During his televised State of the State Thursday night, Gov. John Bel Edwards detailed a stark future for state higher education, which could face “catastrophic cuts” over the next four months if the Legislature cannot mitigate the effects of the now $940 million budget shortfall for the current fiscal year.

Edwards said the University and its satellite campuses could run out of money after April 30, the LSU AgCenter and Pennington Biomedical Research Center may be forced to close by April 1 and classes could be cancelled at universities across the state if the Legislature cannot reach a solution.

“If you are a student attending one of these universities, it means that you will receive a grade of incomplete, many students will not be able to graduate and student-athletes across the state at those schools will be ineligible to play next semester,” Edwards said. “That means you can say farewell to college football next fall.”

A special, three-week legislative session will begin Sunday during which state legislators will attempt to find solutions to the state’s current financial crisis.

“For the next three weeks, we will take on the grueling task of correcting the largest budget deficit in our state’s history,” Edwards said.

Edwards proposed “significant cuts” during his speech, including a hiring freeze for state government, a reduction in state contracts and a cut of more than $160 million in state government spending. Edwards also suggested using $128 million from the rainy day fund and $200 million in non-coastal payments from British Petroleum to help plug the state’s growing budget hole.

Edwards also noted that his proposals would further reduce tax credits, suspend corporate tax deductions and increase the state sales tax by one penny, as well as increase the state’s alcohol and cigarette taxes.
“In Louisiana, we are resilient, and we are determined to meet any challenge that comes our way,” Edwards said. “We are experienced at working together in the face of great adversity, and I know our brightest days are ahead of us.”