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re: Budget cuts to Tiger Band
Posted on 1/17/10 at 2:26 pm to Queen
Posted on 1/17/10 at 2:26 pm to Queen
Education, health care get soaked in Jindal's cuts: A guest column by Robert Mann
In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav in September 2008, Gov. Bobby Jindal's performance reassured the public and, to some, contrasted favorably to that of former Gov. Kathleen Blanco's following Hurricane Katrina.
Sixteen months later, Jindal is facing another storm and, because of indifference and mismanagement, this fiscal hurricane may have longer-lasting consequences for the state and its citizens.
When Jindal entered office, as the current fiscal storm approached, Louisiana enjoyed a $1.08 billion surplus. Instead of using the money to bolster higher education and health care -- two areas constitutionally mandated for a massively disproportionate share of budget cuts -- Jindal and the Legislature spent the vast majority on, among other things, pork and public works projects.
Making matters worse, Jindal approved $359 million in income tax cuts for the wealthiest Louisiana taxpayers. Combined with Blanco's income tax cuts of more than $300 million Louisiana's budget now has a massive revenue hole.
Those actions ensured that a fiscal Gustav caused by a decline in other tax revenue would, instead, be a fiscal Katrina. Instead of a standstill budget for health care and higher education, Jindal imposed draconian cuts that, within a few years, will cripple Louisiana's universities and its public health care system. Just this month, he is demanding $84 million in mid-budget year cuts for higher education and $108 million in cuts for health care. He is demanding even deeper cuts for next fiscal year.
As president of the University of Louisiana System from 1999 to 2001, Jindal seemed to understand that no state could be great that lacked a strong system of colleges and universities. Indeed, in 2007 he campaigned for office promising to support higher education because of its importance to the state's economic future.
Now he calls the cuts prudent belt-tightening and couches his decision to cut higher education in soothing language about his determination to ensure that "our colleges and universities are among the best in the country." A nice sentiment, but Jindal refused to employ the tools that the state constitution provides to support our higher education and public health care systems.
Jindal notes an absence of state resources and argues he has no choice, other than to raise taxes, which he refuses to do. He is, however, saying little about one poorly kept secret: the $172 million available in this fiscal year from the state's Budget Stabilization Fund. The fund was designed not so much to make up for shortfalls at the beginning of a budget year, but for mid-budget year shortfalls of the current sort.
Jindal's people explain that he refuses to use the fund out of concern the problem might only get worse. That is a possibility but, with oil prices rising and the recession ending, it is by no means a certainty. In any event, no more than a third can be used in any budget year and the fund must be constantly replenished with oil and gas revenues.
Equally perplexing is Jindal's request of the U.S. Education Department for a waiver allowing him to continue accepting federal stimulus funds for our university systems while he cuts higher education. That Jindal won't tap the budget stabilization fund should prompt federal officials to deny this request until he has used all the tools at his disposal to address the problem.
The situation Louisiana faces is analogous to parents who responsibly plan for a hurricane by stocking emergency supplies. When the dreaded storm comes, all the food in the freezer spoils and the family has little to eat. Stubbornly, the father refuses to open the emergency pantry, telling his hungry children that another storm might strike next month and the reserves must remain untouched.
A father who would respond to his children's suffering this way would be irresponsible, at best, and abusive, at worst. A governor who, under similar circumstances, refuses to save his state's health care system and its universities is no better.
A cynic might conclude that Jindal cares more about creating a reputation for parsimony and, thereby, sustain his presidential ambitions. Whatever the reason, the fact is that Jindal now presides over a fiscal Hurricane Katrina. He is slowly destroying the state's higher education and health care systems and, with them, the chance of a better future for thousands of Louisiana's citizens.
Sadly for college students, the sick and the elderly, the consequences of Jindal's neglect and mismanagement may ultimately inflict longer-lasting damage to Louisiana than the storm that destroyed the political career of his predecessor
In the aftermath of Hurricane Gustav in September 2008, Gov. Bobby Jindal's performance reassured the public and, to some, contrasted favorably to that of former Gov. Kathleen Blanco's following Hurricane Katrina.
