A bill awaiting passage in the state Legislature that would give the Board of Regents total discretion in decision-making regarding Louisiana postsecondary education is drawing ire for what some call a dangerous delegation of power.House Bill 1492, authored by House Speaker Jim Tucker, would give the Board of Regents power to “adopt any policy that it deems necessary or appropriate to govern postsecondary education in the state.”If passed into law, the bill would give the Board of Regents final authority in the governance of higher education, above university system-specific entities like the LSU System Board of Supervisors.”It would give the Board of Regents unlimited power in higher education and render all the governing boards for higher education in Louisiana totally ineffective,” said Charles Zewe, LSU System spokesperson.
Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope sent a letter June 9 to the chairs of the House and Senate education committees, criticizing the bill for creating a “monolithic administrative structure.”Cope said the bill doesn’t necessitate decision-making by the Board of Regents in superiority to LSU’s Board of Supervisors but does allow for the possibility.”This bill gives the Board of Regents the power to take action if it wants to, but it doesn’t require the Board of Regents to take action,” Cope said.
Still, Cope said giving unchecked power to the Board of Regents would be to the detriment of the LSU System.”In its flagrant disregard of checks and balances, the bill is fundamentally inconsistent with American values and the American political tradition,” Cope said.Zewe said the bill would give the Board of Regents total control in running parts of higher-education institutions, with which it has little experience.For example, the Board of Regents would have final authority in the running of 500 healthcare clinics, 10 hospitals and two health sciences centers involved in the LSU System’s medical education programs, Zewe said.”It’s so not much about [LSU’s] power and influence as it is a matter of understanding LSU institutions and how best to manage them,” Zewe said.Cope agreed, saying the bill would create a distance between courses of action in higher education and those who the actions affect.”It takes the responsibility for decision-making further and further away from the people affected by it or implementing those decisions,” he said.Cope said the response to his open letter has been “quite significant” and that he has received an influx of positive feedback.If enacted, the bill would become a Constitutional amendment, meaning a two-thirds majority vote in both the House of Representatives and the Senate and approval by voters in a state election is required for the bill to become law.Cope said the additional required approval of voters could make it harder for the law to be enacted.”That definitely provides some consolation,” he said. “The people in Louisiana in general have a high degree of common sense and know their interests.”
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Contact Ryan Buxton at [email protected]