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Proposed state budget cuts catastrophic to SU System - Wednesday, May 16, 2012
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The Southern University and
A&M College System (SUS)--America's only historically black college
and university system, an asset vital to the state of Louisiana and to
the nation--will be devastated by the proposed budget cuts currently
being considered by the Louisiana Legislature.
The Southern
University System would be cut nearly $19 million dollars in state
funds, almost 32.7 percent of the state's portion of its total operating
budget.
The SU System provides substantial resources to
Louisiana's economy and plays an important role in supporting economic
and workforce development that bring benefits to the state and region.
"We
are fighting against what would be, by far, the most harmful cutback in
state appropriations ever experienced in our history. After $35 million
of resource reductions since 2009, and a recent declaration of
financial exigency at our flagship campus, we have nothing left to cut,"
said SU System President Ronald Mason Jr.
Fewer classes,
elimination of complete degree programs and scholarships, and huge
faculty and staff layoffs, will be the impact for the Southern
University System and other Louisiana universities.
Detrimental changes are a certainty according to SU System Vice President for Finance and Business Affairs Kevin Appleton.
"The
projected impact is disastrous for the SU System. We expect additional
layoffs, further academic program elimination, System-wide furloughs,
and declaration of financial exigency for other campuses,” said
Appleton.
Efforts to balance the SUS budget based on the current
state budget proposal through various strategies including further staff
reductions and programmatic changes, will not be sufficient to sustain
the SU System campuses through even the short term.
"These cuts
would strike a deadly blow to our efforts as we proceed with plans to
move Southern toward a more secure, distinguished place in higher
education," said Mason.
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