Money is on everyone’s minds with the looming possibility of severe budget cuts to LSU. As a result of these cuts, a group of alumni have decided to stand up for their university and recreate Tiger Advocates.
Students, like Mass Communication Major Emily England, who take advantage of the on-campus job opportunities might also feel the weight of a budget cut. 
“I’m super poor as a person because I’m in college, so having a job that is on campus make my life a lot easier,” said England. “I work in the Mass Comm school, and so I get this hands-on experience working with the different professors. If I lose my job, I won’t get that, and I won’t get paid, then it all would spiral downhill from there.” 
England works 12 hours a week as a student technical worker in the Journalism Building and is fearful that student jobs like hers will be the first to go. 
“The research money comes with the faculty. If we lose the faculty, we lose the caliber of the education,” said England. “If you want to stand up against budget cuts, don’t be afraid to because ultimately it’s not just about short-term, it’s about how will this affect you in about 10 to 15 years.” 
Tiger Advocates is a grassroots organization with the primary goal of preserving higher education in Louisiana. Their focus is getting alumni, students or future alumni, and all of tiger nation to contact their legislators in order to get them to stop the budget cuts and protect the future of LSU. 
“We’ve got this great flagship institution, and we’re not funding it like it should be,” said Cliff Vannoy, President and CEO of the LSU Alumni Association. “Future alumni are a big key to this…because you’re the ones getting the education, you’re the ones getting the benefit, and you’re the ones paying the tuition. Legislators need to hear what you have to say.”
The proposed budget cuts could cause LSU to lose up to 27 percent of faculty positions, 1,400 courses, and LSU could no longer be able to compete with other public universities across the country causing a degree from LSU to lose some of its value. 
To remain informed on updates with Tiger Advocates and find out who your legislators are, like their Facebook page, follow them on Twitter @tigernation, and sign up at lsualumni.org/tigeradvocates.