tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-14342824076261889672023-11-16T04:05:40.451-08:00Save Our SchoolsIn light of Louisiana's potential budget cuts on higher education, this is a forum to discuss different opinions and ideas and to share information about what is to come and help SAVE OUR SCHOOLS.SPINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05505397657026940663noreply@blogger.comBlogger81125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-72832391563909000582009-08-17T11:13:00.000-07:002009-08-17T11:16:15.114-07:00It Starts at the BottomA better public education system in Louisiana will lead to the preservation of a strong higher-ed program. Sustained success is critical!<br /><br /><a href="http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2009/08/louisiana_is_strong_candidate.html">http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2009/08/louisiana_is_strong_candidate.html</a><br /><br /><strong>Louisiana is strong candidate for share of $4.3 billion grant</strong><br /><strong>by Sarah Carr, The Times-Picayune </strong><div style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px"><strong>Monday August 17, 2009, 6:36 AM</strong></div><div style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px"><em>(from BusinessReport)</em></div><div style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px"><em></em> </div><div style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px">Louisiana is one of two states that have the best chance of getting a share of a $4.3 billion grant from the U.S. Department of Education, according to an analysis from a national education group. According to the <em>Times-Picayune</em>, The New Teacher Project says that Louisiana and Florida are the only two states that are "highly competitive" for getting a share of the "race to the top" funds. Education Secretary Arne Duncan has control over the money, Duncan said he wants to give the money to states that have strong academic standards, have programs to improve teacher and principal quality, and have mechanisms to turn struggling schools around. In the past, Duncan has said Louisiana is "uniquely positioned" to get a share of the funds. Read the <em>Times-Picayune</em> story <a class="external" href="http://www.nola.com/education/index.ssf/2009/08/louisiana_is_strong_candidate.html" rel="external" jquery1250532181279="35">here</a></div><div style="MARGIN-TOP: 6px"><strong></strong> </div>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-18862538165834322422009-06-22T02:55:00.000-07:002009-06-22T03:10:47.027-07:00Senate, House Running Out of TimeThe Louisiana Legislative Session is to close no later than 6 p.m. this Thursday. Four days are all that remain to work on the year's upcoming budget.<br /><br />At this point, the House and Senate are at odds regarding use of the rainy day fund, Obama's stimulus plan and delaying a scheduled tax <span style="font-weight: bold;">break</span> (not a tax increase like some may want you to believe).<br /><br />Obviously, this is not a one-year budgetary crisis, and even though I'm incredibly passionate about maintaining higher education in Louisiana - both as a testament to the importance of education and as an economic necessity for the state - I'm intelligent enough to understand that the proposed cuts to higher-ed will not disappear in their entirety. But steps have been taken to alleviate these cuts to a generous degree. For the legislature to abandon those steps in the session's waning moments would be devastating to Louisiana and be indicative of the terrible lack of efficiency in the state's style of government.<br /><br />I'm confident that the legislature will at least alleviate a huge portion of the proposed cuts, and once the allocation is made to higher education, those charged with efficiency of that sector will take a close look at the state's institutions and make allocations wisely and accordingly. I'm certain you can deduce where I stand on that front, but I will reserve opinions on that for a later post.<br /><br />Read up on the latest developments in the Advocate:<br /><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/48740312.html?showAll=y&c=y"><br /></a><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/48740312.html?showAll=y&c=y">http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/politics/48740312.html?showAll=y&c=y</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-41359462070951831332009-06-04T11:03:00.000-07:002009-06-04T22:49:40.947-07:00The Young and the Restlessly Misguided - Defending L.A. SB 335 against the Louisiana Young RepublicansToday the Louisiana Young Republicans Federation sent out a press release that was picked up by the Dead Pelican praising opposition to SB 335 and spinning the bill as a Democrat-authored tax increase. Oh, young ones:<br /><br /><tt><tt><b><tt><b>"The Louisiana Young Republican Federation thanks Governor <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">Jindal</span> and the Young Republican members of the Louisiana Legislature who stood tall and publicly opposed raising the income taxes of working families in Louisiana</b></tt></b></tt></tt>."