Discourse on the proposed cuts to higher education in Louisiana picked up steam Tuesday as higher education officials, including LSU System President John Lombardi, addressed the House Appropriations Committee.At the day-long hearing, Lombardi said budget cuts to higher education call for a more need-based financial program since tuition and fees almost certainly will rise.Lombardi is essentially saying it might be time for TOPS to change.”In Louisiana, because our tuition and fees have been so low, we’ve focused almost entirely on merit-type financial aid,” Lombardi said at the hearing.We do not believe TOPS — one of the sole reasons why students remain in Louisiana for higher education — should be tinkered with at this point.Is TOPS a merit-based scholarship program? It certainly is. Do we need to find new ways to innovate need-based scholarship programs? Absolutely. But changing the foundation and mission of TOPS is not the answer.It’s good to see Lombardi trying to think creatively to weather this budget-cut crisis. But one of the main goals of TOPS is to corral the best Louisiana students and keep them in the state. The thought is those students have much to offer to the state and its overall well-being.If TOPS shifts its focus, students who have done well in high school and scored high on standardized testing will scatter to higher education institutions in other states — if the price is right.This University is so attractive because of its affordability and prestige. Raising tuition and fees will happen and is part of the culture of higher education. Look at other universities — the University of Georgia’s tuition is $3,015 a semester; the University of Texas’ tuition is $4,477 per semester. None of these figures account for additional student fees.LSU’s tuition is $1,613 per semester.Times are tough — that’s an understatement. But keep it simple. Leave TOPS alone.–Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected]