Student body presidents from across Louisiana’s public higher education system will soon have a joint message for state government, according to LSU Student Government President J Hudson.
 
Hudson attended a two-day meeting of the Council of Student Body Presidents during fall break. That body, composed of the student representatives of the state’s 30 public institutions of higher education, is working on a letter to state legislators.
 
The letter, which would represent all institutions, will pose a list of questions about higher education. Hudson said it should be released this week.
 
“You’re actually seeing tangible results,” Hudson said.
 
The council also discussed a march at the state Capitol planned for the first day of the legislative session in early March.
 
Hudson said there was a “consensus that people are going to participate” in the protest. He said he would lobby for an official gesture of support at the council’s February meeting.
 
Another unaffiliated march is planned for Nov. 10.  
 
“The ultimate goal is to have them join us on the march,” Hudson said of the presidents.
 
Hudson has previously complained that divisions among the different systems have hamstrung efforts to put up a cohesive front.
 
The council represents the eight 4-year universities in the LSU System, the four universities in the Southern University System, the eight universities and colleges in the University of Louisiana System and the 10 colleges in the Louisiana Technical and Community College System.
 
Hudson said the number of people on the council and the differences in the types of universities they represent have previously caused divisions that have prevented sending a single message.
 
“There’s a huge divide between the four-year institutions and the community colleges,” Hudson said. “But the community colleges are all lumped together with ours.”
 
Hudson said only one representative from the Southern System — representing the New Orleans campus — attended the meeting.
 
 
 
 
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Contact Matthew Albright at [email protected]