<br />Source: <a href="http://www.thedeadpelican.com/2009/YR335.HTM">http://www.thedeadpelican.com/2009/YR335.HTM</a><br /><br />They're not the only ones speaking out against SB 335 as a "tax increase." All sorts of Republican opposition, including LA Party Chairman Roger <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">Villere</span>, is coming out of the woodwork to do their due diligence in demonizing Democratic legislation by spinning emotion-laced claims of tax increases and <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_2">foulcry</span> for Louisiana families. You can read <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_3">Villere's</span> misleading pleas for action here:<br />Source: <a href="http://www.lanewslink.com/archives.php?id=11291">http://www.lanewslink.com/archives.php?id=11291</a><br /><br />Firstly, if you're not caught up on the legislation, check out the news links to the right side of this post and brush up on it. SB 335 is legislation aiming to delay income tax-break increases from 65% to 100% on certain items.<br /><br />Let's be real. This isn't a tax increase, no matter how much the Republicans and "fiscal conservatives" want to label it as. SB 335 merely delays a scheduled tax break. It is not levying a new tax. It is postponing a tax break.<br /><br />As for those like <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_4">Forgotston</span> who want to claim the bill is unconstitutional because the Senate, not the House, is raising revenue, get real again! This is a postponement of a payout, not authorization to raise revenue. It's saving money that already exists, not generating more.<br /><br />I consider myself, for the most part, a fiscal conservative and an overall moderate with no partisan ties (affiliations that I feel can blind people, but that's for another post). And yet, these attacks on SB 335 don't seem to be in favor of fiscal conservation, but in favor of partisan warfare.<br /><br />If you want to talk fiscal conservation, let's talk about fiscal responsibility. How about <span style="font-style: italic;">saving</span> all that money that is going to go into the pockets of people and provide a short-lived blip for the economy, and putting it toward a long-term economic development investment for the state in, I don't know, higher education? And let's not forget health care either. I'd rather the state's residents have adequate health care from adequately-educated <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_5">LSU</span>-Shreveport medical graduates than make sure everyone can afford to spring for their second iPhone.<br /><br />It's certainly not a Republican consensus, Audra Shay. You might get Ellen Carmichael's approval, but there are other Republican contributors to this cause and this blog that will disagree with you.<br /><br />I think I can't say it any better than the Times-Picayune editorial staff. Read their latest output, and before you pin it as liberal dribble, read the whole thing. Everything is in there.<br />Source: <a href="http://blog.nola.com/editorials/2009/05/louisiana_legislature_and_gov.html">http://blog.nola.com/editorials/2009/05/louisiana_legislature_and_gov.html</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-79285073546924844772009-06-04T02:00:00.000-07:002009-06-04T02:19:53.997-07:00Senate Finance Committee - Knights in Shining Armor?<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="http://media.2theadvocate.com/images/leg+budget+cuts+060409.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 600px; height: 345px;" src="http://media.2theadvocate.com/images/leg+budget+cuts+060409.jpg" alt="" border="0" /></a><br /><br />As we posted previously, the Senate Finance Committee has been doing diligent work to help preserve as best they can Louisiana's higher education by finding alternatives to a massive $219 million budget cut for this upcoming year.<br /><br />The Committee has not only called for use of Louisiana's "Rainy Day" fund - a combination of surplus and other funds for use during, you guessed it, economic crises - but they have also passed SB 335, which will stall tax breaks and put a freeze on <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_0">deductables</span> from state income tax at 65%. This bill is contentious in both the House and the governor's office, but the Senate seems confident in its passage.<br /><br />With SB 335 alone, the proposed cuts will drop more than half to $100 million - still a hefty cut but relatively much more manageable for Louisiana's higher-ed institutions. At these levels a cut to <span class="blsp-spelling-error" id="SPELLING_ERROR_1">LSU</span> would certainly be less drastic than previously expected. And if a portion of the rainy day funds go to education, the effects would be even less. Understandably, many areas of the state's economy need attention, and those most important areas should receive rainy day consideration.<br /><br />SOS - Save Our Schools thinks education should be right there at the top of the list.