Student Support Services

Student ID

Faculty, staff and students are required to have a Louisiana College identification card in their possession at all times and to present their Louisiana College identification card upon request. Identification cards are issued to new students at the beginning of each term. These cards can be used for identification purposes on campus for campus dining and library services, admission to events, student discounts, and will be scanned for chapel credit. There is no charge for the initial card. A $10 fee will be charged for replacement ID cards. Contact Student Life for additional information at (318) 487-7124.

Vehicle Registration

All motorized vehicles operated on the Louisiana College campus must be registered with Campus Security. Decals may be purchased at the time of registration. Commuters have several parking areas designated for their use. Two commuter parking lots are located on the boulevard across from the Fine Arts Building. In addition there is a parking lot located behind Martin Performing Arts Center. A limited number of parking spaces is available on the streets surrounding the campus.

Commuter Meal Plan

A commuter may purchase a meal plan from the Business Office which can be used at both The Den and Hattie B. Strother Cafeteria. The plan is sold in $100 increments with additional increments available during the semester. The student receives a bar code which is affixed to his/her student ID. The bar code is scanned at the time of purchase.

Health Services

Louisiana College Health Services aims to promote and help maintain the physical, emotional, and spiritual health of our students, faculty, and staff. The Health Service Center is located on the main floor of the Hixson Student Center, Room 144. Supervised by the Coordinator of Health Services, the facility provides service for students, faculty, and staff. During the academic year, a Registered Nurse is on duty each Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. and closed on Fridays. The office number is 318- 487-7750. Though Health Services is not a resident facility offering primary health care, it does serve as a referral service and a dispensary for a limited inventory of first aid supplies and over-the-counter medications. No fee is charged for a visit to the nurse. The nurse is also available to administer allergy injections to students that are enrolled, but this requires a physician’s order with specific instructions regarding schedule and dosing. The student would be responsible to provide the allergy vial along with a $15.00 per semester fee to cover the cost of the syringes. The nurse can assist with keeping track of blood pressure or glucose readings and can administer B12 or other cyclically administered injections with written orders and serum/medication provided by the student’s physician.

The nurse in Health Services consults with Dr. Kenneth Johnson (College Physician) for further treatment when needed. Dr. Johnson holds a clinic and sees students who are ill in Health Services each Wednesday from 12:30 p.m. – 2:00 p.m. (during the spring and fall semesters). An appointment is required to see the doctor. There is no fee charged for a visit to the doctor; however, the cost of prescription medications, lab work, or x-rays (if ordered by Dr. Johnson) would be the responsibility of the student.

Medical Records

Each new/transfer student must submit a “Health History Record” and “Proof of Immunization Compliance” form to the Admissions Office or to Health Services prior to registration. Immunization for tetanus & diphtheria (Td) or Tdap within the past 10 years, two doses measles, mumps, & rubella (MMR), 3 doses or one series of the hepatitis B vaccination, and a meningococcal meningitis vaccine is required of new students. Waiver forms are also available for the student should they decide to decline receipt of the required vaccines. The nurses closely monitor immunization records for new/transfer students to assure compliance with the Louisiana law regarding required immunization for admission to an Institution of Higher Learning. These medical forms are housed in the Health Services Office. Students’ medical records are kept confidential and are maintained in Health Services. These records may be released to a physician only with the written consent of the student.

Blood Donor Program

Louisiana College is a member of the Louisiana Lifeshare Blood Center Program. The school schedules Donor Days on campus each fall and spring semester.

Health Fair

A Health Fair is held annually, in the spring semester, in order to provide a wealth of health information and offer free/reduced screenings to the students, faculty, and staff of Louisiana College.

Insurance Coverage

Students are highly encouraged to subscribe to an insurance policy covering hospitalization and surgery and should provide a statement of proof of insurance prior to registration. Louisiana College is not responsible for insuring students or for insurance coverage of those students who fail to subscribe to an insurance program.

Emergencies

Students who are need of urgent or emergency medical care after hours may contact one of the local walk-in clinics that are staffed with a doctor or nurse practitioner, or go to the emergency room at one of the local hospitals. Students can contact the walk-in clinics at the numbers listed below to obtain directions and office hours. The walk-in clinics should be able to bill your insurance for the visit.

