Southeastern NEWS

                                                       Southeastern Louisiana University
                                           Public Information Office
                                           SLU 880, Hammond, LA 70402
                                           504/549-2341/fax 504-549-2061
                                           publicinfo@selu.edu
                                           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents
    Date: 3/20/98
      Contact:                           Rebecca Tucker  75

SLU RESPONDS TO INDUSTRY 
     HAMMOND -- Southeastern Louisiana University is now enrolling students in a new
two-year associate degree concentration in process technology scheduled to begin in fall 1998. 
The concentration is part of the Associate of Applied Science degree in Industrial Technology.
     "Our goal is to train and educate a world class workforce," Southeastern President Sally
Clausen said.  "Southeastern has a tradition of responding to the immediate needs of business and
industry.  Southeastern already enrolls 1,000 students in our associate degree programs, and 80
percent of those students go directly into the workforce starting out at salaries averaging
$27,000."
     In addition, Clausen, said, "Three years ago the majority of our associate degree
graduates transferred into four-year programs.  Today these same students receive at least two
job offers as soon as they earn their associate degree.  We expect these offers to be even higher
when students complete the process technology curriculum."
     Indeed, Southeastern has been a leader in creating partnerships with business to meet
their training needs and has worked with many area industries.  "An active link between business
and education is vital to a productive future for Louisiana's economy," John H. Reed, training
advisor at Exxon Baton Rouge, said. "Fortunately, Southeastern understands that link and is
responding."
     "A degree program is the way to go," said Theron Ladner, executive director of the
Greater Baton Rouge Industrial Managers Association which represents more than 30 plant
managers from the Felicianas to the River parishes. "It gives industry a much better qualified 
individual. Technology is the direction we're all going in and, with technology, more and more 
                                 (MORE) 
SLU RESPONDS ....

education is required." 
     Students who enroll in the new associate degree program will have excellent job
prospects when they graduate, James Owens, head of Southeastern's Industrial Technology
department, said.  "The last major cycle of hiring in the petrochemical industry was in the
1960s," he said. "These employees are now retiring and creating opportunities for new people to
establish careers in the field."         
     The new process technology associate degree program was created to meet the immediate
needs of the petrochemical industry in the Florida parishes region, Owens said.  "There may be
as many as 10,000 positions available in industry within the next three to five years, and
Southeastern is preparing to do their part," he said.
     For more information about the process technology associate degree program, call the
Southeastern Department of Industrial Technology at (504) 549-2189.
                                 - SLU -
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           www.selu.edu/NewsEvents/PublicInfoOffice/newsp98.htm