Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
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                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
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                                           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents
    Date: 3/4/98
      Contact:                           Christina Chapple  1

SLU PRESIDENT OUTLINES UNIVERSITY'S CHALLENGES
     HAMMOND -- The rapid advances of technology; accountability; collaboration with
high schools and technical colleges; and the upcoming legislative session are the challenges
currently facing Southeastern Louisiana University.
     That was the message that President Sally Clausen outlined to faculty and staff who
gathered March 2 for the university's annual spring convocation. 
     The president said Governor Mike Foster's "number one issue" of creating a new
postsecondary structure of technical and community colleges will have "enormous implications
for Southeastern."
     "We can join hands with our local technical colleges and strengthen what we both have,
thus setting a model for the state, or we can stand by and observe the change rather than leading
it," Clausen said. "Let's lead."
     "Technology, technology, technology," Clausen said. "Everyone is looking to technology
to assist in cutting the bricks and mortar costs while enhancing students' transition from school to
the working world." At Southeastern, students' approval of a $50 per semester technology fee
means that computer facilities are being upgraded throughout campus. Faculty are responding to
the technology challenge by developing model distance education courses, including chemistry
and management courses that are offered solely through the Internet.
     More than 10,000 Southeastern students are now using personal university e-mail
accounts and will soon be offered reduced rate Internet services.
     Accountability, Clausen said, is becoming "more focused" and will inevitably impact
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SLU CHALLENGES -- Add One
future higher education funding.  "We will use accountability to demonstrate to the public that
we will handle their money responsibly and ethically," Clausen said.
     Clausen also said that Southeastern has demonstrated over the past two and a half years
that the university -- and its constituencies -- "reap enormous benefits" from partnerships with
area high schools, technical colleges and foreign universities.
     Faculty Senate President John Crain said that more than 15 local high schools are
collaborating with Southeastern to offer special courses that allow students to meet college
developmental education requirements before attending college. Through an agreement between
Southeastern's College of Business and the Reutlingen University/FH Reutlingen School of
International Business in Reutlingen, Germany, German students can now earn a Master of
Business Administration degree from Southeastern, and plans call for Southeastern students to
attend the German university in the future. 
     Southeastern also has signed cross-enrollment agreements with the new Baton Rouge
Community College, Louisiana State University, and Southern University that allow student to
take pre-approved courses at the host institution and transfer the credits to the home institution. 
     Crain told faculty and staff that new degree programs on the drawing board include a
concentration in "process technology" in the university's industrial technology associate (two-
year) degree program. "Over 10,000 process operator positions are currently available in
Louisiana," Crain said. "Collaborating with industry and government leaders, Southeastern has
developed a unique curriculum which will enable technically skilled graduates to immediately
enter the work force."
     Southeastern is also working on a unique new master's degree program that will train
students to manage and evaluate social programs in agency settings and an associate degree in
general studies.
     "It's time to assess the preparation of our entering students, and as we manage the quality
of our students, we may deem that admission standards are appropriate," Clausen said. "If so, we
must strengthen our partnerships even further with public schools and technical colleges to assist
students who are under-prepared."        
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SLU CHALLENGES -- Add Two
Clausen also told faculty and staff that the university faces the internal challenge of student
retention and graduation rates. She said the time has come for Southeastern to strengthen
academic advising, ensure that curriculum is pared to the most essential and relevant courses, and
increase hands-on learning to adequately prepare students for the working world.
                                 - SLU -
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