As the University keeps one eye on current budgetary uncertainty, the other is on the future, Chancellor Michael Martin said at a Faculty Senate-sponsored Chancellor Forum on Wednesday.Martin answered questions and listened to concerns from members of the University community at the second forum of the semester, titled “The University with Dressing and Gravy: Programs, Administration, Arrangement, and Occasionally Expansion.” Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope said the topic brought with it both “minima and maxima” for which to be thankful.”The minima is that our administration has … been able to keep the University afloat,” Cope said. “The maxima is there is a future for the University … as we attempt to view the University in a variety of larger contexts.”One issue that pervades both the University’s present and future is its finances. Martin stressed the importance of retaining the University’s quality through any measures necessary.”If we face the challenge of having to diminish quality versus accepting the fact that students will have to pick up more of the expense, the latter is my preference,” he said. But Martin said the proposed $1,000 per year flagship fee is not something the administration wants, but something it may have to do to retain academic quality.”It’s not my desire to increase fees,” Martin said. “There’s no fee that I want. It’s a fee we may have to accept if we want to retain the quality we have at LSU.”Martin also addressed the issue of the TOPS scholarship and LSU System President John Lombardi’s assertion of a bigger focus on need-based awards. Martin said he disagrees with Lombardi and feels TOPS should be merit-based to keep top Louisiana students coming to the University. “I differ publicly and privately with John Lombardi on how to fix TOPS,” Martin said. “I have argued … the way to solve that problem is to increase the standards to get [a TOPS award] and keep it a merit-based program.”Martin mentioned raising endowment as another financial goal. He said he aims to grow the University’s current endowment of about $300 million to $1 billion. He said one way to do that is by pushing harder for big donors.”Why is Stadium Drive [called] Stadium Drive?” Martin said. “Why can’t it be Shaquille O’Neal Victory Boulevard?”Another topic at the forum was the way students feel about the University community. Lawrence Rouse, associate professor of coastal studies, asked if any thought had been given about how to make students feel more at home at the University.Martin said it is important to create a full environment for students — including student organizations and residential colleges — as a way to “take the ‘bigness’ away” from the University experience.”A lot of our students come from [small] towns where Baton Rouge looks like Gotham City,” Martin said. But Martin said students can carve a niche at the University to fit their preferences.”If you come to LSU, you can be big, small or medium in any way you want to organize your life,” he said.—-Contact Ryan Buxton at [email protected]