Louisiana Treasurer John Kennedy said he has already received calls from multiple legislators in support of his college board consolidation plan, despite a panel looking for ways to cut government spending rejecting it Tuesday. “It’s a bump in the road,” Kennedy said. The Commission on Streamlining Government voted 8-1 against debating Kennedy’s suggestion to abolish the governing boards of the LSU, University of Louisiana and Southern University systems. LSU’s governing board is called the LSU Board of Supervisors. Kennedy, a member of the commission, wants all public four-year universities in Louisiana governed by the state Board of Regents to exist without independent oversight boards. He said this will ease the battle between colleges for state funding and increase efficiency. The panel is putting together a report, which will make $800 million in cost-cutting suggestions for Gov. Bobby Jindal and state lawmakers. The report is due Dec. 15. Sen. Jack Donahue, chairman of the Commission, told the Associated Press he wants to leave higher education cost-cutting matters to boards which are specifically dealing with those issues, like the Postsecondary Education Review Commission, also known as the Tucker Commission. “I’m disappointed,” Kennedy said. “The chairman’s action undermines the purpose of the commission.” Kennedy said the Commission on Streamlining Government naturally deals with funding matters that affect public colleges and universities — like state-owned facilities, vehicles and technology. But the boards have been made off limits. “I know it’s a sacred cow,” Kennedy said. “But that’s all the more reason we ought to address it. I don’t believe in dodging issues.” Donahue, R-Covington, wrote the bill that created the streamlining commission. He told the Associated Press the bill excluded higher education from the panel’s review. “It was my agreement with my fellow legislators that higher education would not be part of this [streamlining commission] process,” he said. “To me, it’s a matter of honor.”—–Contact Kyle Bove at [email protected]