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Louisiana State University

Undergraduate School

Mailing Address
Louisiana State University
Pleasant Hall
Baton Rouge, Louisiana 70803
Phone
(225) 578-3202
Email address
admissions@lsu.edu
School Information
"As the Flagship institution of the state, the vision of Louisiana State University is to be a leading research-extensive university, challenging undergraduate and graduate students to achieve the highest levels of intellectual and personal development. Designated as a Land, Sea, and Space Grant institution, the mission of Louisiana State University is the generation, preservation, dissemination, and application of knowledge and cultivation of the arts." The university enrolls over 34,200 students, offers academic programs through its 17 academic units, and employs over 1,500 academic staff. (https://www.lsu.edu/about/mission.php) (https://www.lsu.edu/bgtplan/facts/pdfs/2020fallfacts_final.pdf)
General Information
Louisiana State University is considering measures to implement CRT into undergraduate education. LSU's library includes Critical Race Theory resources. There is also a recent proposal presented to the faculty senate to make a CRT course mandatory for graduation. No Critical Race Training sessions are yet required of students. See developments below:

Actions Taken

Admissions Policies
  • LSU's Summer Scholar's Program is a "seven-week summer bridge program that prepares selected under-represented students to make a successful transition from high school to the University."
Anti-Racism, Bias, and Diversity Training
  • LSU's Office of Diversity and Inclusion offers several diversity trainings including: "Diversity 101," Faculty Search Committee Training," and "Safe Space Training."
  • LSU's 2020-2022 "Diversity and Inclusion Roadmap" report states that by June 2021, LSU would "Expand Title IX training or training completion accountability, especially with an eye to cultural sensitivity, so that faculty and staff can ensure a safe and respectful learning and working environment." The Report also states that by July 2021, LSU would "Develop a 3-tiered pre-employment, on-boarding and annual diversity training program."
  • LSU's 2020-2022 "Diversity and Inclusion Roadmap" report states that by January 2021, the diversity and inclusion committee would "identify best platforms to provide training about diversity & inclusion to key student points of contacts."
  • As part of the School of Mass Communication's 2022-2025 Three-Year Diversity Plan, the school will "[i]dentify an internal or external source to provide effective training to ensure an inclusive and safe space for students of color and other marginalized group members."
Curriculum Changes and Requirements
  • There is a recent proposal presented to the faculty senate to make a CRT course mandatory for graduation.
  • LSU's 2020-2022 "Diversity and Inclusion Roadmap" report states that it would "Implement diversity and inclusion core requirement for all degrees by March 2021 postimplementation monitoring and re-evaluation on a yearly basis."
  • As part of the School of Mass Communication's 2022-2025 Three-Year Diversity Plan, the school will "[r]estructure the undergraduate and graduate curricula to provide students with more exposure to historically underrepresented groups through course requirements, thus making global citizenry a more accessible, relatable, and contemporary goal."
Disciplinary Measures
  • LSU's "Bias or Discrimination Incident Report" states, "If you witness or experience conduct that discriminates, stereotypes, marginalizes, excludes, harasses or harms anyone in our community based on their identity...please report it to the University...We urge you to take a proactive stance against discrimination and bring any instance of discriminatory behavior to our attention by completing this form."
Program and Research Funding
  • After twenty years, Louisiana State University is launching a department "devoted to African and African American studies". The department will offer ""dimensions of African & African American thought and practice in contemporary and historical perspective" and "add some truth to the history books".
  • As part of the School of Mass Communication's 2022-2025 Three-Year Diversity Plan, the school will "[c]reate a Black Scholar Research group that offers professional and intellectual support for our emerging Black scholars" and "[d]emonstrate [a] commitment to supporting and bolstering research inclusive of experiences and topics related to historically marginalized groups and scholars."
Re-Imagining Policing
  • LSU Police Department annual training includes the topics of "Diversity in the Community," "Bias Recognition Policing," and "Bias Base Policing."
Resources
  • The LSU LIbrary includes a section called Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion (DEI) Resources, which, includes CRT materials.
  • LSU hired a new university president who describes himself as a critical race scholar: "A 1995 paper Tate co-authored with Gloria Ladson-Billings is widely credited with putting Critical Race Theory on the map, not just as theoretical examination, but practice in education."
  • LSU Department of French Studies Assistant Professor of Francophone Studies and Comparative Literature, Bastien Craipain, states that his research has a "...specific anchoring in the fields of Haitian and Caribbean studies, critical race theory, and Black Atlantic history."
  • LSU School of Communication Assistant Professor Asha S. Winfield "... aims to use intersectionality, counternarratives, critical race theory and Black feminist thought to frame and center the experiences of Black people as they relate to audience reception through meaning-making and identity-making."
  • LSU Department of Communication Studies Associate Professor Bryan J. McCann is co-author of a 2020 book titled, “Communication’s Quest for Whiteness: The Racial Politics of Disciplinary Legitimacy.”
  • LSU's College of Science describes the importance of diversity statements which reads in part, "Diversity statements may be included in course syllabi to demonstrate a commitment to fostering an inclusive classroom...also, the diversity statement can provide a precedent for diversity practices in science and math classrooms throughout the term [by] acknowledging the history of exclusion of people with diverse identities, backgrounds, or ideologies from the field."
Symbolic Actions
  • The Office of Diversity and Inclusion's "Diversity Statement" reads as follows: "we must recognize and reflect on the inglorious aspects of our history. We now acknowledge the need to confront the ways racism, sexism, ableism, ageism, classism, LGBTQ+ phobia, intolerance based on religion or on national origin, and all forms of bias and exploitation have shaped our everyday lives."
Last updated April 23rd, 2024
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