Students need to voice opinions
This is not even close to the end, but is just the very beginning.
Governor Jindal met with us to discuss the fiscal year 2011-2012 hypothetical cuts.
We asked for him to do three things: host a forum on LSU’s campus that will address the budget problems, explain to all Student Government Presidents the rationale behind the Board of Regent’s Formula and provide a ‘Flagship Plan’ for the future of our university.
While he did say that he would like to come to LSU and speak after they have a clear plan, he did not provide information on the other two factors at this meeting. We look forward to receiving this information from him soon.
Governor Jindal has asked us, as students of the Flagship institution, to stand with him for constitutional reform and for a simpler Board of Regents Funding Formula.
If we stand with him, we would be advocating fewer cuts to and a clear funding process for our institution. These are extremely important goals that all of us need to talk to our legislators about.
We cannot stop here. We need to continue our correspondence with Governor Jindal and our legislators so we can stop the hypothetical 35 percent budget cut from becoming reality.
Please write letters to your legislators frequently, telling them about your LSU experience and giving them reasons they should not cut our university.
Only if we work together will we be safe from the deletion of majors, abandonment of student services and the devaluation of our future degrees.
J Hudson
Student Government President
Dani Borel
Student Government Vice President
Students need to stop whining
Who do LSU’s student government leaders think they are?
Hudson and Borel demand answers from the governor of Louisiana because budgets were cut. The absolute gall in “calling back” the governor is appalling. They are students; their egos may be inflated beyond belief, but they are not as big in this world as their heads seem to be.
In case the “First Couple” of LSU have not noticed, everyone is going through tough times. People are losing homes; long-standing businesses are falling apart. The least of anyone’s worries are some relatively minor cuts to university departments. We feel the pinch at the law school, but most of us have grown up and stopped whining like spoiled children.
Instead of disrespectfully assuming the position of the governor’s equal or disciplinarian, perhaps LSU’s student leaders should do something constructive themselves. Why not propose some action to re-allocate student activity money to academics so that students do not lose their majors and professors do not lose their jobs?
Whatever the solution, Hudson and Borel should take their own advice and do something and not cry out so hubristically about the cuts to their ivory towers.
Edward McAuliffe
Third-year law student, LSU Law