Sixteen months later, Jindal is facing another storm and, because of indifference and mismanagement, this fiscal hurricane may have longer-lasting consequences for the state and its citizens.
When Jindal entered office, as the current fiscal storm approached, Louisiana enjoyed a $1.08 billion surplus. Instead of using the money to bolster higher education and health care -- two areas constitutionally mandated for a massively disproportionate share of budget cuts -- Jindal and the Legislature spent the vast majority on, among other things, pork and public works projects.
Making matters worse, Jindal approved $359 million in income tax cuts for the wealthiest Louisiana taxpayers. Combined with Blanco's income tax cuts of more than $300 million Louisiana's budget now has a massive revenue hole.
Those actions ensured that a fiscal Gustav caused by a decline in other tax revenue would, instead, be a fiscal Katrina. Instead of a standstill budget for health care and higher education, Jindal imposed draconian cuts that, within a few years, will cripple Louisiana's universities and its public health care system. Just this month, he is demanding $84 million in mid-budget year cuts for higher education and $108 million in cuts for health care. He is demanding even deeper cuts for next fiscal year.
As president of the University of Louisiana System from 1999 to 2001, Jindal seemed to understand that no state could be great that lacked a strong system of colleges and universities. Indeed, in 2007 he campaigned for office promising to support higher education because of its importance to the state's economic future.
Now he calls the cuts prudent belt-tightening and couches his decision to cut higher education in soothing language about his determination to ensure that "our colleges and universities are among the best in the country." A nice sentiment, but Jindal refused to employ the tools that the state constitution provides to support our higher education and public health care systems.
Jindal notes an absence of state resources and argues he has no choice, other than to raise taxes, which he refuses to do. He is, however, saying little about one poorly kept secret: the $172 million available in this fiscal year from the state's Budget Stabilization Fund. The fund was designed not so much to make up for shortfalls at the beginning of a budget year, but for mid-budget year shortfalls of the current sort.
Jindal's people explain that he refuses to use the fund out of concern the problem might only get worse. That is a possibility but, with oil prices rising and the recession ending, it is by no means a certainty. In any event, no more than a third can be used in any budget year and the fund must be constantly replenished with oil and gas revenues.
Equally perplexing is Jindal's request of the U.S. Education Department for a waiver allowing him to continue accepting federal stimulus funds for our university systems while he cuts higher education. That Jindal won't tap the budget stabilization fund should prompt federal officials to deny this request until he has used all the tools at his disposal to address the problem.
The situation Louisiana faces is analogous to parents who responsibly plan for a hurricane by stocking emergency supplies. When the dreaded storm comes, all the food in the freezer spoils and the family has little to eat. Stubbornly, the father refuses to open the emergency pantry, telling his hungry children that another storm might strike next month and the reserves must remain untouched.
A father who would respond to his children's suffering this way would be irresponsible, at best, and abusive, at worst. A governor who, under similar circumstances, refuses to save his state's health care system and its universities is no better.
A cynic might conclude that Jindal cares more about creating a reputation for parsimony and, thereby, sustain his presidential ambitions. Whatever the reason, the fact is that Jindal now presides over a fiscal Hurricane Katrina. He is slowly destroying the state's higher education and health care systems and, with them, the chance of a better future for thousands of Louisiana's citizens.
Sadly for college students, the sick and the elderly, the consequences of Jindal's neglect and mismanagement may ultimately inflict longer-lasting damage to Louisiana than the storm that destroyed the political career of his predecessor
2
Posted on 1/17/10 at 2:28 pm to Queen
Someone needs to take a look at all the corruption going on in the upper echelons at LSU. Why is it that the most heavily-funded, self-proclaimed "flagship" school in Louisiana suffers so terribly when these cuts come down? There's not one furlough or layoff happening in Ruston. That's not at all to rub salt in wounds, but to ask "why?" There's GOT to be some seriously terrible waste at the top at LSU, and I know about some of it, but I wonder if anyone else is thinking/seeing the same thing? Most of the morons running the school in Baton Rouge really need to be fired for wasting/pocketing SO much money, robbing taxpayers for it, and denying their students of a top-notch education.
