Episode 98 Larry Clark - "Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home"

Shreveport-Bossier: My City, My Community, My Home

Larry Clark, LSU Shreveport Chancellor Emeritus, sits down with Jeffrey Goodman, Director of Marketing and Development for the YMCA of Northwest Louisiana, to answer the following questions:

0:34 1. You have had an incredibly productive and successful career and I know there’s still much more ahead for you.

You were the Dean of the College of Business at LSUS from 1985-1994. Then you returned to Shreveport where you served as the Chancellor of LSUS from 2014-2023.

Let’s start here today.

When you arrived back at LSUS, it had an enrollment of 3,810 students. Fast forward 10 years and, for the first time in school history, enrollment has surpassed 10,000 students.

Start, if you could, by telling me the story about how LSUS got into offering online programs - one of the keys to its growth and to its unprecedented success today.

5:52 2. In preparing for today, I have spoken to you about your 29 plus years of involvement with the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (or AACSB).

What did you notice in your over 30 different university reviews that was different than when you arrived to LSUS in 1981 and that is still different today? And what are some of the factors you attribute this to?

17:56 3. During your time as chancellor, cutting-edge places for learning and research have transformed the LSUS campus, including the centralized Student Success Center, Office of Diversity and Inclusion, IdeaSpace, Cyber Collaboratory, Pilot Education Center, Human Performance Lab and Veterans Resource Center.

Talk to me some about the process you used, during your time as chancellor, for prioritizing your initiatives.

31:06 4. When you first arrived in Shreveport, you didn’t know a single person. You said, “a way to get to know people is to get involved.” And in your time here, you have been deeply involved in so many different aspects of our community.

My next few questions focus on your civic involvement.

You are one of only two citizens that were on both the Biracial Commission and the Black-White Communications Task Force.

We have discussed the subject of race relations a number of times on this podcast. In my opinion, race relations is one of the areas of our city that is hindering us and holding us back. What are some recommendations for change or action items you would suggest as we look to build stronger race relations in our future?

39:32 5. Another common topic on the podcast are the low self-esteem issues many people face when claiming Shreveport as their community and home.

You are extremely positive about Shreveport and one of our city’s very best advocates. What do you see when you look at Shreveport that so many others struggle to see?

42:06 6. Lastly, you are chairman of the Shreveport Capital Improvements Committee, a committee that was formed to help determine what projects should be prioritized in the 2024 bond referendum. What can you share with us about this process?