The local emergency room contact numbers are listed below:

Campus Security

Louisiana College Campus Security is a private security force, employed by Louisiana College, and working at the discretion of the Director of Safety and Security. There is a core of full-time employees supplemented with part-time guards.

Campus security is responsible for traffic control, law enforcement, and security of the College. Security is on the radio frequency with the Pineville Police Department, Pineville Fire Department, and Emergency Rescue (911). All of these agencies are only a few blocks from the campus and cooperate regularly with Louisiana College Security.

Security is on duty twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, and strives to serve the campus community in every way possible for safety, service, and protection.

Campus Security does not have the power to make an arrest. Campus security does work very closely with the Pineville Police Department. All crimes in violation of the law are reported to Pineville Police for appropriate action including arrest and/or prosecution. Violations of campus regulations are handled by campus security, and those in violation are referred to the proper College administrative officials for disciplinary action.

Classroom buildings remain open until 10:00 p.m. most of the time. The security officer on duty makes periodic rounds through the campus buildings; however, students should be advised that there are no security or staff members posted on duty in these buildings.

Campus security can be reached by dialing 308-6505 or 487-SAFE (7233); and if you are unable to contact Campus Security and it is an emergency, please call Pineville Police at 442-6603 or 911.

Access to Campus Facilities

Most campus buildings and facilities are accessible to the campus community, guests, and visitors during normal business hours. Access to buildings after normal business hours, weekends, and holidays is available by contacting the security officer on duty 318-308-6505. Access to labs or secured classrooms will require written authorization for access from the professor or instructor responsible for that facility. Students will be required to present their student identification card for access.

Student Counseling Services

Personal problems, whether from within or beyond the College environment, sometime divert students from their educational goals. Under the guidance of the Dean of Students and the School Counselor, Student Development provides a setting in which students may discuss problems in confidence with a professional counselor. Students may consult a counselor regarding emotional difficulty, home conflict, marital discord, personal growth needs, academic ability, or a variety of other personal and social concerns. In counseling sessions, the emphasis is on exploring alternatives, providing insight, and evaluating new directions.

Both counselor and student agree to maintain the private nature of information shared by the student. This confidentiality is essential to an effective counseling relationship and is assured at Louisiana College. All counseling records are secured by the Counselor and may not be shared with other persons without the expressed approval of the student.

Sessions are usually scheduled for one hour. Counseling appointments are available Monday-Friday 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Interested students may call the School Counselor. For further information regarding counseling services call 318-487-7134 or 318-487-7134. The Office is located on the 2^rd floor of Hixson Student Center next to the BCM.

Academic Tutorial Services

The Louisiana College Student Success Center (SSC) is a comprehensive one-stop shop for academic support services on campus. The goal of the SSC is to increase retention by providing students with access to free tutoring in core courses, thereby fostering the independent, critical thinking skills needed to succeed in college and beyond. Located in the Norton Library, the SSC offers a range of academic assistance in the form of individual tutoring, study groups, and other support services for LC’s student body. Students meet with peer tutors who have excelled in the course they tutor and who have been trained to facilitate discussion on course content. All of the programs and initiatives offered in the Center are free for LC students.

For Assistance in Writing

The first stop for writing help is the Writing Center, located in the Student Success Center. Trained writing assistants work one-on-one with students on every aspect of the writing process. Typically, students are asked to make appointments, but walk-ins are welcome if an appointment is available.

The Writing Center provides free help on writing assignments, including:

• Analytical essays
• Argumentative essays
• Response papers
• Research papers in all majors
• Book reports and reviews
• Film and drama reviews
• Lab reports
• Critiques
• Proposals, business reports, letters, and memos
• Service learning writing projects

Students receive help with all phases of the writing process, from brainstorming ideas to synthesizing sources, tightening arguments, and revising for clarity and style. Writing assistants do not edit or correct students’ papers; instead, they work with students to help them strengthen their critical thinking skills and improve their own writing. Online assistance for distance education students is also available.

There are many opportunities for students to receive academic support. For individual assistance, one should first contact the course professor. Some departments provide tutorial labs and/or study sessions.

