Chancellor Michael Martin had a message for students Tuesday: Now is the time to get involved in the University’s future.Martin joined Eric Monday, associate vice chancellor of Finance and Administrative Services, and Jason Droddy, assistant vice chancellor of Legislative and External affairs, at a roundtable discussion on the challenges facing the University with  campus leaders from Student Media, Student Government and other student organizations.”This is a critical time for students to be involved to shape LSU’s future,” Martin said. “You will be labeled as an LSU graduate, and it’s critical that you make sure you participate in any way you can.”Martin touted the progress the University has made in the last two decades and emphasized that progress is currently in danger.”It made a big difference on the way up, and it will make a big difference on the way down,” Martin said. “The fear I have is the current budget situation will set us back so far it will take two to three generations to catch up.”The University is facing the possibility of another midyear cut of about $10 million because of a shortfall in state funds. The University already took a $12.6 million mid-year cut in January.  The University cut from every department in January, but Martin said that method would be ineffective in the future because “there is no more left to be taken off the top.”Martin said the University could attempt to temporarily take funds from investments as another midyear cut becomes a reality because the funds would have to be found before the end of the fiscal year in June.The state is also facing a $1 billion deficit that could see higher education cut more in the next fiscal year. The next set of cuts will be offset by cuts to academic programs and services, Martin said.”We are going to have to be much more draconian,” Martin said. “It’s now going to start having the pain and suffering at levels we have tried to prevent for students and faculty.”Martin said cuts to academic programs would be proposed based on the number of students and graduates, the potential to grow, the importance to the state and the effects on other parts of the University.He said he wants to wait until the exact budget situation is clearer in July to announce cuts because cuts can’t be reversed.Target cuts range between $12 million to $14 million, Martin said. He said he wants to raise a similar amount through increased tuition. Droddy told students about various bills that would allow the University to raise fees.All three administrators touted the LA GRAD act that would give universities the ability to raise tuition by 10 percent on an annual basis if performance goals are met.Martin argued higher tuition could have a positive financial return for some students in the long term as increases in tuition could offset academic cuts.  Fewer academic cuts lead to students graduating faster, therefore paying less tuition because students will not have problems getting the classes they need in a timely manner, Martin said.Martin also wouldn’t rule out the possibility of significant furloughs to help offset potential cuts by the state, and he also talked to students about hypothetical long-term budget solutions.As an example, the University will consider differentiated tuition across different majors because some less expensive majors subsidize majors, which cost the University more money to teach, Martin said. He also said he was still considering whether to approve the mandatory class gift fee proposed by SG.____Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at [email protected]