While University administrators bemoan continued funding cuts, some state leaders say the current budget situation presents an opportunity to restructure the higher education system.
Several influential policymakers have called for an increased emphasis on community colleges and trade schools — schools those leaders say better serve the demands of the state.
Many of those arguments hinge on the perception that the state has too few community colleges.
Those numbers seem to be backed up by figures from the Louisiana Workforce Commission. The commission compared the number of higher education graduates in 2004 to the state’s marketplace demand for those degrees.
The report indicates 35 percent of high school graduates entered four-year private universities, 8 percent entered two-year colleges, 20 percent entered the job market directly after high school, and 37 percent dropped out before high school.
The demand trend, however, is vastly different. According the LWC’s report, the state’s job market demands only 16 percent of the workforce have four-year degrees but demands 58 percent have two-year degrees.
The report echoes recent pushes by state and national political figures for a higher emphasis on community colleges.
Earlier this month, President Barack Obama announced his Skills for America’s Future initiative, which will partner community colleges nationwide with private companies like McDonald’s, Gap and Accenture.
The same week, the president held a “White House Summit On Community Colleges,” hosted by second lady and long-time educator Jill Biden.
Gov. Bobby Jindal has also pushed for greater emphasis on two-year institutions, citing statistics like the report as evidence that more similar institutions are necessary.
Despite the emphasis on two-year schools, most officials say improving community colleges doesn’t have to come at the expense of four-year institutions like the University.
“I would never decrease support for the four-year education system,” said Sen. Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa, chairman of the Senate Education Committee.
Nevers said community colleges are an essential part of an efficient higher education system.
“I believe we need to get every student that we can to post-secondary education in the state in some form,” he said.
“Many students are unable to attend a four-year university in some form, and we need to give them some kind of opportunity.”
Nevers said an ideal higher education system would link community colleges to universities. Students who are initially unable or hesitant to attend a university would start at community colleges and transition into four-year institutions.
“The four-year universities and the community colleges need to realize that we’re all in this together,” Nevers said.
Nevers pointed to the “Bears 2 Tigers” partnership between LSU and Baton Rouge Community College as an example of inter-school synergy.
Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope acknowledges that community colleges have an important educational role and that beefing them up doesn’t have to hurt four-year institutions.
“It’s unfortunate that, whoever these statisticians are, they’re trying to set community and technical schools against universities,” he said.
Cope said community colleges are designed to either funnel students into a university or to provide job training.
“They’re more keyed to the market,” he said. Cope also didn’t challenge the demand figures.
But Cope said looking only at market demand isn’t necessarily the best long-term strategy.
“In the long term, the more educated a person is, the more their income goes up — which means the taxes they pay go up,” he said.
Cope argued demand for four-year institutions will increase in the coming years. The same LWC analysis shows projected demand for four-year institutions increasing by 5 percent, with demand for two-year institutions decreasing by 3 percent.
Cope also criticized the Jindal administration’s efforts to funnel more Louisianians into community colleges.
“He’s imposing a primitive glass ceiling over the people of the state,” he said.
 
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Contact Matthew Albright at [email protected]