Higher tuition and fees will be part of Gov. Bobby Jindal’s higher education agenda for the approaching legislative session.
Jindal unveiled his “legislative packet” Monday to a gathering of legislators, Board of Regents representatives and members of the various higher education governing boards.
With the state facing a $1.6 billion budget shortfall for the coming fiscal year, higher education administrators have feared drastic budget cuts. The amount higher education might lose has varied from as high as 32 percent to less than 10 percent.
At the meeting, Jindal reiterated his intention to keep the cuts below 10 percent of general fund appropriations.
Jindal made four proposals to minimize cuts while improving the performance of the higher education system statewide.
  Video: Jindal Outlines Higher Education Agenda
 
Jindal’s first proposed legislation would enhance the LA GRAD Act, legislation passed this past summer that allowed universities to raise tuition independently by up to 10 percent after meeting performance standards.
Jindal’s proposal would also grant schools more freedom from the state bureaucracy in purchasing, budgeting, human resources and construction.
Jindal’s second proposed bill would “update” tuition, including raising the cap on per-credit-hour tuition from 12 hours to 15 hours.
Currently, University students who take more than 12 hours are considered “full time” and are charged a flat rate for tuition. Students who take fewer than 12 hours pay per credit hour.
Jindal’s proposal means a student would need 15 hours to pay the flat rate.
“Currently, many students sign up for 17 or 18 hours and drop down to 12 hours midway through the semester,” Jindal said. “This means that schools are paying for professors and classroom space that is no longer needed.”
Jindal also proposed a new fee to be set at 4 percent of current tuition costs. The fee would cover “unfunded mandates” — costs the state forces universities to pay without providing funding to do so.
University administrators have repeatedly complained those costs negated funding gains from the LA GRAD Act.
Jindal said these increased autonomies are predicted to save the University “tens of millions” in the first five years.
Jindal’s third proposal would require schools to meet performance benchmarks in graduation, retention and overall completion rates. Institutions that don’t meet the requirements would not receive the benefits.
The University already meets most of these requirements — but other institutions might not.
  Blog: Jindal gets the ball rolling on higher education funding agenda
 
Finally, Jindal reiterated his support for consolidating the higher education governing boards into one streamlined board with “a laser-like focus on student performance.”
Each of the state’s four higher education systems currently has its own governing board. Jindal’s plan would create a single governing board, with advisory boards for similar institutions.
Jindal also reiterated his support for the study into the potential merger of the University of New Orleans and Southern University-New Orleans.
Much of Jindal’s proposed legislation has been previously suggested by the Flagship Coalition, a statewide group of businessmen supporting LSU.
Other policy points came from plans released in December by the state’s higher education leaders, led by LSU System President John Lombardi.
The conference included a panel discussion with three state legislators immediately after Jindal’s speech. They gave mixed reactions to his proposals, supporting some while criticizing others.
“There are a lot of good ideas in there,” said Senate Education Committee Chairman Ben Nevers, D-Bogalusa.
Nevers emphasized the importance of bolstering the state’s K-12 education and community colleges.
Sen. Lydia Jackson, D-Shreveport, took issue with Jindal’s plans that would raise tuition and fees for students.
“I find it a little ironic that we’re proposing a tax on students — which is what tuition and fees are,” she said.
Jackson said it made more sense to raise taxes on citizens that are “already contributing.” Jindal has vowed to veto any new taxes.
Rep. Austin Badon, D-New Orleans, said such increases may be necessary.
“The students and parents in the Louisiana area are getting a very good value” for their education, he said. “[Universities] need to have a stable revenue stream to service their customers.”
Still, Badon criticized both Jindal’s proposed SUNO-UNO merger under the University of Louisiana System and his plan to consolidate the state’s boards.
“He’s planning on consolidating these two into a board that doesn’t exist,” Badon said.
Badon hinted that the plan would benefit larger institutions like LSU, but not necessarily smaller ones like SUNO.
Community colleges and smaller universities have complained that Jindal’s performance benchmarks do just that.
“I have really no interest that any one school should be treated any different,” Badon said. “We should all have to play by the same rules.”
Chancellor Michael Martin said in a statement that the University is “very pleased” with Jindal’s proposals.
“These proposals are not short-term, quick fixes. They are thoughtful initiatives that will set Louisiana on a long-term path to a high-performing higher education system,” Martin said. “If approved by the Legislature, the Governor’s legislative package will position LSU, as the state’s flagship university, to continue the unprecedented momentum we have made in raising our admission standards, increasing our graduation and retention rates, increasing research dollars, and advancing as a top-tier university.”
 
 
____
Contact The Daily Reveille’s news staff at [email protected]