The Richard W. Norton Memorial Library provides technologically-enriched resources, services, and spaces to foster a community of collaborative teaching, learning, and research. In seeking to fulfill its mission, the library strives to be a key partner in students’ academic pursuits, collaborating to achieve success together.

Resources

The library provides resources in multiple formats to meet the research needs of students (undergraduate, graduate, residential, and online), faculty, and staff across the disciplines. The library’s physical resources number approximately 100,000 volume equivalents, some of which are organized into focal collections, such as juvenile materials, the divinity collection, the Hyatt collection, and special collections and archives. Electronic resources, which are accessible 24/7 online via any Internet connection, include over 270,000 e-books, nearly 77,000 e-journals, and over 135 databases from such companies as EBSCO, ProQuest, Oxford, and Gale. The library is a selective depository for both state and federal government documents. Materials are discoverable via the library’s online catalog, LCCat, and EBSCO’s discovery service, both of which are available on the library’s website at http://lacollege.libguides.com/home.

Access

Through authentication services, current students (undergraduate, graduate, residential, and online), faculty, and staff have access to the library’s online resources on or off campus. Off-campus access is facilitated via a proxy service, which requires that users simply provide their current campus login credentials before being directed to online resources. During the regular semester, the library is open 70 hours per week, providing access to the library’s physical materials and study spaces. Exceptions to regular hours are posted on the library’s website and social media accounts. Entrance doors are locked 15 minutes prior to the posted closing time.

Course Reserves

Each semester, faculty may choose to place reading materials on reserve for equitable access and use. Course reserves are searchable in the library’s online catalog, LCCat, and are typically available for student use in three-hour increments, although faculty may choose other loan periods at their discretion. Materials are available at the library’s circulation desk. Course reserves are facilitated through the library’s Circulation Services department.

Special Collections and Archives

The library retains and organizes materials related to the history of Louisiana College. Some of the more extensive holdings include course catalogs, yearbooks, and College newspapers. Other collections include faculty-authored works, alumni-authored works, and materials related to the history of Baptists in Louisiana. Special collections include the Robert MacGimsey Collection and the Joseph Willis Institute Collection. Access to these materials is restricted and must be made by appointment.

Services

Borrowing

In addition to traditional borrowing services for the library’s physical resources, which are also available for us by distance students with items delivered via postal services, the library participates in several reciprocal borrowing programs, which benefits students enrolled in online programs in particular. Within the state, authorized users may visit and borrow materials from other participating academic institutions in the state’s consortium, LOUIS. Nationally, authorized users may borrow materials from other institutions participating in the ACL Reciprocal Borrowing program. For information on borrowing limits, renewals, fees, etc., see the library’s website at http://lacollege.libguides.com/borrowing.

Interlibrary Loan

The library’s membership in various organizations (OCLC, LOUIS, ACL) provides researchers the opportunity to obtain books, journal articles, and other resource materials which are not available through the library’s local collections. Interlibrary loan allows the library to supplement its collections and enhance research opportunities. Interlibrary loan services may be used to request needed materials, typically at no cost and within a matter of days, depending upon the resource.

Research Assistance

Qualified library faculty and staff use research and course guides, custom tutorial videos, an FAQ, on-site workshops, and classroom instruction to connect students with targeted resources and strategies for conducting research and completing assignments. In addition, research help is available via a variety of communication channels, including e-mail, phone, chat, and text. Research consultations may also be scheduled with a librarian to receive tailored personal research assistance. Since the vast majority of these services are mediated via online platforms, they are readily accessible to online students.

Spaces

A variety of study spaces in the library accommodate the learning needs and preferences of students. Located on the first floor, “the commons” provides a comfortable, collaborative space ideal for large group project meetings and is equipped with several mobile whiteboards. Five group study rooms, which can be reserved in advance, offer more privacy for smaller group work. The computer lab offers 20 thin client computer workstations, which are loaded with the Microsoft Office Suite (Access, Excel, PowerPoint, Publisher, Word, etc.), Acrobat Reader, Internet browsers (Chrome, Firefox, IE), and media players (Windows Media and QuickTime). Wi-Fi is available throughout the building. Individual study carrels are available in the library book stacks. The library’s coffee bar, Overdue Brew, provides complementary hot beverages for library visitors.

