In 1938, Louisiana founded McNeese State University, then known as the Lake Charles Junior College, as a division of Louisiana State University. The opening session of the college began on September 11, 1939. The following fall, the school changed its name to John McNeese Junior College to honor John McNeese, a renowned Southwest Louisiana educator and the first superintendent of schools in Imperial Calcasieu Parish. In 1950 McNeese became a four-year college in its own right and came under the authority of the Louisiana Board of Education. Finally, in 1970, McNeese State University became the official name of the school.
McNeese achieved Commission on Colleges/Southern Association of Colleges and Schools accreditation in 1954 and maintains its regional accreditation status as a Level IV institution authorized to award associate, bachelor, master, and specialist degrees. The University also provides opportunities for continuing education in support of its mission to value lifelong learning. As a member of the University of Louisiana System and a selective admissions institution, McNeese offers degrees through six academic colleges: Business, Education, Engineering and Technology, Liberal Arts, Nursing, and Science. McNeese's student body comprises over 8,500 students from 56 parishes, 34 states, and 49 countries.
Notable McNeese alumni include Dr. Cecil Cyrus Vaughn, a pioneer in cardiovascular medicine and artificial transplant surgery; Sheryl L. Absire, one of the first five inductees into the National Teacher Hall of Fame and a Christa McAuliffe Fellow; and Andre Dubus, a critically acclaimed novelist and short story writer. McNeese's athletic programs are NCAA-certified for competition at I-AA and I-A levels. The football team achieved national prominence when it advanced to the national playoffs in 1997 and 2002.
The McNeese State University campus in Lake Charles, Louisiana features 68 buildings on 500 acres dotted with live oak trees and azalea bushes. The McNeese community continues to use the three original structures of the Lake Charles Junior College - Kaufman Hall, Ralph O. Ward Memorial Gym (the Arena), and Francis G. Bulber Auditorium. Bulber Auditorium, a striking example of Art Deco architecture, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
McNeese State University upholds a long tradition of service to the Southwest Louisiana community and the nation. The University's motto of "Excellence with a Personal Touch" extends beyond the classroom to offering help to others in times of need. During World War II, the campus was the headquarters of the Louisiana Maneuvers, an extensive military exercise to prepare American soldiers for battle. In 1957, the McNeese community gave aid and comfort to the victims of Hurricane Audrey and served as the National Guard's base of rescue operations. Recently, McNeese provided shelter for New Orleans residents and university students fleeing Hurricane Katrina. McNeese faced one of its greatest challenges when Hurricane Rita struck in the fall of 2005. The storm caused devastating damage to campus facilities and infrastructure. The recovery effort after Hurricane Rita showed the community of Southwest Louisiana the high caliber of McNeese faculty, staff, and students in their commitment to complete the semester and move forward in support of the core values of academic excellence, student success, fiscal responsibility, and university/community alliances.
PURPOSE/MISSION
McNeese State University, a selective admissions institution, provides education,
research, and service that support our core values of academic excellence, student
success, fiscal responsibility, and university-community alliances. The University's
fundamental educational mission is to offer associate, baccalaureate, and specific
graduate curricula distinguished by academic excellence. The University engages in
collaborative ventures to benefit industry and to enhance economic development and
cultural growth in this region and beyond.
The foundation for student success begins with faculty commitment to excellence in teaching, research, and creative and scholarly activity. At McNeese State University, a member of the University of Louisiana System, students cultivate skills for critical thinking and effective expression and gain an understanding of the global community. The learning and social environment integrates discipline-specific knowledge with the values of lifelong learning, ethical responsibility, and civic engagement.
CORE VALUES
The core values of McNeese State University are student success, commitment to academics, fiscal responsibility, and university community linkages.
