The Law Center chancellor expressed concern Tuesday for looming budget cuts, saying a $2 million cut could adversely affect the progress for the Law Center’s future. Chancellor Jack Weiss outlined the main areas the Paul M. Hebert Law Center will have to cut if Gov. Bobby Jindal proposed budget cuts to higher education pass the legislature in July. “When you have a budget cut of this magnitude, it is definitely threatening to the momentum of the school,” Weiss said. Weiss said his goals for cutting the school’s budget are similar to LSU System President John Lombardi’s goal to “not adversely affect the core academic issues.” Weiss said he wants to maintain motivation for faculty and maintain scholarships for students. “We feel like there are two major components of the program,” Weiss said. “And they are faculty and students.”The current state budget for the Law Center is almost $10 million, and the cuts will decrease the budget by about 19 percent next fiscal year. Half of the Law Center’s funds comes from the state, and the other half comes from tuition, Weiss said. Tuition was $11,700 for last year’s in-state freshmen for the semester. In fall 2009, the incoming freshman class will pay $12,700 for the semester, while the following freshmen will pay $13,700, Weiss said. The plan to increase tuition by $1,000 each year was approved by the legislature in 2008 and will continue through the 2011 academic year. “I don’t want to say never … because it’s hard to predict the future,” he said. “But it is certainly my intention to stick with that program.” Some of the ways Weiss plans to cut the school’s budget are suspending distinguished foreign visitor’s programs, suspending the publication of the Law Center’s magazine, LSU Law, reducing hard copy books for the library, the hours the library is open and cutting back travel for students and faculty.”What concerns me most about the budget cuts is the potential for loss of momentum,” Weiss said.When the budget was first proposed, Weiss said it appeared the Law Center might be able to avoid staff layoffs by furloughing virtually everyone in the building. Weiss said he met with the faculty and asked if they would favor a furlough plan, which they approved.But the LSU System has advised the Law Center that furloughs are not permissible for academic staff, Weiss said. “We’re going to have to find the money to cut that would have been involved in faculty furlough,” he said. “We’re now looking into … the possibility of a voluntary faculty furlough.”Weiss said he will have to lay off a number of staff members. He has already started to have conversations with particular staff members about possible lay-offs. “I want to give those individuals as much advance notice as I can,” Weiss said. One area Weiss said will not be affected by the cuts is the Clinical Legal Education Program that began in fall 2008. The program’s funding is on this year’s budget, he said.The Law Center is moving ahead with plans to open the bids for renovating the clinical building this week, he said. The clinical program is a good example of how he will not let the budget cuts adversely affect the core education mission of the law school, Weiss said. Building the clinical program is a top priority, he said. “We are going to survive,” he said. “But will we be able — with this level of financial hit — to continue on the upward projection I feel we are on now?” —-Contact Joy Lukachick at [email protected]