<br /><br />Source: <a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/46871232.html?index=14&c=y">http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/46871232.html?index=14&c=y</a>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-83415850712913386242009-06-01T13:49:00.000-07:002009-06-01T13:51:31.307-07:00Some for me, some for you :)<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 14px; "><h1 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; color: rgb(41, 53, 70); font-size: 24px; margin-bottom: 8px; ">Jindal confirms willingness to tap rainy day fund</h1><h3 style="margin-top: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-left: 0px; padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; display: block; font-size: 13px; margin-bottom: 18px; color: rgb(68, 78, 92); ">by Bill Barrow, The Times-Picayune<div style="margin-top: 6px; ">Monday June 01, 2009, 2:45 PM</div></h3><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 9px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">BATON ROUGE -- Offering the latest volley in the Legislature's ongoing debate over budget cuts, Gov. Bobby <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Jindal said today that he is willing to sign a budget that would include $50 million in higher education financing taken from the state's rainy day savings account.</span></p><p style="padding-top: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-left-width: 0px; border-style: initial; border-color: initial; margin-top: 9px; margin-right: 0px; margin-bottom: 12px; margin-left: 0px; ">More here: http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/06/jindal_confirms_willingness_to.html </p></span>SPINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05505397657026940663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-65397558686668848152009-05-29T20:48:00.000-07:002009-05-30T01:21:21.936-07:00Butch Gautreaux's Proposed TOPS Cap DefeatedA big victory in the Louisiana legislature today for higher education as the Senate Education Committee almost unanimously killed Gautreaux's proposed TOPS cap. Read the article in the Advocate:<br /><br /><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/46426507.html?index=1&c=y">http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/46426507.html?index=1&c=y</a><br /><br />Big props to LSU's student representation at the capitol, with J Hudson and Martina Scheuermann getting pub in the Advocate.<br /><br />I found this particular quote of Gautreaux's to be quite funny:<br /><br />"Gautreaux said the change would help stabilize TOPS without imposing undue burdens on students and their parents. <p>'This bill does not prevent anyone from attending college,' he told the committee. 'Let’s be honest.'"</p><p>Your bill would not have prevented Louisiana high school students who are TOPS eligible from attending college, Sen. Gautreaux. You're right about that. But it would have prevented them from attending college in Louisiana. The top students would not stay in Louisiana to receive a college education if they weren't eligible for such a great financial assistance package - they'd head elsewhere.<br /></p>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-25273095143234614102009-05-29T07:18:00.000-07:002009-05-29T07:19:42.711-07:00Business Community Echoes Sentiment! Don't Cut Higher Education!Groups ask to kill cuts to colleges<br /><br />By <a title="Send an email to JORDAN BLUM" href="mailto:jblum@theadvocate.com">JORDAN BLUM</a><br />Advocate Capitol News Bureau<br />Published: May 29, 2009 - Page: 1A<br /><br />The Baton Rouge Area Chamber and the business-funded Blueprint Louisiana group asked the Legislature on Thursday to eliminate all proposed budget cuts for higher education.<br /><br />The request to the Senate Finance Committee was to allow colleges to evolve and adapt to the recession economy before instituting any of the proposed “draconian” cuts of 15 percent of their state funds.<br /><br />The arguments from the business community were even stronger than from higher education officials, who have asked that their proposed $219 million in cuts be halved.<br /><br />“Don’t cut higher education so much that you gut it and lose it and set higher education back 20 years,” said Blueprint member Jimmy Maurin, chairman of Stirling Properties in Covington.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/46426797.html">http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/46426797.html</a>Whitney Breauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755934759190204335noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-66029235537856741952009-05-27T10:21:00.000-07:002009-05-27T10:26:57.233-07:00Jindal's Getting Phone CallsSo I realize I went off on the Governor in my last post on this blog, but it was heartfelt and I meant it, and I still mean it. But I do understand he has a tough job ahead; I just hope he sees how important higher education is to this state.<br /><br />It turns out he might be <span style="font-style: italic;">made</span> to see if he keeps getting calls on the subject. This is a mass Facebook message I received per my membership in the group "I Signed the Petition to Protect Louisiana Education!"<br /><br />-----<br />FROM: Joe Abraham<br /><br />A friend called the Governor's office to express his concerns about cuts to higher education. The staffer who took the call said, "We're starting to get a lot of phone calls about education funding."