Dear Louisiana Lawmakers,
What the hell!?!
What is your deal with taking more money from us? It’s bad enough that we were already living foot-to-mouth before, now Southern University is the one who need to get a loan from Sallie Mae.
I understand, as a nation, we are in a financial bind and cuts have to be made. However, I’m pretty sure that it all doesn’t have to come from higher education. Over the past two years here at Southern, we have been made to make cuts adding up to over $18 million. These cuts have tremendously dampened our ability to complete our mission which is to give a quality education to all those who want it.
Now down the river, LSU has taken a hit as well. However, as we all know they are much better equipped to survive this kind of attack. One can only speculate that there must be some conspiracy to make LSU the only university of this state, which cannot be allowed to happen. Nothing against them but, SU is a very vital part of this state’s history, and to let it fall to the waste side would be a large disservice to the future generations.
I know SU has problems … a long, mobster-rap-sheet-style list of them. Then again, what family doesn’t?
As a family, SU needs to wake up. As a family SU needs to stand up. As a family, SU needs walk up to Gov. Piyush Jindal and his collective and say that enough is enough. We cannot take anymore of this outright abuse and disrespect that the state is showing what is one of the best historically black colleges in existence.
It seems as we are being treated like the red-headed step child of higher education – or maybe in this case the nappy-headed one (yes, I just said it).
From all of what has happened, one can only draw the conclusion that, as an HBCU, we are deemed less valuable than a predominantly white institution. Now before you go saying that I’m being racist, let me stop you there and dispel that lie before it gets started. I am, by no means, racist. If I were I would be hypocritical of everything this institution stands for.
All I’m saying is that it looks like we are being systematically, but hey I could be wrong. If I am wrong, would someone please come and correct me. How about instead of sitting all the way down there at the Capitol, you come on down SU and get to know the people you are oppressing with your pocketbook-snatching style of financial handling. Come sit on the Bluff and marvel at the beauty this institution offers this state before you flush us like a used contraceptive; just come get to know the people who will eventually be making the big decisions in this world. Come see how we have to struggle to survive and make ends meet.
For God sakes, if the Human Jukebox is broke, that’s when you know we are in crisis!
If there is something I’m missing please let me know because all I see is state making decisions that undervalues what should be one its greatest attributes, this is the home of the only HBCU system anywhere and one of the largest black institutions around. You can’t appreciate something that you don’t know about, so I’m inviting anyone who reads this to come over Hump and get to know SU. Maybe then we will get the appreciation that we deserve.
Sincerely Yours,
Norman J. Dotson Jr., Digest Editor-in-Chief
P.S. Let’s try sending some funds our way instead … you might be surprised by the results of that investment.
Categories:
Open Letter to our lawmakers
October 21, 2010
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