With $45 million at stake, there is no shortage of opinions from faculty, staff or students about where the University should slash its budget.In a March 16 letter titled “An Open Letter to Chancellor [Michael] Martin,” faculty members who are part of the LSU chapter of the American Association of University Professors offered their praise to Martin and gave their advice to continue efforts to protect faculty and follow previously outlined guidelines pertaining to furloughing.The LSU Board of Supervisors requires the University to declare financial exigency before any furloughs, layoffs or terminations occur. Once financial exigency is declared, there are strict guidelines on how to go forth.The University submitted a proposal to the LSU System requesting the change of policy to make the furlough of faculty easier, The Daily Reveille reported on Feb. 19.”We are concerned about the wisdom and long-term effects of your request to the LSU System for greater power to implement furloughs without having to invoke financial exigency,” the letter reads. “In the hands of future chancellors, such powers may easily be abused.”Dominique Homberger, AAUP past president and contributor to the letter, said the goal of the letter was to emphasize existing plans and policies should be adhered to in the event that “there is simply not enough money” because changing the policies might open the door for future chancellors to make uneducated decisions.”It makes a lot of sense for the faculty to be involved because it is the faculty that really wants the University [to be successful],” Homberger said. “Everybody needs a counsel of as many people as possible.”The letter requested the one-year notice for the termination of untenured faculty not be reduced without the declaration of exigency and no furloughs or pay decreases occur outside of the grounds of financial exigency. The letter requested Martin look to the Faculty Senate and the AAUP to approve a policy statement on financial exigency before it is declared, and faculty still have the opportunity to appeal a furlough decision and furloughs on both teaching and researching are treated equally.The AAUP made two suggestions for Martin in the letter — consider pay deferrals that are able to be collected on retirement instead of furloughs and apply furloughs or changes in pay with respect to income level. “We feel that extraordinary financial conditions require deliberations by experts, such as are concentrated in universities,” the letter reads. “AAUP-approved policies on financial exigency make provisions for the involvement of faculty expertise in decision making. A declaration of financial exigency ensures that extraordinary measures, if necessary, are supported by the faculty.”—-Contact Lindsey Meaux at [email protected]