<br /><br />I just called; the staffer listened politely, took notes, and thanked me for calling.<br /><br />So please, take a sec, call Governor Jindal's office, and express to him your concerns about education funding in Louisiana:<br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">225.342.7015</span><br /><br />And please, pass this on to your friends via eMail, Facebook, phone, and anything else you can think of!<br /><br />Joe<br />-----<br /><br />I intend on calling later in the day. I urge you to do the same! Any avenues we can use to express our displeasure - or in my case, incredulity - about the situation, will help.Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-40360995393350193192009-05-22T05:50:00.001-07:002009-05-22T05:52:30.044-07:00Stall Tax Break = Save Higher Education<strong><span style="color:#3366ff;">State senator: fund higher ed, stall tax break</span></strong><br /><br />A Louisiana lawmaker has won early approval for her plan to ease budget cuts in higher education. Sen. Lydia Jackson, a Shreveport Democrat, won approval from the Senate's tax committee on Thursday to postpone a tax break involving charitable deductions that was to take effect next year, for the 2009 tax year. Jackson's plan would delay by three years a partial rollback of the so-called "Stelly plan." Jackson said her intent is to use the resulting $118 million to reduce planned spending cuts at higher education institutions. Jackson has support of the Senate leadership, but opposition from Gov. Bobby Jindal. Her bill next moves to the Senate floor.<br /> ---<br /><br />I think this might be the solution we need to put money back into higher education. Governor Jindal needs to understand that everyone does not have to comply with what he thinks is best! That is why we have three branches of government. I think his opposition to this bill is disappointing. Unless he has another plan that will put money back into higher education then he needs to sign the bill and smile.Whitney Breauxhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08755934759190204335noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-35679924732173892942009-05-10T12:16:00.000-07:002009-05-11T19:21:43.873-07:00we're making some progress...Our message is resonating! Now, more than ever, is the time to keep pushing for what we're fighting for!<div><br /></div><div>From The Advocate (5/8/09):</div><div><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-size:15px;">"The <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">S</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">haw Group on Thursday rejected accepting $28.5 million</span> from the megafund to build a nuclear reactor component facility in Lake Charles.</span><br /></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px; font-size:15px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">Shaw Chairman J.M. Bernhard Jr. urged the state to put the money into higher education</span>, which is facing $220 million in budget cuts because of a $1.3 billion drop in state revenue."<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "> </span></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px;font-size:15px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px;font-size:15px;">"Lawmakers sent Gov. Bobby Jindal’s $27 billion state operating budget proposal to the House floor Thursday after <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">adding money for higher education</span>, health care and arts programs.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px;font-size:15px;"><p style="position: relative; ">In order to balance spending with decreased revenues, Jindal proposed $219 million in cuts to higher education and more than $400 million in cuts to health care.</p><p style="position: relative; ">Legislators reduced some — but not all — of those cuts.</p><p style="position: relative; ">Using state dollars, lawmakers directed:</p><p style="position: relative; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">In $50 million more</span> than what the governor recommended <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">to the state’s public colleges and universities."<span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "></span></span></p><p style="position: relative; "><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="white-space: pre; "><span class="Apple-tab-span" style="white-space:pre"> </span> </span></span></p></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style=" line-height: 20px;font-size:15px;">http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/44572852.html <br /></span></div>SPINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05505397657026940663noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-80518244802253156782009-05-06T13:20:00.000-07:002009-05-06T13:23:35.767-07:00Lafayette Advertiser: College cuts: Department of theaterThe state government budget has grown so big so quickly that the higher education cuts being proposed by Gov. Bobby Jindal get obscured in a dark forest of zeroes.