce environment at LSU. EDCO provides leadership to ensure that diversity is a vital component in all decision-making processes on all administrative, academic, budgetary, and strategic planning fronts.

EDCO UnitsEquity, Diversity & Community Outreach (EDCO) promotes cultural exploration, multicultural education, community outreach, and equitable opportunities through our institutional initiatives and operating units. EDCO units include:

Community University Partnership www.lsu.edu/cup

Louisiana Center Addressing Substance Use in Collegiate Communities www.lsu.edu/lacasu

Office of Multicultural Affairs www.lsu.edu/oma

African American Cultural Center www.lsu.edu/aacc

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer (LGBTQ) Project & SAFESPACE Campaign www.lsu.edu/safespace

Women’s Center www.lsu.edu/wc

For more information, visit:www.lsu.edu/diversity

Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach146 Thomas Boyd HallLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, LA 70803

225-578-5736Fax 225-578-5980

diversity@lsu.eduwww.facebook.com/LSUDiversity

This public document was published at a total cost of $3,837.90. 2,000 copies of this public document were published in this first printing at a cost of $3,837.90. The total cost of all printings of this document, including reprints is $3,837.90. This document was published by the Equity, Diversity & Community Outreach, 146 Thomas Boyd Hall, Louisiana State University, Baton Rouge, LA 70803 to communicate LSU’s diversity efforts. This material was printed in accordance with the standards for printing by state agencies established pursuant to R.S. 43:31. Printing of this material was purchased in accordance with the provisions of Title 43 of the Louisiana Revised Statutes.

""

Beyond EDCO, the entire LSU community, including outstanding students, faculty and staff, embrace individual differences while being committed to creating a learning environment that is respectful and inclusive.

Michael V. Martin Chancellor

& UnITSSTATEmEnT

mISSIOn

Equity, Diversity & community Outreach146 Thomas Boyd HallLouisiana State UniversityBaton Rouge, LA 70803

225-578-5736 Fax 225-578-5980

www.lsu.edu/diversity