First, I applaud those who participated in the jazz funeral on Thursday. This spark will ignite the fire needed to burn the ideas that are stifling our future. However, our job is not over; we must regroup, rethink and reorganize our efforts to reduce monetary malpractice upon Louisiana’s higher education system.
Here is some food for thought.
In a press conference on higher education held June 11, 2009, Governor Bobby Jindal said, “We have got to continue to support the LSU Flagship Agenda. It is critical not only for LSU but for our state that we’ve got a flagship institution that is nationally competitive”
Between March 2, 2009, and July 20, 2009, Jinal used state-funded helicopters and pilots to “travel to various parts of the state to attend church services and meet with community officials.” The helicopters cost $1,200 per hour to operate. He took 14 of these trips, which cost Louisiana $45,000.
In his first speech of the “Building a Better LA for our Children” tour Aug. 11 in Monroe, the governor said, “When we took office, Louisiana had no comprehensive workforce development system to provide businesses with a skilled workforce, nor did we have a system capable of guiding our people to find a rewarding career.”
At first, Jindal opposed the repeal of the Stelly Plan as being “too costly to declining state coffers” but changed his allegiance when he came under fire by middle- to upper-class action against the measure. With the removal of the Stelly Plan, the state’s estimated revenue shortfall for 2010 is about $567 million. Had the Stelly Plan not been removed, we would not have such a dramatic shortfall.
With all this is mind, here is what I have to say:
Unfortunately, it takes money to get an education and even more to receive a quality education from a nationally competing university. If it is critical for LSU as a university to be this national competing flagship of Louisiana, then obviously we need money and cannot take any more cuts to the academic budget. Governor Jindal has lost perspective of what “Building a Better LA for our Children” really means. Our children need somewhere they can receive guidance “to find a rewarding career.” Cutting your flagship’s main mast is not the way to do that, nor is spending $45,000 on helicopter rides. Our future lies within the education of our youth.
If we let these cuts go unchecked, all our futures are in jeopardy. Louisiana will no longer have a nationally recognized educational entity, which in turn will reduce the amount of intelligent students coming into our University — thus, eliminating those who stay within our state after graduation to start businesses, run for public office, teach, etc.
Whether it be slightly raising taxes, cutting other parts of the budget or a mix, I don’t care. What I do care about is the success of this University, its students and our state. We must act now in order to combat this impending doom.
Contact your local legislators; let them know your disapproval. Get involved. Proud Students needs ideas and people to complete its goal. And remember the Nov. 10 protest, where we will rally against those proposing to sink our ship as well as our state. Governor Jindal has shown he can be swayed. Let’s change his mind.
Logan Sloan
political science sophomore
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