<p><span class="pp"></span>A projected $1.3 billion deficit. Proposed cuts of $440 million in state higher education funding. Proposed cuts of $13 million for UL alone, which gets $96 million of its $151 million budget from the state government.<span class="aa"></span></p><span class="pp"></span>New UL President E. Joseph Savoie sees things a little differently, with a little more context after his years of service in UL's administration and with the state's higher education system. Savoie noted recently that during the oil crunch years, when low petroleum prices squeezed state government almost to the point of passing out, UL sustained 13 cuts totalling about a quarter of its original budget. Adding together the 6.4 percent cut already inflicted this year and the proposed cuts in the governor's budget and unfunded mandated increases in expenses, the university is really looking at a 25 percent reduction.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.theadvertiser.com/article/20090506/OPINION01/905060323/1014/OPINION/College+cuts++Department+of+theater++see+video">There's more</a>Bob Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095946758016556182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-72955898149510397342009-04-25T07:02:00.000-07:002009-04-25T07:05:16.759-07:00C.B. Forgotston: Flaw in "Rainy Day Fund"?<a href="http://forgotston.com/"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">http://forgotston.com/</span></a><br /><br />I just read where Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis said there was a “design flaw” in the Budget Stabilization Fund (a.k.a. the rainy day fund). (<a href="https://email.lsu.edu/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/43639672.html" target="_blank">See story her</a>e.) As a result there would be little to no net revenues for the upcoming state budget if the leges used $250 Million of the fund.<br /><br />There is no "design flaw." The fund was intentionally crafted to limit the flow of oil and gas revenues into the State General Fund ("SGF") in hopes that the state would reduce it's dependency on oil and gas revenues.<br /><br /><b>Alternative solution<br /><br /></b>If there is no desire to reduce the dependency on oil and gas revenues, there is alternative to refilling the fund.<br /><br />The $250 Million taken out of the fund could be immediately replaced with $250 Million of the $860 Million 2007-08 surplus (per Const. Article VII, Section 10(D)(2)(d)) and thus all oil and gas revenues would continue to flow into the SGF and would be available for expenditure in the fiscal year that begins July 1.<br /><br />This process has been used in the recent past to force more oil and gas revenues to flow into the SGF.<br /><br />This scenario would increase revenues for the Operating Budget by $250 Million. There would, however, be less surplus money to spend on local and NGO capital projects.<br /><br />If the goal is to forestall cuts to the Higher Education and Heathcare operating budgets this process accomplishes it.<br /><br /><b>Poor priorities not</b> <b>a flaw<br /><br /></b>Seems to me the only “design flaw” in the fund is the flaw that has always been in the state budget process -- poor priorities.<br /><br />The comments from the commissioner begs the question of why are we just now learning of the "design flaw" in a fund that was originally put into the constitution in 1990 and was actually used in 2002? This is not her first time to work for a governor in the Division of Administration.<br /><br />What am I missing?<br /><br />C.B.Bob Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095946758016556182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-66133899907256039852009-04-23T07:12:00.000-07:002009-04-23T07:22:44.288-07:00Please Listen Gov. Jindal<p style="margin:0in;font-family:Georgia;font-size:12.0pt;color:black">I was reading a blog article on theoldriverroad.com (The Old River Road) concerning higher education funding and it occurred to me that if so many people have so much to say about the funding of higher education why does it seem like Gov. Jindal is not interested in listening. I know that it is true, he is a busy Governor, traveling around the country to...but his interest in the issue is still unknown. If he was interested enough in cutting funding it seems he would also be interested in finding a solution. I understand that under traditional circumstances Gov. Jindal does not want to use one-time funding to fund reoccurring expenses but are these traditional circumstances? We are in an economic crisis and sometimes we have to do things we wouldn't normally do to make sure that all of Louisiana's Business is taken care of and that includes funding higher education. I only hope he will listen.</p>C. Teamerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/04188939765396276311noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-37440294825691444982009-04-22T14:26:00.000-07:002009-04-22T14:33:44.590-07:00One Take on Budget Cut ImpactThe Monroe News Star reports that ULM President James Cofer has equated higher education cuts to the loss of a major manufacturer in the area. He cited a new study conducted by Applied Technology Reaseach Corp. The article is attached. Note that the study asserts that as far as economic development goes, every dollar invested in higher education returns about eight. