NEWS RELEASE
Contact: David West (west@nsula.edu)
News Bureau
Northwestern State University
Natchitoches, LA 71497
(318) 357-6466
http://www.nsula.edu/news
7/5/2007
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
NATCHITOCHES – Northwestern State University is hiring more than 20 new faculty for the Fall 2007 semester and developing new initiatives to improve student graduation rates by 2012.
The university is using a large portion of $15.5 million in new state funding provided by Gov. Kathleen Blanco and the Louisiana Legislature to enhance its academic offerings and provide new student services, according to Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Thomas Hanson.
These new faculty will help reduce faculty teaching loads, allow NSU to add class sections and reduce the size of many classes. Hanson said faculty salaries are also increasing, moving overall salaries closer to the regional average.
“We have worked closely with the academic deans and department heads to identify areas where new faculty positions are needed and address those needs,” said Hanson.
The new faculty positions and the development of a Quality Enhancement Plan (QEP) are designed to help Northwestern reach a University of Louisiana System objective to exceed the national graduation rate, currently 53 percent, by 2012.
The Quality Enhancement Plan that focuses exclusively on student success in academic pursuits as well as career planning was developed as part of the accreditation process for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. The Academic and Career Engagement Program developed under the plan will be an improved way to enhance student learning and academic achievement as well as provide students with knowledge about the career fields they are preparing to enter. The advising and counseling initiatives are intended to put students on an academic track aligned with their interests and goals while exploring field-specific information and resources.
Pending approval by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, the program will begin with the Fall 2008 semester. First-time freshmen will receive strong academic and career advising as part of the collegiate experience.
“We want to strengthen the bond between advisers and students which will help students settle on the appropriate degree program for them,” said Hanson. “Any time a student changes majors, they lose credit hours and it takes longer for them to graduate. If they can find the right program quickly, it will save them time and money.
Northwestern is also developing a testing/tutoring center for mathematics and English and is investigating purchasing tutorial software for mathematics, which will be available to students at any time. Tutoring services will also be expanded to additional remote locations around campus.
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