Posted on 1/17/10 at 2:39 pm to Mudminnow
Thats one man's opinion.
Posted on 1/17/10 at 2:39 pm to Ktulu7
quote:
There's GOT to be some seriously terrible waste at the top at LSU, and I know about some of it, but I wonder if anyone else is thinking/seeing the same thing?
There is a lot of waste at the top. There are a plethora of vice/associate/assistant for like each position. Each make around 200K. But instead they'll rather cut grad student stipends and facility service guys.
LSU touted the Top Tier ranking like there was no tomorrow. Whats going to happen now?
Posted on 1/17/10 at 4:01 pm to Mudminnow
A lot of that "top tier" ranking stuff is also based on the amount of money/resources the university has. Frankly, I wouldn't put LSU up there with most of the schools in that tier. It certainly SHOULD be, because it's got a TON of state resources, but too many people are sucking money out of it like vampires. LSU is just a microcosm of the state government as a whole, unfortunately. The whole state government has a lot of cleaning up to do. Maybe Jindal can take over as LSU system president too, get rid of the salary bloat, and dump that money into research!
Hell, what keeps us afloat in Ruston and keeps us as a highly ranked national university at Tech would be our tons of patent royalties from developing stuff every year. LSU could go down that road too, in addition to taking advantage of currently available revenue sources.
On topic: I thought the band was a big deal in Baton Rouge. Y'all can't get some private donations together to keep the band funded?
Hell, what keeps us afloat in Ruston and keeps us as a highly ranked national university at Tech would be our tons of patent royalties from developing stuff every year. LSU could go down that road too, in addition to taking advantage of currently available revenue sources.
On topic: I thought the band was a big deal in Baton Rouge. Y'all can't get some private donations together to keep the band funded?
Posted on 1/17/10 at 4:47 pm to Ktulu7
quote:
On topic: I thought the band was a big deal in Baton Rouge. Y'all can't get some private donations together to keep the band funded?
This has been brought up. LSU has said it wont help much unless that money actually funds faculty positions. Music department will steadily be losing faculty members.
Posted on 1/17/10 at 4:59 pm to Mudminnow
LSU sends 1-year notices
300 instructors could lose jobs
LSU will soon send out notices to about 300 instructors telling them they may be unemployed at the end of 2010, according to university officials.
Although LSU Chancellor Michael Martin has indicated additional layoffs could begin this summer, the letters to nearly all non-tenure-track instructors and research faculty are necessary because many of them contractually require 12-month termination notices.
LSU Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope said Thursday that Martin is doing what is legally necessary to prepare for possible widespread layoffs in anticipation of additional budget cuts for the next school year.
“I don’t think he (Martin) has any other choice, because I don’t see any point in building up false hope,” Cope said.
He said most of the anger on campus is directed at state government for the budget cuts and not at the LSU administration.
State government slashed $12.6 million from LSU’s main campus this month, bringing LSU’s total budget cut tally to about $43 million or about 20 percent of what it was 13 months ago. However, LSU received funding increases in 2008 and has offset some of the cuts with tuition increases in 2008 and 2009.
Additional budget cuts are expected this summer and in 2011 because of declines in state revenue and the future loss of federal stimulus funds. State revenue is expected to drop by about $3 billion in the next two years.
About a year ago, Southern University issued similar notices to instructors shortly before Christmas.
Kevin Carman, dean of LSU’s College of Basic Sciences, said it was “demoralizing” to inform about 50 instructors this week in his college that they may lose their jobs after this year.
“Clearly this is something that I’d rather we didn’t do,” Carman said Thursday. “I really hate that we have to do this and it clearly damages our educational services.”
The instructors being notified could still keep their jobs next year, depending on the extent of the budget cuts, and others could be kept on as part-time adjunct faculty with smaller salaries.
Instructors, who focus only on teaching, do not have the same job protections as tenure-track faculty who have research and publication requirements.
Calling the notices a “necessary evil,” Carman said he expects many of the instructors would keep their jobs because they teach so many introductory classes that are required for students to graduate.
Instructors are extremely important,” Carman said. “There’s just no way we can get rid of all the instructors as far as I can imagine.”
