Fellow students, we commend you for paying attention to our state and school’s budget woes. But don’t breathe a sigh of relief yet.
The Louisiana Office of Student Financial Assistance only has enough money to fund 80 percent of your TOPS scholarships this semester. The government promised you and your family won’t have to fork over the remaining 20 percent, so schools will have to absorb those costs.
But don’t think that means those costs won’t fall on you elsewhere. A university that relies on your tuition for roughly 70 percent of its operating costs cannot afford to pay your fees, too.
For those of you who think the battle is over because the state has reinstated your TOPS, remember that next year’s shortfall is even bigger than what we are facing today. Think about those who have dreamed of staying home and attending an in-state university. Their futures hang in the balance.
No matter what happens during the special legislative session, higher education already lost this first battle. Institutions have to find ways to cover TOPS’ $28 million shortfall, meaning the flagship campus will have to find space in an already-crippledbudget from years of past reductions to sustain your financial aid.
If our elected officials appropriate money to fund higher education next year, they aren’t guaranteeing the state’s popular merit-based aid for all who qualify. If nothing changes, Louisiana will only have enough money to fund 25 percent of TOPS next year. If you scored below a 28 on the ACT, say goodbye to TOPS if nothing changes.
More than half of LSU students are TOPS-eligible, which is the highest percentage of students receiving the scholarship per university. This is not just about whether you can afford to go to school, but whether the school can afford to offer entire programs.
The new restrictions will hit the University harder than any other state school. Students no longer covered will have to find other resources to fund their education, and the inevitable tuition and fee increases will push mid and low-income students out of the University.
As it stands, universities across the state will have to suspend classes mid-semester if legislators can’t generate revenue, meaning students won’t be able to graduate or will drop below full-time status.
Funding for higher education means more than whether or not you’ll have TOPS next year. Catastrophic budget cuts to higher education affect the entire state.
Back when Louisiana’s budget shortfall was expected to be around $750 million, the LSU System was asked to prepare for a potential cut of $65 million. But now our state is short roughly $940 million. The LSU System almost certainly has to cut more than $65 million if nothing changes, and the flagship campus almost certainly cannot afford additional reductions.
Your teachers would be suddenly unemployed. Our maintenance workers and faculty would have to go elsewhere for work. The teachers that do stay would suddenly be responsible for double the workload while their salaries would be lower than their colleagues in surrounding states.
Graduating is no excuse for complacency, and no one is safe from the budget cuts. Even if these cuts don’t affect your ability to pay for school or affect your current program, think about your friends and family who might not be able to afford higher education. Think about whether their academic major will sustain the budget crisis.
Keep raising awareness on social media. Share articles on Facebook. Educate your friends and families on our budget woes, but you should also do more. Channel your concern into activism.
The LSU Black Leadership Council and Save Our Schools Louisiana are asking students from universities across the state to march on the State Capitol Friday, Feb. 19 at 11:30 a.m. Save Our Schools Louisiana is also planning another event on Feb. 24. Show legislators you care about your school. Invite all your friends and family to march alongside you.
Contact your state legislators and the governor. Express your concerns to them, and let them know you’ll stand by your school when they make life-altering decisions.
Tell lawmakers to set aside their differences to save our state. Right now, we’re not Democrats or Republicans. We’re Louisianians who need to come together to make the tough decisions to save our state.
If you don’t take away anything else, remember these three numbers: the state is facing a $940 million shortfall for the current fiscal year. Best-case scenario, the legislature cuts higher education by $70 million. Worst-case scenario, they cut us by $204 million. We won’t come out ahead, but with your help, we may be able to get out alive.