Partnerships, programs enhancing recognition,visibility of university
There are many exciting things going on at LSUS that are beginning to gain local, state and national recognition. Among them are two significant community partnerships and two programs that are enhancing not only their own visibility on and off campus, but also bringing similar recognition to other aspects of the university they support.

One of our most significant partnerships - which is already receiving national support and recognition - is the management agreement we have with the city of Shreveport for C. Bickham Dickson Park, 540 acres of what is, in essence, a wetlands area. LSUS has moved to acquire 30 acres on the oxbow lake of C. Bickham Dickson Park - the original Red River - adjacent to East Kings Highway and the campus. The acquisition makes the university contiguous to the 540-acre park.

The park has been designated the Red River Education and Research Park, which is part of the LSUS Red River Watershed Management Institute, directed by Gary Hanson, assistant professor of environmental science.

Now that we've acquired the 30 acres on the oxbow lake, we want to develop a Watershed Management Institute with a Visitors' Center for the Red River Educational and Research Park. A research center would be a great boon for us. There is a significant amount of federal funding available for water-quality studies, biological research and other similar projects. We've already received more than $1 million in grants to support the educational programs of the Institute. (See photograph of test well drilling on Page One.)

The Red River Watershed Management Institute is working closely with the LSUS Office of Sponsored Research in securing grants. Under the direction of Virginia Lincove, Sponsored Research has done outstanding work in acquiring grants for other institutes, programs, departments and colleges at LSUS. One example of that outstanding work is the $400,000 grant from the National Science Foundation that will provide LSUS with 120 $3,000 scholarships for computer science, math and engineering students over the next four years. (See story about the NSF grant on Page One.) LSUS consistently ranks in the top three to five universities in the state in acquiring Board of Regents Support Fund Grants.

Another significant partnership is with C. E. Byrd High School and the Caddo Parish School Board. We agreed to allow them to build a baseball field on our campus adjacent to our baseball field. The School Board provided excellent lighting for our baseball park so we can play at night. The Byrd baseball team may schedule night games to be played on our field. We also have an agreement that allows the Byrd lacrosse team to practice on our playing fields.

Among the many centers and institutes at LSUS is the Center for Business and Economic Research, which has blossomed in the past two years under the leadership of its director, Susan Beal. The CBER has been funded through contributions and donations from the city of Shreveport and private business and industry, such as Willis-Knighton Health System, The (Shreveport) Times and AEP/SWEPCO. The Center has conducted economic impact studies and analyses for Shreveport and Bossier City and Caddo and Bossier parishes. It is important to the economic development of our area to have the Center for Business and Economic Research to conduct those kinds of studies for business and industry.

The CBER has also been designated a Census Information Center by the U.S. Census Bureau. The CIC is part of a cooperative effort between the U.S. Census Bureau and 59 national, regional and local non-profit organizations. The program represents the interest of underserved communities. The centers serve as repositories of census data and reports and make that information available to the public and the communities they serve. The 59 CICs use census data in areas such as program planning, advocacy needs assessment, defining service areas, public policy development, developing new business enterprises, and conducting race- and ethnic-related research.

The CIC designation is not only powerful recognition by a federal agency of the outstanding capabilities of the CBER, but it is also significant because it gives our campus direct access to the census data.

These are just a few examples of the many exciting activities that may not be widely known beyond our campus boundaries, but are quickly gaining recognition for themselves and, in turn, for LSUS. By coming to the campus, reading our quarterly LSUS News, watching our new monthly television program and visiting our Internet Web site - www.lsus.edu - you, too, can … Discover the Quality at LSUS. It's YOUR University.

Dr. Vince Marsala is chancellor of LSUS. He may be contacted at 318-797-5200 or vmarsala@lsus.edu.