We have garnered a great deal of attention for our recent success in student recruitment, but it is important to remember that students select LSU because of the talented faculty whose scholarly and creative works are transforming disciplines. That same scholarship is what drives the magic in our classrooms. Our students are also surrounded by support staff whose goal is to ensure that they thrive at LSU and beyond. I have had the privilege of meeting so many of our alumni who are indeed thriving and are giving back to the university, and to the faculty and staff, who were instrumental in their achievements. 
 
This holiday season, I am grateful for the privilege of working on behalf of an incredibly talented and dedicated group of faculty and staff, and on behalf of the students who call us home. Thank you for your continued efforts that demonstrate what a fierce LSU can do.

Happy Holidays and Geaux Tigers,
Stacia Haynie
Executive Vice President & Provost

LSU's Pregnancy & Parenting Program has gained much popularity since its inception last fall. As the program continues to develop, more initiatives are being included to support parents of all ages. This year alone, 18 lactation spaces have been made available on campus and there are more than 65 trained pregnancy advocates. A comprehensive website has also been developed for faculty, staff and students who are parents. Be sure to check the Pregnancy & Parenting Program website often for updates at lsu.edu/pregnancy-parenting.

Vice Provost for Diversity and Chief Diversity Officer Dereck Rovaris Sr. was recently awarded the National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE) 2019 W.E.B. DuBois Higher Education Award. This award is bestowed upon individuals who are actively promoting or advocating for higher education for African Americans, through research, instruction, funding/scholarships, or guidance and counseling, or who quest for equity and equal opportunity.

Rovaris attended the NABSE Honors & Awards Red Carpet Gala on Nov. 16 in Dallas, TX, and was honored at the ceremony.

LSU takes great pride in its world-class faculty. The university's Distinguished Faculty Awards recognize faculty accomplishments and showcase superb teaching, research and service at LSU. A call for nominations is sent during the fall semester and awards are celebrated in the spring semester. Click here to find awards offered, additional instructions and deadlines for submissions.

Convergence research is the latest term to describe transcendent work born from the combined strengths, skillsets, and methodologies of scholars from a range of disciplines. But how do you achieve convergence? LSU Research magazine attempts to answer that question by turning to some of our experts on campus. Click here to read the full Convergence magazine.  

At the December Board of Regents meeting, two new programs were approved and will be offered in 2020: 

• PhD in Industrial Engineering
• BS in Learning Experience Design and Innovation

LSU has implemented a new policy statement concerning the minimum standards for digital resources and content accessibility. PS 31 was developed by the Online Accessibility Working Group (see https://www.lsu.edu/accessibility/about/oawg.php) with broad input from university stakeholders, and ensures compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and Rehabilitation Act of 1990 (see https://www.ada.gov/). The policy includes key definitions for the digital accessibility standards on campus; requirements for archived, legacy, and new content; training; exceptions; and reporting requirements for all colleges, schools, and other units with a digital presence. PS 31 serves as a companion policy to PS 26: Policy on Disability Service, Duties & Compliance. Find additional information for PS 31 here.

Digital resources and content include software; web-based applications; website design; development, hosting, maintenance and archiving services; cloud-based applications and storage services; and digital hardware interfaces. This also includes university web material, including official university websites and electronic instructional material (text and multimedia) delivered within the university’s learning management system. Please see the Online Accessibility hub at https://www.lsu.edu/accessibility/index.php for resources.