In the past weeks, The Daily Reveille has taken steps to criticize Gov. Bobby Jindal’s silence on the higher education financial crisis.
While Jindal deserves a major share of the responsibility for the peril, so do your local legislators.
Jindal does draft the state’s budget and approves the final version of it, but the Legislature is the governing body that has the power to set in motion a constitutional amendment that would allow for more across-the-board cuts.
And it hasn’t done so yet.
Us pointing out the Legislature’s lack of effort to help higher education isn’t enough. So we’re going to help you make legislators realize how important higher education is.
As you head out for a much-anticipated fall break, the budget crisis is probably the furthest thing from your mind.
So to make it easy for you, we’ve included list of contact information for a few prominent members of the State Legislature, as well as most of the Baton Rouge representatives — phone numbers and e-mail addresses.
Jindal’s official Facebook page put out a post Tuesday asking students about their thoughts on higher education. That’s a start — but it’s nowhere near enough of a response.
Fall break is a time for you to relax, but don’t  forget about higher education’s plight in this state. There’s no escaping it. Send as many e-mails and angry phone calls to legislators  as possible. They won’t listen to you otherwise, and every little bit counts.
SENATE
• Sen. Ben Nevers, Chair of the Senate Education Committee: [email protected], (225)342-2040
• Sen. Sharon Weston Broome, President Pro Tempore: [email protected], (225)342-2040
• Sen. Joel T. Chaisson II, Senate President: [email protected], (985)764-9911
• Sen. Dan Claitor: [email protected], (225)342-2040
• Sen. Yvonne Dorsey: [email protected], (225)342-2040
HOUSE
• Rep. Austin Badon, Chair of the House Education Committee: [email protected], (504)243-7783
• Rep. Regina Barrow: [email protected], (225)362-5837
• Rep. Stephen F. Carter: [email protected], (225)362-5305
• Rep. Franklin J. Foil: [email protected], (225)342-6777
• Rep. Hunter Greene: [email protected], (225)362-5900
• Rep. Dalton Honoré: [email protected], (225)771-5674
• Rep. Michael Jackson: [email protected], (225)342-0774
• Rep. Erich E. Ponti: [email protected], (225)362-5301
• Rep. Clifton R. Richardson: [email protected] (225)261-5739
• Rep. Patricia Haynes Smith: [email protected], (225)342-7106
 
—————
Contact the Editorial Board at [email protected].