The Board of Supervisors for the University of Louisiana System approved a letter of intent for Northwestern State University that is seeking its first doctoral program, a Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP).

The report was in the System’s online newsletter Dec. 4 .

University and and business representatives from Shreveport/ Bossier say the program would meet regional workforce needs as the Louisiana State Board of Nursing indicates nurses in north and central Louisiana leave for outof- state DNP programs.

The newsletter says approval of the letter of intent is the first of three hurdless the university must clear.

Other items on the agenda at the December meeting were:

ACADEMIC & STUDENT AFFAIRS

•LA Tech: award an Honorary Doctorof Humanities degree to Benjamin L.Denny at the Fall Commencement

•LA Tech: award an Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree to Jack E. Byrd at the Fall Commencement Exercises.

•Northwestern: Letter of Intent for a Doctor of Nursing Practice degree program in the College of Nursing and Allied Health.

•UL Lafayette: Letter of Intent for a Ph.D. degree program in Interdisciplinary Geosciences.

• ULM: Post Baccalaureate Certificate (PBC) in Computer Information Systems in the College of Business Administration.

• UNO: Letter of Intent for a Ph.D. degree program in Advanced Materials and Nanoscience.

• UNO: Letter of Intent for a Ph.D. degree program in Computer and Information Sciences.

•UL System: revisions to Board Rule Chapter II. Students. Section I. Admission.

ATHLETIC

•Southeastern: contractual agreement

with Blake Hornbuckle, Head Coach

Women’s Soccer, effective Feb. 1,

2013.

•Southeastern: contractual agreement with Geno Frugoli, Head Coach Women’s

Volleyball, effective Feb. 1,

2013.

•UL Lafayette: contractual agreement with Robert Marlin, Head Men’s Basketball Coach, effective April 1, 2012.

FACILITIES PLANNING

•LA Tech: Ground Lease with the Louisiana Tech University Foundation for improvements to the Aquatic Facility and to accept donations upon completion of the lease.

•UNO: adjustment to the overall project costs for the update renovations of Maestri Field located at Privateer Park,

in accordance with the provisions set

forth in Act 959 of 2003.

•UL System: amend the FY 2013-14

Capital Outlay Budget Request.

FINANCE

•UL Lafayette: First Amendment to the Facilities Lease dated Nov. 1, 2010 with Ragin’ Cajun Facilities, Inc., for the design and construction of the Student Union complex and to request that the project originally approved at $42,000,000 be increased to $53,000,000.

PERSONNEL

•UNO: appoint Dr. James E. Payne as Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs effective Jan. 1, 2013.

SYSTEM PRESIDENT

•UL System: Personnel Actions.

•UL System: revisions to Board Bylaws

•UL System: Authorize the system president to approve changes in GRAD Act campus measures on behalf of the Board.

SPECIAL MEETING

•LA Tech: appoint Dr. Leslie Guice as President effective July 1, 2013