LSU has about 1,300 tenured and non-tenured faculty and 3,800 staff members. LSU staff can be laid off with much less notice, often about 30 days.
LSU also is reducing its number of graduate student assistantship jobs.
Martin was said to be traveling Thursday by LSU spokesman Herb Vincent and did not respond to interview requests.
However, in a prepared statement released by LSU, Martin stated, “The university has had to make adjustments to its professional and classified staffs in the past, and now we must be prepared to address all areas of our workforce as we brace for future budget reductions.”
He added, “This obviously is not something we want to do, but we must have flexibility with our budget due to the unknown financial future of higher education in this state.”
300 instructors could lose jobs
LSU will soon send out notices to about 300 instructors telling them they may be unemployed at the end of 2010, according to university officials.
Although LSU Chancellor Michael Martin has indicated additional layoffs could begin this summer, the letters to nearly all non-tenure-track instructors and research faculty are necessary because many of them contractually require 12-month termination notices.
LSU Faculty Senate President Kevin Cope said Thursday that Martin is doing what is legally necessary to prepare for possible widespread layoffs in anticipation of additional budget cuts for the next school year.
“I don’t think he (Martin) has any other choice, because I don’t see any point in building up false hope,” Cope said.
He said most of the anger on campus is directed at state government for the budget cuts and not at the LSU administration.
State government slashed $12.6 million from LSU’s main campus this month, bringing LSU’s total budget cut tally to about $43 million or about 20 percent of what it was 13 months ago. However, LSU received funding increases in 2008 and has offset some of the cuts with tuition increases in 2008 and 2009.
Additional budget cuts are expected this summer and in 2011 because of declines in state revenue and the future loss of federal stimulus funds. State revenue is expected to drop by about $3 billion in the next two years.
About a year ago, Southern University issued similar notices to instructors shortly before Christmas.
Kevin Carman, dean of LSU’s College of Basic Sciences, said it was “demoralizing” to inform about 50 instructors this week in his college that they may lose their jobs after this year.
“Clearly this is something that I’d rather we didn’t do,” Carman said Thursday. “I really hate that we have to do this and it clearly damages our educational services.”
The instructors being notified could still keep their jobs next year, depending on the extent of the budget cuts, and others could be kept on as part-time adjunct faculty with smaller salaries.
Instructors, who focus only on teaching, do not have the same job protections as tenure-track faculty who have research and publication requirements.
Calling the notices a “necessary evil,” Carman said he expects many of the instructors would keep their jobs because they teach so many introductory classes that are required for students to graduate.
Instructors are extremely important,” Carman said. “There’s just no way we can get rid of all the instructors as far as I can imagine.”
LSU has about 1,300 tenured and non-tenured faculty and 3,800 staff members. LSU staff can be laid off with much less notice, often about 30 days.
LSU also is reducing its number of graduate student assistantship jobs.
Martin was said to be traveling Thursday by LSU spokesman Herb Vincent and did not respond to interview requests.
However, in a prepared statement released by LSU, Martin stated, “The university has had to make adjustments to its professional and classified staffs in the past, and now we must be prepared to address all areas of our workforce as we brace for future budget reductions.”
He added, “This obviously is not something we want to do, but we must have flexibility with our budget due to the unknown financial future of higher education in this state.”
Posted on 1/18/10 at 11:11 am to los angeles tiger
quote:
los angeles tiger
anymore news on this front? Have you talked to anymore band alumni about the issue?
Posted on 1/18/10 at 11:26 am to Mudminnow
That's what y'all get for electing a governor who didn't attend college in the state.
Posted on 1/18/10 at 12:49 pm to Elleshoe
I hated to see that your band couldn't make it to Alabama this year. It's a good one.
But anyhow- how is LSU's athletic dept hurting for so much money? The SEC just signed billion dollar contracts with ESPN and CBS and our bowl revenues are higher than ever. It seems like LSU should be rolling in the $ like the rest of us. It seems like you guys have some serious mismanagement at the top.
But anyhow- how is LSU's athletic dept hurting for so much money? The SEC just signed billion dollar contracts with ESPN and CBS and our bowl revenues are higher than ever. It seems like LSU should be rolling in the $ like the rest of us. It seems like you guys have some serious mismanagement at the top.