ACCREDITATION
McNeese State University is accredited by the Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, Georgia, Telephone number 404-679-4501) to award associate, bachelor, master, and specialist degrees. Following is a comprehensive list of other agencies included in the Board of Regents General Policy on Program Accreditation that have accredited or approved McNeese academic programs:
• AACSB International-The Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business
• American Association of Family and Consumer Sciences
• American Chemical Society
• Commission on Accreditation/Approval for Dietetics Education
• Computing Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• Engineering Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
• Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology
• National Accrediting Agency for Clinical Laboratory Sciences (NAACLS)
• National Association of Schools of Music
• National Council for Accreditation of Teacher Education
• National League for Nursing Accrediting Commission
• Technology Accreditation Commission of the Accreditation Board for Engineering and Technology
Other agencies that have approved or certified programs include:
• American Alliance for Health, Physical Education, Recreation and Dance/National Association for Sport and Physical Education
• Association for Childhood Education International
• Council for Exceptional Children
• International Society for Technology Education
• Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education
• Louisiana State Board of Nursing
• National Association for the Education of Young Children
• National Collegiate Athletic Association
• National Council for the Social Studies
• National Council of Teachers of English
• National Council of Teachers of Mathematics
• National Science Teachers Association
• Organization of American Kodály Educators
FAMILY EDUCATIONAL RIGHTS AND PRIVACY ACT
The University intends to fully comply with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). The act gives students and the parents of dependent students, as defined in Section 152 of the Internal Revenue Code, the right to inspect and review their educational records, to request correction of inaccurate or misleading information, to authorize disclosure of educational records and to file complaints with the U.S. Department of Education concerning alleged failure to comply with the Act. Questions regarding FERPA may be referred to the Office of the Registrar.
Confidentially of Student Records
Under the FERPA only directory information may be released without a student's permission. Directory information is defined as: a student's name, address, telephone number, and email address; major field of study and classification; class schedule; date and place of birth; faculty adviser; high school attended and date of graduation; photograph; veteran's status; participation in officially recognized activities and sports; weight and height of members of athletic teams; dates of attendance, degrees, awards, and honors received; and previous educational institution most recently attended. Students may complete a Request to Prevent Disclosure of Directory Information form in the Office of the Registrar. Requests to withhold information are in effect until the student provides written notification to rescind the request to the Office of the Registrar.
McNeese employees who have a legitimate educational or safety interest as determined by the University have access to student's educational records. Additionally persons under contract, or having a contractual agreement, with the University to provide a service or benefit to the student or their family may have access to certain records as prescribed by law. The University reserves the right to deny access to students' education records to persons not affiliated with the University unless the student has submitted a written signed waiver requesting access and specifying the records to be released.
Each year a campus telephone directory is published. Students, faculty, and staff can withhold directory information from this publication. The telephone directory is a public document, and it is the only document that the University makes public containing the name, address, telephone number, and email of students.
INSTITUTIONAL DISCLOSURE AND REPORTING REQUIREMENTS
Federal law requires all public universities to provide students with information concerning graduation rates, security policies and crime statistics and athletic program participation rates and financial data.
The annual report on Completion and Graduation Rates is available and can be reviewed in the Office of Institutional Research. Security policies and crime statistics are available on the MSU web site at http://www.mcneese.edu/depts/police/crime.asp and at http://www.mcneese.edu/policy/. Athletics program participation rates and financial data are available each year by October 15, and the report is placed on reserve in Frazar Memorial Library.
McNeese State University recognizes the value of information provided by students, employees, and others in assessing the institution's performance. This Policy for Review of Complaints is for the purpose of addressing significant violation of the institution's standards, policies, and procedures and is not a forum for addressing grievances. The University has established grievance procedures for students and employees and expects individuals to attempt to resolve grievance issues through procedures established according to the situation.
Complaints must be submitted in writing by the complainant and addressed directly to the appropriate vice president at McNeese State University. The University will address complaints that are in writing and signed. The University will not act on complaints submitted on behalf of another individual, anonymously submitted, or complaints which are forwarded to the University. Contact the Office of Institutional Effectiveness for a detailed list of procedures for filing a complaint.
DISTANCE LEARNING
Helen Ware, Coordinator
The Burton Business Center, Kaufman Hall, and Farrar Hall house distance learning laboratories which
connect with other university and K-12 campuses in Louisiana through fully interactive compressed video
technology. Classes can originate at any campus and be attended by students on any other campus.
Students can also attend various off-campus locations. Students can communicate with each other and the
instructor using two-way audio and video. Web-based instructional initiatives are offered on a departmental
basis through McNeese's Blackboard Learning Management System. College-by-Cassette courses are
licensed, provide students with multimedia DVDs, and allow students to spend a minimal amount of time on
campus. These distance learning technologies enhance the educational opportunities available to McNeese
and other Louisiana students. For more information contact MSU Distance Learning.
TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCEMENTS FOR STUDENTS COMMITTEE (TASC)
The Technological Advancements for Students Committee (TASC) was created in the fall semester of 1997 with the passing of the Student Technology Assessment. TASC is comprised of five students and five faculty or staff members (two nonvoting members).
The technology assessment is used to enhance student life and learning by implementing three focus areas:
• Student Computing Laboratories
• Network Access and Electronic Services
• Instructional Technology and Curriculum Support
Questions regarding TASC may be referred to the Office of the Chief Information Technology Officer.
