Budget discussions this week at the Louisiana Board of Regents meeting foretold more dire straits for higher education in Louisiana next year and beyond.
"Although considerable uncertainty exists with respect to the precise budget circumstances for the 2010-2011 cycle, indications from the Administration are that an additional reduction of approximately $150 million can be expected next fiscal year,” writes Meg Casper, associate commissioner of public affairs, in a recap of the meeting. “Budget projections from Regents staff estimate that higher education budgets in Louisiana could fall from a total of $1.425 billion for 2008-09 to as low as $819.7 million in 2011-12 due to a reduction in state funding as well as loss of federal stimulus dollars," Casper continues. “This would represent a 44.4% reduction in funding for postsecondary education since its peak 2008 level.”
Remedies for the looming budget shortfalls discussed at the meeting include shifting all remedial courses to the community and technical college system, increasing on-line course offerings, sharing of assets between the Louisiana Community & Technical College System and the University of Louisiana system due to their physical proximity, eliminating courses, raising student fees and possibly even laying off faculty and staff.
... written by queenbee , October 23, 2009 - 05:28 pm
How 'bout closing some of the MANY colleges we have here in da boot? I know this is a dead horse as the bill was recently vetoed. Eliminating that type of money from ULL would almost make it a "junior" college or a big ole high school as one fella put it.
... written by Myric6 , October 24, 2009 - 01:08 pm
'Been saying some of the smaller satellite colleges need to be closed for years, cut down on some of the dupication, the "fat" and lets not even get into what it costs in those fat cat lifetime retirements and benefits.... Instead, its been to easy to pass on the expense to the taxpayer and the students, by way of increased tuition. Hopefully, some real work will be done to cut back on the fat and political paybacks, by way of fat cat well paying teaching jobs, or dept head jobs, at universities. Cut some of those positions, or cut their salaries - like the private sector has to do - take a cut in pay. I hate to see some people lose jobs: clerks, janitors, student jobs, but the truth is universities in Louisiana have been sacred cows for too long and its hurt the state. One thing the college students have been learning: when you get your degree, LEAVE!
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