If budget cuts become a reality for higher education, the University may need to turn to outside donors to keep student resources paid for by the state, such as the Center for Academic Success, First Year Experience, the Olinde Career Center and the University’s tutoring services, afloat, said Vice President for Student Life and Enrollment Services Kurt Keppler.
While Keppler assured students vital services such as the UREC, Student Union and the transportation system would remain untouched by budget cuts because they are funded by student fees, not state money, services funded by the state could be in jeopardy once funds are depleted.
“In those particular circumstances, we’ve gone to companies and outside donors to raise external funds to cover the loss,” Keppler said. “For the most part, we will protect these student services at all costs.”
Other services that receive no state funding include the Student Health Center and Information Technology Services.
According to a Jan. 25 administrative report, a loss of funding for student services at the University would indirectly affect enrollment and retention, not only for the flagship campus, but also for the LSU System’s satellite campuses around the state.
Since 2009, state funds per full-time student have decreased 53.6 percent for the main campus alone, dropping from more than $8,000 per year to less than $4,000. Other campuses, such as LSU Alexandria and LSU Shreveport, have suffered even higher cuts.
According to the report, a $65 million reduction in state funds for the LSU System could raise student fees on the main campus by almost $700 per student this fiscal year. Since estimates for the state’s budget shortfall for the current fiscal year have increased, LSU President F. King Alexander has said fee raises could be as high as $1,400 per student.
Keppler said while roughly 70 percent of the University’s funding comes from tuition and fees, the state of Louisiana covers about 26 percent of the school’s budget.
“Within the last decade, [the funding] has been reversed,” Keppler said. “It used to be 75 percent [funding] from the state and 25 percent from students, and now it’s the opposite.”
Despite the fact that the state budget has been cut nine times in the last seven years, Keppler said in-state enrollment is still strong. The University’s projected enrollment for Fall 2016 is running 3 percent higher than fall 2015’s.
From 2009 to 2015, the University’s enrollment increased by 2,085 students, despite annual slashes to higher education. Keppler said one of the main reasons in-state students continue to choose LSU is because of TOPS.
“[In-state students] are getting the best deal in the United States of America, and they’re getting to go to the best institution in the state,” Keppler said. “LSU has the ability to handle [the budget crisis] better than any other part of the state.”
Helen Frink, a sociology senior who helped organize last year’s student March the Capitol protest, said a group of students are planning additional events beginning today. Frink said the group is comprised of members from the Louisiana Board of Regents, Student Government, Baton Rouge Organizing and the LSU Black Leadership Council, as well as University students.
Frink said the march is important because it shows legislators that University students are paying attention to the potential impacts the budget crisis could have on their school.
“The march last year said we won’t be walked all over without at least making a stand for ourselves,” Frink said. “This year is different because it is finally coming down to the wire with budget issues.”
The group, known as Save Our Schools Louisiana, is planning a rally at the Capitol on Friday and another large event on Feb. 24. Frink said she is proud of the interconnectivity across campus when it comes to rallying for higher education.
“The best part is that now we are coming together to plan events and help each other out in any way we can,” Frink said.
The Student Advocacy Commission, an SG-led organization comprised of students from various majors and classes that lobbies for student interests at the Capitol, began a letter-writing campaign in the weeks leading up to the start of the special session to urge legislators to support funding for higher education.
Commission members hand-wrote letters to the state’s 105 representatives and 39 senators as a way to unite students’ voices with the legislature’s. They will deliver the letters on Monday, the second day of the special session. The special session opened at 4 p.m. Sunday.
The Commission will also issue a legislative report card, which grades state legislators by how they voted for certain student interests — particularly higher education. Myles Sonnier, SG State Capitol adviser, said last year’s report card will serve as the framework for this year’s.
“Last year, [the report card] was pretty effective,” Sonnier said. “We’re basically going to do the same thing for this year’s.”
Last year’s report card received some criticism from some legislators who felt they were unfairly scored. According to a previous report by The Daily Reveille, SG chief adviser Zack Faircloth said the report was purely to evaluate lawmakers on their voting records, not to rank them personally.
Sonnier also mentioned plans for meetings with Commissioner of Administration Jay Dardenne, Speaker of the House Taylor Barras and Speaker Pro Tempore Walt Leger as a way to connect legislators with the University community.
For a state that is ranked 48th in bachelor’s degree attainment according to the University’s report, higher education funding is vital to Louisiana. Keppler said this month’s special session needs to focus on raising revenue and external funds, and he urged students to make their voices heard over the next three weeks.
“We have to be confident that our legislators will see the seriousness of the problem and try to raise some revenue measures,” Keppler said. “It’s a critical time for [LSU], but I believe we will prevail and continue to be the best we can be.”