SU host economic teleconference on Louisiana, Global Economy

Southern University was the regional host for the economic teleconference “Fish or Cut Bait: Casting Louisiana into the Global Economy.”
The conference was held Tuesday via satellite from the Sheraton New Orleans Hotel.
The conference’s aim was to create a statewide correspondence between Louisiana’s education and business leaders and to provide feasible solutions to the state’s economic and business problems.
“While the rest of the South is growing in population and in the economy, Louisiana is lagging behind. A strong economy is really the key to having growth in the population,” Diane Keithly, professor of the Sociology and Criminal Justice Department said.
Participants in the conference included Southeastern University, University of Louisiana-Lafayette, McNeese State University and University of New Orleans.
University officials and faculty were grouped together for solution sessions to express their general concerns about the issue.
James Barnes, Director of Customer Operations at Cox Communications was the speaker for Southern’s solution group.
Through their solution session, they concluded that higher education is the essential solution to the business and economic problems in Louisiana. Higher education will provide an educated work force and encourage entrepernuership.
They also found that improvement in the port and transportation system would increase tourism, in turn better the state’s economy.
“We’re just getting a feel for direction and initiatives that will provide a climate for the state, community, universities and businesses to work together to bring improvement. When there’s a strong economic climate, everything is better,” Barnes said.
William A. Oliver, President of Bell South Louisiana Operations gave a call to action.
“This opportunity for togetherness and cohesiveness between education and business community is a great way to go. When education exceeds, our future exceeds,” Oliver said.
The institutions will reconvene in the future to discuss the issues in further detail.