As the editorial page editor, I’m really getting tired of writing about budget cuts.Between staff edits and personal columns, I’ve had to delve into the bureaucracy and the intricacies of the budget — and the inadequacies and injustices therein. I probably say “higher education and health care make up a disproportionately huge portion of the non-discretionary funding” in my sleep.With all the bad news, it can be difficult to remain optimistic about the University’s future.As the University celebrates its 150th anniversary and everyone looks back on the long, distinguished history, a precedent emerges — there is some light at the end of the tunnel.This isn’t the first time this campus has faced budget cuts —far from it. And here we are today.”We would go three months, and you had to figure out some way to meet payroll even though you were not getting enough state money,” former LSU Chancellor James Wharton said in an interview with the Daily Reveille last month. “There was one Friday in which I just didn’t have the money to meet the payroll, and I knew it would be a national disaster if I didn’t.”Wharton was speaking about a crisis similar to the one we’re struggling through now — one that occurred in the ’80s. The state simply didn’t have the money to maintain the status quo, so Wharton and his administration were forced to “move heaven and earth” to keep the University afloat.Wharton says the stress of that time ruined his health – but his efforts paid off. The University survived the cuts, and became the state’s flagship university.So while it’s easy to let the current doom and gloom lead to cynicism and despair, it’s important to remember LSU will survive these cuts.But that doesn’t mean we don’t need to fight hard now.Wharton was forced to take drastic measures to make ends meet. During his tenure, the University cut about 50 degree programs and consolidated 50 more. And tuition at the University skyrocketed by 84 percent during a four-year period.In the end, Wharton says the cuts forced the University to become leaner and more efficient.While it may not be necessary to cut that many programs — and while an 84 percent increase is obviously unfeasible now — administrators need to know their predecessors took decisive, highly controversial actions to save the school, and those efforts ended up paying out in the long run.For our part, students need to know we can’t simply expect painless change. Tuition will almost certainly increase during the next few years.  Programs and services have been and will be slimmed, trimmed and eventually eliminated entirely.All of us — administrators, faculty and students — need to look at this as not just a huge problem but a chance to make our campus leaner and more efficient.But more than just a time for perseverance, now is a time for action.Student Government has a chance to do real, concrete good for the present and future of the University. Their “Fund our Future” march on the State Capitol last month is a shining example of SG channeling the energy and voice of the student body to let our voices be heard in the legislature — where the decisions that really affect us are being made.SG needs to make efforts like this a top priority.But students shouldn’t need to wait for SG. Get involved. Call or e-mail your legislator, and make sure your voice is loudly heard.Yes, there’s a light at the end of the tunnel for these budget cuts — historically, we’ve survived them, and we’ll survive them now.But history also teaches us that times like these demand dedication, hard work and the willingness to take difficult action.We’ll pull through this, LSU — but we need to buckle down and work to do it.Matthew Albright is a 21-year-old mass communication junior from Baton Rouge. Follow him on Twitter @TDR_malbright.– – – – Contact Matthew Albright at [email protected]