LSU, Community College System Sign Agreement With Goal Of More Students Studying Agriculture
The LSU College of Agriculture and Louisiana Community and Technical College System sign an agreement that will pave the way for
more students to obtain a bachelor’s degree in agriculture. Signing the agreement are Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture
and dean of the College of Agriculture; Monty Sullivan, president of the LCTC system; F. King Alexander, LSU president; and Stacia Haynie, LSU provost.
Photo by Tobie Blanchard/LSU AgCenter
BATON ROUGE, LA.
An agreement between LSU College of Agriculture and the Louisiana Community and Technical College System will pave the way for more students to study agriculture.
LSU and LCTCS signed a 2+2 agreement on April 15 that will allow students from institutions within the LCTC system who meet certain requirements to transfer as juniors to the LSU College of Agriculture to complete a bachelor’s degree. Students would spend their first two years at the community college would then transfer to LSU for the remaining two years.
The program will be piloted with the college's agriculture education major.
Students transferring from an LCTC campus must either have an associate degree in arts for transfer; arts, general studies, science for transfer; or applied science and a minimum cumulative grade point average of 2.5 or higher or have at least 30 transferrable semester units with a 2.5 GPA or higher.
Monty Sullivan, president of the LCTC system, said agriculture is still a big part of Louisiana’s economy, and a key part of the system’s mission is educating the state’s workforce.
“This agreement gives access to students in rural communities to get a bachelor’s degree at the state’s flagship university in the field of agriculture,” Sullivan said.
The LSU College of Agriculture will provide advising for transferring students, give priority consideration for LCTCS students for available campus housing during their first year and offer scholarship opportunities to incoming students who meet applicable criteria.
The agreement was signed by Sullivan, LSU President F. King Alexander, LSU Provost Stacia Haynie, and Bill Richardson, LSU vice president for agriculture and dean of the College of Agriculture.
Phil Elzer, executive associate dean for the college, said the College of Agriculture is excited about the prospect of new students interested pursuing more education in agriculture.
“Right now, there is a great need in the agricultural industry for graduates with bachelor’s degrees,” Elzer said. “This agreement will help fill the need for a well-trained and educated agricultural workforce, and we are happy to be a part of it.” ∆