The Jindal administration doesn’t plan to raise taxes to alleviate the higher education budget crisis, Student Government President J Hudson and Vice President Dani Borel said Tuesday.
Hudson and Borel met with state officials — Executive Counsel Stephen Waguespack and Policy Director Camille Conaway — Tuesday to discuss the allocation of funding to higher education and government suggestions for educational institutions.
At the meeting, Waguespack and Conaway said the best way to advocate for higher education is for students to meet face-to-face with their legislators to discuss the cuts, Borel said.
Hudson said $8 billion of the government’s General Budget is non-restricted, which covers things that are not constitutionally protected, like education.
Borel said the state has unsuccessfully tried to free up other areas of the budget.
The allocation of the funding to education is a system Waguespack doesn’t understand, Borel said.
The method offers more money for students who meet certain criteria, like those who are minorities, older than 26 or pursuing a technical degree, Hudson said.
Borel said the system does not favor the flagship institution and, when asked, officials responded by saying it provides the University with capital outlay funding by investing in University buildings.
This investment precedent was set by previous administrations, Borel said. Hudson said the capital outlay program isn’t well matched with the University’s needs.
“It’s like saying ‘here’s a gold watch’ when all we need is a silver ring,” Hudson said.
Borel said the government feels four-year institutions have low admissions standards and are accepting students who don’t succeed. The government wants to push for more programs to support transition from two-year to four-year institutions, such as the “Bears 2 Tigers” program between Baton Rouge Community College and LSU, Borel said.
The state government would also like to see institutions work together to specialize programs and departments.
“The government office is pushing for each institution to specialize in certain areas,” Borel said.
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Contact Celeste Ansley at [email protected]