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090421/UPDATES01/90421018">http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090421/UPDATES01/90421018</a>CraigBordelonhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09245756256897278729noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-78635288010890068982009-04-22T14:11:00.000-07:002009-04-22T14:29:18.854-07:00Response to JR Ball's Column in Baton Rouge Business ReportIn yesterday's edition of the <span style="font-style: italic;">Baton Rouge Business Report,</span> J.R. Ball outlined his suggestions to improve higher education in the state of Louisiana beyond budget cuts.<br /><br />Ball argues that "it's time for officials at LSU, our flagship university, to start answering some tough questions." In the article, found online <a href="http://www.businessreport.com/news/2009/apr/20/lsu-must-change-its-flag/">here</a>, Ball recognizes the "masterful PR job" that LSU has conducted to inform and persuade Louisianians about the "current fiscal nightmare" by submitting "worst-case scenario budget projections." Indeed, Ball captured the sentiments of so many who refuse to lash out against Governor Jindal for his state budget that could cut funding for LSU.<br /><p><span style="font-style: italic;">"What LSU officials haven’t done, however, is embrace the concept that the university’s impact must reach beyond the Quad and Tiger Stadium. To be blunt, LSU has been woeful in its efforts to build a knowledge-based economy outside the gates of the campus," </span>he said.<br /></p><p>That being said, Ball is not certainly abandoning an understanding of the importance of higher education in Louisiana. "Yes, higher ed [including community and technical colleges] has been woefully underfunded for decades, and, yes, the flagship institution must be considered a bedrock of this state’s future, but it’s also true that LSU must change its thinking," he continued. </p>When will other leaders and citizen activists also hold the university systems accountable for the current financial state of higher education? It sounds like a failed company, really. Say, for instance, an investor decides to fund an emerging business venture. Then, when the company fails to produce results they promised to said investor, they come back with their hands out and without promises of reform, eager for more dollars. What incentive is there for the investor to continue financing the venture without proof that this company is holding up its end of the bargain? Simply, none.<br /><br />While LSU has made important strides in educating the people of Louisiana, it is important to remember that taxpayers act as investors in the institution of education. We, as taxpayers, invest money into public higher education in hopes of seeing long-term economic stability in our state and consistent improvement in our way of life. And just as an investor would be hesitant to throw more money at a company whose management and leadership refuses to take responsibility for its past failures, it is understandable that taxpayers in Louisiana have their own reservations about throwing money at an institution that has made no promises of thrift, accountability or reform.Ellen Carmichaelhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05315957805608677119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-19829367052612396252009-04-16T17:36:00.001-07:002009-04-16T17:37:13.140-07:00SOS Rally at Delgado TOMORROWThere will be a <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">SOS rally</span> at Delgado Community College tomorrow (Friday) morning and afternoon. <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: bold;">JOIN US</span> at 2600 General Meyer Avenue!SPINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05505397657026940663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-16672375279995288892009-04-15T11:40:00.001-07:002009-04-15T11:41:28.453-07:00Press ConferenceThere will be a press conference at 11 a.m. TOMORROW on the steps of the state Capitol hosted by House Democrats to discuss the impending budget cuts, specifically in higher education!Megan Fambroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07379029822982567438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-7260999190202523142009-04-09T04:41:00.000-07:002009-04-09T04:48:14.065-07:00Advocate: Study: LSU’s economic impact bigAn LSU study released Wednesday contends LSU generates more than $1.2 billion annually for the region — or 3 percent of the Baton Rouge metro area’s gross domestic product.<br /><br />The study, titled “The Economic Impact of Louisiana State University on the Baton Rouge Metropolitan Statistical Area,” looks at factors such as jobs created, sales generated, residents drawn to the area and research dollars attracted because of the presence of the state’s flagship university.