Bookstore

The Bookstore is located on the main floor of the Hixson Student Center and offers a full range of textbooks, classroom supplies, gifts, and personal items. Bookstore hours are from 7:45 a.m. – 4:30 p.m., Monday through Thursday and 7:45 a.m. –11:30 on Friday, except during College holidays. Hours of operation between semesters may vary and will be posted. All major credit cards are accepted for purchases.

Textbooks for each semester are listed on the Louisiana College Bookstore website at https://bookstore.lacollege.edu/. Online students are able to purchase books from the LC’s Bookstore through an online site at www.bkstr.com/louisianastore/home. Students select their textbooks from the course number and then check out. LC’s Bookstore receives a message and information for shipping the textbooks to the students. In addition, students can also contact the bookstore directly and conduct the transaction over the telephone at 318-487-7630.

Used textbooks are bought by the bookstore on terms determined by the management. Copies of the buyback policy are available in the bookstore. General merchandise returns must be made within 30 days and be accompanied by a receipt. Items that have been special ordered and are not normally carried by the bookstore are not returnable. Electronic items are returnable only if they are in their original unopened packaging, or if after opening, the item is found to not be in workable condition.

Textbooks can be returned for full refund during the drop/add period at the beginning of each semester provided the following requirements are met: a) cash receipt and proof of class change or drop are provided with all signatures, b) withdrawal from college form presented along with cash receipt, c) class schedule and receipt provided in the event the wrong book has been purchased. New textbooks cannot be returned for a full refund if the book has been marked in any way. Textbooks purchased in sealed packages must be returned in unopened original packaging. If opening the textbook is unavoidable, students are asked to keep the original packaging and return it with the book.

Other returns may be made at 75% of the original price on textbooks provided the book is in the original packaging. Refunds will be made provided books are in resalable condition. In cases where a book is not in resalable condition, as a new textbook, refund will be given at a used textbook price. Study guides that have been written in may not be returned for refund. Bookstore buyback is offered during the week of finals each semester. Textbooks that are being used again the next semester by the departments and are needed to meet the inventory needs of the bookstore will be bought back 50% of the new or used price. A wholesaler will purchase current textbook titles not being used by the bookstore at market wholesale prices. All textbooks must be in resalable condition. The bookstore also offers rental textbooks on a select group of texts approved by wholesale supplier

The Carroll and Elizabeth Hixson Student Center

The Carroll and Elizabeth Hixson Student Center, an integral part of the educational program of the College, is the “community center” for all members of the College family including students, faculty, staff, alumni, and guests. The Hixson Student Center offers a snack bar (The Den), coffee (Star Bucks), television viewing area (The Frye Suite), the LC Bookstore, game room, campus mail services, the Baptist Collegiate Ministry (BCM), Health Services, Counseling Services, Student Government Association (SGA), meeting rooms, organizational area, and lounge areas. The Hixson Student Center also houses the offices of the Student Life Staff.

The Granberry Conference Center

The Conference Center adjoins the Hixson Student Center and includes a formal lounge, the Presidential dining area, and the conference suite. The use of these facilities for special events may be arranged by calling (318) 487-7401.

The Swimming Pool

The swimming pool, located in H.O. West Fieldhouse, is used primarily for the academic program. Special requests are made through the Department of Health and Physical Education at (318) 487-7350.

Richard Crowell Tennis Center

College tennis courts, located near the main entrance to the campus, are available for students, employees, and authorized guests from 8:00 a.m. until 11:00 p.m. daily, except during scheduled class hours. The courts may be reserved for use at other times by calling (318) 487-7401.

James and Mary Baker Health and Wellness Center

The James and Mary Baker Health and Wellness Center, dedicated in March 2001, is comprised of two components, health care and fitness. The 45,193 square foot fitness facility is known as the Louisiana Athletic Club. Amenities include a four lane lap swimming pool, a pool for therapy and exercise classes, a gymnasium, areas for free weights, stationary exercise equipment, an aerobic studio, racquetball courts, walking track and child care area. Graduate students are eligible for membership at a discounted rate. CHRISTUS Cabrini Healthplex, the 16,467 square foot health care portion of the facility, includes physicians’ offices, clinical, and educational space.