LSU Research Merger Approved by Accreditor

Baton Rouge - At its June 2026 meeting, the Board of Trustees of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) approved the merger of LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans (LSUHSC-NO) and LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport (LSUHSC-S) as branch campuses of Louisiana State University and Agricultural & Mechanical College. The merger became effective on August 1, 2026, formally recognizing the newly organized institution as Louisiana's flagship university and a unified research enterprise.

This recognition by LSU's accreditor, based on a comprehensive reorganization document submitted by the university, affirms that Louisiana's flagship institution now operates as an integrated research enterprise encompassing four distinguished and complementary centers: the LSU Agricultural Center, LSU Health Sciences Center New Orleans, LSU Health Sciences Center Shreveport, and the Pennington Biomedical Research Center.

"The work happening every day on LSU's flagship campus in Baton Rouge is complementary to that of our research-intensive centers across the state, and this designation recognizes that," said Chancellor Jim Dalton. "Together, we will produce world-class research, deliver cutting-edge instruction and career preparation, and serve all Louisianians through our shared commitment to improving the human condition. This work advances LSU's broad vision of ensuring both access and excellence. While we are unified as a single institution, we also recognize and respect the specialized work occurring across LSU's research, instructional, and patient care sites and value the benefits that an appropriate degree of operational autonomy provides to the state."

As part of the merger process, SACSCOC will appoint a team of external reviewers to evaluate LSU's detailed implementation plans and conduct an on-site visit this fall. Concurrently, LSU will continue working to secure final approval from the U.S. Department of Education, with the goal of receiving final authorization at the December 2026 meeting of the SACSCOC Board of Trustees.