Cutting classes

Louisiana public universities may have to cut their budgets by 10 percent due to a $1 billion decline in state revenues, said Gov. Kathleen Blanco in a recent press release.
The Louisiana Board of Regents has asked all state universities to draft two budget plans in compliance with impending cuts: One for five percent and another for 10 percent. The drafts will be due by mid-November.
For the Southern University System, this could mean more job cuts and a longer freeze on spending.
Interim System President Edward Jackson said with the revenue generated by areas devastated by Hurricanes Katrina and Rita gone, it is obvious the state will have to do some more cutting. He also said a 10 percent cut would mean a loss of $4.2 million for Southern’s system.
“It’s gonna effect everyone a little bit,” Jackson said. “There may be lay offs, but we hope to minimize that.”
Eva Baham, faculty senate president, said if the university does have to make cuts, she hopes they are not at the expense of Southern’s academic integrity.
“The faculty senate realizes the university and state are in dire financial straits,” Baham said. “Therefore we are willing to do what needs to be done to meet those obligations.”
Baham also said the university should not sacrifice essential personnel to achieve its goal.
“When they look at personnel, look at those who are non-essential first,” she said. “Start at the top and look at how important they are to the core functions of the university.
“We (the faculty senate) don’t want to sacrifice essential personnel,” Baham said. “We need support staff for their essential work.”
Jackson said as a result of the impending budget cuts, fewer positions will be filled next semester and there will be less travel expenditures to curtail spending. He also said the university might have to conserve energy by turning off lights and heat. Another scenario would be larger class sizes.
“We believe the order will come to proceed with the budget cuts,” Jackson said. “In the meantime, we are still operating under a spending and hiring freeze, which we will continue to do.”
Baham said teachers are willing to have larger classes if it means maintaining academic integrity.
“I endorse that the university look at a four-day work week,” she said. “We will be working even harder in a shorter period of time.
“That will save tremendously on the utilities which should keep people working, although they’ll be working harder and longer,” Baham said.
Southern University at New Orleans Chancellor Robert Gex said SUNO is prepared to do what it has to do because it is not just the system being affected by budget cuts; it is every state public university.
“We understand the rationale of why,” Gex said. “But we don’t like it because it could possibly hinder some of the SUNO rebuilding efforts.”
Gex added that less money could mean curtailing some academic programs from SUNO’s curriculums.
“Our intent is to have faculty and staff feel the least impact and not injure our academic programs,” Jackson said. “If you spread it out, a least amount of pain will be felt.
“We are asking deans and vice chancellors for their suggestions,” Jackson said. “And we’re talking to other universities on how they are doing it.”
According to a statement released on her Web site, Blanco said her agenda is a “substantial package of initiatives that will help our families, our business and our state recover” from the hurricanes.
“Our budget challenges will, in many ways, make our recovery more difficult,” Blanco said. “These challenges require that we design a focused, streamlined state budget.”
A 17-day special legislative session called by Blanco is set to begin Nov. 6.