Last school year was bad for the University.
OK, that’s an understatement. It was really bad. The big bad budget cuts were always looming over our heads. Instructors were fired, and programs were cut. And there was the constant threat of more cuts to come.
All the while, we went to school, hoping that our major’s curriculums would remain intact.
Then the school year ended. The budget talk seemed to cease for the summer — or at least it wasn’t shoved down our throats anymore. Fortunately, this semester has seemed relatively quiet on the budget cut front.
But just when I got optimistic and thought the University would dodge any major cuts this semester, I was side-swiped by news of the Swine Farm closing at the LSU AgCenter.
The Daily Reveille reported Sept. 27 that the Swine Farm would be shutting down due to a $5 million budget cut.
On the surface, the idea of losing the Swine Farm doesn’t seem very upsetting or like much of a loss, but after talking to some animal science majors and reading about the Swine Farm, it’s obvious that the University is taking a major hit.
First, I talked to fellow Reveille columnist and animal science major, Gabbie Bacques. She explained Swine Farm has a greater impact on the University than most would realize, and she pointed me in the direction of other students affected.
Natalie Whittington, an animal science senior who plans to go to veterinary school next year, said she had taken two classes at the Swine Farm during her time at LSU, and they both focused on the growth and development of pigs. She stressed the importance of those classes because students could physically see the pigs’ development, rather than reading it in a textbook.
“It was definitely a hands-on experience. I’m from New Orleans so I didn’t grow up around pigs,” Whittington said. “Without [the Swine Farm] we would have no swine experience … and we’re actually getting to apply what we