The Southern University Board of Supervisors met Monday to discuss many key issues to help Southern University as a whole progress. Many of these issues would affect every part of Southern University.
With a long list of action items on the agenda, many items brought up frustration amongst board members and faculty. Issues and action items ranging from the financial status of the system, the raise of student fees at Southern Lab, and the update status on the athletic director highlighted the agenda.
The request for authorization to offer existing Academic Programs through Distance Learning Technologies passed with a unanimous vote. Online programs will better assist students who cannot make it to class to still get an education. In addition it will help bring much needed revenue to Southern University.
Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies Degree Program was approved as well as licensed practical nursing degree program at SUSLA was passed. These will be offered in the near future for Southern University-Baton Rouge and Southern University-Shreveport.
While many programs were passed the Associate of Applied Science in Electronics Technology Program at SUSLA was terminated.
The last action item that was passed was the approval of the New Orleans Higher Education Management Plan.
A monthly recruitment update was also provided to display the improvement in the recruitment process.
The financial status report as of Dec. 31 for the SU system was also released during the meeting.
“We lost $2.9 million because of the mid year budget cuts made by the governor,” said Kevin Appleton, vice president for finance and business affairs.
According to the financial status report, the entire system is approximately $1.67 million under the nearly $139.5 million budget as of December.
“The retrenchment plan is supposed to help stay on the correct path until the end of our current status of exigency,” continued Appleton.
Southern Lab is also expected to experience a raise in tuition that will generate $180,000.
“This increase will require legislative approval, but this is the first step of the process,” said Chancellor James Llorens.
Plenty commotion surrounded the policy and procedures for the educational assistance scholarship program and how the funds raised would be disbursed to the entities campus.
SGA President Demetrius Sumner suggested that rather than the Board of Supervisors dispersing the money to the several campuses, the chancellors of each campus should be in control of the disbursement.
“Are we going to continue to deprive the Baton Rouge campus of those scholarship dollars because we want to give out scholarships. This is the campus money, but the money should be given through the chancellors,” said Sumner.
Board member Tony Clayton disapproved by dismissing Sumner’s idea as petty.
“I think I am intelligent enough to be able to go in my community to help a kid come to Southern University. I didn’t think there is no need for the procedure to be changed and we have done well by it,” said Clayton.
“This requires the board to give up territory which is uncomfortable but this is territory that we are not supposed to have,” responded Sumner.
The item passed with a 5-2 vote leaving the disbursement policies as is.
An update was given on the intramural sports complex, which was expected to be completed in 2007. Endas Vincent, director of facilities and planning, stated the construction of the complex would begin next week. Vincent also announced that the revamping of the parking lot around the mini dome would start sometime this year.
The continuation of the Interim Director, which is being held by women’s basketball head coach Sandy Pugh was passed and the search for an athletic continues with a 3-3 vote with two abstaining towards the recommendation for the position.
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SU Board face issues
February 16, 2012
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