Gov. Bobby Jindal warned Louisiana’s public colleges and universities that their funding for the next fiscal year could be cut by $200 to $300 million, University officials said. Louisiana higher education funding has been cut by a total of $700 million since 2008, according to the Associated Press.
The University’s funding also could be cut this fiscal year when the Revenue Estimating Conference meets with Jindal on Jan. 26 to amend the current state budget.
Though the state cut spending by $180 million in the last two months, Jindal’s administration estimates that between $50 million and $100 million will be cut this year. 
Since two state constitutional amendments further protecting health care funding were passed Nov. 4, higher education is one of the few major areas left unprotected. 
House Speaker Chuck Kleckley, R-Lake Charles, said Jan. 9 that he would not support cuts to higher education.
According to Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope, such cuts would take about $120 million from the University’s funding. The University’s current budget is around $470 million per year, Cope said, with most funds going toward essential expenses.
“These cuts would be devastating if they are to the extent indicated,” Cope said. “I would say that everything would be different. It would be amazing if the University could even stay in business.”
Though Jindal announced a $141.5 million proposed increase in state higher education funding in January, the University has endured more than $40 million in midyear budget cuts since 2008.
Education was not cut when the budget was last restructured, though Louisiana has cut higher education spending more than almost every state, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.
Cope also said the root of the problem is that the budget was not well thought out to begin with.
To prevent a situation where higher education funds are at risk, Cope called on others to speak out against Jindal’s proposal.
“It’s now time for the LSU Board of Supervisors to exercise its influence and to speak publicly about the poor leadership of the governor and to do their responsibility and to support the University rather than simply riding along and trying to find ways to put patches on a problem that is at the very least severe and at the most calamitous,” Cope said.
The total state budget deficit expected for the upcoming fiscal year is about $1.4 billion, according to the Associated Press.