Louisiana Tech University: Ruston, La.

Classification: Four-year public college or university.

Modules Used:

  • Module 1: Get a Grip on Your Finances: Smart Spending for Students.
  • Module 2: Seek out Financial Aid: Funding Resources and Financial Obligations.
  • Module 3: Work Hard but Smart: How to Be Successful in School and Graduate on Time.
  • Module 4: Take Control of Your Future: Finishing School and Repaying Your Loans.
  • Module 5: Now That You Are About to Graduate: Taking Control of Your Life.

How Used:

  • University seminar.
  • Senior capstone course.

Program Description: The university seminar, which is required of all entering freshmen at Louisiana Tech University, has been in place since 1992. The course is designed to help students make a successful transition to college life. Currently, there are 70 sections of the course offered each fall.

In late summer 2003, the dean of enrollment management arranged for a demonstration of USA Funds® Life Skills® during the pre-term meeting with faculty who teach the seminar. They were offered the option of using the program as a resource for their classes. A compelling presentation by USA Funds consultants confirmed Louisiana Tech's decision to replace the textbook they were using with modules from the program, as well as a university-specific "first-year survival guide."

Most instructors chose the two modules — Module 1: Get a Grip on Your Finances: Smart Spending for Students and Module 3: Work Hard but Smart: How to Be Successful in School and Graduate on Time — that focus on money management and study skills respectively. Some added a third module — Module 2: Seek out Financial Aid: Funding Resources and Financial Obligations — that deals with financial-aid resources.

In addition, one instructor decided to use two additional modules — Module 4: Take Control of Your Future: Finishing School and Repaying Your Loans and Module 5: Now That You Are About to Graduate: Taking Control of Your Life — as resources for a senior capstone course. These modules deal with topics that focus on preparations for graduation and life.

The program continues to receive favorable reviews from both faculty and students. From the beginning, faculty were receptive to adding new topics to their course syllabi. They have been especially pleased with the quality of the modules and presentation materials. In fact, for the first time since 1995, the textbook for the course has been eliminated. In its place, students receive copies of the student skills books for Modules 1 and 3 from USA Funds Life Skills.

Staffing Requirements: Faculty are responsible for facilitating all modules that they choose to use in their respective sections of the university seminar.

Recommendations: By most standards, the implementation of USA Funds Life Skills at Louisiana Tech University was accomplished in record time. The dean of enrollment management was key to facilitating the decision process as the following scenarios were played out in late summer of 2003:

  • Financial management was an emerging topic that the dean had been hearing about at conferences, so when she reviewed the materials, the topic took on greater meaning.
  • The dean saw the potential for using select modules for the university seminar. She proceeded to solicit additional feedback from some instructors for the course.
  • Although the fall term was in sight when she learned about the program, the positive feedback from seminar instructors suggested a next step — a more-formal introduction to the program.
  • USA Funds consultants were invited to give a presentation to the seminar instructors during their pre-term group meeting in early August.
  • Seeing the materials presented and learning they had been developed by a team of faculty prompted a positive response from faculty in attendance. Money management, time management and study skills were especially appealing as topics they could cover.
  • The next step was to make the materials available to faculty members who chose to use them. There was growing concern from student evaluations suggesting that the faculty "get rid of the textbook."
  • Student evaluations validated the decision of the dean of enrollment management and the faculty to move forward with USA Funds Life Skills.

Campus Contact:
Pamela Ford, Dean of Enrollment Management
Phone: (318) 257-3031
E-mail: prford@lteman.latech.edu