Posted on 1/18/10 at 2:36 pm to attheua
Its not the Athletic Department. Its from the Education Budget.
Posted on 1/18/10 at 3:01 pm to attheua
quote:
But anyhow- how is LSU's athletic dept hurting for so much money? The SEC just signed billion dollar contracts with ESPN and CBS and our bowl revenues are higher than ever. It seems like LSU should be rolling in the $ like the rest of us. It seems like you guys have some serious mismanagement at the top.
That's how all of Louisiana is. :D
Posted on 1/18/10 at 3:13 pm to attheua
quote:
But anyhow- how is LSU's athletic dept hurting for so much money? The SEC just signed billion dollar contracts with ESPN and CBS and our bowl revenues are higher than ever. It seems like LSU should be rolling in the $ like the rest of us. It seems like you guys have some serious mismanagement at the top.
LSU is not rolling in the $$ like everyone else because LSU and I think Nebraska are the only schools in the country that dont receive subsidies.
LSU athletics has to give millions back to the university. Thats on top of paying for tuition and fees for all its student athletes, plus parking lots, new facilities, upgrades, etc....
Let me put it this way. You have two guys
Guy A: makes 50K a year
has 1K in bills a year, thats it
GUY B: makes 100K a year
has 60K in medical bills/child support/credit cards/car and boat notes...etc...
like asking who's in better financial shape.
Posted on 1/18/10 at 4:49 pm to attheua
quote:
I hated to see that your band couldn't make it to Alabama this year. It's a good one.
I hated to see that too. For the first time ever, I took both of my kids to the Bama-LSU game this year & I told them before the game that they would be really impressed with the GBFTL. We were VERY dissappointed when they didn't get to come to the game.
Posted on 1/19/10 at 9:10 am to RT1941
quote:
I hated to see that too. For the first time ever, I took both of my kids to the Bama-LSU game this year & I told them before the game that they would be really impressed with the GBFTL. We were VERY dissappointed when they didn't get to come to the game.
I think it'll be the same this year too. I havent heard though if the full band is able to make the trip.
Posted on 1/19/10 at 9:27 am to Mudminnow
quote:
I think it'll be the same this year too. I havent heard though if the full band is able to make the trip.
Doesn't Bama come to Baton Rouge this year?
Posted on 1/19/10 at 9:34 am to LouisianaLonghorn
Yes, but the Tiger Band always makes a full band trip to an SEC away game. I havent heard if they'll be doing that this year. Last year it was suppose to be Bama but it was cancelled for budget concerns.
Posted on 1/19/10 at 9:51 am to Mudminnow
As of right now, its still full band to Atlanta.
Posted on 1/19/10 at 10:01 am to TxTyger13
quote:
But anyhow- how is LSU's athletic dept hurting for so much money? The SEC just signed billion dollar contracts with ESPN and CBS and our bowl revenues are higher than ever. It seems like LSU should be rolling in the $ like the rest of us. It seems like you guys have some serious mismanagement at the top
Well let's be honest with ourselves LSU's athletic department IS rolling in the dough. It's the university itself that is having trouble. The problem is almost all of the money earned is spent on the department itself when it should be going back to the school. I mean heck when you buy season tickets you are forced to "make a donation to the TAF". When we spend millions just to build a new upper deck suit so people can eat shrimp cocktail instead of watch the football games what do we expect? Bottom line we all forget that the country is still is an economic slump, and LSU is one the least expensive and highest quality universities in the country. I think we should give Jindal a little slack on the issue. And as to the tax cuts for the "wealthy", unless your a socialist wacko, you should know that the tax cuts were geared to small business which then spurs on the economy. Any genius can put 2 and 2 together on that issue.
This post was edited on 1/19/10 at 10:04 am
Posted on 1/19/10 at 11:27 am to TxTyger13
quote:
As of right now, its still full band to Atlanta.
Another poster said that the trip to ATL is at least partially funded by Chik-fil-a, so having the full band make the trip for the UNC game shouldn't be an issue. Do you know if that's true?
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