Letter Campaign: SU Alumni rally to retain funding

The Southern University Alumni Federation is running a letter writing campaign to encourage students, parents and staff members to write to the office of Governor Bobby Jindal of Louisiana and the legislative offices. The purpose of this campaign is to raise awareness of the current financial situation, and make the university a priority in the 2015 Regular Legislative Session on April 13, held at the state capital.
In the beginning of this year, Governor Jindal’s administration released a budget regarding the allotted spending accommodations. There were as much as 420 billion dollar cuts to Higher Education throughout the state of Louisiana. Southern will be facing an estimated 34 million dollars in budget cuts, taking effect the start of this fiscal year, July first.
Shortly after discovering this drastic and potentially detrimental decision, SU Alumni began the letter writing campaign. Preston Castille Jr., President of the Southern University Alumni Federation, says several legislators suggested the idea.
“They suggested that we work for our education, and they needed to hear from Southern University, that it belongs to the students, faculty and staff,” said Castille. “We can help them accept or make Louisiana and Southern University a major priority in this upcoming session,” said Castille.
There are 105 legislators in the state of Louisiana. In the Baton Rouge area, they are House District 29 legislator Regina Ashford Barrow and Senate District 14 legislator Yvonne Dorsey-Colomb.
Letters can be sent to any legislative office, and can also be directed to United States Congress District 2 representative Cedric Richmond and U.S. Senators David Vitter and Bill Cassidy.
Castille says the letter campaign has been progressing well so far.
“We have gotten a lot of support of all borders of the country to write letters to Governor Bobby Jindal and the legislatures beneath him,” said Castille. “Asking them to re-invest in Southern University,” Castille added.
Briana Taylor, a freshman Child Development major said she was aware of the future budget cuts from reading newspaper articles.
“I would love to help out my university,” said Taylor. “But nobody talks to me about what I can do,”
Sample letters for students and staff can be found in their SUBR email