Following the release of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s preliminary executive budget Friday, University Chancellor Michael Martin sent a broadcast e-mail telling students, faculty and staff that the Governor’s proposed 15 percent cut to higher education state funding will severely impact the University.  Under such a cut, the University would have to slash about $45 million, on top of a now permanent $10.3 million mid-year reduction ordered in January, according to the e-mail. Martin said a $45 million cut will be like the Flagship Agenda – a plan to make the University nationally competitive by 2010 – never happened. The University broke into the top tier of U.S. News & World Report’s America’s Best Colleges list in August.  The loss of $45 million would return the University to its pre-Hurricane Katrina state appropriated budget level, Martin said in the e-mail. The reduction would also increase the faculty-to-student ratio, as many vacant faulty positions won’t be filled. The cuts would also mean fewer graduate assistants and less progress on deferred maintenance projects, which total nearly $200 million.  ”We have been working and continue to work to prevent cuts and see the government reward LSU for its high levels of performance in recent years,” Martin said in the e-mail. Martin said he is excited that a performance-based formula is being considered for the future distribution of state funds. He said he advocates federal stimulus money being distributed based on performance as well. ”We are going to fight to maintain the integrity of our academic core and to continue to make LSU a great place to work and get an education,” Martin said. ——Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]