| Louisiana Baptist University | |
|---|---|
| Established | 1973 |
| Type | Private / accredited |
| President | Neal Weaver |
| Academic staff | 44 |
| Students | 650 (in 2010[1]) |
| Location | Shreveport, Louisiana, USA |
| Website | http://www.lbu.edu/ |
Louisiana Baptist University (LBU, originally called Baptist Christian University) is an unaccredited theologically conservative Christian university, founded in 1973, located at 6301 Westport Avenue in Shreveport, Louisiana.
LBU has both an on-campus program and a distance education program which primarily teaches subjects pertaining to the Bible and Baptist theology. Classes are grouped in five areas: School of Biblical Studies, School of Communications,(Music,Creative writing) School of Counseling, School of Christian Education, and Theological Seminary. Distance education courses are offered by mail and via web-based delivery.
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LBU began in 1973 as Baptist Christian University as part of the Baptist Tabernacle, offering distance education so that full-time ministers could complete degrees without leaving their pastorates. The founding minister was Jimmy G. Tharpe (1930–2008), who during his career established some seventy-five Independent Baptist churches in Louisiana and Texas, and the secondary school, Baptist Christian Academy. The trustees restructed the LBU charter in February 1993 and changed the name to Louisiana Baptist University.[2] Louisiana Baptist University has claimed that on February 1, 1994 it became the first non-traditional postsecondary institution in the state of Louisiana to receive full licensure by the Louisiana Board of Regents.[2]
The school was investigated by a grand jury about course work done by two corrections department employees and the son of a warden.[3] The investigation stemmed from the three using degrees earned from the school for higher pay, but "Louisiana's civil service doesn't recognize the degrees from Baptist Christian College as fulfilling education requirements for state positions."[3] Marilyn Otstott, the school's registrar and English teacher, was indicted by a grand jury on three counts of perjury.[3] Otstott was found guilty of perjury when she told a grand jury that she graded course work for three people when she did not.[4] As a result of her convictions, the judge gave her probation on the condition that she end her relationship with the school and pay court costs.[5] After she was found guilty, university president Tharpe "denied the college abused Otstott" during the investigation.[4] The investigation centered around another school (Baptist Christian College) and not Louisiana Baptist University. Dr. Otstott was never an employee of the university and the university was not implicated in any way. .[3]
Then in 1997, Baptist Christian College gained attention for offering divinity degrees by mail to people in prison.[6]
The following year Louisiana Baptist University announced "plans to offer a business administration degree. The university doesn't think Regents approval is necessary."[7] This caused controversy over schools awarding degrees with substandard instruction.[7] As a result, on December 10, 1998, the Board of Regents unanimously voted to deny the University an operating license for its business education programs, required it to cease admitting students, and cease advertising.[8] Students matriculated at the time were allowed until December 31, 1999 to finish their degrees. Then, reversing its prior decision, on April 22, 1999, the Board voted to accept the recommendation of the Planning, Research and Performance Committee to exempt Louisiana Baptist University under the religious institution exemption provided for by Act 129 of 1991, allowing it to operate as a religious institution.[9]
Kathleen Blanco, then governor of Louisiana, declared the month of April 2005 as "Louisiana Baptist University Month".[10]
LBU is not accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the US Department of Education or Council on Higher Education Accreditation.[11] The university has declared itself to be "a primarily religious institution" that "has not sought either regional or national accreditation by a secular accrediting agency."[11]
The university is approved by the Baptist Bible Fellowship International,[11] a missionary organization. It is also a member of the Association of Christian Schools International
The university employs some fifty people as faculty and staff. The majority of the faculty list graduate degrees from LBU, including its previous names, Baptist Christian University and Baptist Christian College.[12] The majority of the faculty hold terminal degrees from LBU, which the institution says reflects the school's "strong stance on inspiration of the scriptures, doctrinal purity and pre-millennialism."[11]
LBU will accept a limited amount of three types of non-traditional credit: experiential learning credits, military experience credits, and credit by examination. Also by purchasing and reading a book by Chuck Missler[13] and writing a short paper, one can receive college credit from Louisiana Baptist University.[14] Assist News quoted Missler as explaining that LBU "has offered course credits for those that do a 'reflective paper' on what they got out of it". In addition to the three semester hours credit, people "also get a certificate for it."[14] According to Missler's website, the university allows students to transfer "credits" from Missler's Koinonia Institute for "up to half of the credit hour requirements for a graduate degree" at Louisiana Baptist University.[15] LBU has developed a comprehensive Music degree, the coursework includes, History of Music, Hymns, and instrumental performance.
The current president of LBU is Neal Weaver who has B.A., M.Th. and Th.D. degrees from Eastern Baptist Institute, a D.Min. degree from Baptist Christian University and a Ph.D. from Holy Trinity Seminary. The Executive Vice President is Sandra Cory who has a B.A. from Baptist Christian College, an M.A. from North Tennessee Bible Institute and a D.R.E. degree from Holy Trinity Seminary. The Provost is James Combs who has a B.A. from Calvary Bible College, a B.D. degree from Bible Baptist Seminary, an M.A. from Jackson College, a D.Min. from Baptist Christian University, a Doctorate of Divinity from California Graduate School of Theology and a Litt.D. from Liberty Baptist Theological Seminary.[16]
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