LSU'S COLLEGE OF BUSINESS TURNS 80 TODAY

June 11, 2008

LSU’s E. J. Ourso College of Business is celebrating 80 years of existence today, all of which have transpired on the university’s current campus.

“As we celebrate the 80th anniversary of business education at Louisiana State University, it is tempting to look back at the world in 1928,” said E. J. Ourso College Interim Dean William Lane. “Herbert Hoover was elected president. The first regularly scheduled television broadcasts began. Mickey Mouse was created. Amelia Earhart became the first woman to fly across the Atlantic. Alexander Fleming discovered penicillin, and Louisiana State University established a program in commerce. Few prognosticators then could have forecast what the next 80 years would bring or how the seeds that were planted at LSU that year would grow into the E. J. Ourso College of Business.”  

Originally established as the College of Commerce on this date in 1928 by the University Board of Supervisors at its annual meeting, the E. J. Ourso College will soon be under the guidance of its seventh dean, Eli Jones, who will officially begin his tenure this summer.

The E. J. Ourso College traces its roots as far back as 1899, when LSU organized a four-year course in commerce leading to a bachelor’s degree. A lack of funding when the university reorganized into colleges in 1908 delayed the formation of a separate college for 20 years. In 1928, J.B. Trant was named the College of Commerce’s first dean and the college was housed in Himes Hall.

“E. J. Ourso College of Business alumni, friends and supporters can take great pride in the many accomplishments and successes achieved since the creation of LSU’s College of Commerce in 1928,” said LSU Acting Chancellor William Jenkins. “In the ensuing 80 years, the college has produced extraordinary talent and contributed immensely to the betterment of the state, region and nation through its premier academic programs. As LSU moves toward its sesquicentennial and the college toward its own centennial, we can expect even greater momentum in development and growth with resulting outstanding achievements in teaching, research and service to the public.”

Since its creation, the college has undergone a few name changes, becoming the College of Business Administration in 1959, the E. J. Ourso College of Business Administration in 1996 and finally the E. J. Ourso College of Business in 2005. The E. J. Ourso College moved its administrative offices to Patrick F. Taylor Hall in 1978, when the facility was known as the Center for Engineering and Business Administration or CEBA for short.

“While celebrating the past provides certain pleasure, I prefer to look forward and anticipate what will be next in the story of this great college,” Lane said. “Our bachelors, MPA and MBA programs all rank among the top public universities in the country, and our MBA ranking proclaims how highly our students are regarded by recruiters. Recruiters nationwide are learning that our graduates are very well prepared for the workplace and are seeking to hire them. Our faculty and students continue to receive numerous individual and group awards and honors. Our Modern Chinese Business and Culture initiative places us in the global arena. The Stephenson Disaster Management Institute continues to develop into a significant player in research and education in this evolving discipline. And throughout its history the college has brought the best in business practices to the citizens of Louisiana. That commitment remains embedded in our mission today.”   

As the E. J. Ourso College looks to the future, it is in the midst of a capital campaign to raise funds for a new home – the Business Education Complex. This project is is an integral component of the university’s Forever LSU Campaign.

For more information about the E. J. Ourso College and how to donate for the construction of the Business Education Complex , visit www.bus.lsu.edu.