A call to action for Louisiana students:
Today the Louisiana Legislature convenes for the 2015 Regular Session. This is an especially critical time for LSU and higher education in Louisiana. By now, I’m sure you’ve heard the narrative that has been repeated since late last year: our public higher education institutions are in peril and are facing as much as an 82 percent cut overall in state funding. That’s an astounding $608 million in cuts, which would have a devastating impact on Louisiana’s public colleges and universities. Tuitions and fee hikes are inevitable, faculty and staff members would be laid off, LSU would lose invaluable research funding, and–perhaps most distressing–the state would have minimal investment in its flagship university.
It is not only imperative that we–as students–participate in this legislative session. It is absolutely critical. Quite literally, we are the most impacted stakeholders in this debate. We are the ones bearing the increased tuition and fees. We are the ones who will lose respected academic programs, classes and professors. We are the ones who will face increasingly dismal economic prospects as our state continues to dismantle Louisiana’s institutions of higher learning.
It will take a united coalition of Louisiana students to overcome this threat to our colleges and universities. I urge all Louisiana students–Tigers, Ragin’ Cajuns, Jaguars, Warhawks, Demons, Bulldogs, whatever college or university you may belong to—to play an active and insistent role this legislative session. Call your legislators. Email them. Request one-on-one meetings. Visit the Capitol. Attend education and budget committee meetings. As LSU President F. King Alexander put it, “Be annoying.”
Bradley Guin, State Capitol Adviser
LSU Student Government