UNIVERSITY-WIDE HONORS SEMINAR
The aim of the University-Wide Honors Seminar is to give students of superior abilities a chance to broaden their intellectual and cultural awareness by working with a select group of students and professors in a two-semester (six hours credit) course; the particular emphasis of the University-Wide Honors Seminar is the interrelationship of the arts, humanities and sciences as creative forces of twenty-first century life. It is open to any student enrolled in a two-year or four-year program. Applicants must have a grade point average of 3.5 or better and must have completed 30 semester hours of class work. Credit earned may be applied toward any degree offered by the University. To apply, students should contact their department head or the program coordinator.
THE McNEESE REVIEW
Scott Goins, Editor
The McNeese Review, published since 1948, serves as a forum for articles and essays in the arts, humanities, and social sciences. Editorial policy and reviewing processes of The McNeese Review are formulated and supervised by an editorial board comprised of faculty in the College of Liberal Arts at McNeese State University. The editorial board of The McNeese Review welcomes submissions that exhibit high academic standards and the potential to interest educated readers regardless of their academic specialty. The McNeese Review is funded by the McNeese State University Foundation through an endowment established by Mr. and Mrs. William D. Blake, Mrs. Violet Howell, and Howell Industries, Inc. Submission and subscription information is available from the editor.
ALUMNI AFFAIRS
Joyce Patterson, Director
The McNeese Alumni Association, founded in 1947 and incorporated in 1960, is composed of graduates as well as former students who express an interest in supporting the University. Those alumni who contribute to the annual fund are considered active members and are entitled to vote, hold office, and receive invitations to alumni events. The purpose of the organization is to stimulate and nurture alumni interest in McNeese State University and to promote a working relationship among alumni, faculty, students, and community. The association sponsors class reunions, chapter activities, recruiting programs, Distinguished Recognition Awards, Homecoming activities, annual phonathon, Grad Fest, student scholarships, publication of The Roundup newsletter, and maintenance of the 30,000 plus alumni data records. The Alumni Association is housed in the William Gray Stream Alumni Center located at 600 E. McNeese Street and the web address is http://www.mcneesealumni.com. To receive more information please call 1-800-475-ALUM or locally 475-5232 or email at info@mcneesealumni.com.
ATHLETICS
Harold Watkins, Director
The athletics program fields teams in the NCAA for both men and women. The University is also a member of the prestigious Southland Conference, and competes for championships in football, basketball, indoor track, cross country, outdoor track, baseball and golf for the men and cross country, indoor track, outdoor track, tennis, golf, volleyball, basketball, softball and soccer for the women.
The primary purpose of the athletics program is to provide opportunities for student athletes to achieve personal growth and development through a combination of intercollegiate athletic competition and academics. The program offers student athletes the opportunity to realize educational goals and to benefit from athletic competition on a national level.
The Athletics Department holds the philosophy that the athlete's most important tasks are pursuit of personal growth through academic work and team experiences and development of a sense of ethical responsibility. The department recognizes that its primary commitment is education of the student athlete and, to this end, extends academic assistance. Under the auspices of the University, the Athletics Department offers grants-in-aid to qualifying student athletes, enabling them to pursue both academic and athletic goals.
The Athletics Department provides the guidance necessary for an exemplary and competitive athletics program that is beneficial to students, faculty and staff, administration, alumni, and community. All activities, operations, and decisions of the Athletics Department are guided by principles of equal opportunity and nondiscrimination.
ENROLLMENT INFORMATION
Alexis Albarado, Director
The Enrollment Information Office is responsible for coordinating activities at McNeese including recruiting, scheduling visits, and hosting conferences for prospective students. All prospective students including high school seniors, college transfers, and non-traditional are served by the center. McNeese information packets, campus tours, and class visitations may be requested through Enrollment Information. College Day/Night Programs, Literary Rally, and Junior and Senior Beta Conventions are coordinated and staffed by Enrollment Information personnel.
OFFICE OF MEDIA SERVICES
Candace V. Townsend, Director
The Office of Media Services combines professional news and photographic services for the purpose of interpreting and reporting the aims and achievements of the University. It produces and distributes news releases, photographs, public service announcements, recruitment videos, and various other printed publications. Requests for media coverage are handled through the OMS. The office is located on the main campus in Holbrook Student Union.
SPECIAL SERVICES AND EQUITY
Dr. Rosemary Gray,Vice President
Special Services and Equity
