Lawmakers and University administrators are uncertain what the numbers mean.
Gov. Bobby Jindal presented his preliminary budget proposal Friday. The $24.7 billion budget had to overcome the challenge of a $1 billion shortfall, so it’s safe to say that most people anticipated some major cuts.
As expected, the total higher education budget, which is not protected by the La. Constitution, took a major hit – $200 million. But that’s not the weirdest part.
The total higher education budget is made up of smaller funds, which typically increase and decrease from year to year, and this year was no different.
Two things to look at: the general fund and the statutory dedications fund.
The general fund decreased by about $700 million, and the statutory dedications fund increased by about $600 million.
If you’re like me when I first saw these numbers, you’re probably shocked at how huge those amounts are, and you’re also probably wondering what that actually means.
It seems like a pretty straightforward question – at least, that’s what I thought when I began looking for answers after I saw the budget proposal Friday.
After hearing from Chancellor Jenkins and discussing the news with University Director of External Affairs Jason Droddy and Sen. Dan Claitor, I realized that no one really knows the answer.
That’s the whole point.
Why was so much money taken from the general fund? What exactly is included in the statutory dedications fund?
When the interim LSU system president and chancellor, the University’s director of external affairs and a senator who sits on the appropriations committee couldn’t explain to me what this means, I realized we’re in trouble.
So that’s where we are. If you’re confused, you, like me, are in the majority.
One thing is certain: the Jindal administration’s budget is negatively affecting Louisiana.
University administrators are leaving, faculty salaries haven’t increased in nearly five years, tuition is increasing and entire departments have been eliminated. These are just a few of the effects of the state budget.
This isn’t just about pleading the case of students and faculty who are having a tough time; this is about how Louisiana’s declining quality of higher education affects people in every corner of the state and beyond.
“The flagship university belongs to the entire state, not just Baton Rouge,” Claitor said. “If you look around, wherever you come from, LSU has had an impact on the community. Legislators, wherever they’re from, need to recognize that and make it a priority.”
The budget proposal is evolving and should become more clear in the next few weeks, but understanding what the numbers mean won’t change the fact that higher education in Louisiana might not make a full recovery from the 9 percent decrease in funding over the course of the Jindal administration.
The problems of higher education seem clear-cut to me, so I’m confused why the state government isn’t supporting its own flagship university.
My challenge for Jindal – Explain what these numbers really mean.