<br /><br />LSU Chancellor Michael Martin said the study presents a strong case against $219 million in proposed cuts to the state’s higher education. That includes $102 million – about 15 percent of its state funding – from the LSU System and $34 million from the main LSU campus.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/42720027.html">There's more</a>Bob Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095946758016556182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-21092616563065136602009-04-09T04:36:00.000-07:002009-04-09T04:37:56.918-07:00Jindal: La. Constitution change would spread out budget cuts<ul class="plain-list"><li class="bold">By <a href="mailto:jblum@theadvocate.com" title="Send an email to JORDAN BLUM">JORDAN BLUM</a> </li><!--Display story author's byline/credits, if provided in the content item -NGS, 02/07/08--><li class="italic">Advocate Capitol News Bureau </li><!--Display story pub date, related print page, and update timestamp, when any are are provided in the content item -NGS 02/08/08--></ul><div id="main-content"><!--endclickprintexclude--> <!--Start story body -NGS 02/07/08--> <div id="body"> <p>LAFAYETTE — Gov. Bobby Jindal said Wednesday the budgetary blows to higher education and health care would lessen if the state Constitution were changed.<br /><br />The catch is that such plans, which would have to win two-thirds approval of both houses of the Legislature and a majority of the state’s voters, could not be implemented until the 2010-2011 fiscal year. The plans would not ease the $632 million reduction to colleges and hospitals that Jindal has recommended for the upcoming fiscal year that begins July 1.<br /><br />“Health care and higher education always take the brunt of budget reductions when our state revenue declines,” Jindal said, noting that people always say such a setup should be changed.</p><p><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/42721252.html?showAll=y&c=y">There's more</a><br /></p></div></div>Bob Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095946758016556182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-42012910622599932642009-04-04T07:01:00.000-07:002009-04-04T07:13:30.377-07:00Egg the Capitol<span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px; ">http://www.wafb.com/global/story.asp?s=10127662 </span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;">Protesting the budget cuts on higher education is not an act of immaturity, selfishness, or disillusionment. It is an act of concern that extends far beyond students. We are not attacking the jobs created by the Farmerville chicken plant. That is part of the state's economic development and recovery- we get that. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;">But it is an illustration of how the government of Louisiana is constantly putting education on the back burner. When will they realize that education builds the foundation for success? A strong educational system will result in a strong state. Our neighbor (and certainly most other states in the U.S.) have learned this. </span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;">But we have the largest brain drain problem in the nation. The 1,300 jobs created in Farmerville is great. But it is not a long term investment in the future of our state. We need to do more than that- more than 1,300 jobs. And supporting higher education is the way to do that. We need to stop giving people reasons to LEAVE Louisiana and stop making ourselves less and less attractive for people to COME to Louisiana.</span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;"><br /></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: rgb(51, 51, 51); font-family: 'trebuchet ms'; font-size: 13px;">The 1,300 jobs (which I would kind of expect more jobs to be saved for the price tag of $50 million) is a necessary step to help Louisiana recover. But not at the expense of education. This is just ONE of many illustrations of how skewed the government's priorities are today (and have been for far too long). PUT EDUCATION FIRST- for once. </span></div>SPINhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05505397657026940663noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-70046156106514337032009-04-03T17:36:00.000-07:002009-04-03T17:39:06.076-07:00College students protest cuts with egg basketsAssociated Press • April 3, 2009 <br /><br />BATON ROUGE — The dozen baskets of plastic eggs dropped off at the governor's office weren't to celebrate a happy Easter holiday. Instead, the college students that delivered them Friday said it was a form of protest.<br /><br />The students say the eggs are a symbol of their disappointment with Gov. Bobby Jindal for agreeing to spend $50 million to keep open a chicken plant in north Louisiana while proposing $219 million in cuts to public colleges next year.<br /><br />The students who delivered the baskets say the governor's priorities are skewed.<br /><br />Jindal says the state intervened to keep open the Farmerville plant to save 1,300 jobs and 300 chicken farms. The college cuts are part of a series of reductions proposed to balance next year's budget against a hefty drop in state income.