Belton sets the record straight: Potential budget reduction update

With the recent mention of budget cuts to Higher education in Louisiana, students, faculty and staff are left to wonder the fate of the Southern University System. On last week a letter was released to the public from the Southern University Office of the President-Chancellor, which had language that many took as a statement that hinted closure, but another statement was released from Belton stating that
“We are keeping a sense of cautious optimism that the planned revenue and funds will materialize to avoid a situation of catastrophic propositions for Southern
University.”
Wanting to set the record straight, President-Chancellor Ray L. Belton wanted to give the Jaguar Nation a sense of peace.
“Southern University will not close, that is an absolute. I can not envision a scenario where this institution will close, but I should say to you that the reduction is a significant one, which is 32 percent in our general funds per campus,” said Belton.
When asked about the current uproar from social media, Belton commented saying that yes the language used was out of character and a simple mistake.
“I am aware of that, and it was a misunderstanding of words.”
Further explaining the potential budget cuts Belton, explained how the university had to plan and show the amount of funds that would be cut, only in a worse case scenario.
“Unfortunately we have had to go through this over the last 5 years where we have given the worst case scenario and in so many ways try to suggest to the legislature that they have to do something to bring relief to higher education,” said Belton.
Belton also expressed that in other words after the legislature sees the worst case scenario and how drastically it will hurt the university in return the legislature has always and will most likely step up and bring the kind of relief needed.
“That way we don’t have to advance to these kinds of scenarios in which we presented to the public,” added Belton.
“I want to relieve some of the anxiety, yes we may absorb some of the reduction, just as all the other universities, but we simply do not have enough money in our budget to cut to that magnitude.”
Assuring that the class schedule and academic year would not be affected Belton went on to say, “because classes have started we are not going to affect any classes, at this time in our budget and in regards to the cancellation of summer school, that will be the absolute last resort, we do not foresee cancelling summer school, but once again we had to put everything on the table.”
When asked in the event of facing a budget reduction, what would be the first action or asset to be cut Belton replied saying
“Well the most common approach we would take would be furloughs to administration and staff.”
In the event that furloughs do take place, those who are currently making over 30 thousand a year will be furloughed first.
“Those in administration that work five days a week, will be asked to work only four days a week without pay, and that would help us in saving money,” said Belton.
“Non faculty positions will be furloughed first, because we are not going to affect the class schedule,” said Belton.
In the past the university transitioned to a four-day week, with the hope of saving money, but according to Belton, it wasn’t much of a cost saver.
“The four-day work week schedule was a strategic plan questioning rather money could be saved on utilities, we realized that it didn’t really save any money, and it provided students with what we got back as disruptive and although people enjoyed getting off early on Friday it kind of interrupted the conducive nature for teaching and learning, that’s why we are back to a full week of courses.
Lastly, Belton offered promising words to the jaguar nation by encouraging them not to worry about the current budget reduction in which the system faces, but instead to continue to focus on their regular schedules
“I want you to go about your day to day and keep your thoughts on your studies this is not our first rodeo, unfortunately, we have had to do the very same thing for the last 5 years, and we will navigate this storm as we always have,” ended Belton.