The next governor will have big shoes to fill when it comes to providing finances and support for higher education.
During the past eight years, Gov. Mike Foster increased funding for higher education, providing $59 million for higher education with the 2003-2004 budget.
Susan Howell, UNO director of Survey Research Center, said this year’s governor-elect will play a large role in keeping higher education funding at its current level.
Howell said the new governor will need to protect education from budget cuts, which are not protected by the constitution. In years past when budget cuts were needed, health care or education usually were the first to receive them.
Louisiana Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie said at the beginning of each legislative session the governor sets the initial appropriations proposal. The proposal is a budget request for the upcoming year, and once it is submitted the Legislature deliberates to see how much money each governmental sector will get.
Savoie said Foster has worked very hard to give higher education more money each year.
“Under Foster, education was always a significant part of the budgetary recommendation,” Savoie said.
The budget declares the governor’s preference of where he wants state funds to go, Savoie said.
“So with the governor declaring his priorities, it is always better if you have support from him,” Savoie said.
Savoie said Foster’s impact on education has been tremendous for a variety of reasons. He increased the funding for state colleges and universities, which was financially traumatized the decade before.
Dennis R. McSeveney, UNO associate provost and professor of sociology, said while Foster has done a great job with higher education during his term, more funds still are needed.
“As compared to the average of other states in the southern region, we are still behind in funding for education,” McSeveney said.
When people from outside the state, especially those with children, look to move to Louisiana, they look at the education system, McSeveney said.
“In order to have the quality of universities students deserve, we need money,” McSeveney said. “Regions with strong university systems have good economies.”
Foster supported accountability among schools and allowed for a broader system to make strategic changes such as increasing admissions requirements to four-year institutions.
Savoie said this year’s governor-elect will have to improve on past success.
“The major candidates understand what has gone on in education,” Savoie said. “Now we need to go to the next level, and they have to recognize the opportunity to build on previous process.”