<br /><br />http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20090403/UPDATES01/90403027Rebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530978959100144000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-30039090863665543412009-04-03T12:21:00.000-07:002009-04-03T12:25:58.005-07:00Media Coverage!Everybody watch Baton Rouge local news tonight and check the Advocate on Saturday for coverage of SOS members delivering Easter eggs to Governor Jindal’s office. The eggs symbolized our disappointment in Jindal’s priorities. How can a chicken processing plant get $50 million, and higher ed gets deep cuts.<br />For the chicken story visit http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/42307697.htmlRebeccahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10530978959100144000noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-85070006415221180882009-04-03T07:00:00.000-07:002009-04-03T07:06:10.462-07:00<span style="font-size:180%;"><strong>CUTS WOULD HIT LSU HARD</strong></span><br /><br />BY Jordan Blum<br />Advocate Capitol News Bureau<br /><br /><strong>LSU would lay off at least 400 employees, cut back on scholarships and shut down some research institutions under proposed budget cuts, LSU Chancellor Michael Martin said Thursday.</strong><br /><br />The LSU campus and most of the LSU System’s other institutions released their proposals for meeting <strong>$102 million in budget cuts</strong> to the LSU System in Gov. Bobby Jindal’s executive budget.<br /><br />The cuts represent nearly 15 percent of the state’s appropriations to LSU campuses.<br /><br />LSU museums, student services and general campus upkeep will all suffer more because the academic core must be protected, Martin said.<br /><br /><strong>He said about 80 percent of LSU’s budget is in personnel and that it is “demoralizing” to let anyone go. </strong>Most layoffs would be staff and some instructors and part-time faculty, but not tenure-track faculty, yet, he said. The main LSU campus employs nearly 3,300 people.<br /><br />“It’s very difficult to face the prospect that some of these good people will not be with us,” Martin said.<br /><br />Martin’s budget proposal was submitted to the LSU System office Thursday evening. The system office will review and approve the budget.<br /><br />LSU’s budget plans do not include anticipated <strong>5 percent tuition increases</strong> and possible fee increases that could cushion some of the cuts, he said.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.2theadvocate.com/news/42371042.html">Find the rest of the story here.</a>Megan Fambroughhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07379029822982567438noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-36611917835672457112009-04-02T17:24:00.000-07:002009-04-02T17:25:54.915-07:00Jindal Chooses Chicken Pluckin' Over Higher Education<h1 class="red">Added fund uses urged</h1> <div class="subhead"><b>State needs money for ongoing projects</b></div> <div class="byln"> Wednesday, April 01, 2009 <div>By Jan Moller</div> <div><b>Capital bureau</b></div> </div> <p>BATON ROUGE -- A $415 million incentive fund designed to land large-scale economic development projects could be more than half depleted before the state lands a major deal, if Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration has its way. </p> <p> With the state's ability to borrow constrained by falling revenues and shaky credit markets, the administration is proposing to use its Mega-Project Development Fund to finance four projects that have already been inked, including two in the New Orleans area.<br /></p><p><a href="http://www.nola.com/news/t-p/capital/index.ssf?/base/news-7/1238563369159770.xml&coll=1">There's more</a><br /></p>Bob Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095946758016556182noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1434282407626188967.post-59794234308229821402009-04-01T15:20:00.000-07:002009-04-01T15:21:27.116-07:00J.R. Ball in the Baton Rouge Business Report<div class="story"> <h3>Two cents: Colleges trump chickens</h3> <p>Call me crazy—many have said much worse—but if the Jindal administration can rationalize tapping the state's mega-fund for $50 million to purchase a closed chicken plant, then how can it not also use the economic development fund to save higher education? No offense to the 1,300 workers and suppliers impacted by the plant closure in Farmerville, but the health and vitality of our community and technical colleges and our four-year universities is of far more vital importance to the long-term economic health of Louisiana. Without question, there's a need to overhaul and streamline higher education and how the systems are managed and funded, but until that happens (and we hope soon) the administration can't sit back and watch many of the gains made by LSU and others get reversed in one fiscal cycle. If Gov. Bobby Jindal truly embraces the concept of a knowledge-based economy, then he absolutely must find a way to minimize the fiscal hit on higher education -- even if it means raiding LED's sacred mega-fund. Send comments to <a href="mailto:editors@businessreport.com">editors@businessreport.com</a>. <strong>—JR Ball</strong></p> </div>Bob Mannhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14095946758016556182noreply@blogger.com0