The University could be forced to indefinitely postpone construction of the new band hall or implement widespread furloughs because of further midyear budget cuts.Chancellor Michael Martin recently weighed the possibility of utilizing these options for the last two months of the fiscal year in a savings assessment preempting announcements of budget cuts for the remainder of the fiscal year.An income tax revenue shortage could force the state to implement further funding cuts before the end of June. The University’s share of the cut could be about $11 million, said Jason Droddy, assistant vice chancellor of Legislative and External Affairs.The State Revenue Estimating Conference is scheduled to meet Wednesday to issue a revised forecast for the fiscal year revealing the severity of the cut, said James Richardson, University economics professor who sits on the estimating council.In the saving assessment, Martin said indefinitely postponing construction of the new band hall — which would yield $4.5 million in savings — is preferred to implementing furloughs.”In good conscience, I cannot furlough staff and faculty for weeks/months or institute massive layoffs while constructing a new band hall,” Martin said in the assessment.He outlined a plan in which $3.55 million from campus revenues including trademark licensing, IT equipment funds and fringe benefits could be saved. Another $3 million in savings from a spending freeze and postponing band hall construction meet the $11 million in projected cuts.LSU System Spokesperson Charles Zewe said the assessment was preliminary and cut options will not be finalized until the extent of the cut is known.The System Office also asked Martin to outline furlough scenarios that could save $11 million.Each scenario exempted employees making less than $30,000 a year and requires higher-paid employees to take a greater hit.Martin said the furlough option is not reasonable because it would require employees missing a substantial amount of work during May and June.”It is clear that the University cannot achieve the projected $11.05 million cut through the implementation of any reasonable, equitable and appropriate furlough,” Martin said in the assessment. “The immediate financial impact on LSU employees along with the disruption of campus services would be too great a burden, bordering on disaster of only a two-month period.”
 
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Contact Xerxes A. Wilson at [email protected]