The LSU Center for Academic Success Again Designated a Center of Excellence

 

BATON ROUGE – LSU’s acclaimed learning center, the Center for Academic Success (CAS), has garnered another national award. The National College Learning Center Association (NCLCA) designated LSU’s CAS as one of only a few Learning Centers of Excellence in the country. NCLCA which represents more than 1,500 learning centers, supports higher education learning centers through professional development, certifications, standard-setting and awards.

NCLCA created the Center of Excellence award program to promote professional standards of excellence, honor established and unique learning centers, encourage centers to develop, maintain and assess quality programs and services and celebrate outstanding achievements of centers that meet and exceed these standards. Of the schools that have applied to date, LSU and Texas A&M University are the only two to have received this prestigious national designation a second time.

The LSU Center for Academic Success promotes self-efficacy and lifelong learning by empowering individuals with transformational strategies and resources that foster critical thinking and metacognitive development in order to advance student persistence and success. LSU’s CAS is known as a pioneer both nationally and internationally in applying metacognition to college learning. This is demonstrated by the development of original content such as self-assessment tools, the Virtual Learning Center, and the LSU-trademarked Study Cycle. In addition to the honor bestowed upon it by NCLCA, CAS has earned numerous other program and website awards, including being designated as one of the top three learning center websites in the nation.

In order to gain the designation of a Center of Excellence, applicants must meet stringent requirements, earning a 90 percent or higher for the overall percentage scores when assessed in several categories. Applicants must earn high marks in each of seven key categories: programs and services; organizational framework; academic integrity and learning environment; funding, resources and design; staff and professional development; promotion and public relations; and assessment and evaluation. LSU’s CAS exceeded standards in every category.

The main reason LSU’s CAS is highly esteemed by students, faculty, parents, and colleagues is the broad positive impact it makes on students. The Center is utilized by approximately half of the LSU undergraduate population and employs approximately 150 student employees as peer educators and leaders each year. LSU’s CAS receives hundreds of requests each year from professionals and institutions requesting the use of CAS-created content, programs, tools and resources. LSU’s CAS provides free services and programs, including tutoring, Supplemental Instruction, and academic coaching, which improve student learning, academic confidence, and academic performance such as GPA, retention and timely graduation.