The Campaign for Louisiana Tech University, College of Business
Louisiana Tech University
P. O. Box 10318
Ruston, LA 71272

Printable Building Distinction Campaign Brochure
Printable Campaign Donation Card

The College of Business has the best opportunity in over 40 years to build distinction relative to the Business colleges in North Louisiana and the region through the design and creation of a new cutting-edge research and teaching facility. The state of Louisiana has provided funding to replace the existing College of Business building built in 1965. What was once a state of the art facility is now inadequate for today's business education. In addition, the current building does not allow for growth or new initiatives.

To continue as the premier business school in North Louisiana and beyond, we must have the facilities to deliver world-class education and research and allow for expansion of not only the number of students and faculty but to also enhance the experience of those students as well as the ability to develop innovative new programs that keep us as the premier Business school in the region.

We cannot just rebuild. We must redesign and expand. We must increase the size of the state funded building by 50 %. In order to make this building a reality, private funds will be required to pay for this essential expansion. This is a once-in-our-lifetime opportunity to impact business education at Louisiana Tech for the next 30 to 40 years.

Our History

Since 1894, Louisiana Tech University has been a part of the educational and geographical landscape of Ruston and North Louisiana. Over the last 100 years, Ruston has grown along with Louisiana Tech from a small town to a working and educational hub.

From the beginning, business classes have been integral to the University. In fact, the first Tech graduate received his degree in Business January 1, 1897. Before the University was known as Louisiana Tech it was called the Louisiana Polytechnic Institute. Over the years the Institute recognized the need for a College of Business and in 1940 the College of Business Administration and Economics was established. Fifteen years later, in 1955, the College of Business became one of only 78 schools to receive national accreditation by the American Association of Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB). In 1963, the College of Business started offering a Master's degree in Business and in 1970 became one of only two Universities in the state to offer a Doctorate in Business. Over the years, Louisiana Polytechnic Institute had grown into a much more diverse institution and in 1970 became Louisiana Tech University. What was once a small institute has become a nationally recognized and accredited University that offers undergraduate and graduate degrees from all five colleges that compose the University.

Who We Are

The College of Business has expanded its departments since its creation in 1940. Over the last 67 years the College of Business has grown to include Management & Information Systems, School of Accountancy, Economics & Finance, and Marketing & Analysis. The driving force behind the College of Business is its outstanding faculty. For example, over the last three years the College of Business faculty has given over 140 presentations, published 175 journal articles, and written 7 books.

The College of Business faculty are experts in their fields. In addition to creating new knowledge through research, they consult and sit on numerous boards, committees and councils. As a result, business students receive a quality education that is rooted in scholarship and current business practice.

A testament to the quality of education that Business students receive is demonstrated in the success of our students. For example, in 2007 three doctoral students received Best Paper awards and four doctoral students received scholarships for academic achievement. The Alpha Chi Chapter of Beta Alpha Psi has received a Superior Chapter award for five straight years.

Another measure of quality is our accreditation. All degree programs offered by the College of Business are accredited by the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB International). The AACSB holds members to an approved set of standards. They support and encourage excellence in management education. All programs offered by the School of Accountancy are separately accredited by the AACSB. The College is the only Business school in Louisiana to hold all possible AACSB accreditations.

Initiatives

One component of the Mission of the College of Business is to Build Distinction. This includes positioning the College of Business as the premier Business school in North Louisiana and the region.

The College of Business has several new initiatives underway.

• >> New MBA concentration in Innovation - Focuses on the partnership with Engineering through CEnIT. This will enhance our ability to help drive Economic Development in the region. This program will work in conjunction with the new Research and Enterprise Campus, providing research for the technology-based companies and helping them bring new products to market.
  
  >> New Programs in Information Assurance -- A collaboration between Computer Information Systems and Accounting to support the need for secure information in industry and the new Cyber Warfare Center. The initiative include:
          -- MBA concentration in Information Assurance
          -- Graduate Certificate in Information Assurance Undergraduate Information Assurance
              curriculum
          -- Center for Information Assurance (research)
  
  >> New home for the Academy of Marketing Science, an international professional organization that publishes JAMS, a major business journal, and a number of significant professional conferences each year around the world.
  
  >> Proposed new undergraduate programs:
          -- Supply Chain Management
          -- Sports Marketing
  
  >> Proposed Executive MBA -- A collaboration with LSU at Shreveport to serve the Shreveport/Bossier area with the potential to offer the program on campus to serve the Research and Enterprise Campus.
  
  >> Proposed Center for Executive and Professional Development -- Focuses on non-credit executive training and will include a speaker series to bring national speakers to the region.

The College also has a vision for an outstanding student experience. This includes classrooms and team meeting facilities necessary to create an effective learning environment. In addition, it will also include a student services area for advising and student support as well as career placement services which will work in concert with the university placement office.

Our Vision

In order to achieve our vision of Building Distinction in academic excellence and the student experience, the College must have a physical facility that supports the pedagogical models required in today's business education, supports the academic and research initiatives currently underway and future initiatives driven by the changing external environment.

The proposed enhancement to the new Business building will provide:

• >>Student Services Center
• >>Career placement office with job search research lab and data bases plus interview facilities for employers
• >>Team meeting rooms for group collaboration
• >>Seminar classrooms for graduate education
• >>Interactive classrooms to allow for distance education
• >>Areas for students to interact in a comfortable, professional environment
• >>Additional faculty offices to support enrollment growth
• >>Office suites for eminent scholar chairs to enhance the ability to recruit world-class faculty
• >>Research Centers that will bring together faculty focused on cutting-edge research to support the Research and Enterprise Campus
• >>Facilities to support the programmatic emphasis on innovation, new products and economic development.
  

Our Future

None of these enhancements can be accomplished with the existing business building size. Only through enhancing the new building can we Build Distinction in what we do. It will make a difference in:

• >>The effectiveness of our educational delivery
• >>Enticing more students to choose Louisiana Tech and the College of Business
• >>Enhancing our ability to hire and retain world-class faculty
• >>The connection to engineering and other colleges for new product development and technology transfer.
• >>Creating the ability to develop research and academic programs that make a difference in the economic development of the state and region.
• >>Enhancing our service of the students while at Tech and improving our placement of graduates

We are on the path to Build Distinction in the College of Business. There is an opportunity to make a real difference in Business Education at Louisiana Tech for the next 40 years.

Dean
Dr. James R. Lumpkin
Academic Vita
jlumpkin@latech.edu

Administrative Assistant
Janice Rainey
janice@latech.edu