Louisiana State University
PA-6: Support for Underrepresented Groups

The purpose of this policy statement is to assert Louisiana State University’s (LSU) commitment to provide equal opportunity for all qualified persons in admission to, participation in, or employment in the programs and activities which the University operates without regard to race, creed, color, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, religion, sex, national origin, age, mental or physical disability, or veteran’s status, as well as to implement a procedure to address complaints for those who believe they have been subjected to discrimination and/or harassment in violation of this policy.

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- LSU Cares is a university initiative dedicated to the well-being of students and promotion of a community that cares about each of its members.
-LSU offers an online reporting system to help students, faculty, staff, families, and friends submit reports about: potential violations of the LSU Code of Student Conduct; concerns regarding sexual misconduct and hazing; concerns surrounding acts of bias or discrimination; complaints or grievances; and concerns about students in crisis or distress.

LSU seeks to achieve its public mandate and land-grant mission to serve academically gifted as well as students who show the potential for college success despite educational, social and economic disadvantage. Hence, it is imperative that LSU increases the diversity of the incoming class, thereby expanding the educational benefits of diversity for all students who study and interact at our University.

LSU employs a multi-faceted recruitment effort to attract the most talented and diverse students to our university. The Office of Admissions engages with every high school in our state and works directly with key influencers (school counselors, college and career coordinators, principals) to explain the benefits of attending LSU year round. At the same time, we work with community based organizations to ensure their students see LSU as an authentic destination by presenting on-site, hosting information sessions, and campus visits. In addition, LSU offers specific minority and underrepresented recruitment and yield activities that showcases all the resources and communities that are offered at LSU. They include Springfest Overnight Program for rising high school seniors, Recruitment into Engineering High Ability Multicultural Scholars (REHAMS), and Tigers in Color- an overnight program exclusively for admitted students. LSU has also adopted a holistic review process that seeks to identify students with the promise and potential to succeed through research-based factors inside and outside the classroom.

• The Office of Multicultural Affairs is a multi-faceted, student-orientated programming department that focuses on academic excellence, leadership development, and social growth experiences for all students regardless of background or identity but has a keen focus on underrepresented student groups.

• The LSU Summer Scholars Program is an eight-week summer program that prepares selected under-represented minority students to make a successful transition from high school to the University. This summer experience offers students the opportunity to become adjusted to the academic, personal, and social challenges they may encounter at LSU. Students are provided with a structured environment conducive to building the fundamental skills necessary to enhance the likelihood of successful completion of a bachelor’s degree. In addition to tutoring, sessions on study skills and academic and leadership development workshops, the Program provides extensive academic and personal counseling to prepare students for the challenges many new freshman encounter.

• The Black Male Leadership Initiative Fellows Program is designed to improve the retention, graduation, and participation rates for black male students through mentoring, leadership development, and academic support, while connecting these students with faculty, staff and the campus community. The Fellows program will begin with 16-20 freshmen and sophomores and will target Black males. Participants of the program will be coined Fellows and will participate in a series of workshops on career planning, leadership, and citizenship, have their grades monitored and receive academic recommendations provided by professional staff, be assigned a faculty or staff mentor, attend leadership conferences, and engage in social activities aimed at socializing the Leader to campus and other settings.

• The Cox Communications Academic Center for Student-Athletes (CCACSA) is comprised of an academic affairs team, a student affairs team, and an information technology team. Collectively, the purpose is to provide an all inclusive student-centered support structure for all student-athletes from matriculation through graduation and life beyond.
• The Safe Space Campaign/LBGTQ Project works to make LSU a safer space for all students regardless of sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression. There are many different ways for you to get involved in the work we are doing on campus and in the community.